In 2013, following the birth of her first child, Nissa Graun weighed 245 pounds. Despite being a lifelong yo-yo dieter, losing the same 20-40 pounds since the age of 12, she faced the daunting challenge of needing to lose over 100 pounds this time. Was that sort of weight loss possible?
Health Wake-Up Call
Experiencing gestational diabetes was a critical turning point. She realized the necessity of achieving a healthy weight to prevent the progression to type two diabetes post-pregnancy. After 25 years of struggle, she finally discovered how to lose weight and maintain it by abandoning fad diets. Instead, she focused on improving her digestion and basing her diet on real food. She successfully reached her weight loss goal of shedding 100 pounds a year after her second pregnancy in April 2017. She attributed her success to five daily habits.
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Begin Every Day With a Healthy Start
The first habit involved starting each day with a healthy activity, such as walking or resistance training. With her body already accustomed to waking up early due to having children, she took advantage of the early hours. This ensured no excuses for skipping workouts later in the day due to fatigue or busyness. Initially, her routine included using the elliptical first thing in the morning, but now she varies between walking and resistance training depending on her schedule. She emphasizes, “Forming habits that are difficult to stick with is best accomplished within the first eight hours of waking,” as suggested by Dr. Andrew Huberman.
Center Meals Around Protein
The second habit was centering every meal around protein. Starting with a high-protein breakfast was crucial for sustained weight loss. Protein, being the most filling macronutrient, helped reduce overall calorie intake and maintained lean muscle, boosting metabolism. She advised skipping carb-heavy breakfasts like donuts, bagels, and cereals to avoid blood sugar swings leading to cravings. Even on weekends or holidays, she maintained a focus on protein-heavy breakfasts, allowing for occasional treats in moderation.
Ditch Processed Junk Foods
The third habit involved replacing heavily processed junk foods with real, whole foods. She clarified the difference between processed foods, which often come in boxes or packages and are designed to be overconsumed, and whole foods like meat, vegetables, fruit, eggs, and cheese. Additionally, she found success by making 80-90% of her diet whole foods, allowing for processed treats like dark chocolate or chips and salsa in moderation. She noted, “Studies show that those who include too many highly processed foods in their diet eat more calories per day than those who focus mostly on whole foods.”
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Track Every Meal
The fourth habit was tracking every meal consistently. Previously, she would start strong but lose consistency by lunch or dinner. For long-term weight loss, tracking every meal, including restaurant and holiday meals, was essential. She observed that taking time off from tracking led to overindulgence and stalling progress. She emphasized the importance of consistent habits for achieving consistent weight loss results.
Quit the ‘All or Nothing’ Mentality
The fifth habit was abandoning the “all or nothing” diet mentality. She described her past as a yo-yo dieter, where a minor mistake would lead to giving up and bingeing on junk food. This mentality kept her stuck in a cycle of strict weekday dieting and weekend overeating. By nourishing her body with nutrient-dense foods and allowing herself some flexibility, she overcame this mentality. She learned that one slip-up didn’t mean failure, and getting back on track with the next choice minimized any damage. She concluded, “Whether or not you make progress on your weight loss plan comes down to making more of the right choices more consistently.“
In Conclusion
Her journey to losing 100 pounds involved significant changes in daily habits, from starting the day with healthy activities to centering meals around protein, ditching processed foods, tracking meals, and overcoming the “all or nothing” mentality. These changes not only helped her achieve her weight loss goal but also provided a sustainable way to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
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