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Losing Weight the Healthy Way
Two thirds of Americans are overweight and 1/3 of those are obese. Cardiac disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer are at an all-time high. Weight and stress related diseases are at their peak. In order to decrease weight related diseases people have turned to the weight loss industry, which has more than met their needs. But finding a healthy weight loss alternative may be difficult to find with the number of prescription and over the counter supplements that adversely affect the body. People also suffer from distorted body images that are perpetuated by the media. All around us are pictures of air brushed models who don’t even look as good in person as they look in pictures. Hollywood, which once elevated skinny actresses to top positions, is now recognizing that skinny is just skinny; being fit is attractive. (1,2)
“Diet” doesn’t necessarily mean losing weight but eating a healthy diet for proper nutrition. Some people try a starvation diet – or taking much less calories than they need to survive – and only find that they have put their body in starvation mode. Once they go back to former eating habits they gain even more weight than they had before. Healthy weight loss means you have a realistic understanding of what you want to achieve. This understanding is based on your own body type and lifestyle and not on that of the most recent bony model.
Define your goals for a healthy weight loss, write them down and put them where you can see them every day. Remember that anything can be accomplished one step at a time. A trip of 1,000 miles starts with one step. Take it slowly and make the changes permanent. Anytime you feel you are being deprived you will fail. Healthy weight loss does not include denying yourself nutrients or your favorite meals. You’ll obsess over them and your failure will be secured. Start with balanced nutrition and the correct portions of protein, fruits, vegetables and water. Serving sizes are much smaller than you might anticipate. Become familiar with the correct sizes by using a small food scale. Serve the meals on smaller plates and eat more slowly; it is amazing what your brain can convince your body to accept!
Break the meals up into 4-6 smaller meals rather than 1-3 larger ones. You want to keep your body fueled and never really feel too hungry. Once you start to feel hungry you may also start to feel cravings. The cravings are harder to resist than the actual feeling of hunger. Try to stop both before they start. Phase out the trash in your diet. You know what that is. The processed foods, crackers, sweets, hamburgers and fries, candies and donuts have no place in a healthy weight loss regimen. When you get hungry at 3 pm grab an apple or banana to tide you over until dinner. Leave the candy bar in the candy machine.
Drink lots of water each day. One rule is to drink 4 oz of water for every hour you are awake. Water flushes out the toxins and waste products in your body. You can judge your hydration level by the color of your urine. If you urine has color you need to drink more! Sometimes just remember to drink 8 – 12 ounces of water each time you visit the bathroom. In a healthy weight loss program you will also participate in exercise at least 3-4 times a week for at least 30 minutes. It doesn’t have to rigorous. You can walk for 30 minutes each day and you’ll get some health benefits without the sweating, grunting and groaning of the exercise guru. As your level of fitness improves you may find you want to increase your workouts.
A healthy weight loss program is achievable for anyone! There is no one who can’t lose weight when they truly want to; when they ask for the help they need to keep their motivation high and when they get the support they need to make their goals a reality. Too often people are focused on weight loss for a short time and then life gets in the way. Healthy weight loss is not a ‘diet’, it is a way of life that is maintained for life.
Natural Weight Loss
A major health concern of people today is obesity. Two thirds of Americans are overweight and 15% of teenagers are as well. Obesity is a huge risk factor for life-threatening health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney problems, cardiovascular issues, stroke, cancer and gallstones. People are turning to natural weight loss supplements to help them maintain a weight loss regimen and achieve a normal body mass index. Your body mass index is a number that measures your height in relationship to your weight and gives you a range of numbers in which ‘normal’ falls. Insurance companies and physicians use this number to determine if an individual falls into a range of body weight that places them at higher risk for developing certain diseases.
When starting a new program be sure to consult a doctor and be aware of any side effects as well as interactions with any other medication you may be taking or medical conditions you may have. Natural weight loss programs can include the use of herbal supplements to raise the body’s metabolism, suppress the appetite and to add to the overall feeling of well-being. People have been looking for a way to naturally lose weight for hundreds of years. But just because the word natural or herbal is included doesn’t guarantee the safety of the product.
When the media began focusing on healthier lifestyle choices, manufacturers began to add ‘all natural’ and ‘all herbal’ to their packaging. However those terms must meet FDA standards when they are used to label foods and medications. In other words a specific amount of the product must be all natural or herbal.
Some safe herbal supplements can be found in our Weight Loss Tips. Herbal supplements are usually cost effective and prescription medications are more expensive. There seems to be lower number of side effects to using natural weight loss supplements and they are a healthier alternative to prescription medications. However, natural weight loss supplements have not all undergone intense scientific scrutiny for side effects during long-term use. Do your research on the particular product and ingredients before you chose to take a supplement.
Ephedra is an example of a natural weight loss supplement that was widely used before studies showed that the side effects of using Ephedra included cardiac problems and death. While it is a “natural” substance, it is also dangerous. Arsenic is also a naturally occurring substance, but not one we’d like to take for any reason!
The effectiveness of natural weight loss supplements are usually subjective and can be vastly different from consumer to consumer. These differences can be attributed to genetic differences in people and the variations in the ingredients as well as a placebo effect. The manufacture of natural supplements is not regulated. The plants are harvested under varying conditions, the timing of the harvest can affect the active ingredient, the processing and the exposure to air and light can also affect the efficacy of the natural weight loss supplement.
Like using prescriptions there are drawbacks and strong points to using natural weight loss supplements. These are specific to the product you chose. Remember that there are many ways to lose weight but they all amount to the same thing: burn more calories than you eat; eating less or burning more or a combination of both. Choices in the weight loss industry are phenomenal. Natural weight loss supplements are only one choice. But, depending upon the product and the manufacturer they can very well be your best choice.
Just a Few Weight Loss Tips
Have you been searching for weight loss tips and options that will meet your individual needs and have also been proven to work? Look no further! Below are some world-class tips on making healthy lifestyle choices, losing weight, and keeping it off! Obesity is at an all-time high, in part due to the standard Western diet that is so popular. Another factor is the decreased exercise habits in today’s fast paced world. This lethal combination of high fat, high processed foods and lack of movement or calorie burn during the day ultimately leads to weight gain and weight related diseases.
While many people are searching for weight loss plans to achieve fast, easy and painless weight loss, it is important to note that any plan should be initiated with the long-term effects in mind. Making strong, healthy lifestyle choices will eventually lead to permanent weight loss and a healthy life. Each individual person is unique. Genetic make-up varies from person to person, lifestyles and exercise habits also impact the body’s ability to lose weight.
No matter what plan you choose there are several weight loss tips that will help you to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The goal is permanent weight loss and a trimmer, fitter you. The most important factor to consider is incorporating these changes into your own life. Make them slowly and easily. Make sure that the change is permanent before you move on to add another change to your lifestyle. By changing one or two things every couple of weeks or over the course of a month you’ll effect a change in your life that will have benefits for years to come.
The first tip is to get rid of the junk food in your home and your diet. You know what they are; snacks loaded with fats, sugars and carbohydrates. Potato chips, ice cream, cookies, processed foods, and crackers. You may not be happy with this but it will work! Replace these items with snacks that are healthier choices. You may start by eliminating only the potato chips or ice cream and once that has been accomplished over 2 or 3 weeks begin to discard the rest of the junk food in your diet. Replace those snack foods with healthier choices that include fruits and vegetables. Processed foods may seem more convenient, but pulling a banana off of the shelf or apple out of the fridge is just as convenient. And, fruits and vegetables have more of the essential vitamins and nutrients than the cooked versions. Your body needs those things, plus the fiber, to function properly.
Weight loss tip number 2 is to eliminate carbonated beverages and alcohol from your diet. The amount of soda consumed in the US increases each year – along with the waistline of consumers. What was once an 8-oz drink is now a 48-oz Big Gulp. The sugars and carbohydrates in these drinks will add many pounds, and when they are removed from your diet you will see an easy weight loss!
Another important weight loss tip is to add water to your diet to improve the condition of your skin, help eliminate wastes and toxins from your body and help you to feel full longer. Drink at least one half your weight in ounces each day. For instance, if you weigh 180 pounds, you should drink 90 ounces of water each day. That may feel like a lot at first, but it will help to improve the function and health of your body.
Eat breakfast! People skip breakfast for many reasons – they say they are too busy, or they aren’t hungry or they think it will help with weight loss. However, skipping breakfast will actually increase your hunger and your cravings throughout the entire day. Then, when your resistance is low, you will snack on that donut at the office. Weight loss tip – don’t skip breakfast!
Include exercise in your daily routine to help burn calories and give you more energy every day. Exercise can be a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood. You don’t have to be a sweat busting exercise fanatic to meet the needs that your body requires to lose weight.
These weight loss tips can be used with most, if not all, weight loss plans and programs. Weight loss comes from eating less calories than you burn each day. No matter how you choose to accomplish that goal, the equation is the same. Use these weight loss tips to get you started down the right road!
Weight Loss Supplements
Weight loss supplements are all the rage. The weight loss industry has many options available that take advantage of the different genetic variations, metabolisms and exercise habits of people who desire to lose weight. Obesity has been growing over the past several decades and continues to create medical and emotional problems. (1) The number of weight loss supplements is also growing as the waistline of Americans continues to expand.
Although the way to lose weight is simple, the execution is difficult. Many people turn to weight loss supplements because changing their eating habits is very difficult and using supplements and pills can sometimes help reduce the challenge. We also want fast progress. We want fast food, fast Internet, fast service and fast weight loss. We want it all, and we want it all quickly and painlessly.
Weight loss supplements fall into two large categories; over the counter and prescription medications. Prescription supplements are only available through your doctor and a licensed pharmacist. Prescription medications have undergone severe testing by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The manufacturing of these products is also regulated. Over the counter weight loss supplements are not regulated by the FDA and are not classified as drugs. Because they are not classified as drugs there is no regulation on their distribution or the manufacturing process. And there usually are no stringently performed research studies that evaluate the efficacy and side effects of the weight loss supplements.
Ephedra is an example of a weight loss supplement that has shown a high success rate with weight loss but also has very serious side effects, which include blood pressure problems, cardiac issues and death. Eventually, the media coverage on Ephedra made a huge dent in the sales volume of the supplement and improved the health of those who thought that taking it would be an easy route to lose weight. (2)
Hoodia Gordonii is another supplement that has some medical consequences. There is credible weight loss in small studies but only one type of the Hoodia has the P57 component that is the appetite suppressant. There is some pure Hoodia but there are very few manufacturers that guarantee the authenticity and quality of the product. There have also been some research studies that has indicated significant side effects in the liver. (3)
Many of the over the counter weight loss supplements use caffeine as their active ingredient. Caffeine dehydrates the body and the client feels an initial ‘thinness’ but there is rebound bloating when the body attempts to retain as much fluid as possible for survival.
When you choose a weight loss supplement , look at the ingredients – both the active and inactive ones. Pills often have inactive ingredients that can affect you adversely, sometimes as much as the active ingredients. Check with your pharmacist if you are taking any other medications to ensure there are no known drug interactions between the drugs you already take and the over-the-counter medications you are considering.
Remember that anything you purchase and put into your body should be treated as a medication or drug. Just because it is labeled a supplement, or all natural or herbal doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have side effects or can’t interact with medications you are already taking or with any underlying medical conditions. Weight loss supplements should only be used in conjunction with eating habit changes since once you stop taking the supplements and go back to old eating habits your weight will rebound and you’ll gain even more weight than you originally lost. Weight loss supplements are a tool in the battle of the bulge. Used correctly and with care they will help you to develop good eating habits you can continue when the supplements are no longer being used.
Laxatives and Weight Loss
The rate of obesity in the United States is at an all-time high. People are searching for a magic pill to make the process of weight loss simple, easy and painless. Unfortunately there is no magic pill. Weight goes ‘on’ the same way it comes off. If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. If you eat less than you burn, you lose weight. (1)
But while the concept is simple, the practice is not. In this high stress, fast-paced world many of us forgo exercise in order to spend time at the movies with their children or sitting on the sidelines watching their children play sports. Grabbing a hamburger at the local fast food restaurant has taken the place of sit down dinners, complete with vegetables and salad. It’s no wonder that obesity is at an all-time high!
Some, in desperation, have turned to laxatives. Laxatives and weight loss are not synonymous. Laxatives and weight loss are not healthy or safe. The majority of weight that is lost when using laxatives is from fluid and the health dangers are significant. (2)
The use of laxatives in an attempt to lose weight is often abused. It seems to be common with people who have an eating disorder. Let’s look at what happens in your body when you take laxatives. After the pill is ingested, the active ingredients target the cells of the large intestines. They irritate the cells and encourage the large intestines to empty, many times earlier than the body is ready.
While the food is in the large intestines the body is reabsorbing some of the fluid before it passes as waste. If you evacuate your bowels too soon you run the risk of dehydration. The calories from the food you eat are actually absorbed in the small intestines and laxatives don’t affect the small intestines. This means that while the intent behind taking laxatives is to decrease the amount of calories absorbed by the food, the only thing these medications do is cause the large intestines to evacuate AFTER the small intestines has extracted all of the necessary calories.
After losing fluid from an early bowel movement the body compensates by retaining fluid. So laxatives cause an initial dehydration which makes the person ‘feel’ thin, but within hours the body compensates by retaining the remaining fluid and making the person ‘feel’ bigger. The body needs fluid to remove wastes and toxins, so retaining fluids will make you feel bad because you can’t get rid of all of the waste products normally evacuated.
At this point you might be tempted to take more laxatives to get rid of the full feeling again. It’s a vicious cycle that sets you up to be prone to irritable bowel syndrome and colon tumors. Prolonged use of laxatives can also lead to cramping, bloating, water retention and the added problem of withdrawal.
The use of laxatives to promote weight loss is not an option! You are endangering your health and won’t be moving toward achieving your goal. You can stop the abuse of laxatives using several steps. Unless they are prescribed by a doctor you should stop using laxatives immediately. This may be easier said than done and may require the help of a mental health professional. Drink at least 6-10 eight oz glasses of water each day. Not caffeine drinks or alcohol or juices, just water. Include some physical activity each day to encourage regular bowel function.
Eat regularly and spread it out over at least 3 meals. Include lots of fruits and vegetables, which will improve your success rate for weight loss and improve normal bowel function. Keep a record of your bowel movements so they can be monitored. If you find you are constipated for more than 3 days call your doctor – do not treat yourself! Your colon will react differently than a normal colon after it has been abused by a laxative regimen.
Laxatives and weight loss don’t mix. They don’t work. But you can stop the vicious cycle and move on to a more healthy and fit way of losing weight for life!
Rapid Weight Loss
Obesity is at an all-time high. Many researchers and dietitians are relating the changes in overall weight to the Standard Western diet of high fats, lots of sugar and little energy expenditure. We do everything fast: fast food, fast weight loss, fast Internet, fast track.
Everyone needs food. The only difference between the pencil thin model and 2/3 of Americans who are overweight is how much food and how long between meals. (1) In an ideal world fast weight loss would happen. We could all take a magic pill and be fit and trim. But in the real world you may be able to lose the initial weight quickly, but keeping it off requires commitment to a healthy lifestyle.
There are two reasons why most weight loss plans begin with a fast weight loss. First, the body can usually accommodate a short-term, fast weight loss period without throwing it into starvation mode where you will hoard more calories, lose weight more slowly and gain more weight back when you go back to eating your normal diet. Second, taking off those first three to five pounds are motivating!
Let’s face it, we all want the weight to come off quickly and painlessly. If those first pounds come off easily we are more apt to stick with the diet plan and move forward. The trick is to get past the fast weight loss and move into a consistent weight loss pattern each and every week. There are some tips to accomplishing a fast weight loss pattern that is healthy for both you and your emotional high. First, take a good long look at what you eat, when you eat it and how much you eat. This is very important. You have no idea what to change unless you know what you’ve been doing. Amazingly our minds will trick us into thinking we are doing better, or worse, than we actually do. This trick depends upon your own personality and mindset.
Keep a diary of what you eat every day for at least three days. Keep track of every morsel that goes into your body. Write down how much water, soda, and alcohol you drink. It all counts. Be blunt and honest with yourself. It is only you that you cheat when you aren’t honest.
Take another look at your exercise patterns. Do you exercise? How much and for how long? If you don’t exercise incorporate something every day. Even if you walk for 30 minutes each day, this will help you to lose fat more quickly on your quest.
Drink lots of water. Hydration with water flushes out toxins and wastes from your body. You will feel better and your skin will even look better as you achieve a hydration level that is important to good health. Water is the most important fluid. Get rid of the sodas and alcohol that add calories, no nutrition and can actually precipitate dehydrate.
One of the hardest things to do is to stay motivated. An initial fast weight loss will initially take care of the motivation but once the rate of loss levels out or even plateaus you may find your motivation waning.
Weight loss depends on a basic plan of action that includes solid nutrition, adequate water, exercise and knowledge of your goals. Set your goals, write them down and put them where you can see them. Make your goals things that are attainable and point you toward good health. For instance, instead of a goal of a certain amount of weight loss each week you could set a goal to drink 10 8-oz glasses of water, work out for 30 minutes, eat at least three pieces of fruit. With those goals the weight loss will take care of itself.
A one-size fits all approach to weight loss does not work as evidenced by the number of diet plans, spas, diet pills, prescriptions, meal replacements and over the counter supplements available. While fast weight loss is possible initially, in the long run you should be pointed toward a goal of a healthier lifestyle that includes a thinner you.
How to Shop on a Diet
Are you trying to watch what you eat? Changing your eating habits is difficult. But, coupled with running out to the grocery store and being faced with the temptation of processed foods, candies, sweets and products made with white flour, it can be overwhelming. After years of failure, many dieters, and those who have changed their lifestyle choices, have found some innovative ways to decrease temptation and improve their chances of leaving the store without a bag of Cheetos under one arm and ice cream in the other.
The first rule of thumb is to never go shopping when you’re hungry. Unfortunately, hunger will reduce your ability to make good choices. If you don’t have time to grab a meal before going to the store, take a quick healthy snack in the car so that your stomach is not entirely empty. If that’s out of the question, then grab a bag of baby carrots from the produce department, or something similar, to munch on while walking through the bakery and down the potato chip aisle.
It’s also helpful to take a list to the store when you’re attempting to make better lifestyle choices or are following a specific diet plan. Make out a menu for the week and use that to determine the foods that will be placed on the shopping list. If you find that you continue to be tempted then take cash to the grocery store and not the credit card. Take only enough cash to cover the groceries and not the extra 10 snacks you would love to bring home.
Another temptation at the grocery store is often the bulk food aisle. On the one hand, these foods are often more cost-effective. But, on the other, if you eat everything in one week they are calorie costly. Using bulk foods at home may mean you have to split them into weekly or daily portions or even share the unused portions with friends and family to decrease your temptation and continue to save money. Some foods can also be prepackaged for the freezer, and that will save time and energy when getting ready to make dinner.
At the grocery store there are often demo foods being offered to shoppers. Don’t stress too much over those because the portions are small and you usually have just one. These demos foods usually satisfy cravings and, while aiming for healthy diet change, these foods will often help satisfy your craving. Allowing yourself the occasional treat, most find that they don’t fall off the diet as frequently as they had in the past.
Try to avoid using processed or prepared foods as much as possible. These are usually very calorie dense and have an unusual amount of chemical preservatives. Most of these foods are sold in the middle of the store and for this reason you should try to shop around the perimeter of the store where dairy products, fresh meat and produce are found. Any prepackaged processed foods that are purchased should be evaluated closely. You would be surprised by the amount of sugar, carbohydrates and fats found on the labels of your favorite foods.
While shopping on a specific diet plan may be challenging, it isn’t impossible. The goal is to maintain a healthy diet plan and decrease the amount of guilt trips you may take while snacking at home. Be sure to include snack foods in your list that are healthy and fit your lifestyle. Shopping may not be the most fun activity of the week but it is a necessity. Running out of food in the pantry will only increase the challenges you face during the week.
Weight Loss Plans
Obesity is an ever-increasing problem. Judging by the number of weight loss plans and options people use to constantly try to lose weight, it is also a growing market. But losing weight can feel overwhelming. Losing weight is not as complicated as you might think. It’s not that it isn’t difficult, because for many people it is difficult. But it is simple. First you must choose a weight loss plan. It must fit your lifestyle, body type and you must be willing and able to make the necessary changes in your life.
Not every weight loss plan works for everyone. The differences are in the genetic make up of the person, their metabolism and exercise habits. Although the basic tenet of weight loss works for all people, the amount of weight loss over a specific amount of time will not be equal. The basic way that weight loss plans work is to eat fewer calories than your body burns each day. It’s a simple concept. The execution is complicated and thus the reason for so many weight loss options you have to choose from.
When you are looking for a plan that fits your needs there are four important factors to evaluate. The first thing to consider is if the plan is something you can maintain for the rest of your life. This isn’t a ‘diet’ that is associated with deprivation and fatigue, but a lifestyle change that leads to a healthier, thinner more energized you. Look at the plan and evaluate the eating requirements. Does it include foods that you can manage to purchase, prepare, eat and store? If the weight loss plan includes sea food three times a week and you live in the middle of the mountains, the cost of food will probably soon get prohibitive.
Does the weight loss plan have a proven history? Don’t follow the latest craze or because it worked for someone else you know. You would never divorce your husband because after her divorce your neighbor lost 30 pounds – why would you follow the diet plans of friends or neighbors if your goals, body type and lifestyles are different?
The same is true for weight loss plans without a history of success with many types of people. If there isn’t a proven track record why would you assume that the plan will work for you? Does the weight loss plan fit your personal style? Much like the question about being able to maintain the plan for life, does this plan fit your lifestyle? Are you able to maintain your nutritional needs while eating at friends or restaurants or are you willing to make enough changes in the rest of your life to maintain this new weight loss plan.
People make that lifestyle change for health reasons and they are usually rewarded with a healthier life and increased energy. But, if you can’t manage to make those changes successfully then your motivation will be impacted negatively and you will be destined for failure.
The weight loss plan you choose should also get you excited! Do you enjoy the choices, the plan, the new energy and foods? If you are not excited then the initial movement to a nutritional change will be severely impacted by your lack of energy and enthusiasm.
You should also allow yourself a time to ‘fall’ off the diet or lifestyle change. Weight loss plans should have a degree of flexibility. People aren’t robots or machines. We just are not capable of maintaining a specific routine consistently day after day. The idea isn’t to be perfect but to maintain the changes for as many days as you can as the changes become more and more of a habit.
Weight Loss Motivation
Because today’s nutrition includes too much fat, too much sugar, and too many processed foods, more people are also worried about their weight and working on a weight loss program. Motivation to continue to lose weight often starts out in high gear and quickly goes downhill. People are often motivated many times in their lives to lose weight, but keeping the motivation seems to be the problem.
Psychologists understand that to maintain a high level of motivation you need positive feedback and a support mechanism. After an initial fast weight loss for most weight loss programs or supplements, people are often left tired, hungry and either at a plateau of weight loss or losing minimal amounts of weight each week. This decreases the level of motivation needed to maintain weight loss and the client is left high and dry. (1)
Weight loss success will be higher with both positive feedback and a strong support mechanism. Positive feedback comes from positive movement toward your goal. Your support person also can be a motivating force to keep you on track and help to keep your weight loss motivation high.
Failure happens when we diet. The definition of a diet is to deprive yourself of specific foods you believe keep your from losing weight. Those feelings of deprivation will lead to decreased weight loss motivation and ultimate failure. Diets have come to be associated with hunger, fatigue, and deprivation. You aren’t alone! Many people are on that roller coaster.
Stop the cycle and fix the problem by first understanding that you are changing your eating habits for life and not developing a quick start diet. This is not a ‘diet”. You are learning how to put your body into a burning mode as opposed to a starvation mode. When your body feels deprived and starved your metabolism slows considerably and weight loss is close to impossible. This decreases your motivation and your positive feedback. You end up going back to eating the way you did before the ‘diet’ and your body will put on more weight than you had before the diet.
Learn what good eating habits are. Portions are really smaller than you might think. The amount of meat that is one portion is considerably smaller than the normal portions at a restaurant or fast food place. In fact, a serving size of beef is about the size of a deck of cards! By learning good eating habits and improving your rate of success you will also keep your weight loss motivation high.
Weight loss success depends greatly on weight loss motivation and your ability to maintain a high level of motivation to achieve the dietary changes necessary. It is up to you to focus on ways to improve your positive feedback and find a support mechanism that works for your personality.
Weight Loss Clinics
The standard Western diet consists of too much protein, fats and sugars and not enough fresh fruits and vegetables. Although we eat poorly, most also understand that in order to lose weight effectively and keep it off for life they must use healthy methods. Healthy lifestyle choices include burning calories through exercise programs, drinking sufficient amount of water and getting adequate rest.
Weight loss clinics are a tremendous experience for people who want to have a relaxing holiday and learn healthy eating and exercise patterns at the same time. These clinics often focus on physical health and education around eating habits and making life long healthy changes. When people arrive at a weight loss clinic they will undergo an evaluation with a counselor who assesses their previous eating and exercise habits and looks at the necessary measures that should be taken. The counselor will take the client’s family history, body type and other medical issues into account as well as help the client to establish reasonable goals to decrease the possibility of failure.
The goal of the clinic is to achieve ideal BMI (body mass index) and permanent weight loss through education and helping the individual to make good choices. The goal is not to effect massive weight loss in just 3 days. Some weight loss clinics also offer follow up after the client is discharged, using online forums and chats for client to client support. The clinics are different from other diets and programs because they don’t use fad or trendy eating or exercise to achieve permanent weight loss. Instead, clinics are focused on helping you to make healthy lifestyle choices.
While at the weight loss clinic the client is offered nutrition classes where they learn about the role food and exercise plays in their weight loss efforts. These classes can cover the relationship between calories and weight gain, portions, and how to incorporate foods that are healthy into your current diet.
Clinic counselors also offer classes in fitness, cooking and meditative activities. Fitness and meditative classes may be offered together because the goals of each can be similar. Although fitness does increase a person metabolism and helps to add muscle and firm the body, it also decreases stress and improves a person’s ability to cope with the everyday stressors in their lives. And, since stress often leads to poor food choices, by decreasing stress in their lives, clients are better able to resist poor choices.
Fitness classes also focus on finding an activity that people will find fun and will continue to use long after they have left the clinic. The weight loss clinic usually offers programs in swimming, hiking, biking, horse riding, and golf.
Cooking classes are offered to help the clients practice preparing the foods in a supportive environment. They teach how to prepare foods that limit fat and sugar but aren’t stingy on taste. The clients have hands on experience with food preparation. They also teach how to incorporate vitamins and herbal teas into their diets to improve digestion, heal damaged cells and encourage the absorption of vitamins from fresh foods.
Clients at weight loss clinics report that the best benefit is the relaxing atmosphere and holiday treatment, which encourages them to repeat the activities at home and increases their chances of success.
One deciding factor when determining the clinic that is right for you can be cost, since the weight loss clinics can be expensive. Clients should also consult their doctor before attending a spa. Clients should be sure to inform the doctor of the activities and foods that are featured since some activities or foods may not be compatible with medications or any underlying health conditions from which they suffer.
If a weight loss clinic fits in the family budget it is definitely a chance to be pampered and learn healthy ways of changing your eating and exercise habits to ensure a healthier trimmer you.
Weight Loss Through Acupuncture
Acupuncture, one of the most commonly used medical procedures in the world, has origins in ancient China. Using acupuncture to attain weight loss became popular in 2003 when CNN reported success stories from weight loss clinics in China.
China has experienced an increase in obesity with the introduction and popularity of Western diet choices. The Standard American Diet often consists of too much protein, too much fat, too much sugar and not enough fruits and vegetables. Even when Americans eat fruits and vegetables they are frequently canned and over cooked leaving them without any nutritional value and no live enzymes.
The Asian cultures routinely practiced acupuncture medicine before it was made popular in the West, also used it to assist with weight loss. Chinese medical theory says that overweight people have an unbalanced digestive system, and through the use of fine needles to open blocked energy pathways, they are able to rebalance the system with the final result of weight loss.
Acupuncture has been shown to strengthen the digestive system, control the appetite and may also improve metabolism causing you to burn calories more quickly. Weight loss has always been a balance between burning more calories than you eat. Acupuncture offers another system to decrease intake and burn more calories. (1)
During the procedure a trained practitioner will use thin stainless steel needles under sterile conditions. The needles are sometimes combined with lasers or electrical stimulation. Other times the practitioner will manipulate the needles manually to produce the desired results. The needles are then left in place for up to 30 minutes while the client relaxes in the practitioner’s office.
Clients often report feeling heat, tingling and perhaps some numbness in the area where the needles are inserted. Other common side effects are dizziness, headaches and nausea. These side effects are minimal compared to the potential side effects of using other drug related diet supplements to help with appetite suppression and boost metabolism.
Along with the acupuncture treatments, a trained practitioner may recommend some herbal supplements. These treatments are not believed to be enough to maintain weight loss but rather jump start sound nutritional dietary changes. Clients are able to experience immediate results which will often help them make better choices. Medical studies show that daily exercise, diet choices and dealing with food issues are also an important part of the process.
It can take some time for the body to adjust to acupuncture for weight loss but clients report that with patience, food cravings and overeating do disappear. Acupuncture also helps to reduce stress which can be a huge boost to stress eaters.
Before going to a practitioner do your homework. Look for referrals from people who are satisfied with their experience. Practitioners should be certified doctors who hold certifications through the National Certification Commission For Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. The costs will vary with the area of the country and the experience of the practitioner. Not all insurance companies will cover the costs.
Acupuncture for weight loss is becoming more popular as a weight loss option to diet supplements and making it on your own. It appears to have the least number of side effects of any of the diet ‘helpers’ and has thousands of years of documentation and case study to prove the effectiveness.
The choice is yours, but those needles are not as scary you might think!
Weight Loss Hypnosis
Hypnosis is another piece of ammunition in the arsenal of weight loss options available. The number of people who are overweight and obese is expanding each year. Nutritionists and researchers believe that some of the increasing size of the American population is related to the standard Western diet that is mostly fats, oils and sugars.
The goal of weight loss hypnosis is to reprogram the mind so that a person can ‘effortlessly’ lose weight without hunger pangs and cravings. Hypnotists are capitalizing on the very thing that defeats our weight loss efforts – our minds. (1)
Psychologists tell us that most weight problems, in fact many of our difficulties in life, come from our subconscious mind and how we think about food. How we are brought up and our relationship to food impacts our ability to successfully lose weight. (2)
Some children are brought up in the ‘clean plate club’ whether you are hungry or not. This is a dangerous habit to instill in children because it follows them through adulthood, when cleaning up a plate that was over filled at the start will only encourage weight gain.
People have relationships with the food they eat and crave. Hypnotists work under the theory that hypnosis will break the pattern of eating which results when we are stressed out, happy, celebrating, sad or other emotions that can trigger eating. It is one reason we call it ‘comfort food’.
Weight loss hypnosis claims that hypnotists can help to reprogram your brain so that the impossible is more possible and you no longer have attachments to food. Hypnosis is not the final answer in the battle for weight loss, but hypnotists believe that it can be a huge tool in the fight.
It is used in the same manner as positive affirmations to make you more self-confident and in control of your food choices. A hypnotist can be expensive but CD’s are also sold that claim the same effectiveness and are much more convenient.
The basis behind hypnosis in the war against obesity is to open up the mind of the client so it is more receptive to suggestions. The suggestions are made to a person when they are in an altered state of consciousness. The scientific community also believes that people are able to achieve weight loss through hypnosis.
Weight loss hypnosis is based on two basic tenets:
*To help clients understand that permanent weight loss is based on a change eating habits. They stress that with a change you should feel less deprived than if you are strictly “dieting”.
*To think of food less. When people are dieting they can obsess on their potential weight loss and their next meal. If, instead, people are concentrating on one simple change to their nutritional habits, one change at a time, they are more likely to make the change and less likely to feel deprived.
Hypnosis has been shown to have success with people who have a willingness to open their minds and relinquish control to practitioners. Although most people can be hypnotized if they wish, not all people want this experience. (1)
And, it is important to note that hypnosis will not be able to make a person do something they would not ordinarily morally and ethically consider. For instance, a person who would not ordinarily commit murder or embezzlement would not be able to made to under hypnosis. However, since weight loss and eating habit changes are the goals, hypnosis is often the added boost that helps the program to be successful. With the necessary nutritional changes and added exercise you are well on your way to weight loss!
Weight Loss Surgery
Weight gain and obesity is an increasing medical concern that impacts overall health and long-term physical problems. The standard Western diet includes too much fat, oils, and sugar. People no longer eat enough fruits, vegetables and raw nuts and seeds. And it seems that many people are looking for answers that are quick, painless and easy. Surgical intervention to address weight loss is an option that might be a consideration for some, depending upon whether or not they meet the necessary criteria.
Weight loss surgery is not designed for those who are only slightly overweight, but instead for those who are morbidly obese. Clients who have faced obesity for years, tried medications and diet plans may find that weight loss surgery is an alternative solution.
There are several different types of surgery intended to assist in weight loss. Your surgeon is your best resource as to the procedure that may work best for your body type, intended weight loss and lifestyle. Be sure to ask your doctor all of your questions and make him aware of all of your doubts. Once the surgery has been completed there will be a follow up processes that must be followed to have a successful outcome. If your doctor knows your doubts and concerns he can help you make a better choice of the particular surgical intervention that is right for you.
Before you undergo any surgery you are required to sign an informed consent form that says you understand the surgery, the consequences and the possible side effects and risks of the surgical procedure. Although the success rate for most weight loss surgery is high there are risks and complications that you should discuss with your doctor.
You and your physician will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of liposuction, bariatric surgery, vertical banded gastroplasty, laproscopic gastric banding, Roux-en Y gastric bypass, and biliopancreatic diversion; which all have their own list of possible complications and post-surgical care.
There are specific criteria to be considered for any weight loss surgery. If you don’t meet these criteria then it can reduce your risk/benefit ratio and increase potential problems compared to possible improvements.
Clients considering a weight loss surgical procedure should be morbidly obese. That means that a client should be at least 100 pounds over the ideal body weight. Weight loss surgery should not be considered for people who have less than 100 pounds to lose. There can also be underlying medical problems associated with obesity such as diabetes, swelling or pain that will not disqualify a client, but rather improve their qualifications for a weight loss surgery.
Clients should have been actively attempting weight loss for five or more years with a body mass index of 40 or greater. You should be able to demonstrate to your doctor that you have not been able to lose weight by other more conventional methods. Your doctor may ask that you make another attempt to lose weight using other methods for six months while keeping a calendar or diary to record your efforts.
Clients will want to check with their insurance company for coverage since most companies do not cover weight loss surgery. With this knowledge, the client can negotiate a preset rate with the hospital and doctor before the procedure to keep the client cost down.
Prior to any weight loss surgical procedure the doctor will be very clear about the potential risks and complications. They may also ask you to undergo a quick examination by a psychiatrist to be certain that you are mentally stable to withstand the stressors and make the changes necessary to your lifestyle and behavior following the surgery.
These surgical procedures can be an option for people who have been morbidly obese for more than five years and have had little to no success using other methods to lose weight. Although the success rate can be high the client must also be prepared to make the necessary lifestyle and nutrition habit changes to lose weight.
Following surgery, weight loss occurs the same way it does with any other program – you eat less than you burn. With surgery you have the added advantage of decreased hunger pangs and feeling full faster. It does not, however, remove food cravings or your relationship with food. Those issues must also be addressed to make this program a success.
Teen Weight Loss
Obesity is a national health issue. Two thirds of American adults are overweight and 15% of teenagers are out of shape and overweight. But, addressing weight loss with a teen, already in the throes of hormonal surges that upset their emotional balance, can be a touchy subject.
Although important to address, the subject must be approached in a compassionate and patient manner. It is also important to remember that teenagers do not have the emotional and mental developmental level of an adult.
Teenagers can be annoyed with excess fat on their body and they often have a distorted body image. When weight loss is addressed with teenagers these issue must be included in the plan. Without an understanding that teens see themselves differently than they really are, you will not be able to help motivate them to continue to make healthy life choices.
Some teens may need to see a nutritionist to evaluate their eating and determine how to change their habits. Professionals can often give teenagers advice that they accept rather than from their families and friends. Professionals are more distant and they do not have as much invested in the relationship.
But what does overweight really mean? Overweight is the term used for anybody, teen or adult, who is above the ‘normal’ weight determined by using body mass index (BMI). The body mass index is a numerical equation that uses a person’s height and weight. These are norms that have been established but are only guidelines. However, while they are guidelines it is generally accepted that a BMI over 40 defines obesity.
Weight loss plans designed for teenagers should be approached in a supportive family environment. It is so much easier to achieve your goals when you are working with like-minded supportive people. Even though you are able to change the foods that are brought into the home, teens continue to eat while away from home. That’s why education about healthy nutrition and good food choices is so important to the success of any weight loss program.
Parents can help by removing milk products, carbonated drinks, juices, junk foods and fatty foods from the home and the family’s diet. You know your teen best. Some teens respond to a global change quickly, but most weight loss programs that are successful achieve this by removing one type of product at a time from the diet. The goal for your teen is not to lose weight quickly but to change their eating habits that last a lifetime.
Keep nutritious snacks in the home. Teens snack constantly! They will reach for what is available and if chips and dip are handy that is what they’ll be eating. Try to keep grapes cleaned and off their stems in the fridge for an easy snack, apples, celery and peanut butter and bananas all make good quick snacks also.
Teens often suffer from poor self-esteem and poor self-motivation and it is the parent’s job to help gently encourage them. Weight loss programs using pills for teens are not effective because they often affect a growing body adversely. Teenagers continue to require appropriate nutrition to feed their growing body.
Teen weight loss programs can easily become a tug of war between parent and child. This only sets up the teen for failure. Make the process fun. Keep your patience and look for ways to make learning fun. Look for ways to keep your teen active through after school activities or sports. Today’s teenagers are well versed at the computer and gaming. Our responsibility is to teach them that movement and activity can be just as fun. Learning life-long habits that will keep them healthy and fit will increase the success rate of any weight loss program.
Click here to see Integrative Medicine Weight Loss Tips.
References:
Losing Weight the Healthy Way
(1) Center of Disease Control and Prevention: Adult Obesity Facts
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
(2) Kids Health: Body Dysmorphic Disorder
http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/body_image/body_image_problem.html
Weight Loss Supplements
(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Adult Obesity Facts
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
(2) University of Maryland Medical Center: Ephedra Overview: Potential Dangers of a Widely Used Supplement
http://www.umm.edu/features/ep_overview.htm
(3) Planta Medica; Characterization of in vitro pharmacokinetic properties of hoodigogenin A from Hoodia gordonii.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19639535
Laxatives and Weight Loss
(1) Centers for Disease Control: Adult Obesity Facts
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
(2) Columbia University Health; Go Ask Alice: Laxative Abuse – Any Side Effects?
http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/laxative-abuse-any-side-effects
Rapid Weight Loss
(1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Adult Obesity Facts
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
Weight Loss Motivation
(1) Elsevier: What’s Motivation Got to do with Weight Loss?
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/authored_newsitem.cws_home/companynews05_01509
Weight Loss Through Acupuncture
(1) International Journal of Neuroscience; THE TREATMENT OF OBESITY BY ACUPUNCTURE
http://www.hawaii.edu/hivandaids/The%20Treatment%20of%20Obesity%20By%20Acupuncture.pdf
Weight Loss Hypnosis
(1) Mayo Clinic: Is Weight-Loss Hypnosis Effective?
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss-hypnosis/AN01617
(2) Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology: Hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy: a meta-analysis. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=7751482
Centre for Reviews and Dissemination: Hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy: a meta-analysis
http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/CRDWeb/ShowRecord.asp?ID=11996004303
