Category: Weight Management

Sheryl Westerman has 40 years of experience in weight loss counseling, coaching, research and motivational lecturing. She believes that weight loss has many different components, starting with changing the way you think.

“I was an overweight child and understand the difficulty of a weight loss journey, … Where most diet programs talk solely about food, they do not address the underlining factor, which is changing your mindset. Our bodies all have different energetic needs and need to be nourished consistently to maintain optimum levels of energy and keep our metabolisms going.”

Westerman was reared in South Africa and is constantly looking for new ideas, like the launch of her cookbook, “Cooking with Sheryl Westerman” (March 2019). ThreeBestRated, which reviews American companies, ranked her number one among the top three hand-picked weight loss centers in Atlanta in 2018.

Here are her 10 tips for losing weight, having more energy, and being healthier in 2019:

1. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner and have healthy snacks available. If 10 is full and 0 is empty, never allow yourself to go below 4. Protein bars are the new “in thing.” My favorite protein bar is NuGo. It is totally delicious, high in protein, satisfying, kosher and pareve.

2. To be successful, you have to set a consistent daily routine (including weekends). Eat at the same times every day. This way your body will start recognizing your new way of eating, and it will stop storing energy as fat. Try to eat dinner early, as late eating is definitely a negative factor in trying to lose weight.

3. I do not believe in fad diets. If something is too good to be true, it usually is. They are all wasted suffering. Depriving yourself does not work in the long term. Losing weight is all about a common-sense way of eating. I believe the biggest challenge is changing your mindset. Pace yourself and be patient. Do not jump on and off the scale every day, it will drive you crazy. Weigh twice a week at most. If you are overwhelmed with too much information, go and see a nutritionist. Portion control is extremely important. You can gain weight by eating too much healthy food.

4. Nothing can ruin a diet like anxiety and stress. Anxiety makes you rush through eating, as does unconscious, mindless eating. Nothing you eat will take the stress away. No matter the situation, you cannot “feed a feeling.” The worst thing you can do is to say, “I don’t care.” We are all human. Trying to be perfect is a toxic journey. If you have a slip up, then freeze the moment. Tell yourself to get back on track now and minimize the damage.

5. Exercise is very important to speed up your metabolism. If you are a beginner, exercise physiologists believe that 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes later in the day, three to four times a week, will make a huge difference. Exercising will reduce your stress levels. If you exercise intensely and don’t see the results on the scale and are frustrated, it is because 80 percent of weight loss is food and the other 20 percent is exercise. You cannot “out exercise” bad eating.

6. Drink water. Being well hydrated burns more calories. Try to drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water per day. If you do not like drinking cold water, try herbal teas. Sparkling water is also another option.

7. Two squares of dark chocolate a day will not be the deal breaker. Weight loss is about moderation and self-control. Watch your alcohol intake because alcohol is liquid sugar. You can have a small piece of challah and a little wine on Shabbat. I do not believe in “no carbs.” Why would you want to suffer? This has to be a soft landing. You need all your food groups: protein, starch, fats, dairy, and fruit. … A balanced diet will become a lifestyle change.

8. Cooking at home is good for your wallet, waistline and well-being. Make a resolution to not eat out so often because portions are usually bigger, have more sodium, and sauces all have hidden calories at restaurants. There is nothing like having chicken soup when you do not feel well. Kosher chickens taste better than others. (Ina Garten, the world famous “Barefoot Contessa,” also stated that in her book).

9. Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation makes you feel fatigued. This can result in needing to stay awake by needing more snack foods, junk foods and caffeine to get through the day.

10. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Make sure you buy your essential foods weekly and cook on a Sunday, prior to the week ahead. An Instapot is easy if you have nothing prepared. It is a multi-versatile cooking appliance that has enough high-power energy to cook frozen foods quickly. Never go to the supermarket hungry. Make a list and shop the outside perimeter of the grocery store.

Westerman’s motto is: “Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.”

Fast food doesn’t have to be exclusively for junk. Here are some tips for staying healthy while eating fast.

Choose grilled chicken over fried.
Always avoid mayonnaise.
Go for wholegrain sandwiches instead of pastries or pies.
Order a baked potato with beans or tuna, but no butter or mayo.
Air popped popcorn is better than fat-fried.
If you have to go for fish and chips, take the batter off th fish and eat only a small portion of the chips.

It is important to follow guidelines for sensible drinking because too much alcohol can cause serious damage to your health and put stress on your heart.

As a general rule:
Men should consume no more than 2 units per day, with at least 2 alcohol free days per week.
Women should consume no more than 1 unit per day, with at least 2 alcohol free days per week.
1 unit= ½ pint of ordinary-strength beer, lager, or cider
a small glass of wine (4-8 fl oz.); a single measure of spirit or a small glass of fortified wine such as sherry or port.

I try to do everything 100 percent. When I am busy, I am bust 100 percent. When I need to rest, I rest 100 percent.

To help maintain your body’s optimal health, rest is part of the equation.

Remember:
Eat well to nourish your body
Exercise and move around as much as you can
Rest! Proper sleep and rest helps the body to recover and create new energy

Red: tomatoes, watermelon, and red bell peppers contain the essential nutrient Lycopene.

Orange: Mangoes and oranges contain plenty of vitamin C, and carrots and sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene.

Yellow: pineapples and yellow bell peppers contain lutein(a form of antioxidant), and bananas provide potassium, which helps to prevent heart rhythm irregularities.

Green: broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and watercress contain folic acid, which helps to maintain healthy arteries.

Blue: blueberries, blackberries, and prunes are full of healthy vitamins and anthocyanin, which helps circulation.

Indigo and Violet: beetroot, eggplants, plums, and red cabbage all contain powerful antioxidants.

Children under 5 years old need more fat in their diet than older children. While it’s great to encourage children to eat fruits and vegetables, don’t let them fill up on fiber because they still need to leave room for fats and protein to provide the adequate calories and nutrients that they need for growth.

Great snack ideas for children:
Baby carrots, snap peas, red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. As well as pita bread and hummus, or olives, or cashews.

Why you’re still hungry and what you can do
You’ve just eaten lunch and you’re already counting down the hours (minutes?) until afternoon tea. Familiar? I thought so. Read on to find out why you are still hungry and what you can do.

Reason #1: You’re not eating enough nutrient dense food

The Solution: Eat More

If you have history of restrictive dieting and/or calorie counting, it is highly likely that you are under fuelling. Trust that nature knows best and start by adding more of our most nutrient dense foods – protein, good fats and non-starchy vegetables – to each meal. You will honestly watch your satiety skyrocket. This is particularly important if you crave sweets after a meal or suffer from a regular case of 3.30-itis.

Similarly, you may be under fuelling post training. This is the best time to consume complex carbohydrates – for muscle glycogen replenishment and the associated recovery and subsequent performance benefits. If you constantly find you’re never satiated on training days, start by consuming 30g of carbohydrates with your post training meal. This is as simple as adding a banana to your smoothie, half a cup of sweet potato mash to dinner, or trying a more nourishing breakfast like this Cashew, Date and Banana Quinoa Porridge or this Gluten Free Sweet Potato Bread with your eggs and avocado.

Reason #2: You’re thirsty

The Solution: Hydrate

Thirst is often mistaken for hunger. If you’re not drinking 2.5-3.0 litres of water per day, start by increasing your daily natural fluid consumption. Carrying a water bottle with you, drinking a full glass of water prior to a meal and drinking herbal tea (particularly in cooler weather) are great strategies to work with.

Reason #3: There’s not enough shut-eye in your week

The Solution: Get An Early Night (or 7!)

Studies have shown that an average of 7.5 hours of sleep per night can help assist with weight loss. How? Our hormones. Ghrelin tells us when to eat and leptin tell us when to stop, so in short, more ghrelin plus less leptin equals weight gain. And this is exactly what happens when you are sleep deprived.why you’re still hungry

In addition, your metabolism slows down and you are more likely to reach for that sweet treat or extra latte for a quick pick-me-up. Or be raiding the fridge at 10pm. Susan Zafarlotfi, PhD, clinical director of the Institute for Sleep and Wake Disorders at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey says “when you have sleep deprivation and are running on low energy, you automatically go for a bag of potato chips or other comfort food”. Time for some shut-eye, don’t you think?

Another benefit of adequate sleep is that you are more inclined to rise early and fit in a quick workout. Exercising first thing in the morning is fantastic for your metabolism and a great way to accelerate your body’s fat burning ability.

Reason #4: There’s not enough protein on your plate

The Solution: Increase Your Protein

Protein is our satiety macronutrient that balances blood sugars and therefore helps to control our weight. Aim to eat a variety of good-quality protein by choosing free-range eggs, grass-fed hormone-free beef, organic hormone-free chicken and fresh salmon. Vegetarian and vegans may need to consider supplementing with a good-quality pea protein powder, which adds variety and minimises the starches that come with legumes, lentils, and other similar plant-based protein sources.

Reason #5: You’re still suffering from fatophobia

The Solution: Add Good Fats

Fat is essential for satiety, mood and hormone production – just some of many reasons why there is no requirement for low-fat products or diets. I know you grew up in the low-fat era, but in short, we were brainwashed by the government, the agricultural industry, and everyone else involved in the lucrative traditional food pyramid. I highly recommend “Good Calories, Bad Calories” by Gary Taubes if you’d like to learn more.

Please remember, however, that the right type of fat is extremely important:

– Always cook with saturated fat, such as coconut oil, butter and animal fat, as they are highly heat stable and maintain their structure under high temperatures. They are also a fantastic source of slow release energy and along with protein, contribute to satiety and blood sugar and insulin control.
– Add avocado, salmon and almonds for essential omega 3’s.
– Avoid polyunsaturated seed oils, high doses of omega 6 and trans fats – theses are highly inflammatory and can lead to hormonal imbalances and chronic health conditions.

So there you have it, the answer is nutrient dense whole food, hydration and sleep. Simple, don’t you think?

***For a more personalized approach to your nutrition, book your initial consultation with Sheryl Westerman.