How WW Tips Can Help You In A Time of Uncertainty

Going from Supersized to Shortage

Right now many if not all of us are stocking up on food in fear of a storage. In a world where we are super sized, it’s scary to think there could possibly not be enough.

Being a former leader for WW (Weight Watchers), here are some of the tips that were applied to the program, that we can apply now. I’ve enhanced these tips as I am a board certified health and wellness coach specializing in functional medicine. Not only are these tips great for weight loss, but for the overall health of our body.

And in this time of need, these are ideas that I hope will help you turn around your thinking to give you some peace of mind.

Portion control. As I stated, we live in a super sized world. Now is a good time to start to portion what we are eating. Weighing and measuring might seem like a pain, but it’s so beneficial. It’s not a plate full of pasta (as an example)the actual portion size is a a cup of pasta.

I know — a cup of pasta?! Add some veggies on top, or a salad on the side.

Especially now, while some shelves are bare, there is plenty of produce that should not go to waste! It not only helps to fill us, it helps to regulate our bodies and strengthens our immune system.

I will share with you that as I started to portion what I ate, not only did I lose weight but I felt better! I didn’t have that bloated feeling that I always thought was normal.

Slow down and actually chew our food. Are you part of the fast eaters club? I sure am… Taking the time to enjoy the meal in front of us is something we don’t always take advantage of. We gobble down, sometimes not even tasting what took us or someone else time to make.

Take a bite and put your fork down. You may even find that you’ve filled up before you finish what’s on your plate. You also help your digestion. The more you break down your food prior to it reaching your stomach, the easier it will be to digest. Think of it this way — your stomach does not have teeth.

Eat whole, real foods. I share this as a coach, not as a former WW leader. Stay away from processed foods and sugar. This is important not only now but any time. Processed foods aren’t even real food. They are loaded with high fructose corn syrup, sugar, salt and chemicals. You will feel hungrier, as your mind will crave more and more. Sugar is addictive — extremely addictive.

Sugar weakens the immune system and sugar causes inflammation which is a root cause of all disease.

I’m not only talking about sweets, but processed carbs as they turn to sugar! Shop the outside parameter of the grocery store and buy organic whenever possible.

Don’t waste food. This might not be the case at the moment, but have you bought food that is not eaten and thrown out? I used to be a big offender with this. Now, I find ways to use what I buy or I freeze it before it goes bad. Not buying more than is needed is helpful with this.

It’s okay to feel hungry! We live in a world of grazing and I found that in the WW meeting room, many shared how they appreciated now noticing when they needed to eat! Think about that…

…When do you need to eat instead of want to eat?

On the note of feeling hungry:

Sometimes it’s all in the mind. If you know you have to portion and can only eat so much, you will start feeling hungry! Is it an actual meal time? If not, it won’t be true hunger. You may actually be bored not hungry.

Sometimes you’re dehydrated. Are you getting enough water? There isn’t a signal that lets you know you need to hydrate. If you are feeling dry, you are already dehydrated. Make sure you are drinking enough water (and I mean filtered real water, not sparkling canned water, coffee, tea or soda). Water also helps your immune system as well as your body flush out toxins.

Plan meals in advance and take time to prep and cook. Embrace leftovers! I find this to be a big help for me. I will make my lunch and dinner FOR THE WEEK. Or you can cook, portion, and freeze, which will give you a variety of convenient meals ready for you in your freezer.

I started doing this for financial reasons but then found it was a big time saver. How many of us need more time and more money?! I don’t have to think about what I’m eating, spend extra time shopping and I’m eating something healthy.

Look at food as fuel, instead of pleasure. I’m not saying don’t enjoy what you are eating, but if you come from a place of it’s just food, food then loses it’s power and you take back the control!

Eating in instead of eating out. If you are feeling sad that you can’t dine out at this time, not only is it a money saver to eat in, but you have control over what ingredients are used. You also have control over the portion size. And can limit the bread and extras not needed that are included in a restaurant.

So in a negative time, I hope I brought you some positive input. This info can help you now as well as in future. As the late Wayne Dyer once said:

Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change…

In these dark times, I look to offer some light.

Can we look at what is happening with an open mind? Could this be an opportunity to grow, to evolve, to become a better version of ourselves? To be more mindful and to become more aware?

There is so much information regarding external precautions, please check out my article about internal precautions to take.

I would love for you to share your thoughts with me. Please comment below.

Until next time~

Be Well,