As the new year approaches, you might be asking yourself, what can I do to lose weight? In fact, you have probably asked yourself that same question before. Â You have probably lost 5 pounds, Â then gained 10, lost 10, then gained 20, etc. Â Sorry to say, there is no one simple answer that fits everyone – especially when you’re dealing with a stubborn scale. The one question you must now ask yourself is, what is my healthy weight and how can I get there and stay there?
Your healthy weight may not be the same as your “ideal” weight. Many of us see ourselves fatter than we really are – the case where your perception is not reality. The National Institute of Health says, “Body mass index (BMI) is a useful measure of overweight and obesity.”  I would say that’s definitely a good starting point.  Use this handy calculator to figure out your BMI.  Measuring your waist circumference is also helpful.  If a woman’s waist is more than 35″ and a man’s waist is more than 40″, you are probably not at your ideal weight and may be more prone to weight-associated diseases.  Measuring the overall body composition is probably the best indicator  but the most reliable tool, the DEXA Scan, is expensive.
I suggest calculating your BMI and measuring your waist, hips, chest. Record the results, and take periodic measurements as you work on attaining your ideal weight. Make sure to consider more than just the scale when setting a goal for your healthy weight. Inches can be more important than pounds. So let’s get to work on your weight loss success!
To get there, consider these 5 necessary steps and lifestyle changes to factor in for permanent weight management. Â Most of us just want to get to our ideal weight and stay there. Â That is where the “work” or lifestyle change comes into play, and we can’t be just looking for the magic pill.
So what are those “magic” steps to weight loss? Follow this blog post and upcoming series of articles for each step in detail. Our goal is to help you stay on track with your resolution over the next 30 days while your new habits become permanent.
Our first blog post will be on Stress. We all handle stress a little differently but there are common effects. Â When we’re stressed, we often end up engaging in emotional eating. That stress also plays havoc on our bodies endocrine system by greedily sucking up vital nutrients just to try and adapt. Those vital nutrients then are not as readily available for normal hormone production; especially with the not-so-healthy stress eating you might have indulged in.
The second post will share ideas on getting your Support System in place. Â Intentions are good but without a reality check and support system, many of us will fail.
Next, work on your Nutrition! Our post on Nutrition to Support Weight Loss will include supplements that may be helpful (sorry, still no magic pill) and support a variety of issues which may affect your weight loss (or lack of). Â We’ll include helpful eating tips and foods to include and avoid and help get that needle moving on the scale!
The next post on Exercise will share tips that will keep you motivated and rev up your metabolism to lose inches.
Last, or first, depending on your current health state and ultimate health goal, we’ll share info on Detoxing. A good cleansing can sometimes jump start or be the extra boost when you’ve taken off a few pounds and then become “stuck”.
Kudos to you for taking the first step and reading this blog post! Also remember that we gain weight, one pound at a time. That is the same way we take it off, one pound at a time.  We don’t gain 10 pounds in one month and we can’t expect to lose 10 pounds in one month.  Stay with us on the upcoming blog  series and we hope to help you with the info and motivation to reach your goal!
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