February 14th, 2020
Last updated: February 14th, 2020
It’s the new year and many people are looking to start the new decade with a new commitment to their health. WellHealth understands that weight loss is where many patients start their New Year Resolutions, so we have ranked our 5 Best Weight Loss Principles to help you move into the new year with confidence.
- Stay hydrated
Drink water. Could it be that simple? Water makes up nearly 60% of the human body, and refreshing the water supply ensures your organs, joints and digestion work properly. Drinking water can boost your metabolism, which can help you burn the calories you need to meet your weight loss goals.
But how much water should you drink? A common goal is 8 glasses of water per day, but if you’re looking to be more scientific, the institute of medicine reports that men should drink 13 cups (3 liters) of water per day, and a little over 9 cups (2 liters) for women.
Hydration is an essential box to check on the journey to holistic wellness, and if you need a little extra help, these apps can help remind you to drink your water.
- Cut back on sugar
A study from researchers at Tufts University concluded that 90% of all added sugars consumed by Americans comes from processed foods. It’s safe to say, nearly all processed foods are packed with sugar. If you’re looking to cut back on the sugar this year, you should look to avoid foods which contain large amounts of added sugar:
Breads Soft Drinks and Fruit Drinks Cakes, Cookies & pie Salty snacks Frozen Meals Pizza Ice Cream French Fries
If your diet looks similar to the list above, don’t feel bad, it just means you have more opportunities to reduce your sugar intake! Substituting whole foods for the processed foods above is a great way to start. With packaged foods, a good rule of thumb is the fewer ingredients a food product has, the less likely it is to have added sugar.
- Movement
One of the core weight loss principles is intentional movement. Movement takes many forms and is not exclusive to a specific type of exercise. The Mayo Clinic reports that healthy adults should exercise for 150 minutes per week (roughly 30 minutes per day), so that is a good goal to aim for. No matter where you are in your exercise journey, moving your body is essential to reaching weight loss goals. Whether you are performing aerobic exercise like extended walks, running, exercise bike, treadmill, etc. or anaerobic exercise such as strength training, setting an achievable exercise goal can help you get on track for 2020.
- Support
On a self-improvement journey like weight loss, finding a supportive community can be essential to the success of the program. Top-notch patient experience is at the core of everything we do at WellHealth, so we partnered with one of the nation’s best bias-free, more human medical weight loss program called Enara. A core component of the effectiveness of this program is the support provided by a care team dedicated to ensuring you achieve your weight loss goals. The research around support communities is astounding, and patients who participate in this program achieve 15% average sustained weight loss over 2 years, and over 93% of our patients with Type-2 Diabetes achieve an HgA1c below 6.5 and are able to get off their medication.
At WellHealth, we believe your primary care team should be involved in your holistic wellness, even when you’re not in the clinic, so be sure to ask about ways to connect with your care teams in-between appointments.
- Build healthy habits
Charles Duhigg, author of “The Power of Habit” says “Champions don’t do extraordinary things. They do ordinary things, but they do them without thinking, too fast for the other team to react. They follow the habits they’ve learned.” This is especially true for Weight Loss Principles, which seem extraordinarily simple, but require dedication, patience and resolve. Start small and be purposeful, the difference between reaching your goals or not could be 1 extra glass of water per day, or 45 minutes extra exercise per week. Create time and space to achieve your goals.
Weight loss isn’t the only measure of health, but it is often a good way to reset your health-oriented goals at the beginning of the new year.
WellHealth understands that wellness isn’t a linear journey, which is why we are creating more touchpoints for patients to get the information and support they need outside the clinic. Visit WellHealthDFW.com to schedule an appointment, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram for daily content.
