Part 3- Strategies 15-21

If you haven’t had a chance… check out Part 1 & 2 Strategies 1-14 and how to use this list!

STRATEGY #15. Detox Routine

Detoxification is actually the normal daily function of a healthy body.   In weight loss resistance however, our body’s normal capability to detox regularly is blocked or limited.  Instead, detox strategies are often thought of as 1x a year fasts or cleanses, when really detox is an ongoing function that we need to support as a routine, not a ritual.  

Here’s one way to incorporate a detox routine that has helped many of our clients break through a weight loss stall or plateau or even kickstart weight loss in the first place is the weekly Detox Day.  

Incorporate bone broth (soups, smoothies, plain broth) + green juices + liver support supplement + detox therapies to create a detox day 1x a week.  One model of healthy eating that works well for our clients is 5:1:1  (5 days eating consistently healthy: 1 day free: 1 day detox)

Detox Day Tools to Choose From:

  • Detox Water (defuse one or more: lemon, ginger, lime, turmeric, cucumber, herbs, apple cider vinegar)
  • Bone Broth Smoothies (Ancient Nutrition bone broth powder – vanilla or chocolate)
  • Bone Broth Soups (chicken or beef mixed bone broth mixed with vegetables)
  • Green Juices (made at home, store bought –less than 10g of sugar per serving, or greens powder dissolved in water)
  • Citrus fruits (grapefruit, oranges, clementines, lemons, limes)
  • Liver cleanse or detox tea
  • Liver support supplement
  • Oil pulling
  • Epsom salt detox baths
  • Dry skin brushing
  • Infrared sauna
  • Castor oil packs
  • Coffee enemas

Inside D.R.E.S.S. Weight Loss Program:  We help our clients create their own customized Detox Day in Phase 2 that is personalized super foods smoothie, and combination of foods/drinks, and therapies! A 24 hour detox day is really helpful for clients with digestive issues, who need gut healing.  In Phase 3 we help clients implement  a more advanced detox strategy of a 3 day liver cleanse 1x a month to help balance hormones. 

STRATEGY #16. Practice Forgiveness

Weight loss is a healing process.  And healing is a process of letting go.  Letting go spiritually can often be a huge part of why weight loss either is stalled or progresses.  Three spiritual stressors that often cause us to spiral into poor choices or fracture our mindset and success are related to the past:  Anger, Guilt, Bitterness. 

Releasing these spiritual stressors requires forgiveness.  “Forgiveness is the fragrance a flower leaves on the heel that crushed it.” 

How do we forgive others?

STEP 1: Remember

  • Make a list – write it down – of those who have offended you or someone you love – often this list includes ourselves – should include everyone you can remember throughout your life
  • Scripture Focus: Matthew 18 – remember how much you have been forgiven – remember how you have also let others and yourself down

STEP 2: Release

  • Pray to God saying out loud you release those (by name – one by one) on the list from – having to make right, having to understand how they hurt you, having to apologize, having to change, having to feel the consequences of their actions – even naming their offense
  • Give your need for justice to God to administer in His time 

STEP 3: Restore

  • Pray a blessing over those you have released by name. Be specific to each person.
  • Pray God would restore your joy, your love for, your appreciation, your respect, etc.

Inside D.R.E.S.S. Weight Loss Program:  Clients can get direct coaching on forgiveness if they discover this spiritual stressor is a key piece for them.  Our success coaches can pray with, support through and help with specific forgiveness strategies that help clients walk through this important healing process.

STRATEGY #17. Support Gallbladder Health

Did you know the gallbladder can help or hurt weight loss efforts?  Our gallbladders play a key role in the following functions that can impact our weight loss. 

  • Digests fats (hormone balance, satiation, energy source)
  • Helps regulate blood sugar
  • Aids in detoxification

Tips for Supporting the Gallbladder: 

  • Eat healthy fats in small amounts each meal (stimulates bile production and flow)
  • Eat or juice greens (kale, collards, chard, spinach,etc)
  • Avoid trans fats and processed oils (canola, corn, safflower, sunflower, corn, etc.)
  • Try taking bile salts
  • Super Enzymes (NOW) brand included digestive support with ox bile, enzymes and HCL
  • Add bitter herbs with meals (Swedish bitters)
  • Amino acid – Taurine – helps thin bile
  • Gallbladder flush protocol (under practitioner supervision) 
  • Get to bed by 10pm – Gallbladder healing is most active 11:00pm – 1:00am
  • Massage the web between your right thumb and pointer finger
  • Check for food sensitivities (eggs especially can be problematic)

**If you have had your gallbladder removed, then supplementation is necessary to regulate bile flow in the absence of a gallbladder.

**Anger and frustration are sometimes associated with gallbladder issues

Inside D.R.E.S.S. Weight Loss Program:  We work with clients that have had their gallbladder removed or have gallbladder issues to help support the processes that are missing without the gallbladder or help save the gallbladder from having to be removed!  Gallbladder issues can be resolved naturally but there is some caution when implementing a protocol that needs to be considered and supervised by a practitioner. That’s why we are partnered with Real Health Medical for the medical supervision of our Coaching Program. 

STRATEGY #18. Build Muscle

We can build muscle into our 90’s!  And there are huge benefits to our health when our lean muscle mass stays strong. 

  • Supports healthy testosterone levels (motivation)
  • Increases metabolism
  • Supports functional energy management
  • Supports bone health
  • Prevents injury and weight gain from inactivity

Our bodies have two states:  catabolic (tear down) and anabolic (build up).  We need both, but we also need to be able to switch between the two and not linger too long in tear down mode especially.  If you struggle to build muscle no matter how much you workout… the answer could be in your cortisol to DHEA ratio.  Cortisol is your chronic stress hormone.  Elevated cortisol over time can result in muscle loss.   It is a catabolic hormone.   

Whereas DHEA is anabolic.  It helps counteract cortisol’s catabolic effect.  So, if we are low in DHEA compared to cortisol, than we may have a hard time building muscle.   Both cortisol and DHEA are made by the adrenal glands and also affect our sex (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) balance.   How do you support the anabolic – build up process and avoid the catabolic tear down process?  Here are a few ways…

  • Reduce chronic stress levels by scheduling down time, spending time outside, deep breathing 
  • Eat adequate protein from clean sources
  • Add Strength training – resistance of some type daily
  • Supplementation ideas:  Cortisol manager or phosphatidylcholine or adrenal support formula or very low dose DHEA
  • Avoid over training and allow for adequate rest and recovery between workouts
  • Avoid fasting for long periods of time in the morning (eat within 1-2 hours of waking)

**It is advisable to work with a practitioner for personalized supplement protocols.

Inside D.R.E.S.S. Weight Loss Program:  When we want to lose fat and build muscle sometimes it’s discouraging to note the number on the scale doesn’t change or it may even increase.  Muscle weighs more than fat, but the more lean muscle the higher the metabolic rate and so many other health and weight benefits.  We help clients build muscle while losing excess fat by guiding them in D.R.E.S.S. protocols personalized to them and to stay encouraged in the process!

STRATEGY #19. Probiotic Power

Our gut microbiome impacts our thyroid, our metabolic rate, detoxification, mood and much more!  Improving  gut health with probiotics like kefir, kombucha, or fermented vegetables can be a game changer to naturally activate GLP-1, reduce sugar cravings, and detoxify efficiently.

Probiotic Foods: Trifecta Daily =  ½ cup Cultured Dairy + ½ cup Cultured Veggies + ½ cup Kombucha

  • Live active cultures
  • Sourdough (use starter – grain is fermented vs. just yeast being fermented)
  • Yogurt
  • Kefir
  • Cottage cheese
  • Cultured Vegetables (saurkraut, kimchi, mixed)
  • Kombucha (other probiotic drinks – check for sugar <10g per serving)

Supplements – Garden of Life, MegaSpore, SBA Ancient Nutrition, Pendulum

  • Broad spectrum (look for more than 10 strains)
  • High count 20 – 100 billion units
  • Check sugar / artificial colors / other additives
  • Soil based (MegaSpore and SBA Ancient Nutrition)
  • Akkremansia based (Pendulum) – helps activate GLP-1 naturally for weight loss

Cultured foods are staples in many people groups across the world.  Here in the United States yogurt is the most popular, but it can be sugar laden and some brands don’t even contain active live cultures!  Cultured foods have been around for centuries and were used to preserve foods before refrigeration.  Learning to make your own is easy, fun and can save you money!

The active live bacteria digest the proteins and sugars in a food making them easier for us to digest.  It is recommended to add only one type of cultured food for about 3 days to let your gut adjust, then add another type. 

Inside D.R.E.S.S. Weight Loss Program:  Phase 2 of our Weight Loss Program focuses on gut health rebuilding.  Probiotic foods/supplements are often a part of a client’s protocol.  Recipes and how to’s for adding probiotic foods to client’s meals can be provided!

STRATEGY #20. Three Levels of “Why”

Identify your physical, emotional, and spiritual motivations for weight loss. A strong sense of purpose fuels perseverance.  In working with many types of clients, with different personalities and motivations, we’ve seen clients’ that experience the best results are also the clients who know and understand their Level 3 “Why”

They may not know the 3rd level when they start the program, but part of the process is discovering. Start with why – what you believe – your purpose – the value and reason behind all the strategy.  Let’s break down the levels:

#1 Physical Why – usually there is a clear physical reason someone wants to lose weight.  “I want to feel and look better” – for example.  “I am so tired of living tired – I want to have energy again.”

#2 Psychological Why – ask “Why” to #1 – “Why do I want to feel and look better?” or “Why do I want to have energy again?” The answer to this next level is usually wrapped up in a relational or emotional reason such as: “I want to be able to spend time and play with my grandchildren.” Or “I want to rebuild my self-confidence.”

#3 Why Spiritual – ask “Why” to #2 – “Why do I want to spend time with my grandchildren?” Or “Why do I want to rebuild my self-confidence?”  Your 3rd Level why involves your purpose greater than yourself.  What is the eternal purpose – the purpose you live for that you pray will outlast your life?  Reminding ourselves of this why when we are discouraged or tempted to quit can refuel our efforts and return our mindset to what really motivates. 

Inside D.R.E.S.S. Weight Loss Program:  Both group coaching and 1:1 coaching can help clients uncover their 3rd level why and live aligned with all their “why’s”. Sometimes our mindset and thought patterns need retraining.  Sometimes we’ve lost our true purpose for why we want to lose the weight, and sometimes we simply don’t know how to live aligned with our purpose.  Coaching helps clients discover their purpose and live aligned with it!

STRATEGY #21. Boost Serotonin

Sugar cravings.  Poor sleep.  Anxiety.  Weight gain.  What do these have in common?  It could be low serotonin.  The neurotransmitter (chemical of emotion) that is our anti-anxiety, anti-depression mood enhancer can sometimes be deficient.  

Serotonin is manufactured in our guts from the good microbes (collection of bacteria).  And melatonin (sleepy hormone)  is also synthesized from serotonin, so when we are anxious and can’t sleep well, chances are we need a serotonin boost.  Serotonin is made from the amino acid tryptophan.  Eating enough protein and tryptophan containing foods is important.  But also making sure we have a good balance of beneficial microbes in our guts – probiotic foods and supplements can help as well.   

If you suspect that low serotonin may be causing symptoms and also be to blame for weight and sugar cravings try these few tips to boost your body’s own ability to manufacture and keep serotonin circulating.   

  • Sunshine exposure – especially first thing in the morning or at mid-day.  Step outside, take a walk, and  even go bare foot if weather permits
  • Take probiotic supplement – 20-50 Billion daily
  • Eat probiotic foods (kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, sourdough, cottage cheese, kombucha)
  • 5-HTP – precursor to serotonin – start with 50 mg capsule in the mid-afternoon.  Increase to 2 (100 mg) if you don’t get much benefit from one in an hour.   Take the same dose at night if you also have sleep problems. 

**If you are already taking an SSRI or MAO prescription medication, make sure to work with a practitioner since these tips can help support the medications effectiveness and the dosing may need to be adjusted. 

Inside D.R.E.S.S. Weight Loss Program:  We work with clients with the Nutri-Q (subjective – how you feel – symptom burden) and NutriStat (objective – what your actual levels of neurotransmitters are currently) and put together a specific support strategy to rebalance our chemicals of emotion!  This rebalancing can lead to decreased cravings, enhanced mood and motivation and also work with hormones for long term results!

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