My Top 5 Label-Reading Steps for Weight Loss

For my blog post today I thought I would write about reading labels.  I know it seems like a silly topic, but it's one that I personally struggled with throughout my journey, and still have to check every label before I buy something new. It can be challenging enough to change your lifestyle, but it gets increasingly more difficult when you're doing things and not seeing the results you want. That's why I'm sharing with you my personal Top 5 Label-Reading Steps for Weight Loss!

My name is Tracy, and I'm the Director of Customer Service at Nutracelle!

If you haven't met me, or chatted with me yet, hello! I've been an avid Nutrafan for three years now and I've shed over 115 pounds thanks to following my Nutracelle meal plan, replacing flour and sugar with Nutralean, and through supporting others on their own personal journey!  You can read more about my success here!

My success didn't come without it's own struggles, though.  That's why I wanted to share with you these tips.

Here's my most recent before and after photo! (I might be a bit proud!)

Growing up, we were always taught that healthy meant fruit and veggies, and unhealthy meant junk food. 

I've learned t's more complex than that, though. For example... a banana.  It's a fruit, so it's healthy, right? Not necessarily.  One medium banana nowadays can contain anywhere from 20-30g of sugar.  Yikes. I know what you may be thinking, "But I need the potassium!" -- sure, absolutely. However did you know you'll get 4x the potassium in an avocado?  Plus they blend in perfectly with your smoothie for an insanely creamy texture.  

You'll sometimes hear people say that fruit sugars are different and aren't as bad for you as regular sugar, however when we break down the science of it -- sugar is sugar... is sugar.  Raw sugar, natural sugar, organic sugar: it's all sugar.  Your body feels the same way about it as it does candy.  Your blood sugar will spike, your body will store fat, and thus -- weight gain.   

If you want to learn more about the effect sugar has on your body, why you gain weight, and how to create long-term habits for weight-loss, check out our webinar titled "How to Lose Weight" full of incredible information by Melanie! Click here to watch.

Do your research! YOU are in control of your success.

I'd have never known that bananas should be on my "do not eat" list when following my Nutracelle/keto plan if I hadn't checked into the nutritional information.  I did my research, though.  When I committed to this plan and my new healthier lifestyle I began to question every single thing I was eating.  It sounds tedious, but let me tell you... this is where my real learning came from.

My rule of thumb to grocery shopping now is very similar to the same process I followed while shopping for a new car.  You wouldn't just go buy a car because someone else said it was a good choice; that's a big commitment.  You'd do your research, look into it a little bit more than just checking the surface of it. 

The same goes for food.  You're going to have people tell you all sorts of different things - because all sorts of people are following all sorts of plans.  Are they right? Are they wrong?  Honestly, it doesn't matter.  You know your plan, and you know the guidelines you want to follow - i.e., no more than 20g of net carbohydrates per day.  One banana would blow that plan right out of the water.

So, I researched. I read our 7-Day Kickstart Guide for Weight Loss that came in my order and I really paid attention.  If I saw something at the grocery store that I thought I might try, I always flipped it over and checked the label.  Every item you purchase that isn't produce/meat comes with a nutritional label. 

Here are the quick steps I follow when I check a label:

1. Carbohydrate(carb) count - what's the total?
2. Fiber count - is there any? If so, how much?
3. To find net carbs - subtract fiber from your total carbohydrates.
4. CHECK SERVING SIZE.  This is where you'll get caught sometimes! For example, "Miracle Whip" (wannabe mayonnaise) has 3g of net carbs.  Looking just at the label - that doesn't sound too bad.  However, when you look at the serving size... that's only for 1 tbsp! I typically use mayonnaise to make coleslaw, broccoli slaw, or tuna.  1 tbsp wouldn't go very far, so you can see how fast the carbs could add up.  Whereas REAL mayonnaise - 0g net carbs per serving.
5. Check the sugar -- I know we've already looked at net carbs, but sometimes this will help me make a decision not to purchase.  If there are 7g of net carbs per serving, and 6 of those are straight up sugar -- chances are I won't take it.  Even though the actual carb count is fairly low, I know what happens to my body when I take in too much sugar, and it isn't worth it to me. Finally, if there's no label on the item I'm thinking about - I'll Google and follow the same steps above.

This methodology is what enabled me to lose over 115 lbs.  But, I'm still learning!  Each time I try something new - a recipe, a food item, a sugar replacement, I do the same process. I Google/ read the label, and then balance it with the rest of the carbs I know I'll be having for the day.

I always try to work it into my NutraMeals meal plan, but if not - I make sure the label lines up with my goals.

We will help you reach your goals.

I'm writing this blog post because as one of the Customer Service Gurus for Nutracelle, a huge part of my job is helping people be successful and helping them create meal plans that work for them.  One of the biggest A-HA moments for people is when I can help them find success where previously they hadn't. I LOVE celebrating success.

If you're unsure about your food plan, please don't hesitate to reach out. We also offer weekly meal plans through our Facebook page messenger, and via e-mail.  If you're not signed up, send us an e-mail at info@nutracelle.com and we'll get you connected!

We're always available to take a look and offer solutions.  We're lucky enough to have Nutralean on our side - we can replace the bad, sugary things with equally (sometimes more) delicious options full of protein and fiber that will help us lose weight... instead of causing gain. 

Join our support group on Facebook!

We're SO lucky to have our NutraTalk family.  We do a daily accountability post, share recipes, tips, struggles, successes and everything in between.  If you haven't joined, you really need to. We welcome everyone ♥. Click here to join the fun!

As a company, our main focus is to help you and your family live healthy, happy lives without having to sacrifice delicious hearty meals or sweet treats.  Whether you're a current customer, or a soon-to-be one, we've got your back.  

As a person who comes from both the customer and the employee side of things - I am incredibly grateful for the support I've found in Nutracelle.  I had never envisioned myself losing over 115 lbs, and feeling this amazing.  I thought I was stuck.

It's amazing what you learn you're capable of with the right tools, support, and motivation.

To learn more about our incredible protein powder, Nutralean, click here.
To learn more about our brand new all-natural, allergen-friendly protein NutraBites, click here.