The Skinny on Weight Loss: Ten Truths

weight loss, diet, nutrition, healthy living, holistic health

The Skinny on Weight Loss

Weight loss is a balancing act. A balance between calories in, and calories burned.  In vs out. To control your weight, or to reduce your weight, requires a combined effort of reducing the number of calories you take in, and increasing your activity, or the calories you burn. Once you understand that equation, you’re ready to set your goal for your weight, and make a plan to reach your goal. Plan. Think ahead: how will you handle situations that tempt you to stray from your plan? That challenge your resolve? Also, be sure to check with your doctor (preferably one who follows a holistic practice) before embarking on a weight loss journey. In efforts to sell products, there is so much mis-information on weight loss, all around us. Here are Ten Truths on achieving your ideal weight, and keeping it there:

1.  You don’t need to lose that much weight to get a substantial health benefit! A 5-10% weight reduction can lower your risk for heart disease and diabetes.

2.  Most people who succeed at losing weight (and keep it off) do it with a simple combination of diet and exercise.

3.  Just walking is the most common form of exercise reported by people who have had successful weight loss.

4.  Exercise itself (even without weight loss) is one of the most powerful preventative health benefits that exists!

Exercise has been shown to reduce blood pressure, decrease the risk for diabetes, strokes, certain cancers and heart disease, as well as improve sleep, arthritis symptoms and reduce erectile dysfunction.

5.  Diet is far more important than exercise for getting rid of pounds of fat.

Especially as we age, it is easier to restrict diet than to try to work off that extra piece of cake by trying to burn calories.

6.  It is more important to lose fat than to try to follow a particular diet.
Hence, which diet is the best for you? The one that you will stick to!

7.  The healthiest diets limit refined sugars and animal fat, and maximize fruits, vegetables and healthy fats and proteins.

Alcohol and carbonated drinks add LOTS of calories, so it’s important to eliminate or minimize these.

8.  Aim to try to lose ONE pound per week.

When weight is lost a little at a time, steadily, it tends to stay off more permanently then when people lose a large amount in a short time.

9.  The optimal amount of exercise for the average adult is at least one-half hour a day, and even better at one hour a day.

That’s easy to do while walking to and from the grocery store, walking the dog, or taking a walk with a friend or loved one.

Ideally, you will have a mix of aerobic exercise and strength training.

10. Consult your holistic, family practice provider for tips on weight loss and exercise – we are here to help you!

___________________

Photo credits:
Detail of ancient temple ruin, Peru 2008; photo by Dr. Sheila Mitchell
Photo of stretched shirt (above): used under license from depositphotos.com

Comments

  1. Dr. Ali Raza Chughtai says:

    Good, common sense advice.

    • Sheila Mitchell says:

      Hi Dr. Chughtai,
      Thank you for your kind comment, and for taking the time to visit. Please check back for updates, or simply sign up for updates by email.
      Thanks again,
      SM

  2. weight loss motivation says:

    Hi to every body, it’s my first go to see of this web site; this webpage includes awesome and in fact
    excellent stuff in favor of readers.

Leave a Reply to weight loss motivation Cancel reply

*