Jacob Lund / Shutterstock
- Dietitian and nutritionist Andy Bellatti has five pieces of advice to start feeling like your best self and to get on the right track toward losing weight (safely!) in just one week.
- To curb bloating, dehydration and discomfort, drink lots of water, cut sodium and down fiber.
- Don’t resort to a juice cleanse, powders or pills. Those aren’t healthy or sustainable ways to keep the weight off.
As winter winds down, it’s a great time to lean into your New Years resolutions and become your healthiest, most fit self.
But what’s the best way to start?
Registered dietition and nutritionist Andy Bellatti reveals all the things you should — and should never — do to get you feeling your best in under a week and on the right track.
DO: Drink lots of water.
REUTERS/David Gray
Water is essential — it regulates the shape of every cell inside our bodies. If we don’t get enough, in fact, these cells begin to shrivel up. The CDC recommends choosing water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages to "help with weight management."
Swapping a cold glass of H2O for a single 20-ounce soda will save you about 240 calories.
So hydrate, Bellatti told Business Insider, "ideally with water."
DON’T: Go on a juice cleanse.
Wikimedia Commons/ Michelle Reaves
If you’re considering a "detox" or "juice cleanse," you might want to reconsider. Drinking just water, juice, or any other liquefied concoction for more than a few days can set you up for unhealthy eating behaviors, and can often lead to spikes and drops in blood sugar levels, which can spawn cravings and mood swings.
"This is a recipe for ‘hangriness,’" Bellatti said, "that also inaccurately paints all solid food as problematic."
DO: Cut back on sodium.
Reuters/Thierry Roge
Most of us — 89% of US adults, according to the CDC — eat too much sodium, and that’s not including any salt added at the table. Too much salt in your diet can cause puffiness and bloating, so cutting back can help you avoid that.
"Sodium retains water," Bellatti said, "so lowering sodium intake also reduces puffiness."
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- 5 ways to look and feel healthier in one week, according to a nutritionist — and 5 things you should never do
- This guy made physical flip-flops out of Trump’s contradictory tweets — and he sold out his entire inventory in less than a month
- Share your opinion — become a BI Insider!
Source: Business Insider – ebrodwin@businessinsider.com (Erin Brodwin)