For years, I thought losing weight meant eating tiny portions.
I thought I had to give up my favourite foods, and rely on willpower to struggle through.
Then I spent over 13 years studying the science behind nutrition, metabolism, exercise, sleep, and herbs.
I realised that it’s possible to eat big meals and feel full, while watching the number on the scales drop each week!
In fact, a few small changes can completely transform how easy it feels to stay on track.
These are 12 of the most useful lessons I’ve learned.
I hope at least one of them becomes a lightbulb moment for you too!💡
And if you’d like lifetime access to a growing library of hundreds of weight-loss hacks, join our online course, “Lose Weight with Herbs“.
First, learn how to build satisfying, nutritious meals that prevent cravings and cut out food noise.
Then, you’ll discover the best herbs that suppress appetite, boost metabolism & burn extra fat.
Finally, you’ll discover the mindset approaches that allow weight loss to become truly fun and easy.
The final price of this course will be $79.99.
We have an early-bird discount for the first members, so it’s currently only $7.99!
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You’ll enjoy instant access with new content added every month.
Ask unlimited health questions to me, community herbalist Rosa Wilde.
Members are joining from across the US and all over the world.
You’ll never be alone on your weight-loss journey again!
I’d love to welcome you to the course, see you there ❤️
1. I Started Prioritising Protein
You’re probably sick to the back teeth of hearing about high-protein this and that!
But, if I could only give one piece of weight-loss advice, this would be it.
Every meal I eat now contains a good source of protein.
It keeps me feeling full for much longer than a meal based mainly on carbohydrates.
Protein also has another advantage.
Around 20–30% of the calories in protein are used simply digesting and processing it, compared with around 5–10% for carbohydrates and as little as 0–3% for fats.
Now I build my meals around foods like eggs, Greek yoghurt, skyr, cottage cheese, salmon and beans.
Once I started doing that, snacking became much less tempting, and I naturally ate fewer calories without even thinking about it!
Join our online weight-loss course to discover my favourite high-protein, high-fibre recipes 🥗
2. I Stopped Cooking with Oil & Fat
This was one of my biggest lightbulb moments.
I knew olive oil was healthy, so I used to drizzle it over salads and into frying pans without thinking too much.
Then I discovered that just one tablespoon of olive oil contains around 120 calories! 🤯
Suddenly, it made sense why I was eating healthy meals but still seeing the weight on the scales creep up over the years.
Now, I often roast vegetables without oil, use yoghurt-based dressings, vinegar, herbs, spices or lemon juice, and only add oils and butter when I really want it.
Want more ideas for how to cook without fat and make delicious low-cal sauces?
Check out my affordable online weight-loss course, which contains a practical guide to 🍅 Low-calorie sauces & seasonings.
3. I Filled More than Half my Plate with Vegetables
I do NOT like feeling hungry.
Instead of trying (and failing) to eat less food, I learned to eat more food with fewer calories.
This is called volume eating, and it’s a godsend for hungry guys and gals!
Vegetables are naturally high in fibre and water, so they add lots of volume to meals without adding many calories.
These days, I make vegetables the biggest part of almost every lunch and dinner.
Courgettes, broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, cabbage, spinach and cauliflower all help create meals that look enormous.
You can chop them up small and add to cooking, or blend them into huge healthy sauces.
That simple habit lets me chow down on huge bowls of yummy food while naturally keeping my calorie intake under control.
Check out the recipes section of our Lose Weight with Herbs online course for my favourite big-volume meals!
4. I Started Walking More
Many people think you need to do intense workouts to lose weight.
In reality, simply moving more throughout the day makes a much bigger difference.
And if you enjoy it, it’s even easier to stick to.
Combine walking with your favourite music, podcast, or a catch-up phone call with an old friend.
Research suggests that around 7,500 steps a day is where many of the health benefits of walking begin to plateau, meaning you don’t necessarily need the famous 10,000 steps to maximise weight loss.
Whenever possible, walk to the shops, park further away from your destination or enjoy an evening stroll after dinner.
An extra 1,000 or 2,000 steps every day soon adds up to extra pounds lost.
And you guessed it, you’ll learn more about 🏃➡️ The best exercises for fat loss in Lose Weight with Herbs 🌿
5. I Finally Started Sleeping Properly
Sleep turned out to be far more important than I ever imagined.
After a poor night’s sleep, I noticed I was constantly craving sugary foods and found it much harder to stop snacking.
Research has shown that just one night of restricted sleep can increase the hunger hormone ghrelin while reducing the fullness hormone leptin, making you feel hungrier the following day.
Now I protect my sleep like any other healthy habit.
I avoid alcohol, cut caffeine, dim the lights in the evening and keep a regular bedtime whenever I can.
Some of my best weight-loss decisions actually begin the night before.
There’s a full guide to 🌙 Getting enough sleep in the Lose Weight with Herbs online course.
6. I Started Drinking More
It’s an all-too common mistake – many people mistake thirst for hunger.
If I feel peckish between meals, I drink a large glass of water or herbal coffee first and wait 10 minutes.
Quite often, the craving disappears.
Even mild dehydration can affect energy, concentration, and exercise performance, making healthy choices feel much harder.
Staying hydrated has become one of the easiest habits I’ve built, and it’s helped reduce unnecessary snacking.
I also love fruit-infused water, herbal teas, and nourishing herbal infusions.
Find easy-to-follow drink recipes for busy people in the Lose Weight with Herbs online course 🧋☕🫖
7. I Stopped Fearing Carbohydrates
I used to think I had to avoid carbs completely.
But no matter how many positive reviews of the Keto diet I heard, I could never stick to it for more than a couple of days.
Real life (and bread, and pizza) always got in the way!
Now, I enjoy foods like oats, sweet potatoes, beans, wholemeal bread and fruit, every day.
I just make sure they’re a more minor part of my meal, not the base of it.
The fibre in whole-food carbohydrates slows digestion and feeds the gut bacteria in your gut.
Eating like this avoids the blood-sugar crashes caused by refined carbs like sugary treats, cereals, and white bread.
And, wouldn’t you know? There’s a whole guide on healthy carbs called 🥐 Do I have to eat low carb? in the Lose Weight with Herbs online course!
If you’ve read this far, I really think you’d enjoy it 😇
8. I Stopped Trying to Be Perfect
This one thing probably changed my mindset more than anything else.
If I fancy an ice cream with my family at the weekend, or a hot chocolate after a long day-out round the shops, I enjoy it.
Then I simply carry on with my normal healthy eating at the next meal.
One naughty snack never made anyone overweight, just like one healthy meal never made anyone skinny.
It’s our habits over weeks, months and years that shape our results—not occasional treats.
Having these foods less often means we can really savour the moment when we do have them, without the guilt or anxiety of over-eating.
And, of course, there’s a whole guide to 🧁 The art of enjoying treats in Lose Weight with Herbs!
You’ll also find loads of easy swaps for making healthy versions of treats with less calories and more nutrition.
10. I Started Measuring My Progress Properly
For a long time, I judged my success entirely by the scales.
But body weight naturally fluctuates from day to day because of water, salt intake, hormones and digestion.
It’s perfectly normal for the scales to move up and down by 1–2 kg over a few days.
And that’s very frustrating for tracking weight loss.
Was the weight you lost last week really fat, or just water? Who knows!
Now I prefer to use a tape measure, take progress photos once every month or two, and notice how my clothes fit.
I’m also more patient, and know that long-lasting results take time to show up.
Looking at several ways to measure progress keeps me motivated and helps me appreciate changes I might otherwise have missed.
There’s a guide to 📈 Measuring progress in the Lose Weight with Herbs online course, see you there 🫶
11. I Made Healthy Food Easy to Reach
One thing I’ve learned is that my environment is often stronger than my willpower.
Research has shown that we’re much more likely to eat foods that are visible and convenient.
I stopped buying foods that I tend to overeat, like nuts, dates, cheese and dark chocolate.
Now I keep apples, skyr, chopped vegetables, boiled eggs and healthy prepped meals in the fridge and freezer.
If healthy food is the easiest option, that’s usually what I’ll eat!
Learn more tips in the guide 🏡 Creating a weight-loss environment in the Lose Weight with Herbs online course.
12. I Started Using Herbs Every Day
Herbs can’t replace healthy eating—but they can be a fantastic addition to it.
Ginger, green tea, cinnamon, dandelion, cayenne and many other herbs have been studied for their weight-loss effects.
They’ve been proven to boost metabolism, stabilise blood sugar, suppress appetite and burn extra fat.
I like to use a few of these herbs daily in small amounts.
Small improvements, repeated every day, really do add up to measurable changes over the months!
You can discover guides to the most well-studied weight-loss herbs in the 🌿Boost weight loss with herbs! module of our online course, Lose Weight with Herbs.
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And if you’ve enjoyed these tips, I just know you’ll love my online course, Lose Weight with Herbs.
Inside, you’ll discover a growing library of practical guides that make weight loss easy.
Together, we’ll explore how to build satisfying, high-protein, nutritious meals.
We’ll learn how to use herbs to reduce cravings, improve sleep, and balance blood sugar.
We’ll enjoy treats without guilt, discover new mindset techniques, and create healthy habits that last.
This isn’t about restrictive dieting. It’s about making lots of small changes that add up to crazy-impressive results over time.
You’ll also enjoy:
🌿 Lifetime access to all current and future course content
🥗 New guides, recipes and resources added regularly
💬 Unlimited health questions answered by me, herbalist Rosa Wilde
🫶 A friendly community space where members encourage and inspire one another
The course will eventually cost $79.99, but with our early-bird discount, you can join today for just $7.99!
Once you join, you’ll have access for life, and you’ll receive every future update at no extra cost.
Members have been joining from across the US, the UK, and all over the world.
I’d love to welcome you into our friendly community.
Join the Lose Weight with Herbs online course today. See you there! ❤️
