5 years ago | Nutrition

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By Joy Stephenson-Laws, JD, Founder

If your New Year’s resolution to lose a few pounds has gone out the window by now, I’m here to remind you that you can do it!

And you don’t have to start some crazy restrictive diet or workout like a maniac. Sometimes simply going back to the basics is all it really takes.

For example, take a look at the story of a man named Jeffrey Hadley. He lost 100 pounds in a year! Hadley did this by adopting two simple rules: no processed foods and more activity.

Processed foods (also called junk foods), especially ultra-processed foods, are not only nutrient-void but also full of added sugars, unhealthy fats and way more sodium than any of us need. Many processed foods also contain artificial colors, flavors and other chemical additives. 

Being inactive has been called by some medical professionals as “the new smoking,” because it has been linked to life-threatening health issues such as obesity and heart disease. 

So Hadley was pretty much just like millions of other Americans. According to one report, Hadley, a 50-year-old landscaper, had never previously had any weight problems. His job kept him active, and he said, “I could pretty much eat anything I wanted.”

This way of thinking can be very detrimental to your health. You can’t use physical activity to compensate for eating poor quality foods. Eventually, Hadley was promoted to a desk job as a general manager. He said he did not change his diet, and, as a result, gained 100 pounds within a couple of years.

“The more weight I gained, the more sedentary I became, and over the months I noticed I was becoming winded doing relatively easy activities like walking across the room.”

At his highest he weighed 270 and was admitted to the hospital, because he had difficulty breathing. He was diagnosed with adult-onset asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and high blood pressure (hypertension). His doctor told him that all of this could stop if he simply lost some weight.

This really resonated with Hadley, and in just a year he went from 270 to 160. More important than the number on the scale, his health issues disappeared. You may be thinking that he must have gone to extremes in order to lose so much weight in such a short period of time, but, as mentioned, Hadley just cut the processed foods and walked more. 

“The first thing I did when I got back home [from the hospital] was to research the term 'clean eating.' I learned that all the processed foods — like pizza and calzones — that were the staples of my diet were loaded with calories, added sugars and chemicals that had caused all my weight gain,” Hadley said.

He replaced these processed foods with a lot of fruits and vegetables and also ate other unprocessed foods such as eggs and meats, including chicken. (Steer clear of processed meats such as bacon and salami). He also ate oatmeal for breakfast. In addition to this, he made smarter choices at restaurants. For example, he swapped cheese steaks for plain chicken.

As far as physical activity goes, Hadley said, “I asked a friend who owned a kickboxing gym what I could do that would get me moving while being easy on my body. She told me to just walk. So that's exactly what I did.”

Walking may lead to better mental health, less stress and better metabolic health. 

At first, Hadley could not walk two steps without having to use his inhaler. But he just continued to walk and worked his way up to be able to walk two to three miles in a day and then eventually 10 miles a day. Now, he says he can run long distances.

I think it’s extremely important to highlight stories such as Hadley’s, especially when we may be getting discouraged on our own health and weight loss journeys. Hadley did not deprive himself. He simply replaced poor quality, nutrient-void foods with delicious but healthy, nutrient-rich foods. He gave his body what we all need to thrive - essential vitamins and minerals. He did not participate in extreme workouts at first. He literally took it step by step and then eventually made his way into the gym and started lifting weights.  

This isn’t to say that some of us may not need to adopt more restrictive diets (per the advice of a competent healthcare professional) or that we shouldn’t try different workouts such as weight training and cycling in the beginning of our fitness journeys. My point is that you can make a huge difference in your health with simple, small changes.

The last thing Hadley attributes to his success is consistency. He is really dedicated to his healthier lifestyle. Healthy eating and exercising is not something we should do to fix a problem. It should be our way of life. 

Tips

• The next time you go grocery shopping, stick to the produce and fresh meat and seafood sections. Try to not buy anything that comes in a package or box. Buy items such as beans and oatmeal in the bulk food section. Avoid jarred pasta sauces (which often contain a lot of sugar and sodium), and steer clear of bottled salad dressings. Make your own at home. And, of course, things like chips, cookies and crackers should stay on the shelf!
• Fit in physical activity when you can. If you are like many Americans and have a desk job, it is especially important to get up and move throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park further away from the building entrance. Organize a walking meeting instead of sitting in the conference room. Get creative!
• Know the specific nutrient deficiencies that can possibly prevent weight loss. You can read all about this here. Click here to learn about IV vitamin drips and injections and how they can help you overcome nutritional deficiencies and weight loss obstacles.
• Take routine nutrient tests. To ensure that you are nutritionally balanced and that you can move ahead full-steam with your weight loss goals, it is imperative to get a comprehensive nutrient test. Eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods helps, but it does not guarantee that your body is absorbing adequate nutrients from the foods you eat to remain healthy and help you lose weight.
• Know the nutrients needed to fuel your workouts and help with recovery after exercising. Read here to learn more about this.

Enjoy your healthy life! 

The pH professional health care team includes recognized experts from a variety of health care and related disciplines, including physicians, attorneys, nutritionists, nurses and certified fitness instructors. This team also includes the members of the pH Medical Advisory Board, which constantly monitors all pH programs, products and services. To learn more about the pH Medical Advisory Board, click here.