Real Steps To Losing Weight

Developing sustainable eating, exercise, and stress-management practices to reach your goals is your own personal journey.  There is no need to compare yourself to any other person.

Whether you’re already following a diet or eating style in pursuit of body transformation, or you have a specific one in mind………

💥 Just know that what works best for you might not be the thing you expect.

Paleo, fully plant-based, Mediterranean, keto, or balanced, you name it: Either one can be effective, depending on your personal preferences, lifestyle, and needs.

What to do next…

💥 Look at the big picture.

Body weight is absolutely impacted by the kinds of foods you eat, your activity level, and, yes, your hormones.

But we aren’t robots.

We have to look beyond just physiology and recognize that body weight is also influenced by many other factors, including:

Social: stigma around body weight and peer pressure to eat a certain way

Economic: the cost of food and exercise, and the pressure to perform at work (which can contribute to a lack of time to eat healthfully and exercise)

Media: exposure to food advertising, how bodies are portrayed in the media, and availability of passive entertainment options (think: whether or not you have a Netflix subscription)

What’s Available: the walkability of your living environment, access to outdoor spaces, and whether your job is sedentary or physically active

Medical: medications you may be taking, medical conditions you’re dealing with, or complications from past surgeries

Developmental: how important food and exercise were in your family growing up, and the mindset you were raised with

There’s not one simple answer.

💥 Losing weight is likely to take a series of small steps to get where you want to go. 

My advice: Focus on the “big rocks” before you worry about specific eating styles, nutrient timing, and dietary supplements.

Big rocks include:

✅ choosing mostly minimally-processed, nutrient-dense foods

✅ eating enough lean protein and vegetables

✅ getting adequate sleep 

✅ managing stress

✅ moving regularly

The big rocks work for just about any diet approach you prefer.

By making the first few diet and lifestyle changes around these fundamentals, you can ensure that the changes you make provide the most return on the effort.

💥 Ask yourself:

“How’s this diet working for me?”

Some signs it might not be working for you include:

✅ Difficulty staying consistent

✅ Frequently “falling off the wagon”

✅ Feeling tired, hungry, and/or cranky most of the time

✅ Not seeing results

✅ Avoiding social obligations because it’s too difficult to avoid temptation

Put your strengths into action, and create a plan that’s custom-made for your life! 

Keep eating better and moving more.

Mark Dilworth, PN1-NC, CDS, NMH, LWM

Nutritionist, Dietary Strategies Specialist, Specialist In Nutrition For Metabolic Health and Lifestyle Weight Management Specialist

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