A holistic approach to weight loss.
Have you been told that you need to loose weight or are you in a constant tug of war with dieting and weight loss?
Quite often clients seeking support with weight loss have been told that they need to loose weight by a health care professional.
Unfortunately the way this message is relayed is usually with urgency and lacks understanding of the persons whole health picture or the timeline of events that have occurred up until this point. Not to mention the potential dietary and lifestyle modifications required to achieve weight loss and whether this is realistic for the individual.
Without guidance and education, weight loss messages will often lead to drastic measures for example;
restrictive/very low calorie diets
diet and weight loss supplements
meal replacements
intense, rigid and unsuitable exercise routines
Resulting in;
nutrient deficiencies
low energy
social isolation
physical and mental stress
negative impact on self esteem and body image
development of eating disorders or disordered eating behaviours
Rarely will these practices lead to sustainable weight loss, healthy lifestyle modifications or improvements in body image and self esteem.
What I talk to clients about when it comes to weight loss is that change takes time, it takes consistent action, mindfulness and self care and compassion.
Overtime all of the small changes that you have made will add up.
A holistic look at weight gain and weight loss takes into consideration all factors that may have impacted your individual situation including;
- Your long term relationship with food
- Your reasons for wanting to loose weight
- Family and social support networks
- Access to healthy food
- Access to good quality healthcare and a supportive healthcare team
- Pre-existing health conditions
- Cooking and kitchen skills
- Mental health
- Socioeconomic status
- Nutritional literacy
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Thyroid function
- Body image
- Gut health
- Liver health
- Inflammation
Factors that can positively influence your weight loss journey
- A support team that use an integrative approach to health
- Acceptance - you are where you are, there will be good days and tough days along the way
- Meditation, breath work, journaling
- Adequate hydration
- A good sleep routine
- Mindful eating
- Patience & time
- Consistency
- Daily movement
- Self care
Factors that can negatively impact your weight loss journey
- Replacing meals for beverages, sugar, chewing gum, coffee (anything other than food)
- Isolation and trying to do it all yourself without guidance
- Comparing your journey to other peoples’ weight loss journey
- Focusing only on calories and nutrients
- Low and extremely low calorie diets
- Avoidance of food groups
- A quick fix mentality
- Restrictive diets
- Negative self talk
- Skipping meals
- Over exercising
Finally…
If you or someone you know is struggling with the prospect of weight loss, talking to a healthcare professional who takes a non diet and sustainable approach should be like taking a breath of fresh air. If applying a one size fits all approach to weight loss I would say run for the hills. Weight loss isn’t simple and it isn’t the same for everyone, working with a supportive group of healthcare professionals who take into account your individual situation will support you to make lasting changes and feel good in the body you are in.
E.A.N.
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