5 Steps to a Sensational New You

Spring is here, the weather is warming up and that means winter layers are peeling off. This is the time of year when most of us become re-inspired to eat better, get fit and maybe even do a detox. Luckily spring has only just begun, so there is plenty of time to make a real difference to your health and appearance by the time summer arrives, if you start now!

Here are 5 steps to get you started:

Eat more raw food:

During winter, raw salad vegetables are far less appealing than stews, soups and warm stodgy food. The fact is your body needs the nutrients found in raw vegetables all year round, not just in summer. Your liver requires the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants found in raw fruits and vegetables in order to detoxify your body and also burn fat efficiently. A good liver tonic can provide additional nutrients and speed up this process.

Raw salad vegetables are high in fibre, therefore will fill you up. If you dress a salad with healthy oil such as extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil or virgin coconut oil, and combine it with protein such as fish, chicken, eggs or red meat, you have a substantial low carbohydrate meal. Just by having one raw vegetable salad each day, you can get your body into the fat burning zone.

Get moving:

Winter provides us with numerous excuses not to exercise: "it's too cold, too dark, too windy, I'm too tired". The mild temperatures of spring are the perfect time to get outside and get active, before the extreme heat of summer sets in.

When you are not fit, exercise can feel quite unpleasant. That's why it's important to take it really slowly in the beginning. If you currently don't do any exercise at all, begin with a 15 minute walk. Each week challenge your body by walking for a little longer, walking a bit faster and walking over hills or on stairs. Your body needs to be given new challenges, which forces it to become stronger, fitter and leaner. If you enjoy exercising in groups you could join a dance class, martial arts class, yoga class, etcetera.

Control your cravings:

Surveys have repeatedly shown that cravings are usually the biggest obstacle for people trying to lose weight. How often you get cravings and how bad they are is usually determined by your diet. Low fat, low calorie diets are designed to give you cravings! This is because they are too low in calories and good fats, leaving you feeling tired, hungry and miserable.

Keeping your blood sugar level stable throughout the day is the best way to keep cravings under control. The way to achieve this is to eat protein at each meal and include beneficial fats in your diet. Protein is found in seafood, poultry, eggs, lean red meat and whey protein powder. Smaller amounts of protein are found in raw nuts and seeds and legumes. Beneficial fats that control cravings include extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, virgin coconut oil and the oils in avocados, fish and raw nuts and seeds. There are herbs and nutrients that control cravings brilliantly; they include chromium, magnesium and the herbs bitter melon and Gymnema sylvestre.

Get organized:

People who succeed at weight loss are well organized. They plan their exercise sessions and healthy meals; therefore nothing is left to chance. Many people find that having a seven day meal plan stuck on their fridge helps to keep them on track. Gold members receive seven day meal plans and can choose from one of 11 diets!

For those occasions when you are busy and rushed, our new meal replacement called QuickLoss™ is the perfect nutritious and convenient meal. QuickLoss™ is high in vitamins and minerals, contains whey protein concentrate and a type of fibre called NeOpuntia®. NeOpuntia® is derived from the prickly pear cactus. It expands in your stomach, helping to make you feel full and binds with fats in your digestive tract, taking excess amounts out of your body in bowel movements.

Get support:

Losing weight sounds so simple in theory – just eat less, eat healthy food and exercise regularly. The problem is that life gets in the way! Maybe you have trouble reading food labels and don't know how to shop for healthy food; perhaps your family is unsupportive of your healthy diet efforts; maybe your long working hours combined with raising a family are sabotaging your best efforts at weight loss.

Our experience has shown that the people most successful at losing weight are the ones who received support. Dr Cabot's highly trained naturopaths and nutritionists are here to give you exactly the support and encouragement you need. Becoming a Gold Member on our Weight Control Doctor website entitles you to your own personal naturopath for a whole three months! That's plenty of time to make a real change to your health and your life. Your practitioner will ask you to complete a detailed health questionnaire and arrange blood tests if necessary. Gold members receive individualized weekly meal plans, as well as ongoing support and motivation from their own naturopath for a whole three months – we've got every base covered to make sure you succeed!