For
many women, losing weight is a backburner goal they hope to achieve
“someday,” when things slow down and they can focus on their
health a little more. But let’s be honest: When is that ever going
to happen if you don’t make
it happen?
If
your goals are minor or purely cosmetic in nature, you should feel
free to accomplish them at your leisure. If, however, you are
overweight and at risk for other health issues, you should start
losing weight before real problems develop.
The
Physical Dangers of Being Overweight
If
you are overweight, you are leaving yourself open to physical
conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
early dementia that can lead to Alzheimer’s, knee and hip problems,
hormonal conditions, arthritis, and even early death. If you’re
finding that your blood sugar is getting high, your blood pressure is
elevated, your mood and energy are down, and you’re starting to
feel pain, it’s definitely time to take care of yourself.
This
list of dangers is not meant to scare you; rather, they are real
concerns that should motivate you to take charge of your health. At
RealDose, we tell you that
losing weight can be hard work, but knowing that you’re reducing
all these risks can bring peace that is priceless.
When
talking about health, our own needs often become secondary to the
needs of other family members, especially if there are kids in the
picture. But don’t underestimate the significance of taking care of
yourself for
your loved ones. Kids needs good examples, and you mean a lot to the
people you love. They want you to be around for a long time!
The
Psychological Side of Weight Loss
Being
in your ideal weight range not only brings physical benefits, but
psychological ones as well. There have now been multiple studies
demonstrating the link between depression and being overweight. This
is most likely due to the fact that excess fat causes inflammation,
which has a dramatic effect on mood. It’s almost impossible to be
overweight and
have a healthy brain.
Inflammation
is the most significant way that being overweight can affect your
psychological health, but there are other factors as well. Carrying
extra weight around requires a lot of effort, and that can drain your
energy, causing moodiness. Perhaps the most purely psychological
effect that weight loss brings is simply a positive response to
looking better, whether it comes from other people or from looking in
the mirror and knowing that you’ve accomplished your goals.
Where
to Start
If
you’re convinced that you need to start dropping pounds, you’re
probably thinking about how to get the ball rolling. The two best
things you can do to get started are changing your habits slowly and
practicing mindfulness.
Changing
Habits:
You
want changes to stick, so don’t overwhelm yourself with too much at
once. Start with just changing breakfast for a week. Avoid eating a
lot of carbs, which can cause a hormonal cascade that will
potentially ruin your weight loss for the day. Instead, have a
high-protein shake, eggs, or lean meats, and a complex
carbohydrate/fat blend of either flax or chia seed or quinoa. This
will get your metabolism going, make you less hungry throughout the
day, and let you experiment with delicious new foods!
Mindfulness:
Mindfulness
might be a surprising practice to help you lose weight, but research
shows that it works. Mindfulness comes out of meditation, which may
sound intimidating, but all it really means is slowing down and being
more aware of your surroundings.
A
great exercise to try is to spend 10 minutes being mindful of
something as simple as a raisin (yes, a raisin!). Spend five minutes
studying the raisin, touching it, thinking about where it came from,
and examining its color and texture. Then take a full 5 minutes to
slowly eat the raisin, taking it in with all your senses, feeling it
go down to your stomach. Finally, sit quietly for another minute and
take in your surroundings.
If
you do this for seven days, you will find yourself eating less,
eating better foods, and enjoying your meals more than you ever have.
Plus, you’ll lose weight!
Don’t
wait for a crisis situation to make weight loss a priority. If you
are overweight and developing other health issues because of it, now
is the time to get started. Whatever the cause for being overweight,
whether it was a pregnancy, surgery, or long-term problem, you can
take charge of your life and make healthy decisions from here on out.
You owe it to yourself to do so.
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