From mercyone.org
The thought of losing weight can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve lost a few pounds before and gained them back. So, what’s the best way to lose weight? Instead of focusing only on weight loss, build your relationship around gaining health. Mark Johnson, MD, an endocrinologist who specializes in metabolism and diabetes at MercyOne North Iowa Diabetes, Endocrinology and Weight Loss, shares where to start and small ways that make big impacts on your health.
Understand your personal health needs
Each body is unique. Position yourself for success by evaluating your personalized needs. To understand your health, you should first understand where you currently sit. A few things to discuss with your primary care provider include:
- Any vitamin or mineral deficiencies
- Family health history
- Prediabetes and diabetes
Dr. Johnson says, “Knowing and understanding your numbers and health history helps you track your levels and map out the best lifestyle choices for your health.”
Eating well to live well
Eating for health is a lifestyle. At first you might find healthy meal preparation challenging or even intimidating.
Dr. Johnson warns not to rely on liquid dietary supplements for meals. “They cause spikes in glucose seen easily in patients who wear glucose sensors,” Dr. Johnson said. He continued, “They are advertised for diabetes, but in my opinion are appropriate only in rare situations under the direction of a physician and should never take the place of a meal.”
A safer and healthier choice is to ask your primary care provider to recommend a diet based on your known medical history.
“The best source of nutrients and vitamins is through food, not supplements,” says Dr. Johnson. “Keep your plate full of colourful foods – greens, blues, reds, orange – from non-starchy vegetables.”
He says a good daily multivitamin is okay but talk with your primary care provider before starting a specific vitamin replacement, as taking too much of a single supplement can become toxic.
Losing weight, gaining health
Achieving a healthy weight is essential in preventing or reversing diabetes. Fortunately, you don’t have to lose a huge amount of weight to begin experiencing health benefits. Adults with prediabetes who lose a modest amount of weight (5-7% of initial body weight), and exercise regularly can reduce the risk of developing diabetes by 58%. For a 200-pound adult, losing 7% body weight is 14 pounds. Set an achievable goal for yourself and celebrate your first milestone when you get there!
Managing stress for your well-being
Everyone has some amount of stress in their life, but too much stress can lead to weight gain. Support your weight loss efforts by identifying your personal stress points and choosing ways to remove, reduce and manage stress. Some ways to help manage your stress include:
- Get active: meditate, try yoga or exercise the brain with a nutrition class
- Consider resources available in your community
- Join an online community of people who share your interests
If you’re struggling to manage stress or anxiety, you are not alone. Check with your insurance to learn if there is a behavioural health provider in your area.
Get started with one good choice
Losing weight can feel like hard work, especially in the beginning, but the benefits can be life changing. Here are five tips to help you begin your health journey at home:
- Commit to making one healthy choice every day. Small changes build sustainable results.
- Evaluate your “weak spots” where you may regularly slip up. Come up with a strategy to support a healthier habit.
- Focus on nutrition.
- Celebrate your wins, even the little ones.
- Imagine living your best life 10, 20 or even 30 years from now. Consider how you can improve your health to make those dreams a reality.
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