Do You Want to Lose Weight?

Weight loss is the most common health goal people set. The majority of us have said at one point in our lives “I want to lose weight” or “I need to lose weight.” Everyone can relate to managing their weight. We are flooded daily with diets that promise quick weight loss or diet pills that are the solution to your weight problem. Diets are not the answer. Stop associating diets with weight loss. Correlate weight loss and weight management with adjusting your habits toward a healthier life.
Why is weight management a struggle for most individuals? It isn’t always easy to make the right food choices or to find the necessary time to exercise. We have so many food choices today. Foods that seem “healthy” often are not because there is hidden fat or sugar. Buyers need to be aware of foods that bear a label of “low fat” or “fat free.” These foods often contain added sugar for flavor. Reading labels and understanding nutritional information on the food you consume is essential.
“I don’t have time to exercise.” I hear this frequently from my patients. When our schedules are filled with working, taking care of a family, cooking, and cleaning; little time is left for exercise. What is the solution? Time management skills are necessary to ensure we have the time in our schedule for important tasks. Schedule exercise just as you do any other appointment.
The healthy approach way to approach weight loss or healthy weight management is to think about it as modifying your eating and exercising habits for life. Weight loss should be secondary to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Learning how to improve your health will undoubtedly lead to a healthy weight.
For many, these are habits you have adopted for years. Major changes do not happen over night. I challenge you to set a small health goal daily. Small changes are easier to make and you are more likely to stick with these changes. Maintaining a healthy weight is a crucial component to healthy living.
Starting February 8, 2010 my daily post will give you a health hint to allow you to modify your habits toward a healthier life.