Sustainable weight loss involves more than just calories in vs calories out. A whole range of factors come into play that contribute to your ability to lose body fat and should be considered with any weight loss program. It truly is a holistic picture that is the key to lasting results. Have you ever been told that you need to restrict your calories further and exercise harder to lose weight, despite restricting your diet and exercising to exhaustion without seeing the results you were expecting? While some people really do bring in more energy via food than they need or simply aren’t moving enough, there are many, many people trying their hardest to lose weight, and it’s just not budging (despite the calorie restriction and exercising). This may indicate that something deeper is amiss and needs to be addressed first.
Some of the deeper areas to look at if your weight just isn't budging, include:
Diet: Is your food intake imbalanced? Are you eating good quality food each day? Are you skipping meals? What is your vegetable and fibre intake daily?
Digestion & Liver: Are you bloated, constipated, or reacting to everything you eat? Do you use natural cleaning products and cosmetics? Drink from plastic bottles or takeaway coffee cups?
Energy & Blood Sugar Regulation: Do you experience an afternoon energy slump? Are you tired upon waking? Are you tired but wired late at night? Do you crave sugar?
Sleep: Do you fall asleep easily? Do you wake multiple times per night? What time are you going to bed?
Hydration: Are you drinking enough water? How much coffee are you drinking?
Stress: How are you managing your stress? Are you taking enough breaks? Are you practicing self-care?
Exercise: What time of the day are you exercising? How often are you exercising? What kinds of exercise are you doing? Are you over-exercising? Are you moving regularly throughout the day/keeping active?
Hormones: Do you experience weight fluctuations around your menstrual cycle? Where are you holding the most weight? Are you experiencing any other menstrual cycle issues? Do you have a history of thyroid problems? Hormonal acne?
These are just some of the areas that can impact our ability to lose weight. When the body has an imbalance occurring, it can hold on to weight as a protective measure (remember, stored body fat is an energy reserve for the body). If weight loss is not addressed from a whole-person point of view, you could be missing that one thing that is the key to finally shifting weight. Weight loss shouldn’t be about punishing your body and your mind with over the top restrictions and pushing yourself too hard. This only leads to problems elsewhere in the body and mind over time, often with the weight coming back. By using a holistic approach focusing on a nourishing diet, body movement, rest and self-care, and supporting the whole body, you're truly making positive changes towards your weight loss goals.
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