If you are reading this right now I will assume that you have attempted many different “diets” and weight loss programs in the past. I say this because we very rarely, if ever, see anyone in our office who is attempting to lose weight for the very first time. Now I will also tell you that the overwhelming majority of people who try to lose weight do not succeed. Just look at the statistics from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to the CDC, the percentage of adults twenty years of age and older, who are overweight or obese is 69.2%. That is a staggering number that continues to climb. So you are not alone.
We all know that there are more diet books and programs out there than you can shake a stick at. And all of them will tell you why their program is the best and they will back it up with studies and testimonials. So if one “expert” tells you to eat one thing, and the next one says ‘no, no, don’t eat that eat this’, who do you believe? The only thing we can all agree on is that the experts don’t agree on anything. We (as a society) have made food and nutrition into this great confusing hodgepodge of misinformation based on ‘conventional wisdom’. You see it all the time. One of your friends goes on one diet and loses a ton of weight and the next one goes on the same diet and doesn’t lose a pound. We have this false idea that we need to lose weight to start living our lives and be who we really are meant to be. Or that we must lose that 5, 10, 20 or 50 pounds and then I will finally start my journey to better health and I will finally be able to be me. So does that make the person you are now not really count? Are you just a shell of yourself until you drop the weight, transform your body and are able to run a 5K? I hope not.
You need to understand that you are a very unique individual. You have a unique biochemistry. Biochemistry is the culmination of chemical processes and the flow of chemical energy that supports life. And we all have a slightly different biochemistry. Just like our DNA which is 99.9% the same for all of us, it’s that .1% that makes us all unique.
That is where we have to focus (on your uniqueness) in order to have a successful and pleasurable transformation. And remember, the physical transformation is only a part of the puzzle. You have to be more than your body weight. You need to accept who you are and then taking off excess pounds you don’t want is the icing on the cake. Of course, eating right and proper exercise are top priorities, you already know this. But some people just have difficulty losing the extra weight they don’t want. Why? Everybody’s answer will be different. Along with having a solid nutrition program we must look at you as a person and discover what your personal challenges are. The old science of weight loss would say that you are overweight and binge eat because you are lazy and have no willpower. That is just not true. I see the opposite of that every day. I see people working very hard to eat a clean diet and exercise regularly but again just can’t seem to get rid of extra pounds that they don’t want. Your relationship with food tells us about your relationship with life. You should enjoy and appreciate your food. Sitting down to a meal is where we can connect with friends and family. There is a certain amount of joy that comes along with that. And that is very healthy for all of us.
Okay so, on top of eating the right foods (of course I have my opinion on the ‘right foods’ as well), we must be able to change our eating patterns and in order to do that you must look at the rest of your life. See what is holding you back. When you get healthy (physically, emotionally, spiritually) then you can start to lose that weight you have been battling with to lose. Embrace who you are now and the rest will come. We can assist you with that. But until you can accept yourself, you will not be able to have a healthy relationship with food. Who knew it was so psychological huh?
The way that we can help you on your journey is varied. We make sure that you know what foods to eat and what to stay away from. Sometimes we need to find and remove food sensitivities. One of the best ways to evaluate food sensitivities is through lab work. We also look at blood work showing your CBC, blood sugar control, lipid profile, thyroid panel, metabolic panel and so on. We often begin by looking at the health of your gastrointestinal tract. We may want to see if your adrenal glands are chronically stressed out. This is why our patients succeed in not only losing weight but attaining real health and personal acceptance. It is about taking into consideration all of these factors and getting to the cause of your challenges. There are doctors practicing this way across the country. If you are not looking for a fad diet but are truly seeking better health and vitality then you would be best served by a doctor who will look at you through the functional medicine lens. I wish you the best of luck on your journey to health and happiness!
Yours In Health,
The Village Center Chiropractic healthcare team