The wonderful season of summer that we look forward to for so many months is finally arriving and with it come longer days, warmer temps, fresh outdoor air and sunlight. It’s also the time of year when we peel back layers of clothing. Gone are the coats, sweaters and long-sleeved shirts. Hello to shorts and T’s.
But what’s that you say? You aren’t anxious to expose more of your body than is absolutely necessary? Do you find yourself searching for loose clothing to wear that doesn’t draw attention to those extra pounds that have worked themselves on over the past while? And wearing a bathing suit is just about the last thing you’d like do at the moment?
Perhaps it’s finally time to make a change in your life and leave that extra weight behind you permanently. It’s all about health, and that requires us to take responsibility for ourselves and develop the knowledge of how our bodies work. Weight gain is usually a symptom of something in our life we’re not addressing such as a poor diet, lack of regular exercise, an underlying health condition or a combination of these factors. Weight loss has everything to do with the body, mind and spirit living healthfully and in harmony. Our focus should be more on health, and less on weight loss. Once your body starts getting healthier, it should naturally come into balance and your weight will adjust itself to whatever your body optimally needs.
We’re bombarded every day with quick fixes to weight gain such as fad diets, pills and even more drastic measures like surgery. These choices may produce a short-term loss of pounds, but none of them should be regarded as natural weight-loss therapies. Ask yourself if you are willing to do what it takes for you to get the results you want, and are you willing to make it a priority in your life. If so, to help you determine sensible weight goals based on your height, build and age, first see your doctor or other health worker before you embark on a lifestyle change.
It only makes sense that exercising more and eating less food will naturally help you on the road to better health. The idea is to use up more calories than you eat. You need to use up the day’s calories and some of the calories stored in your body fat, but try to set realistic long-term goals that you’ll be able to live with. For instance, our bodies need natural movement on a regular basis. Regardless of your level of activity, just do something even if it’s 30 minutes of daily exercise such as taking a brisk walk. Find an exercise program that you like and then stick with it. Start slowly or go with a friend to help keep you motivated. If you join a gym, have a personal trainer personalize an exercise program specifically geared toward your fitness and weight loss goals.
Make some easy practical changes in your daily diet to cut calories and eat healthier. Here are a few ideas. Cut down the size of your portions and take smaller meals and snacks more often throughout the day. Broaden the variety of your food for vitamin and nutrients. Eat less fat and sugar - fried foods and fatty desserts can quickly use up a day’s calories and don’t give you the nutrients you need. Eat plenty of raw vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products like bread and rice.
Restrict the intake of toxins ‑ many substances we eat daily can be harmful to our bodies, including caffeine, refined white flour, sugar, sugar substitutes, refined salt, processed food additives, to name just a few. You have a choice what you consume. Feed your body with care.
A few other tips include choosing foods whose labels say low, light or reduced to describe calories or fat; using 1 percent or skim milk products and reduced fat cheeses; replacing ice cream with fat‑free frozen yogurt ; ensure fish, poultry and meat are lean - trim skin and fat. Drink less alcohol or cut it out completely. Drink more water and make it the purest water available - pure, clean water energizes, cleanses and sustains us. Weight loss can also be a very pleasant and natural experience enjoying a daily session in a far infrared sauna. You can safely burn up to 600 calories in a single 30minute session, flushing fats from your body along with re-hydrating yourself with pure, calorie-free water. The infrared rays gently penetrate one and a half inches into your skin, enabling the sweating process to take place much more effectively and at much lower temperatures than a traditional sauna. The radiant heat surrounds you and penetrates deeply into joints, muscles and tissues, raising metabolism, speeding oxygen flow and increasing circulation. Using the sauna helps to purify cells, specifically the cells inside fat where the body stores waste and harmful toxins, such as cholesterol. A far infrared sauna should be an ideal component of your overall weight loss program.
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