Miracle weight loss drugs do not yet exist and the average weight loss product does not have long term success. The last weight loss prescription drugs approved by FDA where Meridia in 1997 and Xenical in 1999. Meridia works by creating a feeling of fullness and thereby reducing food intake. The down side is that it has a potentially deadly side effects for some people. It has been linked to increases in blood pressure and heart rate. The drug Xenical can block fat absorption, but it can also cause serious cases of diarrhea and bloating. A new weight loss drug called Acomplia is under FDA review for approval. It is said to result in a 5-10% weight loss in most participants after 1 year. However, it has also been linked to depression, vomiting and nausea in 20% of the patients. Various diet programs like low fat diets and low carbohydrate diets may reduce weight according to several studies. However, such diets are unbalanced in nutrition and long term uses may cause depletion of certain essential nutrients and harm the body. It is noteworthy that the low carbohydrate diet pioneer Atkins declared bankrupt on August 2005.

So what is the answer? Why is it so hard to loss the weight and keep it off? How do we go about taking the weight off and keep it off? Weight control is a complex matter involving individual biology and also life style. A balanced approach to food, exercise and lifestyle is essential. Many Americans will try to lose weight this year and many will fail. This failure frequently occurs due to ignorance of their individual biological needs and body type as well as difficulties changing their lifestyle. Lifestyle changes can be a great boost to one’s self-esteem, over all health and well being. It does not have to be expensive, painful and difficult. In fact it can be a simple process as long as the change is made in stages with the proper knowledge of you body. Changing your diet should also be a simple process as long as the dieting process is balanced and not so strict that you will have difficulties following through. Unless one is severely obese a strict diet and the implementation of dramatic changes all at once tend to have very little lasting success.
 

Over the years, we here at East West Center for Natural Medicine have been asked by thousands of patients how to properly lose weight. The answer we give is that each person requires a different approach to weight loss. An individualized approach to weight loss is needed for their unique metabolism, health conditions, dietary needs and restrictions, mental outlook, age and lifestyle. Keeping this in mind the following 14 steps offer a simplified approach to weight loss:

 

1.  Do Not Try To Be Perfect and Adopt A Positive Mental Attitude!

Better weight control begins in our mind. You must  strive to feel good as opposed to just calculating the inches around your waist. Feeling good means being able to have the vitality and energy to accomplish things and perform activities without feeling overly tired.


2.  Eat More Vegetables!

All right, this is the hard part for those veggie haters out there. You've already heard your mother tell you countless times veggies are very good for you. Well it turns out that as she is right. They contain fiber, are low-calorie and have enzymes that can help you digest that overly large steak from last night. Veggies actually contain ingredients that regulate hormone and metabolic functions as well as anti-aging  and anti-cancer effects. There many types of vegetables and all have unique health benefits which means you don’t have to eat just one kind all the time. It is actually better for you if you eat a vegetable serving a day from each of the color groups. Try salads it can be the easiest way to get all the colors at once. Just make sure your veggies are not swimming in a pool of dressing. If you don't like raw vegetables try cooking veggies in with a wok and add a little low sodium soy sauce or a tablespoon of stir fry sauce. Vegetables that are high in Chlorophyll such as broccoli, kale, spinach and asparagus are especially helpful.


3.  Watch The Bread and Pasta!

Eat "white foods sparingly. Foods such as white pasta and white rice. Most meals in this country contain or have bread and pasta included with the meal. These white foods are usually made from wheat. Wheat is not a bad thing in moderate amounts. The United States is the number one producer of wheat in the world and has helped to feed the world. It is a very important grain product and is beneficial in the proper amounts. However, most of us in this country eat way too many wheat products. Consumption of to much wheat can cause blood sugar and obesity problems.

There are many beneficial grains that provide other health advantages besides wheat. Try brown rice, barley, couscous or beans. While grains are very nutritious and an important part of our diet, cutting down to a small amount and eating them moderately can be very helpful in the pursuit of better health and weight control. In addition to the addition of other grains look for the word "whole grain" on package labels as these are healthier for you. Eating more grains during the day and less at the night can also be helpful in how we digest them. A easy way to adjust to this is to eat your grains before the sun goes down your body will break them down and digest them before you sleep.

4.  Eat Smart When Eating Out!

Eat mindfully when eating out and split dessert with other people. You know the standard dinner at a typical restaurant. It begins with an appetizer, then salad, an entrée, dessert, and coffee. We garble all these food down with wine or cocktails. It is amazing to me that we don’t get heartburn more often. Visualize what you are going to eat before you begin. Order only what you are going to consume. Do not leave food on the table you do not intend to eat. We tend to be food addicts and eat everything in sight. Learn to say no.

5.  Eat More Towards The Beginning Of The Day, Don't Eat After 8pm and Do Not Skip Meals!

Eating earlier helps to keep the weight off. The human body follows a circadian rhythm, which roughly means that the same foods eaten at breakfast and lunch are processed very differently than when eaten at dinner. Studies have shown that when you eat your daily protein and fat at breakfast you tend to lose weight and have more energy.  However if you eat the same things at dinner you will tend toward increases in weight gain.

We here at East West Center for Natural Medicine suggest that you eat your last meal of the day by 8 p.m. The body's energy declines rapidly at night. At this time the digestive system is not as strong and won’t digest the foods as well as it will early in the day. If you eat on time and regularly, you won’t be famished and therefore you will have less desire to overeat.

Eat three moderate meals plus two snacks, at regular intervals. Do not skip breakfast and lunch. If you do, this is a sure recipe for a whale size dinner. . .. Eating steadily through the day keeps you from becoming famished and overeating at your next meal. Make a low-fat trail mix from foods such as raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, dried plum, and apples. Keep it easy to reach and available at all times in order to avoid the tempting lure of chemical laden, sodium rich, high-calorie store bought snacks.

8.  Lose Weight Without Exercise? Think again!

The No. 1 cause of weight gain is inactivity. Physical activity is the key to speeding up your metabolism and burning excess calories. A formalized exercise program is ideal but not necessary. Instead of thinking ‘exercise’, we should be thinking ‘physical activity’. Some of us have high levels of physical activity in our occupation in which counts toward exercise. The problem comes when we have a sedentary job and sit for long hours during the day. Try stepping outside during your break at work and take a walk around your building. Utilize your break time, lunch time, before and after work to invigorate yourself. This might be intentionally parking far away from work and walking to and from the office, or taking the stairs, or bike to work. Try to engage in more physical work during the weekends such as gardening, walking, hiking, running, etc. Take a walk 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the early evening or thirty minutes after every meal. Better yet, set a regular time a few times during the week to go the gym, take a class or hire a trainer. Just make sure to mark them down in your organizer. An exercise buddy is also motivating. Should you choose a formal "sport" or "exercise".

9.  Reduce or Modify Dairy Product Intake!

Some of the most nutritious foods are dairy products. In our younger years, dairy products are a good source of calcium used for our growth. As we grow older, we need to be more conscious of how we consume dairy products. Most dairy products are high in saturated fat, which is not very healthy for our cardiovascular system when consumed in larger amounts. Opt for the lower fat dairy products such as low-fat or non-fat milks, cheeses, and yogurt. Be very judicious with butter. It exists in many of our foods such as popcorn, restaurant entrées, fried and baked foods. Try to have more steamed and sautéed foods instead of fried and baked foods.

10.  Sugar! Sugar! Sugar!

I recently went into a health food store and went looking for a small snack that was not loaded with sugar. I looked for products that advertised "all natural" and "no sugar added". Upon picking out a snack product that advertised that it contained no sugar. The label stated that was sweetened only with fruit juice. I Reasonably assumed that it would be safe to eat. When I took a bite I realized it was much sweeter than the commercial products with sugar. After I further examined the label,  I found out that I was correct. Even though it was indeed sweetened by concentrated fruit juice it had more calories than the commercially produced sugar laden kind.

Buyer beware! Please do not be fooled into thinking that one kind of sugar is better than the other. You must simply be more conscious of what sweets you eat and keep them to a minimum.

Sugar is a simple carbohydrate and it is an essential part of our diet. It provides large amounts of energy to the body quickly. However, there are better ways to get long term sustained energy . For example complex carbohydrates combined with proteins provide energy to the body for a sustained amount of time. More complex carbohydrates such as grains are healthier as opposed to simple carbohydrates such as sugar.

11.  Use the right oil!

Replace saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats and supplement your diet and exercise regime with Omega-3 fatty acids.  In many parts of the world, animal fats such as lard and butter are the standard oil for cooking. It's no wonder heart diseases are consistently the number one killers around the world.

Fats are a good source for weight gain and plaque creation in our delicate plumbing system. In addition to obesity itself being a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, over weight people often have many the risk factors for diabetes and a condition known as the metabolic syndrome. It is helpful when lifestyle changes for obesity target multiple cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors. One of the ways to do this is to replace animal fats when you cook with products such as canola, olive oil, and sunflower oil. But regardless of what oil you decide to use in your cooking, always remember to use it moderately. Less than 7 percent of your daily caloric intake a day is considered to be the ideal amount.
 

Studies have found that taking omega-3 fatty acids from fish or fish oil results in fewer deaths from coronary artery disease. Supplementing your diet and exercise regime with omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil is known to lessen cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure and triglycerides. In addition, clinical studies have shown that supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce over all body fat.

12.  Take a Pass On The Soda and Slim Down With Water & Tea!

Water is essential to human life. It is necessary to the health and wellness of everyone. Without the proper consumption of water the body assumes that it must retain everything because it is in a drought or famine condition. It is also the key to losing weight and maintaining weight loss. If you are not drinking enough water, your body will developed a pattern of storing water. This water retention equals extra unwanted weight and a more sluggish unhealthy you.

By drinking more water you are flushing out toxins and you are also telling your body that it no longer needs to store water. You should drink at least 60 ounces of water a day. That is approximately 8 glasses a day.

Here is a tip that can be very helpful. Boil some water and add sliced lemon, and drink it throughout the day to help with fluid retention. If you are still not sold on the benefits of water consider this: water is a natural appetite suppressant.

As a weight loss tool, tea is a wonderfully cleansing way to flush the system, it replace fluids and pump the body full of powerful antioxidants at the same time. Aside from the multitude of health benefits, tea is a zero-calorie beverage. This makes it the natural choice for weight loss. Take a pass on the soda, loaded with sugar and bone-weakening bubbles and disease causing chemicals, and go for tea.

 
Drinking green tea throughout the day has a positive impact on virtually every system in the body, including the cardiovascular; circulatory; respiratory; nervous; lymphatic; immune; urogenital; and musculoskeletal systems. Few substances can boast the broad-spectrum impact that green tea has on our bodies. It helps to Regulate cholesterol levels, increase HDL levels (the "good" cholesterol) and lower LDL levels ("bad" cholesterol). I also protects our hearts. It helps in the Prevention of blood clots and maintains the smooth flow of blood through our veins, preventing problems such as strokes, angina, and heart attacks.

Through it is a bitter substance, green tea harmonizes and aids the digestion, balances the intestines and the stomach. Green tea contains anti-oxidants that help to destroy harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi. This keeps our immune systems toned and constantly working at an optimal level. Green tea strengthens our teeth and bones, and helps to prevent future problems such as osteoporosis and tooth decay. Other substances in green tea help us stay fit by metabolizing fat. By preventing obesity, we help ward off a plethora of obesity-related diseases.

13.  Add Protein To Subtract Pounds

Before you go and jump on the high protein band wagon that is not what this article is suggesting. Instead, The health and nutrition specialists here at East West Center for Natural Medicine are suggesting that replacing some of the excess carbohydrates and fats in your meals and snacks with small amounts of protein can improve your chances of successful weight loss. Here is a helpful list of ways to do this:

• Make the first meal of the your day protein-rich. People who eat protein at breakfast have an easier time sticking to a healthy diet throughout the day. Healthy sources of protein such as nuts, beans, fish and eggs are ideal. For breakfast, try including a hard-boiled egg, beans and rice or salmon.  A sprinkle of ground flaxseeds or nuts on your cereal can add protein as well.

• Plan ahead to have protein on hand for snacks. Carry nuts, soy nuts or maybe a home made granola in your gym bag. There are foods listed in our recipes section of the home page that are delicious as well as appropriate to your needs.
 
• Experiment with canned tuna or chicken for a snack. Mix with low-fat mayo, pepper, pickle relish, and a bit of mustard. Enjoy on whole grain crackers. (Do not use canned tuna more than once a week as it is high in mecury)

• Avoid adding unnecessary and unhealthy saturated fat to your diet with too much red meat. Instead chose lean protein sources such as beans, fish, tofu and chicken. Try plant-based protein such as beans or tofu. You get the benefit of protein with the added bonus of fiber and healthy nutrients that are not found in meat.

• No matter how much protein you eat, keep portion sizes in check. Too many calories lead to excess body weight, no matter what their form.

14. Don’t compare!

You are a unique individual and your proportions should be fitting to your own size. Don’t expect yourself to become someone you will never become. Most importantly, learn to love and take care of yourself. By doing so you will help maintain a healthy body, mind and lifestyle. Remember, your whole goal is not to look like the models in magazines and on TV. Most of them are at weight  that is anorexic and downright unhealthy. Instead you should focus on the concept of “being fit” instead of “being thin.” Being fit means eating right with moderation, exercising or engaging in physical activities on a regular basis and having a positive mental attitude.
 

If you repeatedly fail to loss weight or keep the weight off please consult your health care provider to determine possible underlying causes, either mental/emotional or physical. If you would like help to begin this journey in losing weight and become healthier, please talk to the health care professionals at East West Center for Natural Healing 574-210-4982. We can provide you with a weight management program that includes herbal treatment, lifestyle coaching and education and supplements.

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