5 Ways to achieve holistic weight loss

In a world bombarded with diet fads and fitness models, holistic weight loss has found itself in the back seat. Weight loss needs to go synchronously with a healthy lifestyle and long-term welfare. It is a gradual progression toward a lifestyle that can be maintained through determination and will-power. Weight loss should never be considered a sprint, rather a slow jog that can help you complete the marathon. Holistic weight loss is a lifestyle change, a focus on well-being rather than just looking good. It is a realistic plan that needs to be incorporated into every aspect of our lives.

As you think of weight loss, it is important to never think of it in terms of numbers. Rather, weight loss needs to be charted out in terms of bringing in a healthy infusion in our daily life. It is rewiring our brain to create an emotional attachment to our well-being.

Here are five ways to achieve holistic weight loss:

Mind-Body Practices

The one thing in common with yoga, meditation, massages, acupuncture and tai-chi is the use of a clear, relaxed mind with body movement. It strives to create a connection between the body and mind through deep breathing, controlled movement and mental immersion. These practices are geared toward subduing the overwhelming effects of stress on the body. It uses the power of the mind to hold a reflection to yourself, enhance the control of attention, improve self-awareness and regulate emotions. It is a balance of physical and mental awareness in a practice. These practices can be done at home on large area rugs or at class with an expert practitioner. There is plenty of evidence of how mind-body practices promotes holistic health and alleviates chronic illnesses. It gives you the power to overcome anxiety, sleep difficulties, depression and other medical illnesses. It allows you to implement learning’s in daily life as well as practice healthy sleep habits. Effective mind-body practices include a combination of relaxation training, mental imagery and mindful awareness.

Nutritious Diet

It is important to observe what goes into our body to provide energy for it to function efficiently. A balanced diet free of toxic, processed substances is an essential part of health. Developing a healthy diet is not restrictive in the least. In fact, it accommodates more than you think. A healthy mix of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins constitutes a balanced meal. You can also divide your food groups into proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, fats, minerals and vitamins. In case you struggle to eat fruits and vegetables, homemade juices are a great idea to absorb the nutrition. Another tip is to include fruits and vegetables is as part of your mid-evening snacks. Incorporating health into your diet doesn’t need to be an overnight process. Doing so can lead to ‘cheating’ or ‘lapsing’ into old habits. By making a few changes at a time, you are gearing yourself up for success.

Listen to your Body

Often, in our attempt to become healthier, we ignore what our body desperately tries to tell us. We suppress hunger, force ourselves to the gym even with body pain, we push ourselves to reach unrealistic goals and grow harsher on our body. This method only leads to injuries and low self-esteem. Take the time to understand your body and what it needs. Justifications like ‘rain makes me tired’ aren’t excuses at all. It is just your body asking you to take a soothing break. If you are sore from exercises, use pillows for shoulder pain to provide relief while sleeping. It is vital to start trusting your intuition by handing the reins to your heart. The more power you give it, the more you start understanding it. The more you begin comprehending it, the more relaxed you become. Through mind-body practices, we have got to start believing that the body knows what is best for you and is interested in keeping you healthy.

Sleep well

Lack of adequate sleep causes hormonal imbalances in the body leading you to overeat and gain weight. Specifically, the appetite-regulating hormone ghrelin increases following a sleepless night making you hungry. The energy regulating hormone, leptin, that essentially tells your brain that you have sufficient energy decreases due to lack of sleep. This irregularity makes you hungry and causes you to overeat. Studies have suggested that sleep deprivation can cause you to crave junk foods and increases the level of unhealthy snacking at night. Therefore, it is important to recognize the role of sleep in nutrition as well as in weight loss. Complaints of sleep deprivation have been growing parallelly to the obesity epidemic and it is time to make the connection. It is imperative to make follow healthy night-time rituals like night positive thoughts or use tools like Sleep Calculator UK to figure out the number of hours you need to sleep.

Seek Professional Help

We are imperfect beings. We make mistakes, repeat them and most times never learn from them. We form behaviours we cannot control and lose sight of the important things. We associate eating to emotions, excess sleep to sadness and lack of physical activity to hard work. With cognitive-behavioural therapy, specialists can make us recognise our unhealthy behaviour, how our mind works and ways we can alter the root of our problems. These long-established patterns may be hard to change but recognising them makes it a whole lot easier. It can also help you create a positive body image and change the way we perceive health. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has also been beneficial in helping people with eating disorders, sleep disorders, substance abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorders and others.

A holistic approach to weight loss is an effective way to ensure long-term health. In times weight loss fads fail, a holistic approach helps you lose those pounds in a safe way. The key is patience and commitment. It is in believing in yourself rather than short-term success. It is the reinforcement of the idea that weight loss happens throughout the day rather than one hour in the gym.