A Holistic Nurse’s Guide to Weight Loss
According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, about 69% of adult Americans are overweight or obese and 36% of adult Americans are obese (https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-rates-worldwide/). You may be thinking that if you’re a couple pounds overweight, it really doesn’t affect you. However, excess weight impacts you in so many different ways. In fact, excess weight can greatly contribute to chronic disease.
We eat as we celebrate holidays and birthdays, when we are depressed and stressed out, for fun, instant gratification, etc. Though we find many reasons to eat, all of these reasons do not always benefit us and can actually damage our health. Below are some of the consequences that may develop due to excess weight:
Diabetes
Depression
Gout
Osteoarthritis
Gallbladder Issues
Chronic Renal Failure
Stroke
Fatty Liver Disease
Gastro-Esophageal Reflux
Enlarged Heart
Cancer
The consequences to excess weight don’t stop here. If you are concerned about your weight and these potential consequences, here are some tips that can give you long-lasting results towards your wellbeing and health!
Fast One Day a Week
If you look back in history, our ancestors did not eat as much as our society is conditioned to eat now. Give your digestive tract a break. Drink water infused with lemon, a dash of cayenne pepper, and a teaspoon of organic maple syrup all day. If you find yourself super hungry and you need to eat, have an apple.
2. Move Your Body
Get off the couch! Go for a walk, play tag with your kids, dig in the garden, etc. You do not need to spend hours on the treadmill or at the gym. Use can even use your own body weight and start with 5 minutes of exercise twice a day. Do 10 jumping jacks or run in place with your knees up for 30 seconds at a time. Do 10-15 pushups and put your knees down, if needed. Next, do 20 squats, going as low as you can, making sure to focus on form first. Then, do 25 crunches. You can repeat this cycle again, later in the day. You will be amazed at how much these exercises can change your body.
3. Eat as Close to Nature as Possible
Eat fruits and veggies from your local farmer’s market. The body does not know how to process all the chemical preservatives and pesticides that are put into so many of our foods. Make it a habit to read labels before you purchase a food item. If it comes in a box, it is probably loaded with preservatives. Also, be careful when purchasing “all natural foods,” because that does not necessarily mean they are healthy. Yes, it will take extra time to make a meal from scratch, but your food will taste so much better and your body will be getting the nutrients it needs.
4. Limit Your Carb and Sugar Intake
Unfortunately, the sugary snacks and sodas could be the reason why your body is holding onto excess weight. Some of these kinds of foods include white bread, cakes, cookies, pasta, and white rice. There are still delicious foods that can satisfy a sweet tooth, without being filled with processed ingredients and unhealthy sugar. In the coming weeks, I will be posting some of these substitutes for you to try on your own, so stay tuned!
5. Portion Control
It is true that if you eat less, you will lose weight. Decrease your portion size by 20% and you will automatically cut calories. Make vegetables, including salad, the largest portion of your meal.
6. Hydrate
Our bodies are 70% water. Oftentimes, a feeling of hunger may just be mild dehydration. We require 8-10 8oz glasses of pure, filtered water a day.
7. Eat Fat
Contrary to what you have been told, eating fat doesn’t make you overweight. The difference is made in choosing healthy fats. These fats include olive oil, ghee (see recipe below), avocados, and nuts.
Ghee Recipe:
Place butter in a medium saucepan at medium heat
A foam will rise to the top and the mixture will start to boil
Turn heat to low
Scoop up some of the foam with a strainer spoon
You can also scrape any solids that accumulate on the sides of the pan and discard
When bubbling slows, watch closely so the ghee doesn’t burn
The mixture should now be a golden yellow and is finished cooking
Cool for 20 minutes
Run your ghee through a cheese cloth into your storage container
Store your ghee in an airtight container in a dark place
It does not need to be refrigerated