“In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest!” – Henry Miller
I’ll let you in on a secret…There is only one way to achieve healthy, sustainable weight loss: eat to support your body in losing fat and gaining lean body mass and exercise while treating underlying causes of weight gain!!! There is just NO other way around it – and don’t let anyone fool you.
Someone who changes their diet but doesn’t work out may lose weight, but that weight will be muscle! Losing muscle puts you at a higher risk for chronic disease. The only way to increase and build lean body mass is to exercise. Physical activity accompanied by a healthy diet, will yield fat loss and lean mass balance when done in the right way.
There are tons of mainstream fad diets and entire weight loss enterprises built on the wrong principles to achieve healthy, long-term, sustainable weight loss. They proclaim untruths and perpetuate bad health habits. Their catchy ads lull you into the comfort of not needing to work out to lose weight in a healthy way.
Top 5 Signs a Program is NOT About Healthy, Long-term Weight Loss
5. Diet soda and synthetic sweeteners are deemed acceptable.
4. Many processed foods are recommended.
3. Sugary snacks and deep-fried foods are okay, as long as you don’t go over your calorie count.
2. Underlying health conditions which can be related to being overweight aren’t assessed and treated.
1. Exercise is not a part of the program.
To make weight loss long-term, it must be a lifestyle change – which includes all aspects of your life that impact your body composition. A naturopathic doctor is a trained healthcare professional who can treat underlying conditions impacting weight and guide you through this lifestyle change. Consider getting off the merry-go-round of unsustainable weight loss and become a healthier version of you while improving body composition to achieve your ideal healthy weight.
****NEW**** This section will be at the end of each new blog post to help you get the most from the reading!
Inner Inquiry
Set yourself up for success with honest answers to these simple questions:
- Do you feel you have at least 5 lbs to lose (or more)?
- Have you tried weight loss programs with variable success but always regained the weight?
- Do you think your health could be better?