Losing Weight....the HEALTHY Way

Many people desire to lose weight for a variety of different reasons. Drastic weight changes are not sustainable in most cases,
but moderate reductions in weight can be attained by simple lifestyle modifications. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Start by evaluating your motives.

If your goal is health improvement, keep in mind
that most diets will make things worse, not better.
Rapid weight loss and weight cycling are very harmful
to the body. Choosing a healthy lifestyle, regardless
of your weight changes, will help you accomplish your
goal of health improvement.

If you want to lose weight to “look better,” be
aware that intentional weight loss programs & dieting
INCREASE, not decrease, the likelihood of weight
gain long term. Diets slow your metabolism and result
in food cravings. The research is clear: 95-99% of
dieters will rebound to a higher weight after initially
losing weight.

2. Never starve yourself. Ever.

Some say losing weight is simple: eat less energy
than you expend. However, when working with the
human body, there are many factors that complicate
the situation. Crash diets can send the body into
“starvation mode” and making it more difficult to burn
energy and lose weight. This damage can be difficult
or impossible to reverse—the more starvation cycles the
body experiences, the worse the effect will be. Bottom
line: starvation leads to long-term weight gain, even if
you lose weight at first.

Instead, fuel your body with moderately sized meals
and snacks to keep your metabolism and body
functioning at its optimum potential.

Research shows that eating breakfast daily, getting
consistent and adequate sleep, and maintaining
adequate hydration are all essential to health and
weight loss.




3. Don’t forget common sense.

Beware of any diet that cuts out entire food groups.
The body needs food from every food group to be
healthy. Grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and other
protein sources all provide important nutrients that the
body needs everyday. The key concepts of balance,
variety, and moderation should represent the core of
any healthy eating program.



4. If it sounds too good to be true… IT IS.

The diet industry will promise you anything, especially
if it will make them money. The diet industry exists to
post profits, not make people skinny and/or happy
about themselves.

If even 1 diet delivered what it promised, the entire
industry would collapse due to the creation of a
monopoly. Remember, diets boast a 95-99% FAILURE
rate. If weight loss is in your body’s best interest,
expect that the changes will be slow as you work to
improve your eating and exercise habits.

5. Find enjoyment in moving your body.

The data is clear: staying active throughout the life
span is essential to health and weight loss. People
who maintain active lifestyles for their whole lives
find ways to move their bodies that are respectful and
enjoyable. On the contrary, people who exercise as
a form of self-punishment never experience the joy of
movement and rarely reap the full benefits of an active
lifestyle.