6 Healthy Ways to Lose Weight
Weight management can be a contentious issue for both men and women of all ages. Over 66% of the American population is overweight or obese. 1 in 6 children ages 2-19 are considered obese. As our scales go up, so has the prevalence of health conditions and disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes, joint pain & chronic inflammation, heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and even linked to dementia.
It is therefore vitally important that everyone try to control their weight as best as possible, so the chances of getting health conditions are minimized and that you may live a high quality of life.
The media portrays weight loss as a simple “calories out calories in” approach. We are taught to go on extreme diets, join a gym in effort to “eat less and move more”. While this equation is true to a certain extent, losing weight AND keeping it off is much more than that.
Here are our tips to achieve long lasting, sustainable weight loss in a safe, healthy and yes, even enjoyable way!
1. Avoid Diet ‘Fads’ And Trends
There are so many diets around that claim to be the wonder cure to lose weight and maintaining a healthy size. However, most of these plans are very extreme and drastic, in which they call for cutting out major food groups, majorly cutting calories, eating packaged “diet” meals etc. These are unlikely to work in the long term because they are not sustainable changes nor do they provide any nutrition education. Many times you will lose muscle and gain fat, causing the ever dreaded rebound effect of gaining all the weight back plus some.
2. Eat The Right Things
Losing weight is not just about the quantity of your food, but the quality as well. Not all calories are created equal. What you eat is not just for energy/fuel, but also should provides nutrients that you body requires for proper health. 100 calories from broccoli versus a candy bar will definitely affect how you lose weight, but more importantly, your hormone function, fat burning and overall functioning.
Choosing a whole food, plant-focused diet with the proper amounts of protein, healthy fats and carbs will provide the nutrition the body needs to burn fat and lose weight. One should stay clear of fast food, junk and processed foods, and high sugar items. Avoiding processed and packaged foods, even labeled as “healthy or low calorie” is recommended.
3. Start a Food Log
Keeping track of your intake is an excellent way to aid in weight loss. Using a food log is a great accountability tool and way to measure progress. It allows you (your coach, doctor etc.) to see not only what you are eating, but when, where etc. It can help uncover any patterns (what works well versus not) nutritional deficiencies, where to make adjustments when need be and more.
There are many ways to keep a food log. There are many free apps and websites to use, such as MyFitnessPal, LoseIt, Carb Manager etc. And of course there is always good old pen and paper!
The more specific your journal is, the more information it provides to help make progress. Logging what you ate, but also the portion size, time, calories, macronutrients etc. are all beneficial.
4. Prioritize Stress Reduction
This is a very important but not discussed topic when it comes to weight loss. Many people are experiencing high chronic levels of stress. Stress comes in many forms, such as mental and emotional triggers, work, school, relationships, environmental toxins, physical injuries, poor diet and more.
Stress releases cortisol, a hormone in the body that allows us to “work/overcome” that stressor. But long term stress raises cortisol to an unhealthy level. High cortisol turns off fat burning and creates other major health problems as well.
Remove any stress that you can and reduce what you cannot. Prioritize sleep and rest; 7-8 hours is necessary to remove waste, toxins and create the enzymes and hormones necessary for fat burning. Find outlets to relieve stress, such as exercise, journaling, sports or recreational activities, breathwork, meditation etc.
5. Get Moving
Physical activity & exercise is important for both weight loss and overall health. We should be moving our bodies on a daily basis. Movement not only increases your metabolism, but also improves bone health, heart health, balances insulin levels and blood pressure. Exercise has been shown to positively affect cholesterol (raise HDL while lowering LDL) improve brain function, boost energy, and even combat anxiety and depression.
The recommended amount of exercise is 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. A well balanced exercise program includes aerobic/cardio, strength training, flexibility and balance exercises. Start slow and steady, and exercise should be based on your current health state and goals.
What about physical activity? We all should be moving on a daily basis. Stand more than you sit, walk whenever you can, take the stairs versus elevator…all of these add up. Take your pet for a walk, play with your kids, and chores like vacumming, cleaning or yard work all move your body. Use an activity tracker like a FitBit to monitor daily steps. Set a goal to improve this weekly; 10k steps a day is a great goal.
6. Get a Coach To Track Your Progress
Everyone needs a coach; A coach is someone to keep you accountable, cheer you on with your wins, and guide you on the changes you need to make for change. They provide you with support, education, and encouragement. Having a support system and a positive environment is key to success. You don’t have to or shouldn’t go through it alone.
Get Started
There will be days when will not feel like eating sensibly nor doing any form of exercise, but it just takes “doing” instead of “trying”. Our office offers personalized wellness programs. We would love to be YOUR coach, and to encourage, coach and cheer for your success. If you would like more information on our programs and becoming the healthiest possible version of your self, contact our office!