From “Weight” to “Wellness”: Five Tips for Managing Your Weight, Without Obsessing Over It
image by K8
Our culture loves to talk about weight loss as a shorthand for being healthy. Yet each of us has different metabolisms, different body types, and different health goals too. So at Whole Health Partners, we are very careful to remind people that your ideal weight—just like many aspects of your health—is personal, and it should be strongly influenced by what makes you feel best within your body.
That said, many of us do come to us with specific weight loss goals—and there are many circumstances where losing some weight can help with overall wellness. So below are some of the practical strategies that we share for moving beyond fad diets or restricting our foods, and instead developing a healthy relationship to both food and our weight.
Balance Your Plate: When you’re trying to lose some weight, it’s important to make sure you’re eating a balanced variety of foods that includes protein, healthy fats, fiber and carbohydrates. Not only will this make sure you are getting the nutrients you need, but it will also make sure you feel satiated, and it will help sustain blood glucose levels—both of which can deter impromptu or unplanned snacking.
Eat Breakfast: Too often, when folks have a goal of losing some weight, they start by deciding they simply need to eat less. And one way they do that is simply by skipping a meal—often breakfast. Yet breakfast, in particular, is critically important for fueling your body—and making sure you have the energy levels you need to get through the day. Rather than skipping breakfast, make sure you plan ahead for a balanced and nutritious breakfast.
Right-size Your Portions, But Don’t Restrict Them: We all know that overeating can lead to weight gain. What’s less well recognized, however, is that undereating can do the same. That’s because our bodies are complicated, and if they are in a situation where they are not getting enough food—or enough of the right type of food—they may start to ‘plan ahead’, storing an increased amount of energy as bodyfat.
Pay Attention to Stress and Exercise: Weight loss and weight management are not simply about what you eat. Making sure you incorporate a wide variety of daily movement into your routines is just as important, both for using up excess calories, and also for managing your overall sense of wellbeing and boosting your energy levels. Similarly, stress can have a negative impact on achieving weight goals—both by encouraging unhelpful behaviors like comfort eating, and also by directly stopping how our body functions. So try incorporating techniques like meditation, intention-setting, gratitude journaling or visualization into your day—and pay attention to how mood impacts both your behavior, and your general sense of wellbeing.
Work With a Professional: The internet is not short of tips for losing weight, or fad diets offering miracles. In order to develop a plan that actually works for you, however, it’s important to look into not just your weight goals, or the number of calories you are eating, but rather the underlying motivations you have for making a change—as well as the factors that may either support or hinder your progress. Working with a practitioner of lifestyle medicine can help you to understand these factors, hold yourself accountable, and also make sure that the strategies you pursue are grounded in both real, rigorous science, and also a personalized analysis of your specific needs.
What would you like help with?
Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance
Blood Glucose Management, Diabetes, Insulin Resistance, Hypertension, High Cholesterol, Thyroid Disease, Hormonal Health
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Perimenopause/Menopause
