With Metabolic Balance, no one is on their own with their nutrition plan. The heart of our program is the intensive support of the participants our certified coaches. Our coaching services are as unique and varied as our nutrition plans themselves. Today we introduce you to one of our colleagues: Pia Funfack is not only the daughter of the company founders, but has been a successful coach for many years.

Metabolic Balance: Hi Pia, especially at the beginning of the year many people want to lose weight, eat better, simply live healthier. What do you recommend?
Pia: The most important thing in order to lose weight safely and permanently, to feel fit and active and to live healthily is food and that in sufficient quantity. So we should not eat too much, but in no case too little, either. In this way, we provide our metabolism and body with all the important building blocks to be able to master all the processes physiologically necessary. Which diet is right for the individual depends, of course, on the person, lifestyle, nutritional goals and much more. People who have a sedentary work and little exercise in their daily lives should be limiting quickly available and short-chain carbohydrates, such as those found in white flour products, sweets, rice or potatoes, and consume long-chain carbohydrates in the form of vegetables and whole-grain rye products. This means simply omitting or reducing the satiating side dish – for example, not eating all the rice at the Asian restaurant, two dumplings or a plate full of mac and cheese at a restaurant, but rather focus on the protein and vegetables first. A meal should always consist of a portion of protein and long-chain carbohydrates such as vegetables and/or salad, as well as be enriched with high-quality oils that contain a lot of omega 3 and omega 6, and thus provide essential fatty acids. If needed, whole-grain rye bread can serve as a filling side dish. Those who don’t want to replace wheat pasta, rice, etc., should at least reduce the amount and consume only little of it. Endurance athletes or people who are a lot on the move are welcome to eat a bit more of the satiating side dish, as they really need the energy from quickly available carbohydrates. It is also important to be mindful and pay attention to personal feelings of hunger and satiety. Often, we eat not because we are physiologically hungry, that is, the body really needs food, but for various other reasons. Often, when we feel hungry, it is enough to drink something instead of eating. We should also ask ourselves where the hunger or appetite comes from. In many cases, one of our senses has been addressed, which then triggers feelings of hunger. Thus, it can happen that only the sight or smell of a food causes a feeling of hunger to arise in us, although we are actually full. In addition to appealing to the senses, various emotions such as stress, loneliness, sadness or boredom can also trigger hunger and cravings. Eating mindfully and paying attention to where hunger comes from can cut down on some unnecessary snacks. The important thing is to consciously decide for or against something and not eat and snack completely without rhyme or reason, just because something is available at that moment. In addition to eating consciously, it is also a good idea to set a goal for your own nutrition. There are various methods of achieving goals, such as the “SMART” principle or, my favorite, the “WOOP” method. If I have a goal in mind, analyzing the way to reach it exactly and setting myself certain milestones, uncovering obstacles on the home stretch and developing strategies to master them, the implementation of a plan usually succeeds best. With all plans and projects, however, one thing should not be forgotten: You should not stress yourself too much and try to treat yourself well. This works especially well with a Metabolic Balance nutrition plan, because you can stop worrying so much about food. You automatically give your body everything it needs by simply sticking to what the plan tells you to do. Healthy eating has never been so easy!

Metabolic Balance: What distinguishes Metabolic Balance from other nutrition
programs?
Pia: Metabolic Balance differs from other nutrition programs in many ways. We are the only nutrition program that creates an individual nutrition plan for each participant based on 36 blood values as well as the participant’s medical history. Another difference is that Metabolic Balance, contrary to the opinion of many people, does not completely exclude any nutrient group from the diet, as it is the case with strict low-carb diets that completely eliminate starchy carbohydrates from the diet. With Metabolic Balance, the macronutrients fat, carbohydrates and proteins are offered at each meal in the optimal proportion for the respective participant. This ensures that everyone receives the appropriate amounts for themselves and can thus achieve the health goal as well as the desired weight loss without renouncing or feeling hungry.
In the long term, Metabolic Balance helps participants leave old unhealthy eating patterns behind and return to their inner signals, to intuitive eating behavior. They know exactly what is good for them, because they can feel the signals of the body again and interpret them correctly. Another success factor in which Metabolic Balance differs from other nutrition programs is, in addition to the individual nutrition plans, the personal and individual coaching. Each participant has his or her own personal Metabolic Balance coach, who provides advice and support and accompanies the participants in a motivating manner until they reach their goal.

Metabolic Balance: Can you tell us more about the importance of coaching?
Pia: Coaching is very important for many reasons. First of all, of course, to familiarize the participants with the process and background of the Metabolic Balance program. In the course of the coaching sessions, participants are shown what really matters in a balanced and healthy diet, so that they can achieve and maintain their feel-good weight and health goals in the long term, even without food plans. Of course, it is also important to motivate the participants during the dietary change. In addition to nutritional knowledge, mental issues are also addressed in coaching. Participants are thus helped to identify their very personal “stumbling blocks” on the home stretch to their desired weight or increased well-being and to develop solutions to avoid them in the future. The fun of healthy eating is always in the foreground.

Metabolic Balance: Thank you, dear Pia, for this first insight into our nutrition concept. We look forward to many more participants, whom you and your team will successfully accompany to their goal.