This is a really attractive promise but… “Is it possible and healthy?”

The airwaves are full of miracle weight loss cures with a select few, successful people being very willing to share their results on TV, even if they are only showing what they’ve achieved in the short term.

And so.. we thought we’d create the ultimate cheatsheet to guide you – Losing Weight Quickly Without Feeling Hungry. It’s made up of 5 key tips:

Tip 1 – Know Your Body’s Five Potential Energy Sources

We all know that foods have three energy sources (called macronutrients).

1. Protein
2. Carbohydrate
3. Fat

So what are the other two?

• Body fat (but only if you have access to it)
• Alcohol and this seems to block access to body fat. Of course we know that people vary in their alcohol consumption: every day, some days, hardly ever & never. If you want to lose weight AND drink, don’t drink every day, and be very moderate like enjoying one measured glass of dry wine with a meal.

To lose weight quickly without feeling hungry, you want to create a situation where your body has easy access to the energy stored in your body fat stores. If you’re carrying excess kilos and you find yourself being hungry, or at least not being able to last 5 hours without eating, then your body may be “diet resistant”. We won’t bore you with the tech stuff explaining why.

Tip 2 – Understand Two Diet Models

And so how do you do this? Well, weight loss programs and diets fall into two categories:

1. Energy Deficit model. You’ve heard it before. “Just eat less and exercise more. It’s all about CICO – Calories In Calories Out.” Some people hate the “diet” word, as they associate it with deprivation. However, many people have undiagnosed hylerinsulinemia – high levels of the hormone insulin. (Even though it’s chronic disease risk factor, the main reason it’s probably not diagnosed is that there’s no drug your doctor can prescribe for it. It’s all about your diet.) This is sometimes called the “fat storage hormone” in that high levels of insulin facilitate bodyfat accumulation and block bodyfat release. Tell these people to “eat less and exercise more” and, as they don’t have ready access to the energy in their fat cells they will get hungry, and we want to be able to lose weight without hunger.
2. Hormonal model. This is where your main focus is getting your insulin to optimal levels. As insulin is stimulated mainly by any food containing carbohydrate (sugar, honey, wheat, fruit, starchy veggies etc) the trick is to learn how much of these carb-containing foods your body can tolerate, to optimise your insulin levels and give you ready access to the energy locked away in your bodyfat. This is what the Healthy Inspirations ICT (Individual Carb Tolerance) Reset program establishes. This is good for those who may be “diet resistant”.

Tip 3: Eat Foods That Don’t Stimulate The Hormone Insulin

1. Fat does not stimulate insulin. But that does not mean that you can have any fat. We suggest you completely avoid manufactured oils despite what the label might say. It also does not mean that you can eat unlimited fat, because once you get your insulin down and get access to the energy in your bodyfat, then calories actually matter! Be aware that some studies that show that “fat is fattening” don’t make clear that the subjects consumed high fat, high carbohydrate diets (hamburger and bun) and this combination is uniquely fattening, especially if that fat is a manufactured fat. Think deep fried donuts with sugar on top.
2. Protein does stimulate insulin but to a far lesser extent. And, because protein has a high satiety factor (helping you feel fuller for longer), it’s really helpful for those wanting to lose and control their weight. Plus… maintaining optimal protein and iron status is good for your immune function and health. Because protein consumption tends to be self-regulating (“I can’t eat all that big steak!”) it’s hard to overeat protein – particularly for females. We suggest that every meal and snack should contain optimal amounts of quality (highly bio-available) protein.

Tip 4: You Don’t Need Your Glasses to Read Food Labels!

All the foods we recommend for main meals are fresh, which means they don’t have labels! We’re talking about: meat, fish, eggs, non-starchy veggies and low-sugar fruits. Yes… dairy is an exception.

We do recommend between-meal protein protein snacks and these do have labels. The main thing to aim for is to get at least 10 grams of protein and keep the carbs low. We find that this small dose of protein helps people stay satisfied – especially in the beginning of their weight loss journey. Once their bodies adapt and get easier access to the energy in their bodyfat, they find that they can easily go between meals with no snacks at all.

Tip 5: Good Sleep May Be As Important as Effective Exercise

Sleep has a huge effect on your hormonal status: insulin, insulin sensitivity, cortisol, leptin and grehlin. Here’s some tips:

1. Eat dinner earlier
2. Alcohol is a negative for sleep quality
3. No caffeine after lunch
4. Go to be earlier
5. Aim for 60 minutes of screen-free time before bed
6. Leave your phone out of your bedroom
7. Dump your thoughts and to-do list into something you trust
8. Use a reminder system or diary that your brain trusts
9. If you need an alarm, use an alarm that your mind trusts
10. Black out the bedroom. No LEDs. Keep the room cool.
11. If there’s noise or your partner snores, get foam ear plugs from any chemist.
12. If there’s any light sneaking in, try an eye mask.
13. Many people report that they sleep more soundly by applying mouth tape to encourage nose breathing. It takes a few nights to get used to it.
14. For some, a small amount of low carb fruit (eg strawberries) help their sleep