Weight loss has long been considered an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Being overweight can significantly increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other health concerns. Studies now show that having too much adipose (fat cells) increases inflammation throughout your entire body leading to disease states. Losing weight can help to reduce those risks and can improve self-confidence as well. Dramatic weight loss or decrease in abdominal and visceral adipose or fat leads to improved and sometimes resolves medical issues like hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol) and type 2 diabetes (High Blood Sugar). Ok so we agree losing fat or adipose is really good for your health. We will look at hormones, enodcrine/hormone disruptors, diet and exercise, intermittent fasting, sugar intake and keeping our system working for us, instead of against us!
Most people have tried different diet and exercise programs and see little to no difference in their weight and physique. There are several things that work against us losing weight as we get older. As we age the amount of growth hormone circulating in your system decreases. Growth hormone is considered the ultimate anti-aging hormone that sustains lean muscle mass, helps burn fat especially around the abdomen, increases HDL (good cholesterol) and decreased LDL (bad cholesterol), increased bone density and also is required for optimal brain function. Our brains and metabolism also work against us with cravings.
Most people know that poor thyroid function can cause weight gain. This is often part of routine bloodwork with your regular provider. Hormones can also be out of balance such as testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, growth hormone and DHEA. Growth hormone is considered the ultimate anti-aging hormone that sustains lean muscle mass, helps burn fat especially around the abdomen, increases HDL (good cholesterol) and decreased LDL (bad cholesterol), increased bone density and also is required for optimal brain function.
As far as exercise goes there are many ways to exercise and that deserves it's own blog post really.
It is important to do whatever exercise you are capable of even if it's just going on a walk. Daily walks can help relieve stress and get your body moving. The important thing is not to be sedentary and to keep moving. There are a lot of different kinds of exercise and finding something you can do consistently is important. Changing it up is important to keep things fresh and exciting.
Exercise is important and super beneficial to your health but, it has to be paired with a good nutritous diet. Eating an organic whole foods clean diet is very important. Eating processed and canned foods introduces toxins into your body that can hinder healthy metaoblic processes. It's even important to pay attention to chemicals like BPA and other endocrine disruptors. Research suggests a possible link between BPA and increased blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A good resource for eating clean is ewg.org Also, do not eat any fast food as you can imagine this is bascially chemically egineered food. A good book about this is "The Carnivores Dilemma" by Micheal Pollan, read this and you will want to stop eating fast food.
Fried foods are toxic to the gut and should also be crossed off the list.
Eating out at restaurants is tough and usually requires getting a salad or sticking with something simple with meat and vegetables.
You should try to stay away from carbohydrates like pasta, noodles, rice, and bread you can get plenty of carbs from vegetables. Also, important to make sure you are not overeating the average adult over 30 requires between 1500-2000 calories/day. You only have so many calories/day of food make them count. Here is a calorie count calculator that can give you a rough estimate of your daily caloric intake. Mayo clinic Calorie Calculator.
Drink lots of water sometimes you feel hungry but, you just need water.
On to sneaky sugar, your sugar intake should be eliminated or at least cut back to less than 10g total/day. Sugar can be in food items that you wouldn't expect. For example, milk has 12 grams of sugar per 1 cup serving. Processed sugar raises your insulin levels and when those levels are raised throughout the day, over several days we develop insulin resistance. Insulin resistance will put your body in a cycle of storing energy instead of burning energy.
Alcohol should be used sparingly or not at all. I'm not trying to advocate drinking but, if you are going to drink stick with low carb options like tequila, vodka and spiked seltzers. Red wine is actually supposed to be beneficial for your gut biome.
One thing people get stuck in is a cycle of emotional eating or every time they feel hungry think they need to eat. Letting your body go into ketosis is that hungry feeling you're getting it's ok. Unless you are on diabetes medications or insulin. That means your body will start burning fat. Once you can start getting your body to burn fat instead of succumbing to the carb and sugar cravings you will start to notice a difference.
Intermittent fasting is quickly becoming one of the most popular dietary approaches in recent years, and with good reason. Unlike traditional diets, which can be challenging to stick to over time, this approach requires only that you eat within a specific window of time every day or not eating for at least 12 hours which includes sleep time. So instead of getting up and having breakfast you wait until later in the morning before eating. The longer you wait the longer your body burns fat. And it's a good habit not to eat anything past 7pm. Not eating a few hours before you go to bed gives your body a chance to repair and heal while you sleep instead of digest food. Some use intermittent fasting and only eat between a certain time each day for instance between 4-7pm.
This is a little more extreme but reduces the amount of restriction and planning required, making it easier for anyone trying to lose weight to incorporate into their daily routine. On top of that, studies have shown intermittent fasting has a variety of potential health benefits – from reducing the risk of chronic diseases to improving insulin resistance. Additionally, intermittent fasting makes it easier to stick with healthy eating habits by replacing snacking with regular meals and promotes a healthier relationship with food by helping people become more aware of their hunger signals. Thus, anyone looking for an effective way to lose weight and improve their health should certainly give intermittent fasting a try.
There is also a well studied program called Fasting Mimicking diet (FMD) where there are specifically formulated meals and portions to keep your body in fat metabolism but still get to eat.
Some sugar free options can help curb those cravings like stevia and monk fruit. Also better to use honey instead of sugar. Always pay attention to how much sugar is in the food you buy/eat as you can be fooled by the labeling such as "natural", "fat free" and "gluten free". Look at the nutritional facts. One thing that helps if you are going to snack is to make sure you are eating healthy snacks like almonds, cucumbers, celery, or carrots for example. No more potato chips and crackers.
Weight loss is associated with higher energy levels, increased confidence, improved mental acuity, and even longer life expectancy. In addition to these immediate benefits, weight loss can encourage ongoing healthy habits such as regular exercise, balanced nutrition intake, and conscious relaxation techniques that are essential for maintaining long-term health. Keeping those cortisol levels normal by keeping stress levels down is important to fascilitate more fat burning and less fat storing. Increased cortisol levels can lead to fat storage this is counter productive if you are trying to lose weight.
Fortunately now there are lots of options to help with weight loss more than diet and exercise.
These include hormone balance, semaglutide, and low level laser therapy.
If you're on the hunt for a quick and painless way to lose weight, considering laser lipo treatment with Emeraldâ„¢ Laser may be the answer. It's perfect for men and women who are looking to take off those last few pounds that won't seem to budge despite diet and exercise. Or as a kickstart to a new healthier lifestyle. Many find the Emerald to be a cycle breaker, in that as you begin to lose that extra adipose (fat) activities like exercise become easier and with those results the motivation to eat healthier is stronger. The treatment works by applying a low-level laser light to fatty tissue which stimulates cells to release stored triglycerides resulting in reduced fat cell volume and body circumference. This decrease in fatty deposit can amount to inches lost over several weeks - with no cardiac stress like other forms of intense physical exercise. Overall, Emeraldâ„¢ Laser Lipo is safe and effective way for anyone looking to achieve weight loss without putting stress on their bodies!
If you would like more info about our treatments and weight loss program schedule a consultation with us to get started.
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