Weight-loss is about much more than dropping pounds. Just ask anyone who has successfully lost weight, only to find that they are fighting the same pounds a few months or years later. Clearly eating habits and exercise require a physical commitment. But lasting, successful weight loss involves a powerful emotional component as well.
Developing a healthy attitude toward ones body, viewing ones weight and food choices can be quite challenging in our society today. On one hand, food is a major element of just about every social gathering and occasion. We celebrate with food, fight stress with food, we even drown our sorrows with food. On the other hand, the media constantly presents us with impossible body ideals that are unrealistic and even unhealthy for the vast majority of folks. Air brushing, Photoshop and other tricks of the trade allow models and celebrities to appear thinner than they are in real life, giving us the perception that we too can and should strive for that appearance. How many of us gals grew up playing with Barbie dolls, this famous gal is way out of proportion physically.
Where does this leave us? For some it can be an emotional rollercoaster leaving us dependent on the wrong kind of foods. For others, a negative self image of their bodies and false hope in getting think without too much effort. More importantly, now that you have made the physical commitment to find a healthier you, how do you make the emotional commitment?
A good place to start is by finding your motivation. Are you losing weight to look better? To fit into a swimsuit before an upcoming cruise or reunion? To provide a healthy example to your kids? To combat Type 2 diabetes? To save money on your medical bills? The stronger, more meaningful and realistic your motivation, the more likely you will succeed with your program. For that reason, those who are motivated by health tend to make lasting changes more often than those who are motivated by magazines, or social events.
Weight loss experts encourage accepting yourself, loving who you are right now and then finding the motivation to set goals to allow yourself to be the best you can be.
If you are one of the millions with “lose weight” on your New Year’s resolutions list this year, resolve something new: resolve to LOVE yourself no matter what, and then plan the lifestyle changes toward a healthier body. That healthier body needs to begin with your own self image of what that is supposed to look like for YOU, not what society says you should shoot for.
Here’s a tip:
When beginning a weight loss journey, be prepared to think long-term! Many weight loss centers ban the use of the word “diet” because it tends to be associated with short-term and drastic eating plans. Rather than focusing on a lifestyle change commitment to yourself. A better way to approach it is to commit yourself to learning about what changes are necessary to fuel and nourish your body with healthier foods. It’s amazing what a simple change in ones mindset can do. The exact same nutrition program can be viewed by one person as a diet and another as a lifestyle change. Let me ask you which view point do you think sees the greater success?
Remember that healthy is going to look different on each person, 109 lbs. isn’t going to look healthy on all body frames and heights. So shoot for healthy for YOU, get past the stress of what the numbers register on your scale, instead judge your progress by how different you feel, are you sleeping better, is the texture of your skin changing, are your hair and nails looking healthier? How are your clothes fitting, most will also see a drastic improvement in their emotional health as well. Let me assure you that good health goes way beyond being thin. Plenty of folks who are thin are far from being healthy.
You want to incorporate some form of an exercise program to build better muscle tone, it also keeps your bones stronger to prevent fractures as we age, it improves circulation and lung function, better sleep patterns. So part of getting healthier needs to incorporate exercise there is no way around it. Our bodies were designed to MOVE! If you don’t have time to rock it out at a gym, then go for a walk, or turn on your radio and dance for 20-30 mins. in the comfort of your own home, just move the body, break a sweat and have some fun.
That being said, sometimes what is happening or not happening properly at a metabolic level can also be contributing to weight gain/loss issues. Minerals may be imbalanced, hormones may be out of sync, your digestion may need some assistance. That’s why working with a Naturopathic can be a benefit, because we are not a one size fits all when it comes to our body.
If you’d like some one on one assistance with putting a healthier program together to achieve your goal. I’m here for you, you can schedule a consultation with me. For some they need that accountability of having someone to keep them motivated through their transformational journey. I’d be honored to help. You can schedule that by going to http://www.mkt.com/harvested-health-llc and click on the 1 hr. consultation.
Lets make this the year that “getting healthier”, takes roots and the journey begins. No more excuses!
Healthfully yours,
Jodi Barnett N.D.
Harvested Health LLC.
Harvested Health LLC. 