Your Diet’s Relationship to Healthy Weight Management
Put simply, when you eat fewer calories than your body uses, you will lose some weight. When you repeat this over time and you will see a noticeable difference in the mirror. 2 Right now, you are eating more than you are using, but here is some advice to “tip the scales” in your favor:
Get half of your food from fruits and veggies
- These two food groups are beneficial because they are low in calories and high in fiber. 3 Furthermore, high fiber diets are associated with weight loss and the low calorie content of fruits and veggies means you are unlikely to overeat. 4
Get plenty of (lean) protein
- As a result of dieting, some muscle loss will naturally occur. However, a high protein diet prevents this and at the same time promotes more fat burning so you can lose some weight. 5
Avoid saturated fat and sugar
- In the first place, saturated fat and sugar are your enemies if you are trying to trim down. 6, 7 Animal protein contains saturated fat, so make sure you eat only lean cuts. It isn’t so much that saturated fat is ‘bad,’ but that unsaturated fat is better. Thus, fish, nuts and other sources of omega-3 fats should still have a place on your plate. Since these fats are “good,” they improve health and even promote weight loss. 8
Your Exercising Relationship to Healthy Weight Management
Incorporating exercise into your weight loss and later weight maintenance routine is essential for success. When you are active, your body uses up energy that might otherwise be stored as fat. Exercise also increases your metabolism, or the amount of energy you regularly burn. 9 So even when you are watching TV, a fit you uses up more calories than a fat you does! 10
Here are the two ways you need to exercise:
Do aerobic training
- Any exercise that gets your heart rate up for an extended period of time is aerobic. So this might include running, brisk walking or playing a sport for at least ten minutes at a time and at least 1-2.5 hours per week, depending on how intense the activities. 11
Lift weights
- Especially when you are dieting, you can lose some muscle, but remember, muscle burns lots of calories and helps you lose weight.12 So the more you build, the more calories you will burn ! 13 Thus, it is recommended that you lift weights on 2 or more days per week, working each of the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms). 11
Utilize Your Chiropractor to Help With Your Healthy Weight Management Plan
Chiropractors are “holistic” practitioners, meaning they deal in your overall health. Consequently, they can provide you with advice and resources to help you get healthier and lose some weight. 14 So ask your chiropractor how they can help.
