Tag Archives: weight loss tips

So, You’ve Lost The Weight – Now What? (Part 2)

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It can be incredibly hard to maintain weight loss. Most ‘dieters’ end up gaining the weight they lose back in a year or two, but it is most certainly possible to maintain weight loss if you take the right measures. There are many things you can do to take to ensure healthy living for life. We took a look at a few good tips for maintaining weight loss in our last post, and now for a few more:

Stress is Setting Me Back

Stress has been directly linked to weight gain and obesity, in more ways than one. If your body is in a perpetual state of stress, your cortisol and adrenaline levels are constantly surging out of whack. Elevated cortisol levels raise the insulin in the body, causing blood sugar to drop which makes you crave fatty, sugary foods. Another way stress can pile the pounds back on specifically relates to those who are emotional eaters. If you find yourself backsliding and eating a row of Oreos every time you are stressed about work or a family conflict arises, stress can certainly be your enemy when it comes to maintaining weight loss. If this is the case, it may be helpful to talk to a psychologist about how to help curb that habit.

My Skin Has Lost Some of Its Elasticity – What Can I Do?

This is a common and often distressing issue that occurs when a person loses a significant amount of weight (such as after pregnancy or undergoing gastric bypass surgery). While surgery is one of the best way to get rid of loose skin, there are measures you can take to minimize stretchmarks and tighten the skin, as well as preventative measures that may be taken. Some helpful tips include:

  1. Pace yourself – losing weight too quickly will often lead to more excess skin. The aim is to lose weight while building muscle, slow and steady (try for 1-2 pounds a week).
  2. Moisturize (with the right stuff) – there are many types of moisturizer on the market today that contain ingredients that claim to help tighten skin. You can also use a combination of extra virgin olive oil and rosemary oil to help moisturize and replenish the stretched, sagging skin.
  3. Mix cardio with strength training – Cardiovascular exercise is really what will help burn fat (sometimes sagging skin is also made of fat deposits that haven’t burned off yet). Strength training exercises will also help to build muscle under the skin which can help tighten it again.
  4. Guzzle water like fuel – If your skin is dehydrated it will be dryer, and overall less healthy and less able to bounce back to a more firm and natural elasticity after losing weight. Try to drink plenty of water to help hydrate your skin.

I Need Support!

One of the greatest things about a weight loss (and maintenance) journey is the vast wealth of support and encouragement that exists in our modern world. If you try to do it alone, things will be much more difficult, so be sure to reach out when you need it. If you are having trouble with the fitness side of things, reach out to a buddy who will workout with you and keep you motivated, or hire a personal trainer to keep you on track. Finding it hard to keep eating well? You can check in with a dietitian, or get help from one of the many healthy eating Apps out there. Having trouble with self esteem? There is no shame in seeking advice from a therapist who will help you get to the root of your self esteem issues and work to fix them. There are also numerous weight loss communities out there via apps, the internet or weekly in-person meetings that may also help keep you motivated as well.

Thanks for visiting DocChat! Stay happy and healthy.

 

Weight Loss Myths Debunked (Part 1)

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“The biggest misconception (about weight loss) is that doing something in the short term will have long-term results.”

-Elaine Magee (WebMD “Recipe Doctor”)

Myth: You have to be a gym-oholic to lose weight.
Fact: As long as you are working off your caloric intake (or more), small bursts of different kinds of activity can be as helpful as a really intense gym session. The key is to eat a little less (especially less junk food, don’t cut down on good foods), and exercise more. Adults should get at least a half an hour a day of exercise.
Myth: It is more expensive to eat healthy.
Fact: Not necessarily. Buying a pack of frozen veggies is cheaper than buying a bag of fries or pizza. Swapping out fattening ingredients with healthier ones such as adding beans to a casserole instead of bacon can even be a little cheaper than eating unhealthily.
Myth: “Low fat” foods will all lead to weight loss.
Fact: Foods labeled “low fat” are often high in simple carbs like refined sugar, which is not a great trade-off. The label “low fat” also tends to trick people into over-indulging in these stealthily troublesome foods which leaves the person no further ahead than if they had chosen the full-fat version of the food. Not to mention your body still needs some fat to absorb and transport vitamins and nutrients, however, most of your fat intake should be unsaturated fats which help with HDL (good) cholesterol as opposed to the hydrogenated fats in “low fat” foods.
Myth: Store bought “weight loss detox” products will help you lose weight.
Fact: These products may help you shed a pound or two initially but almost all cases the weight will pile back on with more force than ever in the long term. Many of these products are unhealthy and could cause adverse side effects such as perforation of the colon. Check out our article on Detoxes for more information.
Myth: You can never eat fast food again if you’re trying to lose weight.
Fact: Many restaurants (yes, even fast food ones!) offer healthier alternatives now to attract healthier eaters as well as those who love burgers and fries. Fast food chains realize many Americans are opting for healthy living, so they are offering salads, a baked alternative to the usual deep-fried products, wraps and fruit smoothies (check to make sure they are made from real fruit and not high-sugar fruit flavors). Eating out occasionally won’t cause significant weight gain or sabotage your progress as long as you keep it to once every couple of weeks, or choose healthy options.

Stay tuned for Weight Loss Myths Debunked (Part 2) shortly! Thanks for visiting DocChat!