Journey to Wellness: 5 Key Habits

Simple Ways to Master Midlife Metabolism

Everyone's weight loss journey is unique, primarily influenced by seven biological mechanisms that regulate body weight. After decades of personal struggle, I found that incorporating five consistent habits sparked a transformative health journey, resulting in a weight loss of 75 pounds, even at now that I'm 56 years old!

Consistent Daily Exercise: Exercise must be an integral part of our daily routine[1], like brushing our teeth. With age, our metabolism relies on regular movement to keep blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and body weight in check. A blend of cardio, which bolsters cardiovascular health, and resistance training, which builds muscle mass and boosts metabolism, is the key to success[5]. For a deeper dive into the benefits of both, listen to my podcast's "exercise" episode, or if you're a Member, check out the exercise video series.

Quit Carb Restriction: Foods labeled 'low-carb' or 'keto-friendly' can be misleading. They often overlook the importance of fiber, a crucial carbohydrate for a healthy gut and appetite control[2]. Once I shifted focus to healthy carbs and shunned processed foods, my cravings substantially diminished.

No Snacking: Continuous eating can disrupt our body's fat-burning process[3]. Replacing snacks with hydrating drinks and spacing meals five hours apart worked wonders for me[6].

Quality Food & Recipes: The foods we choose to consume greatly influence our health and weight. I focused on high-quality ingredients, whole foods, and nutritious recipes, thus replacing processed foods in my diet[7]. Discover a variety of these wholesome, satisfying recipes as a Member of Ovvia.

Pure Water: Pure water is the only hydration our bodies need. Upon discovering potential hidden additives in "naturally flavored" beverages, I switched to unflavored water, adding fresh lemon or lime to improve taste[4]. My other motivation for proper hydration is how it aids in regulating hunger and reducing decoy hunger signals.

Bottom Line: Sustainable lifestyle changes will maintain wellness, not temporary diets. For more detailed strategies, tips, and access to a wealth of recipes, Subscribe for $5 to unlock all of Ovvia's 100+ recipes. Or join us as a Member for full access to our entire Member's Video Library! Let's journey together toward better health!

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References:

[1] Warburton, D. E., Nicol, C. W., & Bredin, S. S. (2006). Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence. Canadian medical association journal, 174(6), 801-809. 

[2] Slavin, J. (2005). Dietary fiber and body weight. Nutrition, 21(3), 411-418.

[3] Mattes, R. (2014). Energy intake and obesity: ingestive frequency outweighs portion size. Physiology & behavior, 134, 110-118.

[4] Popkin, B. M., D'Anci, K. E., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2010). Water, hydration, and health. Nutrition Reviews, 68(8), 439-458.

[5] Westcott, W. L. (2012). Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health. Current sports medicine reports, 11(4), 209-216.

[6] Vij, V. A., & Joshi, A. S. (2013). Effect of 'water induced thermogenesis' on overweight subjects' body weight, body mass index, and body composition. Journal of clinical and diagnostic research: JCDR, 7(9), 1894."

[7] Mozaffarian, D., Hao, T., Rimm, E. B., Willett, W. C., & Hu, F. B. (2011). Changes in diet and lifestyle and long-term weight gain in women and men. New England Journal of Medicine, 364(25), 2392-2404.