How To Lose Weight In A Healthy Way With A Holistic Approach

Weight and health walk close to each, but there is more to wellness than the scale can tell. Let’s see how you can use a holistic approach to your favor.

And we reach the final post of our series on weight loss. After going through the aspects involved in methods to get rid of extra pounds, I hope I helped have a better idea of it.

For this installment, I want to connect the dots with you. Because it’s rare to hear people say they want to lose weight, but what does it mean? What does it mean to them? And if you’re one of them, what does it mean to you?

Disclaimer

Please note that I am a Holistic Life Coach and Certified Personal Trainer, but I’m not a health care provider. My recommendations don’t substitute personal supervision. That’s why I’m not going to go into details here. If you are (fitness) athletes or are following specific medical orientation, you’ll still find these tips useful. However, the content below is written having in mind those who aren’t following restricting plans.

Either way, I would highly recommend you mention and inquiry your health care provider about these suggestions. Chances are they can also be beneficial to you and support your current treatment.

Let’s start with the question that rules all the other ones…

Do you really need to lose weight?

“What are you asking, Debbie? Can’t you see it yourself?”

Even though I only know most of you through pictures, I have probably already “seen” you indeed. But there’s no way I can determine whether you need to lose weight or not based on general pictures.

Besides, many people think they need to lose weight when in fact what they need is to improve the quality of their weight.

Body fat is way much more important for health than what’s on the scale. So while you may think you need to lose extra pounds, turning them into muscle mass might be the best approach to you.

And guess, what? The same goes for those who think their weight is just fine.

If possible, have someone help you out with a caliper. When you don’t have access to one, try at least the waist circumference test.

Weight can be deceiving. And since our focus is on health, it’s never too much to check it out first.

For more Holistic Health tips read also:

Things to take into consideration

Assuming losing weight is indeed the option for you.

How much do you need to lose?

Again another tricky question. The issue is not about how much you need to lose to:

look like someone else
please someone else
fit in your prom outfit
have a bikini body

It’s about how much weight you should have to support optimal health.

If your goal has been determined by your health care provider, chances are you have gone through tests already. But if you made up this number yourself, thinking about these points are crucial to your success.

Looking like someone else

We live in a time when the idea is to look or pretend to be someone else, but almost never ourselves.

Who we are, our thoughts and attitudes are forced back to the second plan while we almost desperately try to fit in. It’s the same story at work, social relationships and, sometimes, even at home. It’s a make-believe game that never ends.

The fact is: you are not meant to look like or be anybody else. Your goal is to become the best version of whom you’re meant to be. Not another being.

So if your goal involves becoming someone else, erase it, rewind it and start it all over again. You can and SHOULD have role models and references, but wanting to become them is another issue. It might sound like a great idea in the beginning, but it’s not enough to get you to your goals.

Go to the List

Pleasing someone else

Partners, family members, relatives, and friends have (most of the time) the best intentions. Sometimes they say (harsh) things hoping to convince us to make better choices. While it’s a blessing to have people who care about us unless you are on the same page, it’s not enough to commit.

To change habits, it's necessary much more than just wish. #health #weightloss Click To Tweet

You have to have a strong desire within you to make consistent moves. Just your partner calling you names or your friends joking about your appearance is not enough. Most of the time, such attitudes deliver quite the opposite effect. They cause shame, guilt, anxiety, depression and other devastating consequences.

If you are going through something similar, meditate on the message. Position yourself not as “victim”, but observe the content. Take away what matters and discard the rubbish. If their point sounds logical and motivating to you, use it. But don’t get started just because “whoever” told or ordered you to.

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Fitting in your prom outfit

Or maybe it’s your wedding dress or clothes from years ago.

Our body changes over the years. While you should be aiming to a healthy figure, it may not be necessary mean you’ll fit in your wardrobe from a decade ago.

Unless you know someone who could make use of your clothes, let them go. Keeping something hoping you’ll be able to wear it again just-because makes no sense.

It’s OK if it’s something you would wear again and that is not that far away from the physique you have today. But if it’s not the case, let’s rotate this stored energy.

How many old-fashioned pieces you keep just to for the sake of torturing yourself? That’s not the purpose they were made for.

Let's turn the page and look ahead when setting our goals. #health #weightloss Click To Tweet

You’re not moving backwards.

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Having a bikini body

The reactions to having a “bikini body” last summer were fantastic. Why? If you buy yourself a bikini and put it on, guess what? You have a bikini body! Congratulations. You’ve reached your goal!!!

The same goes for being skinny. Do you know anyone without skin?!? I hope your answer was “no”. Which leads us to the fact that every single person on the face of the earth is “skinny”.

This whole talk about having a bikini body sounds a lot like fitting in outfits from the past. Being able to wear a particular dress is not enough motivation to get up earlier to go to the gym, or stop by a park to jog after a busy day at the office. It might be OK for a week or 2, but when the first challenge comes, chances are you’ll quit.

You need a compelling reason to change your habits. #health #weightloss Click To Tweet

So forget all this nonsense.

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The holistic approach

Before signing up for a gym, hiring a personal trainer or spending money on fitness equipment, ask yourself these 2 questions:

do I really need to lose weight?
why do I want to lose weight?

Take a deep breath and look around you:

Is there anyone influencing your decision?
Is it a positive or a negative influence?
Are you doing it for self-love or imposed guilty?
When you look at the journey ahead of you, how do you feel?
Does the future look bright for you? Or is it all painful?
Does this visualization exercise bring you peace or stress?
Are you sitting relaxed as you read my words? Or are your shoulders almost touching your ears?

I want you to listen to your body and evaluate if the time is right for you. I’ll be here sharing tips on how you can build habits for a fit lifestyle and on how you create a sustainable plan. But they only work if you are ready.

Whether it’s your time or not, I invite to share your feelings and your pain-points. I want to know what is holding you back. Why do you think it’s too early?

What’s your number 1 struggle when trying to live healthier?

I sincerely hope you found this series helpful. I’m looking forward bringing you more and more tips on how you be healthy and live fully without added stress. I know you can do it, and I’m here to help you on your journey.

Please read all the posts of this series:

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Be Healthy and Live Fully.