It seems that almost everyone has struggled with their weight at some point in their lives. For some, it seems that no matter what they do, they can’t lose that extra 20, 30 pounds or more. For others, keeping weight on is a challenge, so they are constantly eating “high fat” foods to maintain a healthy weight. In both circumstances, it is can be frustrating and stressful to get to your preferred weight.
As we get older, our expectations change for our preferred weight. After the birth of our daughter almost 5 years ago, I wanted to get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight of 145 lbs. Within 3 weeks of having our daughter, I lost 22 of the 50 lbs I had gained. Within 6 weeks I lost over 30 lbs. Truthfully, I didn’t think about it again for many years as I was very busy and stressed with trying to balance my new life. Now, I’m setting goals by the month to get to a healthy weight.
As my daughter approached her 4th birthday, I started to have concerns regarding my weight. The concerns were related to my health and my energy levels. My gall bladder started “speaking to me” and I constantly felt exhausted. Much of the weight I had lost initially after my daughter’s birth had returned. I’m not sure how, but it found its way back onto my hips and belly.
Despite my efforts to lose weight over the next year (ie increasing my exercise, diet modification, etc.), I found that I had gained weight. Sound familiar? Suggestions from close friends that I go on a weight loss program didn’t seem to be the right thing. I’ve noticed in practice, and with friends, when people go on weight loss programs, that over time they wind up gaining back most or all of the weight they had lost. Also, it seemed to be a constant battle, as if they were at war with themselves. Doing workouts they HATED, depriving themselves of food, and basically feeling miserable.
I’ve come to believe that if you find ways to reduce stress in your life and activities that you enjoy, correct underlying health problems plus digest your food properly, that your body will return to balance and you’ll naturally return to your preferred weight. As I’ve started employing these techniques, I’ve noticed that in the past 6 weeks, I’ve lost 10 lbs. It’s been easy, I haven’t had to deprive myself unnecessarily and I’m feeling terrific. But while I can share my secrets for success, you have to remember we are all different. What YOUR balance is or what brings you into balance, might be different me.
When people are under stress, a couple of things happen. Their sympathetic nervous system gets fired up. The sympathetics are the one called the “fight or flight response”. If they are overly stimulated for a long period of time, it will cause an imbalance in your body which will fatigue your adrenal glands. When the adrenals are fatigued, you will feel exhausted and your immune system will be depressed. You will just seem to struggle with constant colds, the flu, allergies, etc. The body is out of balance and can’t seem to keep the immune system strong.
More importantly, when one aspect of our body goes out of whack, our body tries to accommodate by throwing chemicals and hormones into our bloodstream to try to balance things out, which of course stresses our body out even more. It’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Typically in this scenario, with the stress hormones running amok, we find ourselves eating to feel better….ie. pastries, the “bad” carbs, and chocolate. The bit of chocolate we sneak into our mouths when no one is looking will initially give us a boost of energy and well being, and then we feel like crap. So, maybe we eat more chocolate, perpetuating a vicious cycle.
As we gain weight, we think that maybe if we work out more we will magically lose the weight. For some, that might be the answer as exercising does relieve stress and burns calories, but for others, it might just fatigue the body more causing increased stress and illness. You see, you can stay on the crazy merry-go-round that you are on by chasing weight loss or gain, not really looking at what may have caused it in the first place. Or, you can treat the cause, leading to a long term healthy weight, body, mind and spirit.
So, how can you effectively and safely regain the balance that you need? First, you need to look at your life. Are you stressed out? Are you sleeping well? Are you fatigued? Do you enjoy your work? Do you find time for you or are you constantly putting everyone and everything else first? Is there time in your weekly schedule for stress-relieving activities (ie exercise, meditation, walks, etc.)?
When you go for stress-relieving activities, or exercise, is it something you enjoy or something you believe you need to do? For instance, I worked out at a health club and gym for over 20 years. When I was working out with machines, it was always a struggle to get to the gym. I did it because I wanted to maintain my weight, but never looked forward to it. In retrospect, I realize that working out with free weights was more fun as I usually had a workout partner that I could “kibbitz” with.
The important thing is to find activities that you really enjoy. For instance, if you like to dance, try taking dance, NIA or belly dance classes. While you might not work on a specific body part each time you take a class, you will burn calories and tone your body. Personally, I really like to be outside, so I focus my exercise time on going for a brisk walk. When the weather gets too cold I expect to find myself at the pool or taking NIA classes.
If your body is fatigued from excessive stress, there are fundamental things you want to do. For exercise, try restorative yoga classes or something similar that will help restore your strength. Pushing yourself to work out when you are physically exhausted could make your health situation worse. Address the cause of your stress and take action steps to minimize it. For nutritional support, you’ll need to consult with someone to determine if you need adrenal support supplementation. A high quality multi vitamin/mineral is essential to giving your body the proper nutrients it needs to be healthy.
If you are tired because you are sedentary, then you need to push yourself to do some form of exercise. If you are obese, start with something gentle but active. Go for a walk or try a gentle yoga or aqua aerobics class to begin. Get your body moving instead of sitting on the couch. I had a teacher in my chiropractic clinic (he was a short, older Italian man), who used to run around the clinic with one hand up in the air saying, “Motion is life”. As Nike would say, “Just Do It!” As you start to feel energized, move into a more energetic form of exercise.
Next, let’s look at your digestive system. Do you have digestive problems … gas or bloating after eating, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, etc? Do you crave a specific food group…ie carbohydrates, proteins or fats? Do you snack a lot despite eating balanced and healthy meals?
For those with an existing digestive problem, consider this. If you are not breaking your food down, you might find that you crave certain foods or that you do not fill up after eating a normal-sized portion. Bloating, distension and gas are sure indications that your digestive system is not working properly. If you experience irritable bowel syndrome or constipation, consider that your body is not absorbing the nutrients out of your food. If you’ve taken several rounds of antibiotics in your life you might have a problem with yeast or candida that can affect your digestive system.
Trying to get to your preferred weight with no luck despite a good exercise routine, regular stress control measures and a healthy diet, consider using digestive enzymes appropriate for your specific body and health condition.
Let me tell you how these enzymes have helped me. The first thing is I found my sugar cravings are practically gone. I used to walk into the market to buy our groceries several times per week and would always buy something “bad”, whether it was a small chocolate bar (organic of course) or a pastry (only 1, I swear). My husband will confirm (much to his chagrin) that I would never bring sweets home because I had no willpower. Now, that is not a problem as I don’t crave sugar at all. It also reduced my cravings for the bad carbs like pasta and potatoes. When I tell you that I was eating potatoes daily, sometimes twice, I am not exaggerating. Now, I rarely eat the bad carbohydrates.
Secondly, I find that I get fuller faster, so I don’t eat as much. That started about 10 days into this program. I am amazed every time I eat that I fill up sooner than I used to. And, since I rarely eat bread and pasta, my energy is more even and higher during the day than previously. I used to get so tired, particularly after eating lunch. Now, that just doesn’t happen.
Do you feel that something is just out of whack in your body? Could you be having problems with your thyroid or a hormonal imbalance? Are you retaining fluids? Have you had a physical examination with your doctor to determine if there is a health problem that is causing your weight problem?
If you have determined a health problem is the cause of your weight, focus on getting healthy first. While you might be able to employ some of these techniques to help get your body healthier, it is most important that you work under the supervision of a health care professional (either natural or medical).
Prior to getting pregnant, I discovered an endocrine problem. My thyroid was low and I was having menopausal symptoms (ie hot flashes, etc.). Those problems by itself can cause weight gain, so I am also taking enzymes to help balance my endocrine system. They are safe and natural.
Besides taking enzymes and increasing my exercise, I also start each day with a meal replacement. I take my sugar-free Greens and mix it with yogurt, almond milk, a banana or mango; mix it in the blender and voila…there’s my breakfast. It sustains me until lunch every day. Before, I would have cereal, French toast or oatmeal.
Plus, I drink at least half my body weight (in ounces) of water daily. I might have a quarter cup (in a very small cup) of organic coffee or green tea in the morning and then just water. No juice, no tea….just water.
Lastly, it is essential for some to do a daily diet diary in the beginning. Most people have no idea how much food they eat during the day or realize that they are dipping in to the sweets as often as they are. There needs to be accountability. You can either be accountable to yourself in the form of a diet diary, or, meet with a friend weekly (or through the email) as a support system.
So, if you are tired of being on an unplanned weight loss/weight gain program, consider working with someone who can help balance your body so it can return to its’ healthy weight naturally. Find a good stress management/exercise program that you enjoy. Get to the underlying cause of your weight problem and correct it. Drink lots of water, eat healthy, organic foods, have emotional support and take your enzymes. Take good care of your body and it will return the favor. Good luck and may the force be with you!
P.S. Please note that eating non-organic foods contain estrogen-like substances that can cause hormonal imbalances plus weight gain to the hips and abdomen. There are some researchers who believe that this can also cause cancer as estrogen causes cells to multiply rapidly (cancerous and fat cells alike), so, make it a priority to eat organic foods.
