5 Points to Understanding Weight Loss

Did you know that over 50% of Canadian adults are considered to be overweight or obese today? And over 20% of our Canadian youth between the ages of 12 and 17 are also considered to be overweight or obese. So obviously, we as a country need to lose a few pounds if only for our own health and our futures. I’m not saying Canadians are fat to be mean, but let’s be honest, 50% is a pretty high percentage which we can and need to do something about. It’s our kids that will pay the price if we don’t do something about this now.

That being said, it isn’t always easy to lose the weight once it’s on there. Actually, it is never easy to lose the weight and keep it off. That requires a lifestyle change and human beings are naturally creatures of habit which means creating our own change isn’t easy even if we know it is for own benefit. And then to add to that, there are other factors that can make it even harder to lose the weight, especially when we don’t know about them. Factors like genetics (to a certain extent), like your thyroid productivity, and your willingness to change among other things. So if you want to take on the challenge, to lose the weight for good and change your life for the better, then here my five tips to help you understand weight loss. And remember, knowledge is power people! So use it, own it and build on it.

1. Successful Weight Loss techniques are different for everyone.
Everyone is built differently; no two people are exactly the same unless you are an identical twin. So what worked for your friend to get those extra pounds off might not be the perfect plan for you but it is still a good place to start to build your foundation for weight loss. There will always be some common factors, but no two weight loss plans are identical just like no two people are identical... usually.

2. Slow and steady wins the race.
Healthy weight loss doesn’t happen overnight for ANYONE. If you decide you want to lose the extra pounds, you need to commit for the long haul. Make a plan and keep it somewhere where you can see it every day to help keep you on track. Losing weight safely and in a healthy way takes time and that is the only way you will keep the pounds off. In this time, you are changing habits, changing your mentality and changing your physiology which is where the real success starts.

3. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.
Soooo many people get frustrated when they start exercising to lose weight and they put in all this effort and then they weigh themselves and the change on the scale is less than expected. Guess what!? That doesn’t mean you aren’t being successful. In order to burn more fat, you need to build lean muscle. Lean muscle weighs more than fat does. Understand? Now put the scale aside and take out the tape measure. That and your ability to judge how your body feels on the inside are much better tools to use for measuring results, not just the scale.

4. Exercise alone won’t cut it.
Weight loss is xx% nutrition, xx% exercise and xx% mentality. I’ve x’d out the percentages because they will likely be different depending on the persona and their goals. But no matter what, if you want to see lasting results, you need to make a plan that works on all three of these areas. If you need help with that, hire a personal trainer or a consultant to help you do this and then you can do the rest.

5. If it’s just not happening, try something else.
Like I said at the beginning, there are lots of different reasons why losing weight might be hard for you, but you are not alone in that boat, I promise you that. So if you have tried everything, and you’ve done hundreds of exercises and you’ve eaten hundreds of healthy meals and you’ve meditated and de-stressed and and and.... you’re still not getting the results you want? Try something else. First go see your doctor and get your hormone levels checked, these hormones are produced by your thyroid. 1-5% of people suffer from a thyroid disease and women are 7-8 times more likely to have it then men. On top of that, most people who do have a thyroid disease don’t know they have it and if it is diagnosed, it often isn’t properly treated. So get tested, do your research and do what feels right to you. Many people don’t get tests done and then they give up; don’t be one of those people, you can do it!

In the end, my best advice is, build a support a team, don’t give up, use your head and follow your gut. If you truly want to lose the weight and get healthy, and if you are truly ready to make the necessary changes, then you will and you will be successful at it! If all else fails, ask for help!

Be Fit. Be Strong. Be Healthy.
Meghan Gregory-Stephen
www.befit2play.ca