YOU'RE NOT ALONE
A lot of my patients ask me why they have such a problem losing weight. Throughout human history, the ability to gain and store fat was extremely beneficial. People frequently didn't have enough to eat. So, our bodies have become programmed to prevent starvation, not to prevent obesity. Our bodies crave easy calories especially sugars and fat. Once the weight comes on, our physiology does its best to hold onto it.
DIET
There are so many diets out there and they all claim to be the best. It can be extremely difficult to decide what to try. Ideally, a good diet would be healthy to continue as a lifelong change. It should support good health in general, not just effective in reducing weight. The focus should be on whole foods with little or no processed foods.
My favorite diet, the one that I follow myself, is the McDougall Diet. Its focus is on whole starches, vegetables and some fruit. During weight loss, the diet should be about 50% whole starches (avoid wheat during weight loss) and 50% vegetables. It does not contain meat, dairy, separated fats/ oils or high fat plant foods (avocado, coconut, olives). There are great books available written by Dr. John McDougall. Notably, The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss and The New McDougall Cookbook. Some health problems respond extremely quickly to this program. If you are taking medication for high blood pressure or diabetes, you should get some dosing advice from an experienced health care provider before starting.
If giving up meat and dairy isn't something you're willing to do, make sure you're eating lean, unprocessed meats. A serving size of meat or fish (3 oz) is about the size of a bar of soap. A serving of cheese can vary. One serving of Montery Jack Cheese is 1.5 oz (the size of four stacked dice). Eat plenty of vegetables and a limited amount of whole grains. The fat you're getting in the meat will need to be balanced with some omega-3s. Get these with a few servings of fish per week, fish/krill oil, or with freshly ground flax seeds.
People can also lose weight simply by reducing the number of calories that they are eating. There are some great Mobile Apps for calorie counting and I sometimes recommend the website CalorieKing.com. Weighing and measuring all food can be a good short term lesson in portion control. This can help people get a better grasp on the portions they should be eating especially if they are unwilling to give up their favorite unhealthy foods. Ask your health care provider to help you set a daily calorie goal.
DIET
There are so many diets out there and they all claim to be the best. It can be extremely difficult to decide what to try. Ideally, a good diet would be healthy to continue as a lifelong change. It should support good health in general, not just effective in reducing weight. The focus should be on whole foods with little or no processed foods.
My favorite diet, the one that I follow myself, is the McDougall Diet. Its focus is on whole starches, vegetables and some fruit. During weight loss, the diet should be about 50% whole starches (avoid wheat during weight loss) and 50% vegetables. It does not contain meat, dairy, separated fats/ oils or high fat plant foods (avocado, coconut, olives). There are great books available written by Dr. John McDougall. Notably, The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss and The New McDougall Cookbook. Some health problems respond extremely quickly to this program. If you are taking medication for high blood pressure or diabetes, you should get some dosing advice from an experienced health care provider before starting.
If giving up meat and dairy isn't something you're willing to do, make sure you're eating lean, unprocessed meats. A serving size of meat or fish (3 oz) is about the size of a bar of soap. A serving of cheese can vary. One serving of Montery Jack Cheese is 1.5 oz (the size of four stacked dice). Eat plenty of vegetables and a limited amount of whole grains. The fat you're getting in the meat will need to be balanced with some omega-3s. Get these with a few servings of fish per week, fish/krill oil, or with freshly ground flax seeds.
People can also lose weight simply by reducing the number of calories that they are eating. There are some great Mobile Apps for calorie counting and I sometimes recommend the website CalorieKing.com. Weighing and measuring all food can be a good short term lesson in portion control. This can help people get a better grasp on the portions they should be eating especially if they are unwilling to give up their favorite unhealthy foods. Ask your health care provider to help you set a daily calorie goal.
EXERCISE
When it comes to achieving an ideal weight, diet is 80%. Still, exercise is very important. If it has been a long time since you've been active, get the okay from your health care provider first.
Start with your current level of activity or just 5 minutes/ day with light to moderate activity. Increase this each day by 1 minute until you're averaging 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week. Once there, start to mix your activity with moderate and heavy exercise. You should also mix cardio with strength training. A few sessions with a personal trainer can be extremely helpful and motivating.
OTHER LIFESTYLE FACTORS
Poor sleep can slow weight loss. Make sure you are allowing yourself enough sleep to feel rested the next day. Some people do great with as little as 6 hours of sleep but others require as many as 9! Try to go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time if possible. If you have trouble sleeping, remove electronics from the bedroom. EMF Radiation, especially near your head, can cause insomnia. Avoid caffeine, especially after noon. Valerian throughout the day can help come bed time. And, people that have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep often do well with Melatonin. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs can be very helpful for sleep problems and the treatment is tailored for each patient.
Many of my patients have heard about the role of cortisol in weight (especially around the belly). This is a stress hormone and can be greatly improved with stress relief. Regular exercise is hugely helpful for stress. You can also practice regular stress reducing exercises like yoga/ tai chi/ or meditation. The Grand Rapids Center For Mindfulness has a great 8 week program that I highly recommend. Stress reduction can also be part of an acupuncture or herbal treatment plan.
A sedentary lifestyle can also make weight loss difficult. If you sit all day at work or are otherwise not moving, be sure to break up your day with a little activity. This is helpful as an addition to your exercise program, not as a replacement.
MEASURING PROGRESS
We've all been guilty of focusing too much on the scale for proof of our success. As we eat healthier and start exercising, our muscle mass increases. This can increase our total weight even if there is fat loss. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number that uses height and weight. A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. 25-29.9 is overweight and 30+ shows obesity. There are a lot of websites that can help you figure out your BMI. I'd also be happy to help during an office appointment. Like the scale, the limits to BMI are that it doesn't tell the difference between fat and muscle. It is possible (as in body builders) to be completely healthy but have a high BMI.
Body Impedance Testing is a great tool. The technology has come a long way and accurate home devices are not very expensive. Our office uses an Omron Body Composition Scale that we found for about $75. It shows body weight, body fat percent, muscle percentage, BMI, and organ fat percentage. It can be really encouraging to see some of these other numbers improve even when the weight has not yet changed.
You can also check to see how your clothes are fitting. A goal in body composition is to get a healthy waist to hip ratio. Dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement should be less than 1 for men and less than .85 for women.
OTHER FACTORS
Ideally, you've made these lifestyle changes and you're having great success. Are you one of those people that has tried everything but still can't seem to lose weight?
We've all been guilty of focusing too much on the scale for proof of our success. As we eat healthier and start exercising, our muscle mass increases. This can increase our total weight even if there is fat loss. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number that uses height and weight. A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. 25-29.9 is overweight and 30+ shows obesity. There are a lot of websites that can help you figure out your BMI. I'd also be happy to help during an office appointment. Like the scale, the limits to BMI are that it doesn't tell the difference between fat and muscle. It is possible (as in body builders) to be completely healthy but have a high BMI.
Body Impedance Testing is a great tool. The technology has come a long way and accurate home devices are not very expensive. Our office uses an Omron Body Composition Scale that we found for about $75. It shows body weight, body fat percent, muscle percentage, BMI, and organ fat percentage. It can be really encouraging to see some of these other numbers improve even when the weight has not yet changed.
You can also check to see how your clothes are fitting. A goal in body composition is to get a healthy waist to hip ratio. Dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement should be less than 1 for men and less than .85 for women.
OTHER FACTORS
Ideally, you've made these lifestyle changes and you're having great success. Are you one of those people that has tried everything but still can't seem to lose weight?
OBESOGENS
These are environmental toxins that stimulate our bodies to hold onto weight. Our bodies respond by increasing the number and size of fat cells!
Pthalates: Avoid artificial fragrances. Consider essential oils instead of air fresheners. Switch to fragrance free or natural laundry detergent/ dryer sheets and household cleaners.
BPA: This chemical is found in plastics. Avoid food and water stored in plastic. Never heat anything in plastic. This includes non-stick pots and pans.
Atrizine: This is an herbicide. You should buy as much organic food as your budget allows. Atrizine is heavily used for corn products. Avoid corn and corn products such as high fructose corn syrup.
Monosodium glutamate/ MSG: This is a flavor enhancer found in a lot of processed foods. This is used to cause obesity in lab animals for medical studies! Again, buy whole foods. Braggs Aminos is a great substitute for soy sauce!
If you have exposure to obesogens, the best thing is to do a better job of avoidance. We're all exposed to at least some of these chemicals. It can be very helpful to do a supervised Purification Program to aid the body in getting rid of these substances.
More tips on avoiding obesogens at this link.
MEDICATIONS
There are a number of common medications that cause the body to gain or hold onto weight. If you take medications in the following categories, check to see if it has an effect on body weight. http://www.drugs.com/article/weight-gain.html
Anti-depressants
Anti-psychotics
Anti-diabetics
Anti-histamines
Anti-convulsants
Beta blockers
Steroid Hormones
Never stop a medication without talking to your doctor. If you find that your medication may be contributing to your weight challenges, talk to your doctor about trying alternative medications. With your prescribing physicians okay, some conditions may also respond well to a trial of natural alternatives such and acupuncture or herbal support.
There are a number of common medications that cause the body to gain or hold onto weight. If you take medications in the following categories, check to see if it has an effect on body weight. http://www.drugs.com/article/weight-gain.html
Anti-depressants
Anti-psychotics
Anti-diabetics
Anti-histamines
Anti-convulsants
Beta blockers
Steroid Hormones
Never stop a medication without talking to your doctor. If you find that your medication may be contributing to your weight challenges, talk to your doctor about trying alternative medications. With your prescribing physicians okay, some conditions may also respond well to a trial of natural alternatives such and acupuncture or herbal support.
APPETITE
Our bodies use food volume and nutrition to signal when we are full. Too much of our food is way too calorie dense. Eat plenty of healthy, nutrient rich food and your appetite will probably take care of itself. You might also consider taking a whole food based supplement to get your nutrition up.
The best way to avoid specific cravings is to avoid those types foods COMPLETELY. Remember, we are programmed to eat these easy calories when they are available. DON'T LET YOUR BODY KNOW THEY ARE AVAILABLE! If you have trouble controlling your blood sugar, it can cause your appetite to come up even shortly after eating. Ask your health care provider about trying Chromium or an herb called Gymnema. Green tea can help curb appetite and is full of antioxidants. Finally, acupuncture can stimulate the sense of feeling full.
CORRECT SYSTEMIC IMBALANCES
Consider working with a qualified acupuncturist or herbalist that can assess and treat the underlying causes of your weight loss trouble. Common causes are related to digestive health (poor digestion, dysbiosis, food allergies, vitamin/ mineral deficiencies) and hormones (adrenals, insulin, thyroid, sex hormones, leptin).
Our bodies use food volume and nutrition to signal when we are full. Too much of our food is way too calorie dense. Eat plenty of healthy, nutrient rich food and your appetite will probably take care of itself. You might also consider taking a whole food based supplement to get your nutrition up.
The best way to avoid specific cravings is to avoid those types foods COMPLETELY. Remember, we are programmed to eat these easy calories when they are available. DON'T LET YOUR BODY KNOW THEY ARE AVAILABLE! If you have trouble controlling your blood sugar, it can cause your appetite to come up even shortly after eating. Ask your health care provider about trying Chromium or an herb called Gymnema. Green tea can help curb appetite and is full of antioxidants. Finally, acupuncture can stimulate the sense of feeling full.
CORRECT SYSTEMIC IMBALANCES
Consider working with a qualified acupuncturist or herbalist that can assess and treat the underlying causes of your weight loss trouble. Common causes are related to digestive health (poor digestion, dysbiosis, food allergies, vitamin/ mineral deficiencies) and hormones (adrenals, insulin, thyroid, sex hormones, leptin).
ACUPUNCTURE AND HERBS
