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Weight Loss & Management
This information is not intended to replace appropriate professional advice. Please check labels for contraindications and consult your pharmacist if you are on prescription drugs. These suggestions are based on over 40 years of customer experience at Jo Anne's Place.
Achieving a healthy weight is about much more than a number on a scale. Focus on caring for YOURSELF and take pleasure in making changes that improve your health, your confidence, and quality of life. Make changes slowly, progress does not happen overnight. Most of all, treat yourself with love and kindness during the process.
A Balanced Alkaline Diet
- Drink 7-10 glasses of filtered or spring water. Chlorine can interfere with thyroid function, which impacts weight.
- Consume a diet that is 75-80%
alkaline forming with antioxidant rich fruits, vegetables, raw seeds, nuts, beans, legumes and whole grains. There is mounting evidence that a whole food, plant-forward diet is the best way to maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease.
- Organic foods are the safest way to nourish yourself - a wise investment!
- Have complete protein no later than lunch for better assimilation of amino acids.
- Combine foods for optimum digestion: fruit on an empty stomach 30 minutes before others foods – animal products and starches digest in very different gastric secretions and should not be eaten at the same meal (according to
food combining guidelines based on Ayurvedic practices).
- Take 2 tsp apple cider vinegar and honey (opt) in tepid water with meals. It increases thermogenesis, aids digestion, regulates blood sugar, and reduces fat storage.
- Have a ¼ teaspoon of nut butter (raw almond is alkalizing) at intervals through the day to balance blood sugar, stimulate your liver, and ease food cravings.
- 1-3 tbsp ground flax to promote hormone balance and a feeling of fullness.
- Use coconut and MCT oils to balance blood sugar levels and aid in fat burning.
Basic Supplements - Elevate nutrition from adequate to optimum
- Bio-Strath – aids in digestion, assimilation, elimination, and energy production. Promotes health of gut and intestinal microbiomes.
- Vitamin D – 8,000 IU for one month then reduce to the upper limit of 4,000 IU daily – a deficiency is associated with obesity.
- Vitamin C - anti-inflammatory, reduces anxiety (helps lower cortisol) and fatigue.
- Magnesium – necessary for muscle development and resetting metabolism.
- Omega-3 fatty acids – anti-inflammatory, promotes hormone balance.
- Probiotics – correct pH, improve digestion, support the immune system, helps ease stress and anxiety (the gut-brain connection).
Special Aids for Weight Loss - For short term use
- Acetyl L-Carnitine – converts fat into fuel, regulates blood sugar levels, improves circulation and cardiovascular functions, increases energy.
- Black Seed Oil (cumin) – increases metabolism, supports weight loss and immunity.
- Have ½ tsp of manuka honey as a tasty “dessert” after meals. Manuka boosts your immune system, increases enzyme activity for better digestion, and the levulose content metabolizes slowly so you feel satiated longer.
- Holy Basil and other herbal teas are helpful between meals when food cravings arise. Also helps to reduce stress and relieve cortisol levels.
Diet Fine Tuning
- There is no accurate magic daily calorie allowance. To achieve a lighter body you want more light filled food. Have juicy fruits, vegetables and broth-based soups or bone broth. You can have as much of those as you want without counting another calorie.
- Each day, focus on living food and their fresh juices first. Add a little protein to one meal and a little grain or starchy veg to another. Keep it simple. Fuel your body like a Lamborghini!
- Classify your food choices as “moving forward” or “moving backward”. Think about what you are eating and what it is doing for your body and your health.
- Concentrate on building your discipline muscles. Abe Lincoln defined discipline as choosing between what you want now, and what you want most.
- Avoid distractions like TV when eating (I know, it's hard!). Listen to your body. Give your meal your full attention and practice stopping when satiated, a little before feeling full.
- Healthy eating is a preference, not a prison. Set aside a day each week as a treat day and indulge in some fun foods. Pay close attention to how your energy and sense of well-being are affected by not so healthy foods. You may be quite happy when you return to your healthier menus!
Crank Up The Activity Dial
- Time outdoors has multiple benefits. We just feel more alive connecting with Nature. Get some outside/exercise/fresh air/sunshine time every day.
- Dr. Zack Bush has a 4-Minute Workout you repeat 2-3 times a day. It boosts nitric oxide production which increases energy and encourages fat loss.
- Another easy exercise to fit into your day is rebounding. As you gently bounce for just a few minutes 100,000 pounds per square inch of gravity will be pushing back, toning your muscles and flushing your lymphatic system. VILPA is another option!
- Get a pedometer (or use your phone) and challenge yourself to walk an extra 100 steps each day until you are routinely walking 10,000 steps.
- The lungs are an excretory route for fats! Through exercise you naturally breathe more but you can practice rhythmic breathing anytime. Most loss takes place while you sleep and by developing deeper breathing patterns while awake, you will naturally breathe more efficiently when sleeping. Alkalinity improves, too!
- A sluggish lymphatic system leads to weight gain. Dry body brush 2-3 times a week.
- If 'working out' is not your thing, give gentler forms of movement a try. Yoga, Mat Pilates, and walking are all amazing ways to get your body moving and blood pumping!
Final Suggestions
- A cleanse is a great kick off to a new lifestyle. It will likely result in some weight loss and tune up your metabolism. One of the ways the body protects itself from damaging acids is to create more fat cells to store it.
- Keep all pathways of elimination open. As your body casts off waste and excess fat you won’t want anything obstructing its exit! Dry body brush to keep skin pores clear and the lymphatic system flowing. Take enough magnesium and vitamin C to keep bowels moving easily.
- Keep a journal to track your progress and celebrate your wins along the way.
It takes a certain single mindedness to make lifelong lifestyle changes, but what could be more worthwhile? 😊
*Updated December 2024
Celebrate the luck of the Irish with these festive, healthier St. Patrick's Day recipes! We've added some brand new recipes to the list for 2025 - Slainte!
Who run the world? Girls! March is Women's History Month, and March 8th is International Women’s Day. What better time than this to lift up the women around us! Because of the entrepreneurial courage of our founder Jo Anne & the continued efforts of our now owners & team (which is over 80% women), we have been serving Peterborough & The Kawarthas for almost 50 years! We are thankful not only for the amazing women in our team, but for the meaningful connections we have made with so many inspiring women in our community. It is important to us to continue fostering an environment where women feel safe, supported & inspired. We are excited to look to the future and continue to evolve to meet the needs of our community.
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to indulge in something sweet, and this Avocado Chocolate Mousse is a rich, creamy, and guilt-free way to do it! Made with wholesome ingredients and naturally sweetened, this luscious dessert is vegan, gluten-free, and packed with healthy fats —so you can treat yourself (or someone special) without compromise. Whether you’re celebrating with a loved one or enjoying a little self-care, this silky-smooth mousse is sure to satisfy your chocolate cravings. Plus, it’s quick and easy to make , leaving you more time to savour the moment. Makes about 4 servings.
Why Buy Canadian? While tariff's have been paused for the time being, we still think it is a great time to highlight some of the amazing Canadian products in our store and talk about some of the benefits they have over American items.
Spicy Coconut Vegetable Stir F ry
Struggling to find unique Valentine's Day gifts?
Your body is home to trillions of microorganisms that play a vital role in your overall health. These tiny communities—your microbiome—exist in different areas, including your gut, mouth, lungs, skin, and, for women, the vaginal flora. When balanced, it supports digestion, immunity, and even mood regulation. But when disrupted by factors like poor diet, stress, or environmental factors, it can contribute to a range of health issues. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to nourish and support these essential microbiomes to help you feel your best from the inside out. And we'll discuss how they're all interconnected.
Keep scrolling for some fun, festive, and functional Valentine's Day drinks!
What is Chrononutrition? Chrononutrition is the science of how food, metabolism, meal timing, and your body clock interact. More research is currently needed, but for now, scientists are trying to understand how your body responds to food at different times of the day. They are interested in whether these factors influence metabolic health and the risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes. How it effects your body We usually eat our largest meal toward the end of the day. So, chrononutrition researchers are trying to understand whether it's better to eat earlier in the day or later at night. In one study , a group of scientists followed 420 people on a 20-week weight-loss plan. The researchers split the groups into those who ate their main meal earlier and those who ate it later. They found that participants who ate their main meal earlier in the day lost more weight than the late eaters, even though both groups consumed similar amounts of food. Blood Sugar Levels When your body breaks down a meal, sugars enter your blood as glucose. Your body responds to this rise in blood sugar by releasing insulin. Scientists have shown that our body’s ability to control blood sugar varies across the day. On average, blood glucose responses appear to be better in the morning than in the afternoon . Fat Like glucose levels, after eating, levels of fat in the blood rise. However, they rise and fall much slower than blood glucose, taking hours to return to normal. Evidence suggests that our blood fat levels also change throughout the day. For instance, a study on healthy men found that their blood fat levels were higher after lunch than after breakfast — even though the two meals were identical. Avoid Late-Night Meals Avoiding late-night meals is an important part of chrononutrition. The body has a hormonal response any time you eat anything. If you eat late at night, when you're not using much energy, you'll increase your hunger and appetite. What’s more, late-night eating is linked to impaired metabolic function. In the evening, blood glucose levels are high and since you're not moving around as much, it stays that way. By eating during the day time, you can lower nighttime blood sugar levels. How to Get Your Eating Schedule on Track It can be hard to avoid a late-night meal, but if you're snacking before bed or eating late, it will impact your health. Luckily, it's easy to get yourself back on track. First things first, you should be practicing a healthy sleep cycle and try to go to bed at the same time everyday, since your eating habits often revolve around that. Try to make a schedule for mealtimes and stick to it. Try to eat breakfast later in the morning and have dinner earlier, if possible. If you sleep from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., have breakfast an hour after waking—sometime between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.. If you have to eat later than usual, try to make it healthy. High carbohydrate and fatty foods are not ideal for late-night meals so try to go for protein if you can. Conclusion The time of day that you eat has an impact on your health, but as long as you maintain a strict meal schedule and avoid eating at night you should be fine. If you do need to eat later than usual, try to make sure it's a healthy snack. It doesn't take a lot of work, just perseverance to stick to your schedule. By maintaining a consistent meal routine and making healthier choices, you'll be setting yourself up for better health and well-being. Keep at it, and your body will thank you!
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