How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off!

Tweet

Autumn is a great time to refresh, recharge and renew.  For many people it's when they, once again, try to lose weight.

FACT: Over 90% of all conventional attempts at weight loss fail.

In my experience, the more drastic the diet, the harder it is to stick to it. I believe in a gradual approach to making changes in the diet. Making changes too quickly can be hard on the body and very difficult to maintain. My strategy for weight loss focuses on improving overall health and quality of life.

Here are the key points:

* Set Realistic Goals - While some people will lose 5 lbs in the first week, most of which is water, an average of 1-2 lbs per week is a healthy  amount of weight to lose. If it took months or years to put the weight on, it is unreasonable to expect to lose it all within a few weeks!

* Dietary Changes - Completely cutting out important foods such as protein, carbohydrates or fats is a common mistake. It is important to find the right balance of these foods and choose those which are unprocessed and unrefined. Introducing new, healthful foods into the diet is just as important as reducing the unhealthy ones.

* Detoxification - making sure your body can properly eliminate toxins is very important when trying to lose weight. Using specific herbs to cleanse the body can improve your metabolism and allow your liver and other organs to function more efficiently.

* Improve Digestion - An impaired digestive system will affect how well your body breaks down food and absorbs nutrients as well as how quickly it can eliminate toxins.

* Movement - Some form of physical activity is an important aspect of reaching and maintaining your healthy body weight. Find an activity you enjoy- whether it's playing a sport, taking a yoga class or simply walking.

* Raise Energy Levels - A person struggling with excess weight may also suffer from low energy levels. Ensure your body is receiving the proper nutrients to help you feel energized!

If you look at your "diet" as a temporary measure and plan to return to your old eating habits once the desired weight is achieved, you will likely fail. Maintaining weight loss requires a permanent lifestyle change. It's a life-long commitment to taking care of your body.