FAQ

A realistic rate of weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week, but there are many factors that can affect your results.  This process takes time, and rushing it is not healthy – nor will it ultimately get you the results you want.  It is possible to lose more than 1-2 pounds per week, but this is generally water weight.

Give it time.  It’s important to be patient, and trust the system.  It’s not uncommon for weight loss to stall. Generally, this only lasts a couple of weeks, though.  It’s ultimately your body rebalancing its resources and processes to a new, healthier you.

During this process, the scale is going to fluctuate up and down. Use the scale as a data point – more of feedback than a gauge of success. As I’ve said before, you need to play the long game, here. If your nutrition is on target (and you’re honest about it) and you’re still not losing weight after a few weeks, take a look at other factors that could be preventing you from shedding those extra pounds. It could be stress, lack of sleep, or your medications that are blocking you from losing weight.Contact us for help.

It’s important establish a good relationship with your doctor, and work with them throughout this process.  Make sure to tell them that you are making “lifestyle changes” for the better, and that you would like (under their supervision) to have tests done at regular intervals to make sure things are going well.  Tell them that, if on cholesterol medications, that you are making better choices to naturally lower your cholesterol and that you want to make sure medication is still warranted. It’s important to note that, if you don’t have some medications reduced, there could be greater side effects.  For example – antihypertensives like ACE inhibitors, Beta Blockers, Calcium Channel Blockers and/or Diuretics. They chemically lower your blood pressure. If, through nutrition and exercise you manage to lower your blood pressure naturally and continue to take antihypertensives, you may experience signs of excessively low blood pressure (called hypotension).  Be prepared for the typical, “You can’t fix this naturally,” or “You’ll be on this medication for the rest of your life.” If they won’t work with you…get another doctor. I know it seems harsh and scary, but why (out of all people) would your own doctor not want you to be healthier?

We try our best to keep Heading Healthy on top of the latest science and give honest reviews of the latest products.  That said, if you hear of something that isn’t covered here, please send us an email! We’d be more than happy to answer your question.  Just remember, there are TONS of products out there that claim to be a magic pill, and as we’ve said before – there is no quick fix. Although there may be things that can support you on your journey, we believe in the lifestyle of being healthy.  This movement isn’t about fad diets and just losing 10 pounds for a high school reunion.  It’s about being the best you for the rest of your life!

Heading Healthy has plenty of articles on why non-GMO and Organic is best for you.  In short, they have chemicals and hormones that are not conducive to a healthy you. In fact, they are known to disrupt your natural endocrine system, can be highly inflammatory, and generally do not have the same healthy vitamin/mineral profile you need to thrive.  When you can, choose non-GMO and Organic

Understood.  Look, it’s not that good food is expensive, it’s that the food industry has distorted the real value of what “food” should really cost.  It’s truly unfair that the foods that are worse for you, are the cheapest. However, we’ve seen a growing list of non-GMO and Organic options on the market and prices are coming down.  The more consumers demand healthier foods, the more plentiful and the more reasonable they become.  If you’re just starting out, and/or you have a strict budget to follow, start with preservative, hormone and antibiotic free meats.  You’re not supposed to be consuming large quantities of protein anyway, so this should be an easy nudge. Next, move on to free range, grass fed (and grass finished) non-GMO, Organic meats.  For produce, you shouldn’t be eating many (if any at all) grains, wheats, oats, corn, et cetera – so there’s a big chunk of mostly GMO products gone right there. Moving to Organic veggies will ensure you’re not getting the harmful effects of pesticides and herbicides so common in our produce today.  Just do what you can and “level up” when you have the means, the drive and the desire. I think you’ll find it’s a natural progression. Don’t get overwhelmed and try to do it all at once. Take your time and make informed, purposeful decisions.

You will not be hungry if you are consuming nutrient rich foods, trust me!  If you find you can’t make it from meal to meal, you aren’t eating enough leafy greens and healthy fats.  I think your biggest challenge will be finishing a meal. Remember, these aren’t “fast foods” that you can unwrap and gobble while in the car, on your way to work.  These are MEALS! You may actually be surprised at the amount of food you can actually eat now – all while LOSING weight.

You’re an adult.  Get over it. Okay, just kidding.  But seriously, you have to be responsible for your own actions.  It may be hard at first, but your body will slowly start to take over and fix your cravings for you.  I know it sounds impossible, but after a few weeks, you’ll start craving kale sauteed with avocado oil or broccoli steamed with rolled butter.  Once your body becomes populated with good bacteria and they start to run out all the bad ones – when your microbiome becomes a thriving community of healthy helpers – it’ll become second nature.

First of all, don’t worry about it! It happens. The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up. Remember, stress blocks weight loss and repair. Many people get so upset, they punish themselves by starving themselves the next day. That just sends your body mixed messages, and will make it harder for you to stay on track. Don’t let one little mistake lead you to throwing in the towel. If you’re keeping a journal, write down what happened, write down how you felt, and plan the next few meals out in detail to get back on track.

I remember when we would have structured “refeed days.”  Okay. Maybe more accurately called, “cheat days.” If it’s simply too much to bare to go without what you think you need, at least keep it to one day a week.  Sometimes knowing that, if you’re good today, you can be bad tomorrow, is enough to keep the train on the rails at least a majority of the time. Ultimately, we’re looking for consistency in building healthy habits that will survive the test of time.  Keep track of all the indulgents you crave during the week, and on that one special day – go nuts. I have to warn you though, it’s not going to be pretty. Be prepared for a world of hurt that night, or the next day. Consuming all those bad things at once will lead to you getting sick and probably gaining some weight.  But, now that you’ve gotten it out of your system, you can go back to eating well.  Sooner or later, those “cheat days” won’t be worth it, and you’ll find greater value resisting those cravings than giving into them.

It’s hard for people to accept the fact they’ve been fed (no pun intended) a bunch of lies when it comes to food.  And I say lies, because the proof has come out that original studies that led us down this road were, in fact, manipulated.  Once certain decision (e.g. “fat is bad for you”) were made, the constant drone of misinformation took root in our subconscious.  These recent pillars of our society (e.g. “whole grains are good for you”) are ingrained into our psyche. No one wants to be duped.  It’s a horrible feeling. And now, it takes all we have to even listen to alternative viewpoints. But in an age of information, ignorance is a choice.  We at Heading Healthy aim to provide the unadulterated truth behind many misconceptions so that you can make informed decisions.  Our only agenda is to share what we’ve learned so that you can be the best version of yourself.

If you’re iHop, yes.  If you’re trying to lose fat?  No. Your body is a fat burning machine in the morning (after have fasted the entire night), why on earth would you want to disrupt that natural process?  If you’re starving, fine. But make sure to eat a healthy, high fat, low carbohydrate breakfast that will keep you satiated throughout the day. The next day, try eating a larger dinner, or add more fat to keep you fuller, longer.

This is a really good questions, because many people believe that fasting is the same as starving yourself, or withholding something (in this case, food).  With intermittent fasting, it’s very common to go 18-20, sometimes 24 hours without eating. Science has even shown remarkable health benefits for fasts longer than 24 hours, too.  But, this only account for the amount of time you’re eating (or not eating) – not that amount of calories you’re consuming. Let’s assume you normally consume 2,000 calories in a day, spread over 5 times of eating – which averages roughly 400 calories per feed.  We’re not saying, that by eating only twice per day, you now only consume 800 calories. What we’re saying, is that you consume that same 2,000 calories but in two big meals. We have a few articles related to this concept that go into more detail, but all we’re doing here is reducing your feeding window – not reducing calories.

By eating a lot throughout the day, you are constantly spiking your insulin levels.  Remember that insulin is the fat storing hormone, and you cannot burn fat when it’s elevated.  If your goal is to burn fat, eating multiple times per day is probably one of the worst things you can do.  This is also why we encourage you to not “graze” or “snack” in between meals.

Your body makes about 3,000 milligrams of cholesterol every day.  Why? Because, it’s the precursor to making hormones, it’s fundamental component of every cell in your body (cell membrane), it’s used in repairing damaged tissue in the body, it’s essential for healthy brain function, memory and the nervous system – just to name a few.  You need cholesterol to survive. So much so, that if you don’t eat it, you make it. If you eat it, your body makes less. It’s that simple. Just FYI, you’d need to eat a pound of butter or more than a dozen whole eggs to get even close to what you’re body requires every day.

Everyone is different.  Some people just can’t eat broccoli without getting bloated or knots in their tummy.  Some can’t eat romaine lettuce without getting sick. Some do very well when they steam spinach, but can’t eat it raw.  If you find foods like this, please, stop eating them. It may take time for your body to adjust, or you may have to find different ways of preparing them that are easier for your body to handle.  You may never be able to eat certain foods, but that’s okay – there are plenty of alternatives out there that can still deliver the same nutrition!

If you want to count calories…go for it!  Losing weight isn’t all about calories in, calories out, however – an issue I go into in more detail in some of our articles.  I do encourage you to track everything you eat (and I do mean everything) with an app called MyFitnessPal.  This website/mobile app allows you to put in the exact foods you consume so that you can have a better idea of what you’re truly putting into your body.  I highly recommend this for anyone starting out with Heading Healthy. It’s a great way to start understanding serving sizes, hidden sugars, and bad habits.  It may be tedious at first, but it’s extremely helpful.

You’re right!  Fruits are great for you, because they provide essential vitamins and minerals!  But, they DO spike insulin more than other foods. Although some may demonize fructose, in whole fruits, the fiber can balance out that load on the liver.  However, if you’re trying to lose weight and you want to do it as fast as you can, you need to limit most fruits until you reach your goal. Examples of fruits you need to avoid while you are working towards your goal include: apples, grapefruit, grapes, melons, nectarines, oranges, peaches, pineapple and plums.  Instead, stick with lemons and limes. Small berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) are okay in limited amounts.

If you want to get healthy and lose weight, no.  This topic is Rule #4 in the Heading Healthy weight loss article.  I’m not saying you can’t ever drink again, but the more rules you bend, the less successful you’ll be at this.  Give yourself a fighting chance and stick to it. I struggled with this one, too. But now I’m fine with not drinking and most of the time don’t want to.  When your body starts to feel better, and you start feeling better about yourself, drinking becomes less of an issue.

Some caffeine is okay.  No sodas (yes, even diet sodas).  I don’t care that they don’t have any calories.  Remember, losing weight isn’t about cutting calories.  Coffee and tea is fine, but I highly recommend cutting it out in the beginning so your body can heal.  I know it’s not easy, though – so if you need a few days to wean off the IV drip of coffee, so be it. Of course, that’s without any sweeteners (including artificial sweeteners, sugar, honey, et cetera).  One of our favorite things is bulletproof coffee. There are tons of recipes out there, but I like mine 12oz coffee with 1½ Tbsp butter. Yum! Just try to keep your caffeine habit to a minimum. Excessive amounts of coffee stimulates the adrenal glands and increases cortisol.  It’s just something else that your liver and kidneys need to process, and it can prevent you from burning fat.

Woah there!  Let’s not get crazy.  Yes. You can have a cup of coffee or some tea, but remember that you are fasting.  Anything that promotes a metabolic response will break your fast. This includes keto coffee, bulletproof coffee, and large amounts of coffee.  Try sticking to one cup for now and see how that goes. Some people can get away with slightly more – some, none at all. Oh! And remember, no fruity teas, as most of them have hidden juice and sugars.

Um.  No. This includes white, wheat, rye, barley, oats, cereals, rices, et cetera.  I’ll leave the details as to why in articles, but cut them out at once.

Sure!  In an emergency.  Look, grains and wheats are inflammatory foods, so be prepared for an inflammatory response.  They just simply aren’t good for you. Your reaction depends on your situation and how tolerant you are to gluten and gliadin (proteins found in wheats and grains) in the first place.  But if you must, stick to sprouted breads or make yourself some low carb bread. Again! Once in a blue moon! Steering clear of processed and refined carbohydrates is an important part of Heading Healthy – not just about losing weight.

There is nothing wrong with milk for a healthy person who can tolerate it well, as long as it’s organic whole milk, but not in the beginning of a healthy program.  It should be slowly included back into your diet to see if you can handle it. Cheese is the same way. When you do slowly start to reintroduce dairy back into your diet, make sure to get organic, full fat products.  Yogurt, especially the kind you’re used to seeing at the store is loaded with sugar. Although I endorse yogurt for gut health, it needs to be avoided like all dairy in the beginning. When you do start eating it, make sure it’s plain, full fat and organic.  Consider making your own, too. It’s one of the easiest things you’ll ever make and it’s super cheap!

This is kind of a loaded question.  Yes, you need to exercise to be healthy.  No, you don’t have to exercise to lose weight.  However, doing so will drastically cut the amount of time you spend losing weight.  Exercising boosts metabolism, prevents injury, strengthens the immune, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, along with making you feel better (chemically, emotionally, hormonally).  Although higher intensity resistance training (lifting weights) would be best, even moderate intensity exercise (like walking or biking) has been shown to have immense benefits.

There are a TON of great resources out there – most of the ones we’ve used can be found on our references page.  The internet is a great source of information these days, but you really have to be careful. It’s easy to find what you’re looking for.  It’s harder to find verifiable sources and methods. We’ve found out the hard way – blindly following someone on the internet simply because they “sound like they know what they’re talking about.”  It can be scary. This is why we encourage you to research this information yourself – to come to your own conclusions about what works and what doesn’t. If there is something you don’t see here that you wish we would cover, please let us know.

This is a really good question, and one that we continue to struggle with.  We seriously considered quitting our jobs and returning to school full time to pursue some kind of medical degree.  Here’s the problem…what they teach you in medical school is old hat, based on chasing symptoms, and fails to truly center the focus on the patient; all the while never making you better.  Our goal is to help people, so what’s the use in following a broken model? We want to promote steps that YOU can do to reach YOUR goals. We want to share the, although not so popular, proven practices that have been forgotten, ignored, or simply buried for the sake of profit and power.  We are simply providing our cliff notes of what we found to work for us, and we never pretend to be a doctor or know more than we actually do.  We are constantly learning – every day! It’s honestly, one of the things that keeps us going.  This is why you’ll find a lot of our articles referencing other medical journals or seminars. We want you to trust that you’re getting verifiable data – that our recommendations are backed by science.  Furthermore, we simply want to share others’ stories with you. Sometimes just hearing that someone else has done it (lost 30-40 lbs, overcame disease, et cetera) can be really encouraging. Why simply stand by accepting that you’ll have disease “X” forever, that there’s no cure, and that you’ll be on medications for the rest of your life?  Why not consider hearing from someone who’s overcome hypertension, high cholesterol, renal dysfunction, hyperthyroidism, IBS – or someone who’s drastically reversed Type II Diabetes, allergies and asthma – or any number of hundreds of thousands of people out there who have taken their fate into their own hands and did something about it?

The human body is a living thing and everyone is different.  To that end, this IS complicated. We try our very best to simplify things – so you don’t have to be a medical expert to understand what to do.  We are constantly releasing new information out there, in hopes that we can reach everyone. Hopefully, one of those articles will touch you in a way that resonates, and you find peace or purpose in them which lead you to overcoming your issue.  It is an ever evolving process, however; being healthy. There’s always going to be some warning or risk involved with anything you do.  Heading Healthy will strive to be current and honest with risk assessments of what we publish – meaning, is it worth getting all worked up about certain things or not.  We’ll do our best to walk you through our process – from the day we started, to now. You may be further along on your journey, or you may just be beginning. Either way, I think you’ll find good information on our site that can help you be the best you can be.

Life can be overwhelming at times.  I’m sure there are people worse off out there than me.  Maybe you’re one of them. Maybe you struggle with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder – whatever may be the case.  There’s only one person that can truly help you, and that’s YOU. We encourage you to comment on our site or on Facebook.  If we can’t help, maybe someone else has a more similar life story that can relate. We’ll always try to provide as many options and/or ideas as we can to help you overcome whatever struggles you may have.  The bottom line is, you have to take care of yourself.  You have to start focusing on you.

You are not going to hurt our feelings if you decide this course of action (the information on this site) isn’t for you.  It’s a hard pill for many people to swallow. Don’t just take our word for it, though. Investigate for yourself. If you feel more comfortable taking medications and following the status quo, we won’t think any less of you.  We just hope you have an open mind and consider that there are different ways of becoming healthy out there. Ask yourself, “Am I better off today than I was last month, last year, five years ago?” “Who is in charge of my life and my health?”  “What harm is there for trying?” “Could it be this simple?”

We simply can’t predict how everyone is going to react to giving up sugar, processed foods, refined grains and alcohol.  After a lifetime of consuming these, there is bound to be some effects from the cessation of these chemicals, toxins, endocrine disruptors, poisons, et cetera.  Those, however, will likely be withdrawal symptoms that will go away in a number of days to weeks. You’ll have to decide for yourself if you think there is a serious medical downside to not eating fast food or cutting out soda and juice.  As always though, we encourage you to work with your doctor while you undergo any lifestyle choices – especially if you’re on any medications.  Naturally resolving the driving factor for a prescription without lowering that prescription, may have unintended health consequences.  For example, if you’re taking a blood pressure medication to lower your blood pressure because it’s “too high,” and you naturally lower your blood pressure but continue to take the medication, now your blood pressure may be artificially pushed too low.