For the average person, a celebrity’s weight loss transformation can be inspiring, but it’s often not something very accessible. Celebrities have access to the best personal trainers, fitness classes and healthy chefs who can buy money. It’s literally their job to look good, so they have more time to devote to it than an ordinary citizen. On top of that, the ways in which celebrities lose weight are often not actually healthy habits to adopt, such as extreme calorie restriction or fad diets.
This is why when actress Melissa McCarthy talking about her weight loss journey to the press, it’s a fresh air. Unlike many other celebrities, McCarthy’s weight loss secrets have nothing to do with crazy diets, intense calorie restriction, gym marathons or anything else that is unattainable – and she’s still lost more than 75 pounds in the process. Keep reading to find out how McCarthy lost and lost weight and what health experts have to say about it.
McCarthy’s food philosophy
McCarthy spoke out against fashion diets. In fact, she says she does not diet at all, but rather focuses on eating nutrient-rich foods most of the time. The cornerstones of her eating habits include lean protein, fiber, healthy fats and lots of fruits and vegetables.
“Modets do not work for lasting weight loss because they are too extreme and restrictive to be sustainable,” says Gabbi Berkow, RD, CDN, CPT, a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer. For this reason, it works better to focus on eating nutritious foods most of the time, as McCarthy does. Berkow says to lose weight in a healthy way, she recommends eating nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories. This way you get as much nutritional value for your money as possible.
Berkow recommends eating at least one gram of protein per pound of body weight each day, dividing into meals and snacks with at least 20 to 30 grams of protein each. “A lot of protein is the key to staying full and preserving muscle so the weight you lose is fat, not muscle,” she says. Examples of lean protein sources such as McCarthy’s priorities include whitefish, beans, lentils, white meat chicken, Greek yogurt and tofu.
Related: 40 foods for weight loss
Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and co-author of Sugar shock, says she also never recommends diet diets for people trying to lose weight. “When someone is on a fashion diet, they usually end up in a situation where their diet rules make them feel or feel left out or crave something that is out of bounds. Then what? In addition, diet diets can keep you busy with food, and calorie restriction can increase your cortisol production — a stress hormone that can promote weight gain, ”she says, adding that it can drain both mentally and physically.
Like Berkow, Cassetty says that when it comes to weight loss in a healthy way, prioritizing protein and fiber like McCarthy is key. “One strategy that is easy to implement is to get enough protein at breakfast. There is evidence that it helps suppress your appetite and reduce the amount you eat later in the day, so maybe you skip your regular morning snack which adds hundreds of calories to your diet, ”she says.
She also reiterates the importance of eating lots of fruits and vegetables. “One of the biggest mistakes people make is not giving love to vegetables,” she says. “Try adding vegetables to foods like eggs, pasta and smoothies. These are great vehicles for extra vegetables!”
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The exercise habit that helped McCarthy lose weight
McCarthy’s weight loss journey not only focused on her diet; movement also played a key role. The actress tells Lifestyle which in preparation for her role in Spy, she began working with a martial arts instructor. “Martial arts is pretty intense and requires a lot of power, so it will burn a lot of calories,” says Berkow.
While both health experts say that exercise is an important part of weight loss, Cassetty says that it is a myth that your exercise routine should be very difficult. “Any movement is good for your body, so choose something you like,” she says. “I suspect that typical gym training sessions were not attractive to Melissa, and that when she tried martial arts, it made training more enjoyable. When you get something you enjoy, you look forward to it and practice it regularly. ”
The takeaway here: If you think martial arts — as McCarthy did — sound fun, then go for it. But if that does not sound appealing to you, give it a try. Ideally, Berkow says that strength training should be a part of your exercise routine. She recommends strength training two to three times a week and walks briskly for at least 20 minutes daily. “If you are just starting to exercise, try to walk for at least 10 minutes a day and between 10 to 20 minutes of strength training at least twice a week, with at least one day between strength training sessions to recover,” she says. But again, she says the most important thing is to find something you enjoy; otherwise you will not stick to your exercise routine.
Related: 12 coaches share their favorite weight loss workouts – and yes, step counting!
Mindset also matters
Throughout her weight loss journey, McCarthy does her best not to focus on her weight or the numbers on the scale. “I have two wonderful children and the most dreamy man on the planet, and everything else is just a job in progress,” she said Our Weekly.
Berkow says this type of attitude is something she tries to convey a lot to her clients. “You cannot control the number on the scale. The more you become obsessed with it, the more stressed you will become — and the more likely you are to eat stress, ”she says. “Focus on behaviors that you can control: what and how much you eat, how much you exercise, how you deal with stress, how much sleep you get and what you prioritize. There is so many more important lifestyle benefits to make healthy eating and exercise changes than just the number on the scale. ” In fact, Berkow recommends not weigh yourself every day, both for attitude and also because it is perfectly normal for weight to vary from day to day.
As McCarthy’s weight loss journey shows, obsession with calories or the number on the scale is completely unnecessary to lose weight. There is a better way to do this and it is one that will both benefit your body and your mind.
Next, read on about 13 reasons why you may not lose weight. Plus, expert tips on what to do about it.
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