Weight Loss Dietician Used to Be Overweight Until She Eliminated These 5 Foods

Are your bad habits preventing you from losing weight fast? Luisana Carrero is a nutrition coach and social media influencer who knows how to lose weight and keep it off from personal experience. In a recent social media post, she reveals that once she ditched six bad habits, the weight fell off. “6 things I stopped doing and I lost 28 pounds in 4 months and kept it off,” she writes over the Instagram video of herself at the gym. “These changes made ALL the difference for me and I hope they help you too.”

She Started Tracking Nutrition

Number one on her list? “I stopped guessing my nutrition and started tracking all my food every single day (including the weekends) to ensure I was in a deficit so I could get in and out. My goal wasn’t to stay in a deficit forever; I wanted to lose fat, reach my goal, and then transition to maintenance after,” she says in the video.

She Cut Down on Alcohol

She also stopped drinking her calories. “I cut back on drinking from 4-5 drinks every weekend to only on special occasions,” she reveals.

She Stopped Focusing on Calories

“I stopped focusing just on calories and started prioritizing my food quality. I transitioned from eating anything that ‘fit my macros’ to prioritizing lean proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats - opting for real, high-quality foods. This kept me fuller longer and made the fat loss easier,” she said about her third habit.

RELATED: 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Lost 70 Pounds (And Kept It Off)

She Stopped Being Sedentary

She also started moving more. “I stopped sitting most of the time (because I have a desk job) and made walking a non-negotiable: Every single day, I was hitting 10k steps. I did this by going on walks and using my treadmill at home.

She Stopped Going to the Gym Without a Plan

She also got more focused on exercise. “I stopped going to the gym without a plan and started following a workout program, lifting weights at least 4x per week,” she says.

She Stopped Spending Time with People Who Didn’t Support Her Goals

Finally, she changed up her friend group. “I stopped spending time with people that didn’t support my goals. I got tired of ‘friends’ making fun of me because I didn’t want to drink or eat what they were eating,” she says.

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Also, She Recommends Eating Lots of Protein

In another post, she stresses the importance of eating high-protein foods. “As a general guideline, if your goal is to lose fat, aim to consume .8-1.2g of protein per lb of target body weight a day,” she says, recommending the following:

• Spend 5 mins in the morning planning what you’ll eat.
• Cook protein in bulk to quickly put meals together in less than 5 minutes.
• Start your day with at least 30g protein, this helps control hunger levels, decrease cravings and it makes it easier to reach your protein goal.
• Opt mainly for lean protein sources for higher volume, fewer calories, and more protein per serving.

Here Are Some Food Ideas

She recommends the following high protein foods in order to “140g of protein in a day and make fat loss easier.”

• Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt: “I prefer plain Greek yogurt for lower calories and more protein. 200g Greek yogurt provides 22g of protein. I add stevia, peanut butter and frozen blueberries to mine, I eat that for dessert every night,” she says.
• Chicken breast: “130g of cooked chicken breast will give you 40g of protein. I cook it in bulk and use it to make many different meals like grilled chicken sandwiches, tacos, salads, bowls,” she explains.
• 96/4 Lean Ground Beef: “140g of cooked ground beef provides 40g of protein. I cook it in bulk and make burger patties or use it for my pasta,” she says.
• Egg whites: “200g of liquid egg whites will give you only 108 calories and 22g of protein. You can add liquid egg whites to your full eggs for more protein and more volume. I mix a cup of egg whites with 2 full eggs, or use it for my french toast or my pancakes,” she explains.
• Fat Free Cottage Cheese: “A serving of cottage cheese gives you 13g of protein. You can add it to your eggs, eat it with fruits or add it to your salads,” she adds.

And, You Can Lose Weight Eating Carbs

In another post she explains that she previously thought she “had to cut out carbs to lose weight,” she wrote. But that left me feeling hungry, craving them even more, tired and unable to focus. Until I learned this: You can lose weight while eating carbs. The key is to choose high-quality carbs and monitor your intake to stay in a calorie deficit.”

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Top 5 Carbs

“Carbs are not essential for your body like fats and protein but they are our bodies preferred source of energy especially when you’re working out because they help you maximize your performance and recover from those workouts,” she continues. “Eat carbs as a part of a well-balanced diet and use them for energy, recovery, stress reduction, sleep and because you enjoy them. The amount to consume will vary for each individual based on your daily activity, stress levels, training intensity.” She goes on to list her “top 5 during a fat loss phase.”

• Potatoes: “One of my favorite foods to cook in bulk. I make them in the air fryer and it only takes 25 mins. They are perfect to have on hand for a quick lunch, I like eating them with lean ground beef patties,” she says.
• Fruits: “Especially berries and apples,” she writes. “Berries are full of fiber and antioxidants. I add frozen berries to Greek yogurt or smoothies. Apples are my go-to pre-workout snacks.”
• Whole grain bread: “This is the one I use to make my high protein french toast,” she says.
• Whole wheat tortillas: “Quick and easy option, love using whole wheat tortillas for homemade little pizzas or turkey wraps,” she explains.
• Rice: “Another one I always cook in bulk. I use it to make my homemade chipotle bowls.”

And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss I’m a Nutritionist and Here Are 25 Weight Loss Truths You Need to Hear.

Are your unhealthy habits preventing you from losing weight? According to one expert, you should take a look at yours. Fitness and nutrition coach Alexandra (@alexx.fitt) has amassed a following on TikTok and Instagram by sharing videos about losing 40 pounds. In a recent video, she reveals a few bad habits that she ditched to achieve weight loss success finally. “5 things I stopped doing to lose 40lbs,” she writes in the post.

She Stopped Following Trends

Just because it’s trendy doesn’t mean it will help you lose weight. “I stopped following trends,” Alex revealed. “These days, whether it’s running, Pilates Princess is all a trend. You can do it all. The secret is finding what works for you and sticking to it,” she says in her post.

She Stopped Snacking on “Everything in Sight”

Snacking isn’t always bad. However, it can be. “I stopped snacking on everything in sight. I used to be the person who would have a bite of everything. Little did I know it adds up quickly,” Alex writes.

She Stopped Being Lazy

Sedentary behavior won’t help you lose weight, says Alex. “I stopped being lazy. I simply began walking everywhere, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, etc,” she reveals.

RELATED: This Plan Is How to Lose 5 Percent Body Fat In 2 Weeks

She Stopped Setting Strict Goals

Are your diet and fitness goals too rigid? “I stopped having strict goals. I used to think I could lose 2 lbs a week consistently. But realistically, your weight will fluctuate, and setting weight goals puts way too much pressure on me,” she writes.

She Stopped Restricting Herself

Crash diets and avoiding food you actually like aren’t the key to losing weight, according to the influencer. “I stopped restricting myself and learned how to have portion control. Enjoy dessert in moderation,” she says.

She “Ate the Same Meals Every Single Day”

So, what did she eat to lose weight? “For 1-2 months, I ate the same meals every single day. Why? Because I was confused, I didn’t know what to eat or where to start, so I ate the same thing every day,” Alexandra confessed in another post.

RELATED: Health Expert Shares Her 5 Favorite Healthy Food Swaps

Here Is Her Weight Loss Breakfast

On her weight loss journey, Alex had two breakfast options. One “would always be oatmeal with a scoop of protein powder and brandy butter,” she reveals. The second? Eggs with turkey bacon, veggies, and a bagel.

Here Is Her Weight Loss Lunch

You don’t have to stick to salads to lose weight, according to Alex. “I’d usually eat some type of wrap/ sandwich. I’d add mayo, turkey, ham, salami, cheese, and a bunch of veggies,” she writes.

Here Are Her Weight Loss Snacks

Alexandra had a few go-to snacks while losing weight. “I’d have a protein bar, protein shake, fruit, yogurt bowls, bagels with cream cheese, snack plates, and anything I was craving that day. I just made sure it was a decent portion,” she says.

RELATED: 9 Ways You're Making Your Belly Fat Worse

Here Is Her Weight Loss Dinner

For dinner, while losing weight, she “would switch things up” and gravitated toward bowls. She would “add a bunch of lettuce, rice and either ground turkey, chicken, ground beef, any kind of protein and I’d add toppings like tortilla chips, Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, salsa, cheese ugh they’re so good and so filling,” she says. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Before nutritionists were experts, they were average people with less knowledge about food and diets. Shana Spence, MS, RDN, CDN (@thenutritiontea) is a non-diet focused nutritionist and social media influencer who shares realistic tips and tricks to help people become the healthiest versions of themselves. In a new viral video, she opens up about some of the mistakes she made before getting credentialed.

“Five things I would never do after becoming a dietician,” she says at the start of the clip. From putting labels on certain types of foods to making assumptions about people that aren’t true, here are the mistakes she made so you don’t have to – and we also asked The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, to add her own commentary to the discussion.

Categorize Foods as “Good and Bad”

First up, Spence would never “categorize foods as good and bad,” she says. “Not every food is meant to provide nutrients, and not every food is going to be providing the same nutrient. That's why we eat a variety of foods. And yes, some foods are providing us with joy and comfort. That's okay.” Collingwood completely agrees.

“I try not to classify foods as good and bad but rather need vs want,” she explains. “Foods that we need have nutritional value, while want foods have fewer nutrients. Eating a healthy diet is a balance of getting the nutrients we need for good health but also enjoying some of the others.”

Assuming Someone Is Unhealthy Based on Their Body

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The second is making the assumption “someone is unhealthy based on their body,” she explains. “Bodies are not business cards. If we're talking about health based on lab values or whether someone is eating nutrient dense foods or getting in more movement, a lot of folks in larger bodies are doing those things and have great lab values. And on the opposite spectrum, a lot of folks in thinner bodies don't have great lab values and don't eat nutrient foods or get in a lot of movement,” she points out.

“You cannot just look at someone and know much about their overall health,” agrees Collingwood. “Some of the fittest people are in larger bodies with really good health measures. And just because someone is thin doesn’t mean they are automatically healthy. They could have very little muscle mass and have high blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels.”

Related: Courteney Fisher Shows Off Washboard Abs and Reveals 5 Ways to Get to Blast Belly Fat

Healthify Foods

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She also regrets trying to “healthify foods,” she says. “The time and Energy I spent making black bean brownies or ice cream when I could have just enjoyed ice cream and brownies. If you want to swap out something or if you're interested in trying out a new recipe, that's fine, but feeling the need to do something based on what you read on the interwebs is something different.”

Collingwood thinks making recipes healthier is a good thing, “but definitely not all the time,” she says. :If you really want some full fat ice cream, chocolate or a warm chocolate chip cookie, do it!”

Telling People to Stop Eating Their Cultural Foods

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“Number four, telling folks to swap out white rice for brown rice in their cultural foods,” she continues. “My ancestors were probably rolling in their graves when I did this. Not to mention this is based on the whole idea that certain cultures and ethnicities are unhealthy.”

Some food swaps “can make a huge difference in calories or nutritional quality and some don’t really matter much,” says Collingwood. “When it comes to rice, there isn’t a big difference between white and brown, but for people who love their white rice it can ruin it for them. There are plenty of other places in the diet where you can make changes without needing to change everything, especially the cultural favorites.”

Related: 4 Easy Tips to Lose Weight, According to Dietitian

Only Shopping the Perimeter of the Store

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“And last but not least, number five, telling people to shop the perimeter of the store,” she says. “Never. Again. This is based on the concept that fresh is best and clean. Eating, no such thing. There are plenty of nutrients found in canned foods, packaged foods, and frozen food. If you like the taste of fresh, that's fine, but telling someone that how they're eating is wrong because they choose foods from a can or package is elitist.”

Collingwood “never did like this advice either,” she says. “Sure, the perimeter has some fresh stuff, but the middle of the store has whole grains, beans, canned veggies, etc. In today’s world it’s not realistic that people won’t be using convenience foods and there isn’t anything wrong with it!”

💪🔥Body Booster: When it comes to everything surrounding diet and nutrition, it isn’t all black and white and you don’t have to go to extremes. Shop the middle of the store, eat the cookie or the rice, and don’t categorize things as good or bad. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.