Weight Loss Essentials for Mind and Body Wellness
Folks frequently come into my office with weight loss as one of their top three health goals. It can be incredibly frustrating trying to lose weight within the current marketing of various fad diets, inaccurate health claims on food labels, supposed “quick fixes,” and an outdated model of calories that just doesn’t seem to work or be sustainable.
The truth is, there are many different reasons why someone may have a hard time losing weight, all of which I investigate and treat at Northwest Life Medicine Clinic. To help you get started on your journey of discovering where your weight loss roadblocks may be, I developed a quiz to help highlight the areas you may need more help in.
Circle the dots for each statement that are true for you. Calculate the total number of selected dots for each category:
EMOTIONAL & STRESS
I feel upset when I think about my weight.
I eat when I am upset or experience strong emotions.
I often feel stressed.
I feel like my emotions are always up and down, and are difficult to control.
I have a hard time motivating myself to work.
I find myself wishing I could have more fun or creativity in my life.
___/6 circled
SLEEP
Most nights I sleep less than 7 hours.
I do not feel refreshed when I wake up in the morning.
It takes me more than 20 minutes to fall asleep at night.
I wake up most nights and have a hard time falling back to sleep.
I take a sleep aid (herbal or pharmaceutical) most nights.
I often toss and turn at night.
___/6 circled
DIET
I eat out or eat fast food more than 3 times/week.
I eat fewer than 4 cups of vegetables per day on most days.
I crave sweets and breads most of the time.
I often eat until I am overstuffed.
I drink fewer than 8 glasses of water per day.
I eat boxed or packaged food (food with added preservatives) more than 3 days/week.
___/6 circled
MOVEMENT
I do not exercise daily.
I do not like exercise.
I often feel stiff and sore.
I often cannot motivate myself to exercise.
I feel down or depressed on most days.
I have poor balance and can feel unsteady at times.
___/6 circled
DETOX
I often have brain fog.
I often have night sweats.
I have never done a detox.
I am regularly exposed to toxins such as pesticides, paints, mold, or heavy metals.
I have silver amalgam (mercury) dental fillings.
I do not regularly buy organic or non-toxic products and food.
___/6 circled
HORMONES
I feel like I lose more hair than I should.
I am often too cold, and feel sluggish.
I regularly have significant PMS, menstrual, or menopausal symptoms.
I have been told that my blood sugar is high, or I experience many ups and downs in my blood sugar.
I always feel hungry even if I have recently eaten.
I have lost weight and gained it back many times.
___/6 circled
MICROBIOME
I do not eat (unpasteurized) fermented foods.
I often experience gas and bloating.
I struggle with regular constipation or diarrhea/loose stools.
I have a tendency towards a depressed mood as well as digestive symptoms.
I seem to have a lot of food allergies or sensitivities.
I have issues with chronic yeast or fungal infections.
___/6 circled
The categories you have at least 3 or more statements circled are ones to focus on. Read on for ideas to get you started.
EMOTIONAL & STRESS
Stress, whether it be physical, mental, or emotional, takes a toll on the body. It puts us into fight or flight (sympathetic nervous system) mode. When we are in fight or flight, the body reserves all of our resources and energy, which makes weight loss difficult. Here are 2 easy, yet profound, steps to start managing stress in your life:
Start a morning journal. Take 5-10 minutes in the quiet of the morning to write the story of how you want to be in your upcoming day. For example: “today I am confident, calm, compassionate, and focused. I easily navigate any challenges that come my way and enjoy the simple joyful moments fully.” After you write your story for the day, take a moment to really embody how it would feel to experience your day in that way. Do this each morning for a couple of weeks and see how you feel.
Meditate, in whatever way works for you. Take a slow walk outdoors and focus on your breathing, or simply take 30 seconds a few times a day to take 5 slow breaths. If you need more guidance, there are many great local meditation/mindfulness classes, and also some good phone apps that can help get you started.
SLEEP
Sleep is essential to weight loss and health. It is the primary time our body gets to really focus on healing itself, detoxifying, and balancing hormones. Following proper sleep hygiene can make all the difference when it comes to getting more sleep. Here are the top 5 hygiene tricks to follow for better sleep:
No electronics for an hour before bed and limit any lights (especially blue ones) in your sleeping space. The blue lights in electronics lower your melatonin, the hormone used for sleep.
Stick to a regular schedule of going to bed around the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning.
Have a wind-down routine before bed: drink a cup of relaxing chamomile tea, take a bath, read a book, spend quality time with loved ones.
Limit caffeine after 3 p.m.
No large meals within 2 hours of going to bed.
DIET
Diet tends to be the most confusing part about trying to lose weight. Here are the basics that make up any good diet program:
Avoid processed foods. If it comes in packaging and needs artificial preservatives, it likely won’t aid in sustainable weight loss. Stick to the perimeter of the grocery store (produce, bulk items, meat/fish) and support your local farmers.
No processed sugar. Sugar has no essential nutrients and can lead to unhealthy spikes and drops in blood sugar. Try strictly cutting it out and you’ll find just how prevalent it is in our food. READ ALL LABELS.
Eat healthy fats, as your brain and hormones depend on them: olive oil, olives, avocado, coconut oil, grass-fed butter and ghee, nuts and seeds.
Limit carbohydrates: grains, fruit, sugars/sweeteners.
Eat protein: meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds, beans.
MOVEMENT
Movement is essential for health and can be quite useful in weight loss. The important thing about movement is to enjoy what you do and to reframe your mind away from thinking of it as a punishment for eating. The top 2 things you can do to be successful with a movement or exercise plan:
Do something you love (even if it’s “weird’). Join a sports team or go to group classes at the gym. If the gym isn’t your thing, then get the gear to hike/walk outside no matter what the weather, get a dog that needs long walks, dance or take a dance class, figure out what type of movement gets you excited and figure out how to do it more often.
Re-frame your mindset. Instead of “I have to go exercise tonight, say, “I get to move my body tonight!”
DETOX
There are 5 major organs of detoxification: the liver, kidneys, lungs, skin, and digestive tract. The best way to detox is to do something every day to process the toxins that we get exposed to in our environment. Here’s how to support each detox organ:
Kidneys: drink clean water. This helps keep kidney filtration flowing smoothly. Aim for at least 1/3 of your body weight in ounces.
Skin: sweat!!! Vigorous exercise and time in a sauna or Epsom salt bath get the job done. Aim to move your body and/or get in a sauna daily.
Lungs: breathe clean air. Get outside (preferably in the woods), breathe deeply, and do deep breathing exercise, all of which happen to also be great for stress management.
Colon: eat fiber. Insoluable fiber acts as a sponge in the colon, ensuring toxins being eliminated through the stool are actually eliminated and not reabsorbed into the blood stream to wreak havoc.
Liver: eat your broccoli. Broccoli is the part of the brassica family of vegetables that are the super stars of liver detox support. Other veggies in the brassica family or that support the liver include: kale, collards, chard, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, beets, and artichokes.
MICROBIOME
The bacteria that make up our microbiome in our gut and entire body play a large role in our health. We provide a home for them, and they aid in keeping us healthy. Things like toxins, high sugar diets, and antibiotics create major imbalances in the microbiome that can limit weight loss. The top 2 things you can do to support a healthy microbiome are:
Eat live (unpasteurized) fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, kombucha, miso, and other fermented veggies. These fermented foods are full of healthy bacteria (probiotics) that help support a healthy microbiome.
Eat at least 30g of fiber each day. Fiber is food for the good bacteria (prebiotics) in your gut.
HORMONES
Hormones can play a large role in inhibiting or supporting weight loss. A couple simple, effective ways to support proper hormone levels are:
Eat healthy fats: olive oil, olives, avocado, coconut oil, grass-fed butter and ghee, nuts and seeds. These fats provide the building blocks for many hormones.
Focus on reducing stress and stress management. Stress is usually a large underlying factor in hormone imbalance.