I have been asked at least 100 times (if not 1000) how to lose a few pounds. Before addressing this topic head on, I want to establish a couple of things:
- Scale weight is a symptom of behavior – either good or bad. If the scale weight declines because of exercise and good nutrition, that is great. In others, proper exercise and nutrition can cause scale weight to increase. The opposite of each is true.
- All weight loss is not healthy (e.g. if it involves malnutrition, a severe and rapid loss of lean muscle tissue, or artificially increasing your heart rate to ‘give you more energy and need less sleep’). Starving yourself will cause catastrophic effects on your health at the sacrifice of much needed lean muscle tissue. Increasing your heart rate through artificial stimulants will cause overstimulation, which, over time will take a heavy toll on the body.
- Being fat (yes, I used that word intentionally) is NOT a sign of wellness. Being overweight is a major issue. Let us not become deceived by believing 10-15 extra pounds are OK and just a normal part of life.
- Maintaining a healthy weight (with corresponding healthy waist to hip ratio) is a lifetime job. It is not a job in that the work is drudgery. Rather, it should be viewed as the ultimate opportunity to care for and maintain the unique gift we have been given…the gift of life in the human body.
Now to give you the answer to the question at hand… Here are a few things to assist with not only ‘losing a few pounds,’ but to keep up on the path toward optimum wellness:
16 Habits That Will Help You Lose Weight
- Eliminate the use of sugars and processed or refined foods.
- Cut down on the things that bring your great stress. Set healthy boundaries. If something or someone drains the life out of you, a good pruning is in order.
- Eat as natural as possible. Purchase raw as much as possible and cook your meals as often as feasible.
- Use proper nutritional supplementation where deficient. Your practitioner or nutritional expert will help with this.
- Drink plenty of water. Start with at least 1/2 ounce for each pound of body weight.
- Walk or do some sort of cardiovascular related activity at least 150 minutes per week.
- Use a pedometer and target 10,000 steps per day.
- Maintain a resistance training program at least 2 days a week. Get with an experienced personal trainer for development and design. Anything less could produce injury and discouragement.
- Practice yoga, meditation, or prayer.
- Make the commitment to a lifetime of wellness. It is not a temporary thing to ‘try,’ It is something we have the ‘opportunity to do’ for the remainder of our days on earth.
- Avoid falling for the ‘quick fix’ trap. Hard work, commitment, and consistency produce results.
- Avoid over spending and/or out spending your income. Debt will certainly bring destruction in your life.
- Practice charitable giving of your time and money.
- Get a full check up from a doctor who focuses on total wellness as opposed to treating symptoms.
- Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep nightly. A warm shower or bath, soothing music, or reading a book prior to sleeping will help.
- Take inventory. Make it a regular daily routine to evaluate your ability to follow good habits. Life requires discipline. When we continually take a look at where we are off track, it makes it easier to get right back on track.
Don’t forget to follow 1-16 above!!! If you DO 1-16, you will always be guaranteed to ‘lose a few pounds’ and live a lifetime in your optimum state of wellness.
There you have it; the answer to the often-asked question, “how do I lose a few pounds.” This may look so simple and easy…and it really is. We are not meant to walk this earth in a chronically unhealthy state. The sign of a few extra pounds is a sure sign of unhealthiness within, which will lead to more sickness and disease. LET TODAY BE THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE…a life of freedom, wellness, happiness, and health.
