It’s 2016, time for New
Years resolutions. As you might have guessed, one of the most common
resolutions in America is, “this year I am really going to lose that weight.”
As it turns out, this is actually a really good resolution. Because, just as
the holidays from Thanksgiving to New Years is the hardest time of year to lose
weight, there are unhealthy foods everywhere and in abundance, by January 1
most of us have had enough. We are ready to give up the egg-nog and desserts
and start some “clean eating.” January to March is the best time of year to
lose weight; there are very few holidays or distractions, our lives are in a
predictable routine, it’s the dead of winter, so we can really focus on
ourselves and what we are putting into our bodies (in the way of food.) We can
get down to the business of slimming down.
But I would like you to rethink this resolution, to re-word your thought. Instead of deciding to lose weight, I would like you to decide to make a lifestyle change. Instead of choosing to exercising more, I would like you to decide to find a form of exercise you really enjoy. In other words, try not to aim for the temporary fix, go for the permanent change. Because in your heart, this is what you really want. When you work really hard, take off 10 pounds or more, and then go right back to your old habits of unhealthy eating, you regain every pound, and so this is a temporary fix; this is “doing a great big circle.” You have made this great effort, lost a lot of weight, but then regained it all and ended right back where you started. This is exactly what you do not want.
So how do you make a permanent life style change, get this weight off forever? It turns out, there are several stages needed to accomplish this. The first is you need to make the decision that you really want to lose weight. It does not mean just wanting it, it means deciding you are really ready to commit to doing it. Think about how much weight you want to lose, then think about how long you think it should take to lose this weight. For example, if you have about 50 pounds to lose, this would take most people about 4 to 6 months to lose. Are you ready to commit to working at this for the next 6 months?
Next you will need the correct information on how to lose the weight. What should I be eating? How much should I be exercising, and what form of exercise should I be doing? Everywhere in America there are self proclaimed experts on weight loss in Philadelphia. People with no medical training whatsoever give talk shows and write books on how to lose weight, sometimes the information is incorrect, and sometimes it is partially correct. Some people who are exercise gurus think that if everyone just did what they do, ate what they ate, then that person would be slim. This is actually NOT true, because we are NOT all the same, we do NOT all process food the same way.
Overall, the information is confusing and contradictory. The reason is, that each one of us is a separate and specific individual, with a different metabolism. You need a program designed specifically to your body, your hormonal chemistry, and your metabolism.
I suggest you sign up with a program directed by someone with a medical background, who really understands the hormonal control of weight, and how your hunger hormones (leptins and ghrelins) as well as fat burning/creating hormones affect your weight. Here at Balance Medical medical weight loss in Philadelphia, this is exactly what we do. We have patients here who need to lose 5 lbs, but just do not know what to eat, and we have patients who need to lose 400lbs, and we have people with every need in between this. We design programs specific to each person.
Finally, you need to be enrolled in a program. Much as it would be wonderful for each patient to simply obtain the right diet and go home and follow it, and then get to your goal weight on your own, all the studies show that this is not possible and this does not happen. Patients need accountability and they need guidance. You need to come for visits to the program at least every two weeks, weigh in, discuss your struggles, and get some instruction. What happens when you do this, is that you hit “goal posts.” You lose 4 lbs, and then we help you figure out how to lose the next 4 lbs. Here at Balance, we review your program, we make changes if necessary, we discuss how you are going to move forward, and we give teaching lessons on many relevant subjects. (such as how to handle stress eating, for example).
So it is the New Year. It is a great time for new starts. I encourage you to make that commitment and invest in yourself. Decide, not to lose weight, but to make that life style change. Call Balance Medical Weight loss for your first appointment and we will really set some goals, and by spring, you can be a whole new person. Its a New Year, you can become a new you.
But I would like you to rethink this resolution, to re-word your thought. Instead of deciding to lose weight, I would like you to decide to make a lifestyle change. Instead of choosing to exercising more, I would like you to decide to find a form of exercise you really enjoy. In other words, try not to aim for the temporary fix, go for the permanent change. Because in your heart, this is what you really want. When you work really hard, take off 10 pounds or more, and then go right back to your old habits of unhealthy eating, you regain every pound, and so this is a temporary fix; this is “doing a great big circle.” You have made this great effort, lost a lot of weight, but then regained it all and ended right back where you started. This is exactly what you do not want.
So how do you make a permanent life style change, get this weight off forever? It turns out, there are several stages needed to accomplish this. The first is you need to make the decision that you really want to lose weight. It does not mean just wanting it, it means deciding you are really ready to commit to doing it. Think about how much weight you want to lose, then think about how long you think it should take to lose this weight. For example, if you have about 50 pounds to lose, this would take most people about 4 to 6 months to lose. Are you ready to commit to working at this for the next 6 months?
Next you will need the correct information on how to lose the weight. What should I be eating? How much should I be exercising, and what form of exercise should I be doing? Everywhere in America there are self proclaimed experts on weight loss in Philadelphia. People with no medical training whatsoever give talk shows and write books on how to lose weight, sometimes the information is incorrect, and sometimes it is partially correct. Some people who are exercise gurus think that if everyone just did what they do, ate what they ate, then that person would be slim. This is actually NOT true, because we are NOT all the same, we do NOT all process food the same way.
Overall, the information is confusing and contradictory. The reason is, that each one of us is a separate and specific individual, with a different metabolism. You need a program designed specifically to your body, your hormonal chemistry, and your metabolism.
I suggest you sign up with a program directed by someone with a medical background, who really understands the hormonal control of weight, and how your hunger hormones (leptins and ghrelins) as well as fat burning/creating hormones affect your weight. Here at Balance Medical medical weight loss in Philadelphia, this is exactly what we do. We have patients here who need to lose 5 lbs, but just do not know what to eat, and we have patients who need to lose 400lbs, and we have people with every need in between this. We design programs specific to each person.
Finally, you need to be enrolled in a program. Much as it would be wonderful for each patient to simply obtain the right diet and go home and follow it, and then get to your goal weight on your own, all the studies show that this is not possible and this does not happen. Patients need accountability and they need guidance. You need to come for visits to the program at least every two weeks, weigh in, discuss your struggles, and get some instruction. What happens when you do this, is that you hit “goal posts.” You lose 4 lbs, and then we help you figure out how to lose the next 4 lbs. Here at Balance, we review your program, we make changes if necessary, we discuss how you are going to move forward, and we give teaching lessons on many relevant subjects. (such as how to handle stress eating, for example).
So it is the New Year. It is a great time for new starts. I encourage you to make that commitment and invest in yourself. Decide, not to lose weight, but to make that life style change. Call Balance Medical Weight loss for your first appointment and we will really set some goals, and by spring, you can be a whole new person. Its a New Year, you can become a new you.
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