I am celebrating working with over 1000 clients (and 20,000 pounds of fat loss) since I opened the doors to KKD Nutrition in 2018.
I love to keep notes on what works and what doesn't work. When someone has a big victory, I like to pick apart what changed. You know, when things really "click" and someone's life changes.
I study the successes and failures of my clients in order to help them maximize success.
I have a list of what items make my clients the MOST successful that they can be and today I wanted to share a few of them with you in celebration.
Here's 5 of the most important things that you can do to reach your goals:
Drink plenty of water every single day that you can. Aim for 1/2 your body weight in ounces as a general rule. Hydration affects you on so many levels. Your energy, your ability to think clearly, how hungry you are (yup, if you don't hydrate properly, you probably eat more food than necessary because you mistake thirst for hunger), what your skin looks like.
Add a fruit or veggie (or both) to every meal that you can. The benefits are honestly endless but among the most important are the fiber from fruit and veggies which helps fill you up & keep you full and that they are full of phytochemicals, aka plant nutrients. Those phytochemicals help fight DNA damage to your cells, strengthen your immune system, reduce inflammation in your body, regulate hormones and slow cancer cell growth.
Move your body everyday whether it's exercise or NEAT (non exercise movement). Like my Dad has always said, "a body in motion stays in motion". The more you move, the better you'll feel. It is also crucial to your goals. I'm a huge fan of resistance or weight training. Not only does it help you burn more calories consistently (rather than cardio where you just burn while you're doing the exercise) but more importantly, it protects your bone health and muscle mass (which decreases as we age). To be stronger, fitter and have more energy, strength based exercise is a must. Also, don't underestimate the value of walking. Walking is the ONLY form of exercise that doesn't increase our appetite. Outdoor walks are the only form of exercise that reduces the release of stress hormones, a great benefit for all of us. NEAT (non exercise activity thermogenesis) is also a way to move your body - think cleaning the house, getting your steps in, washing the car, etc. It all counts as movement.
Get 7-8 hours quality sleep as many nights as possible. This is one that I see hold a lot of people back. They might be eating well and moving their body but if they aren't sleeping - it impacts their progress. Better sleep and enough sleep can help with reducing stress in addition to assisting in fat loss, muscle gain and better performance at work, home and in the gym. Sleep also has an effect on your mental health. You need it.
Find a few outlets for your stress and use them. Managing stress is another area that I have seen lots of people struggle. Too much stress = excessive hunger + out of whack hormones. The answer is not just to say I exercise to relieve stress... because exercise actually places stress on your body too. Normally, it's a good thing but if you are stressed to the max and then stress your body even more, this can lead to you not meeting your goals. So look outside strenuous workouts. Call a friend, take a bath, read a book, do some gentle yoga or stretching, try meditation, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, etc. Find what works for you and use it.
All of these tips equate to habits. Habits that you do on a daily basis most of the time. When you are doing something most of the it, you are consistent. Consistent will get you to your goals.
You can improve your health, have amazing energy and meet your goals💯
Go to the Apply page and apply for coaching to talk more about how you can reach your goals through habits.