It would seem that this question would be easy to answer. Unfortunately, determining which weight loss diet is best for you depends on your current health status. There are several factors that play with your ability to successfully lose weight. Let’s take a look at the most dominant factors that influence our holistic health and wellness perspective.

Quality Counts

Fresh foods are crucial to achieving long-lasting weight loss. However, making the choice to consume foods that are packed with nutrients requires more planning and preparation than less healthy options. While processed foods and fast food restaurants may seem to make life simpler, the toxic effect their fats and preservatives have on your body do more than wreck your weight loss plan. To win the battle, it is necessary to maintain perspective on the long-term benefits of sufficient protein, amino acids, and omega 3 fatty acids. Other small adjustments made over time can go a long way to stabilize blood glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity. When you are short on time there a few things you can do to ensure you have good quality foods.

• Planning is key- Take 10 minutes at the beginning of the week and consider what you can make or where you can get food based on your schedule. A few healthy choices for Phoenix and the Scottsdale area are Pita Jungle and Nectar Juice Bar. 
• Preparing your foods in bulk (2-3 days worth) will save you time and money. It also ensures you have something healthy prepared when you are short on time. One quick and easy tip is to purchase a healthy (but tasty soup) and add 6-8 servings of vegetable or beans to it. Let it simmer until the veggies are cooked all the way through. 

Get moving

More important than the intensity of your exercise program is its consistency. Waiting for the ideal time to exercise is pointless. There are always other demands that could take precedence. Even a brisk walk taken every day would be helpful. Committing to a regular time to exercise is essential to health and wellness. Once you commit to a time and day(s) to work out, stick with it. Behavioral researchers suggest it takes 6-8 weeks to form a habit. That means if you stick with this schedule for 2 months you are very likely to keep it up. Most people start exercising to get in shape but they keep exercising for how it makes them feel. 

Understand your metabolism

You may be frustrated by failed efforts to lose weight in the past. The guidelines for the most popular diets cannot account for individual differences. This is where a consultation with Southwest Integrative Medicine can make a difference. By examining your life history, not only your current medical condition, we can help you identify barriers to success.

Health conditions that may not have been apparent, such as deficiencies of vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium can adversely affect healthy fat metabolism. Lipotrophic factors, such as choline, methionine, and inositol, can have the same effect. We will investigate your health and work with you to treat any conditions that negatively affect your overall health and wellness.

Emotional Support

Losing weight in a healthy way takes time. It requires a consistent effort and focus. At times you may feel drawn to old habits. Adopting a new lifestyle that includes eating healthy foods and exercising is stressful, without considering the existing pressures of work and family. These pressures are always there for everyone so you have to prioritize and set boundaries. 

At Southwest Integrative Medicine, we take time to get to know you. Our goal is to provide you with the tools you need to reach optimal wellness. We provide weight loss patients with counseling to identify and address underlying issues that may be related to unhealthy eating habits, like emotional eating and binge eating. These are connected to neurotransmitter imbalances and may be a sign of an underlying mood disorder. We also help our patients discover practical ways to modify their lifestyles for long-term success.

Our holistic approach involves using naturopathic treatments to help you achieve optimal health. Using acupuncture, nutritional therapies, stress reduction techniques, modulate cortisol levels, and support adrenal stress adaptation that work with your body systems to stimulate healing. When needed, we also employ traditional medical treatments.

Looking for a healthcare option that leads to your optimal wellness? Schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Robin Terranella or Dr. Christy Cline today.