Weight Loss is a HOT Topic as a Nutritionist.  Over the past 14 years I have ran thousands of weight loss programs.  Weight Loss is definitely the #1 Reason most people want the support of a Nutritionist. Now that being said, clients come looking for weight loss, and we end up correcting poor digestion, determining food intolerances, clearing up skin conditions, stabilizing blood sugar levels and improving immune function, Because the right diet doesn't just promote a healthier weight, it promotes a healthier body!
 
So since summer is officially upon us, and as Canucks we tend to eat a whole bunch of the wrong foods, and drink way too much of the wrong beverages, while we enjoy the precious few months of nice weather we do get, I thought I would share some tips to not only help you prevent weight gains. 
 
If you are hoping to shed a few pounds, Let me share my 5 Tips to Summer Weight Loss.
 
#1 - Avoid Restrictions.  Yep, I’m totally serious.  See the problem I have with low calorie, low carbohydrate, and low fat, is for one thing, none of these focus on eating the right foods, and second, Protein (muscle) is a faster source of fuel than fatty tissue.  If you follow a restrictive program you WILL burn muscle. Your Muscle also happens to be your metabolism, and what is burning calories when you are at rest! Restrictive programs result in a couple things…...  
One you wont be able to maintain the weight loss once you stop your restrictive program (many gain more back than they lost!) and ….... Two it will be harder to lose weight in the future. If you are a chronic dieter who has hit a point where you are not able to lose weight, then the above may have already happened to you!
 
Watch this video I did for an event where over 600 people joined us to learn “why they couldn't lose weight”

Do you ever feel like there is simply not enough time in the day? OR that you WOULD eat healthier if only you had a plan to follow?  Well there are definitely some strategies I use in my practice to help my clients simplify healthy eating!
 
Here are my TOP 4 Time Savers For Healthy Eating....

1.  Menu Plan!! If you have been following this blog, or watched my recent video on Facebook, Menu Planning is the #1 way to get the right foods into your household and body!! Click here for my Menu Planning Strategies and Free Menu Planning Worksheets! 
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2.  Weekly Prep Time.  Now if this one makes your roll your eyes, then I am definitely speaking to you!!! Seriously I know prep time, takes time, and your likely thinking its time you don't have, BUT I am here to tell you, you DO have the time, because prep time SAVES YOU TIME! (Totally just mom rhymed there!!)

Let me explain……. Aim to find one day and time, each week you can be committed to 30-60 minutes of meal prep.  During this time you can: Cut veggies, cook chicken, cook rice, cook oats and make up some freezer bag Smoothies (see #3).  If you are feeling really adventurous you can even make a few salads in mason Jars.​ (see image below)

​We all want our children to be strong willed, we just sometimes don't want to have them raise them when they are!! And when they have made up their minds around what they will and wont eat, goodness me!! Negotiations are tough and often leave parents feeling frustrated. Hang Tight I have a simple solution!!
 
So what can we do? Well my advice? Keep it simple! There are two tricks we use at home that truly help me sleep better when it comes to my children’s nutrition.

1.  I let them participate in the planning of meals and snacks. I even encourage them to add their favourite fruits and veggies to our family grocery list.  You can check out my last article on menu planning here. 

​2. I make them a smoothie daily.  

Do you find meal planning tough? If you do you are in the same boat as many other parents who want to eat healthy, but with a lack of planning and Busy Schedules, healthy eating simply becomes, just another unchecked chore on a long list of family desires.
 
I think the biggest misconception about menu planning is how much time it actually takes to do it.  What if I told you that planning a healthy menu each week, would not only save you time, but also save your family money?!!  I’m serious!! Learning the skill of menu planning can help de-stress your busy lifestyle, help your family eat healthier, AND save your family money. (Read to bottom I have a free worksheet for you!)
 
Let me share my personal journey with menu planning.  I am a busy working mom of four children, and even though my profession of being a Nutritionist means I know how to do better, it doesn't mean I always follow, what I knew I should be doing.  Our biggest challenge as a family is being super busy, and not feeling like we have enough time to do all the healthy habits I know we should be doing!
 
I have always aimed to be a Nutritionist for REAL families. I don't expect perfection, but I do know that with the right knowledge, we can make better choices, and if we make better choices, we can feel better and if we feel better, we can live better.
 
Sounds simple right? Well for most busy families it’s actually really tough! That is why teaching my clients how to menu plan is one of my most favourite things to do!  I know what its like to not follow a plan, and frankly its pretty scary!! If I fail to plan, my family like most, will be stuck with fast and convenient options, which we all know is junk calories.  These junk calories when over consumed, are harmful long-term to our health!  We only need to take a quick peek at the national cancer rates, to gauge just how harmful this convenient and fast paced lifestyle has become!
 
So as promised here is how you can Eat Healthier, Save Time and Save Money with Menu Planning.
 
Need a Menu Planning Worksheet? Finish reading for yours!
 
1) Start With Dinner. Dinnertime for most families is where it really falls apart! Especially if you are busy with extracurricular activities.  Eating a healthy evening meal is a great way to prevent evening snacking, and is also one of the most important meals to be mindful about the type of calories you are putting in your body.  Lets face it, Pizza three nights a week is going to show up somewhere on your body!
 
Every Sunday at our house is menu planning and shopping day. I sit with my coffee in the morning and poll my family by asking, “what dinners do you guys want to eat this week?” This gives everyone a say into what meals we eat. 
If they choose a Dinner idea that is less than healthy I look for the healthy alternative, for Example: