Mindful Weight Loss
The most common weight loss struggle is the mental and emotional commitment. For most, losing weight isn't easy, nor is it fast, yet many look for the easiest and fastest solution to shed those extra pounds. Outside of surgical procedures (which come with their own complications), losing weight is not a quick fix. If it took years to put on, it will require some time-along with nurturing and dedication-to lose.
The importance of exploring your emotional connection to diet is critical for success, as is challenging yourself on how you got to this weight. For some, it's a busy schedule, or the fact that comfort foods are so easily accessible (like the cookies that are always out at the office)! Others have a more emotional connection to food; they use it for comfort, nurturing, or an unconscious need for satisfaction. This all perpetuates the weight cycle. Working on the root causes of weight gain allows you to free yourself, and move towards easier weight loss in the future.
In addition to challenging the behaviors, habits, and perceptions that may be sabotaging your weight loss efforts, here's a look at the other factors that may be contributing to your struggle to lose weight:
Adrenal Fatigue
The adrenal glands aid in managing physical and emotional stress in our bodies. Adrenal fatigue may be the result of chronic or prolonged stress. Symptoms include but are not limited to: feeling tired even after adequate sleep, feeling tired but "wired," a weakened immune system, afternoon fatigue followed by a surge in energy in the evening, and cravings for sweet and salty foods. This is another reason managing stress is so important in successful weight loss.
Abnormal Thyroid Function
Your thyroid gland plays a major role in your metabolism and the rate at which your body uses or stores energy. Therefore, it can play a major role in your war with weight! Common symptoms of thyroid dysfunction include but are not limited to: changes in weight, mood, and body temperature; changes in menstrual cycle for females; hair loss; fatigue; and dry skin. If you believe you have thyroid problems, you should discuss this with your doctor.
Insulin Resistance
Hormone imbalances that go untreated can lead to weight gain or inability to lose weight. A hormone abnormality that may affect your weight is insulin resistance - a problem with the way your body uses blood sugar, which can lead to excess fat storage, especially around the waist. What causes this? Poor diets - especially those high in processed foods and sugars, and low in lean proteins and fiber. Left untreated, this may lead to type II diabetes. Lifestyle changes are the most important step in treating this issue, but sometimes greater intervention is needed to help the body restore its ability to utilize insulin.
Food Intolerances/Food Sensitivities
Gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, headaches, skin rashes, fatigue, weight gain, or inability to lose weight can all be signs of food sensitivities. Food sensitivities are different from food allergies, which are generally more severe and immediate. The most common foods people are sensitive to include dairy, wheat/gluten, eggs, soy, corn, sugar, and some fruits. Eliminating these foods (maybe one at a time to see how it affects you) is taking a step towards losing those "stuck pounds" or relentless GI symptoms.
Regardless of what's causing your weight loss issues, it's important to know that the journey towards losing weight doesn't have to be so overwhelming! Start by making small lifestyle changes, such as the ones listed below. By incorporating one of these changes into your diet per week (start with whatever's easiest and most convenient for you), you'll be well on your way to winning your war with weight:
Don't skip breakfast.
Eating breakfast can help you lose weight by keeping your metabolism up. Your metabolism is the rate at which your body will burn calories. People who skip breakfast tend to eat larger meals and have slower metabolism. A breakfast high in protein is the best choice for weight loss. Examples of this include an egg white and vegetable omelet, a nut butter on high fiber bread, or a low sugar yogurt with 1/4 cup of nuts.
Avoid eating before bed.
Sleep is a time for rest and recharging, so foods that are eaten late at night are more likely to be "stored" (as fat) since we do not need to burn them for energy throughout the night. It's best to avoid eating two hours before bed if you're trying to lose weight. If you're truly hungry and need something to eat, make sure to choose a food that's low in sugar, such as 1/4 cup of nuts or a hard-boiled egg.
Eat protein with every meal.
Meals that lack a protein (such as meat, fish, or beans) tend to be higher in carbohydrates (like bread, pasta, and rice), which can lead to more weight gain. Protein is also responsible for helping us feel full longer, and is an important part of any weight loss program.
Avoid foods high in sugar.
Eating sugar is the fastest way for your body to stock up on fuel for later. Since sugar turns to stored fat, the more you eat, the more weight you'll gain. Cutting the sugars out of your diet is the first and most important step towards losing weight. Start by eliminating packaged foods, since they're especially high in sugar.
Don't drink your calories.
Eliminating sugary beverages can cut over 500 calories in your diet in just one day. This is equivalent to losing a pound a week-just by changing drinks alone! If you're a soda drinker, consider switching to seltzer or carbonated water. If you're a juice drinker, consider switching to an unsweetened cold tea. Speaking of tea, don't forget about sugars added to drinks such as tea or coffee. Try to reduce the amount of sugar you add to these drinks every day or week, until you're able to skip it altogether. This leads me to my next strategy.
Drink tea. A cup of plain tea or hot water in the morning and a cup of herbal tea before bed can help your body shed pounds. Drinking a cup of hot water upon waking may help to increase your metabolism, which will encourage your body to burn calories faster.
Eat vegetables. Eating vegetables equals losing weight, so eat your greens. Vegetables are high in fiber and low in calories, making them an excellent weight loss tool because they fill you up without adding on the pounds. Try to make sure that vegetables make up half of every lunch and dinner plate, and choose vegetables as snacks over packaged foods, which are higher in sugar and calories. Slices of cucumber or sliced red peppers are great snacks!
Despite the scenarios mentioned above, inability to lose weight most often comes from incorrectly executed diets, inappropriate caloric intake (too much or too little), emotional eating, and/or a combination of all of these factors. I always use the analogy of weight being like money: For many, it's easy to spend and hard to save, and with weight, it's easy to gain but hard to lose. Finding the best diet budget for you and understanding your relationship to food is critical to achieving a healthy weight.
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