Building healthy sustainable strategies for weight loss
As we prepare to kick off 2023 I wanted to cover a hot topic for this time of year..... weight loss....
.....Specifically how we approach it in a way that promotes a healthy relationship with our bodies and self image (as this is where we will see motivation and positive habits developed), whilst avoiding developing negative thoughts and behaviour patterns around food and exercise.
So what behaviours and thought patterns should we be trying to avoid or gravitate towards?
NEGATIVE BEHAVIOURS (try to steer clear of these):
Fixating on the weight you 'have to lose' rather than what you have to gain from changing your body composition. This puts you into an inherently negative mindset.
Basing 'success' on the number on the scale - you can change your body composition greatly through increasing muscle mass, therefore the scale isn't always reflective of your progress. Neither does it account for hormonal fluctuations etc. It also doesn't reflect positive changes you may have made in terms of your relationship with your body, food or exercise.
Obsessive calorie counting - I've mentioned this many times before, but caloric intake is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to weight loss, so don't let it become your measure of 'success or failure'.
Allowing a certain macronutrient to become the 'villain' - this has historically been fat or carbohydrates. We can use both of these nutrients for fuel as well as many other health benefits (such as fibre intake, hormone production etc) so you're doing yourself a huge disservice if you allow a whole macronutrient to become the 'bad guy', both on a physical and mental level.
POSITIVE BEHAVIOURS (get stuck into these):
Focusing on the benefits you have to gain from losing weight. For example not getting out of puff when running for the bus, less stress on your joints, fitting back into your favourite jeans, feeling more confident in your body etc.
Focus on building some muscle, rather than fixating on the number of the scale, - not only will this lead to improved bone density and that desired 'toned' look, it will also boost your metabolism, so you'll have a healthy appetite rather than feeling the need to restrict food (wins all round!).
Emphasise quality over quantity - not all calories are created equal, so rather than focusing on the amount you are eating, first address the quality of the food. Swap refined options like pastries and crisps for whole foods like rice and sweet potato etc. Build your mindset around all the great foods which promote health rather than a negative relationship towards foods you feel you should avoid.
Promote metabolic flexibility - as humans, we are designed to be able to use all macronutrients for fuel (protein, fats and carbs) so being able to switch between energy systems means including all of these macronutrients in our diet. Developing a 'fear' on a particular nutrient eg only following a low fat diet, not only promotes a poor relationship with food, but also deprives you of many health benefits such as satiety, hormone production, absorption of fat soluble vitamins, decreased inflammation, improved blood sugar regulation etc.
In summary, I recommend creating habits which reinforce positive behaviour change rather than focusing on what you feel you may be 'doing wrong', this is how we start to create healthy sustainable changes to achieve our goals.
Here's to a healthy, happy 2023!!
Harri :)
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The content in this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health.