By pH health care professionals

Most people know that there is an obesity epidemic in the U.S. Although excessive food intake and lack of activity remain the main culprits, there are many reasons why people become overweight. Some of them include more sugar being added to foods, environmental toxins, excessive antibiotic use, diet drinks, hormone-treated cattle, increase in stress levels and lack of sleep. The problem is only getting worse.

So what can you do?

•          Pay attention to the calories you are eating. Learn about how many calories your body needs in a day and pay attention to the calories in the foods you eat. You can determine how many calories your body needs through a body composition test, which will give you a basal metabolic rate.  
•          Pay attention to the quality of calories you are eating. If you eat a cookie, for example, you will find that you will be hungry again in as little as one hour. Your body likes water, raw & organic vegetables and fruit, fiber, lean protein, healthy carbohydrates (such as potatoes, quinoa and brown rice).
•          Eat earlier in the day for weight loss. Eating the same foods but earlier in the day (before 3 p.m.) equates to better weight loss, according to a recent study. Avoid heavy dinners at the end of the day, and try to eat your largest meal in the morning or afternoon. If you skip breakfast because you’re not hungry, you may have eaten too many calories the night before and they may still be lying around in your gastrointestinal system.
•          Learn to experience being “hungry” again. Don’t just eat because it’s time. Listen to your body. “Am I really hungry?” If not, just have a drink of water or tea, or have a low-calorie snack. Additional benefits from intermittent fasting is to increase insulin sensitivity. That means your carbohydrate metabolism works better. The body does not get overwhelmed with too much food and end up needing to produce even more insulin and other digestive enzymes.
•          Reduce your portion sizes. Why not simply chew slower and eat 12 percent less than the usual portion sizes? This gives you essentially the same food you are enjoying, but is better for your digestion. The reduced calorie intake can add up in many pounds in weight loss.
•          Adjust your calorie intake to your physical activity. If you are changing from a more active lifestyle to a sedentary office job, you will also need to adjust to lower calorie intake. If you are signing up as a lumber jack or for mail delivery, you will burn more calories and therefore, you likely may need to adjust your calorie intake upwards.
•          Exercise. Sure it works, but exercise has to be implemented on a regular basis. Many people get stuck into a routine of “exercising like crazy” for two months or so and then become injured as a result or lose steam. Exercise should be implemented on a regular basis for 30 minutes at least four to five days per week, ideally. Younger people can exercise more vigorously, but even a steady fast-paced walking regimen can be very effective. Watch out for the trap of overeating right after exercise, because it will defeat its purpose. Think about eating a 700-calorie food item in just five minutes, versus working out intensely to burn the same calories in an hour and a half.
•          Be consistent. No weight loss program works unless you do it consistently, and it does not necessarily have to be rigid. Try the 80/20 rule, where you eat good, healthy food 80 percent of the time, while giving yourself some wiggle room for the other 20 percent (taking the “guilty” out of “guilty pleasure”). Same thing goes with exercise. If you miss two or three days, simply make up for it another time – don’t be too hard on yourself. But overall, aim for consistency, because inconsistency won’t give you the results you’re looking for.
•          Make sure you’re getting the vitamins and nutrients you need. Did you know that research shows simply taking a daily multivitamin may help with maintaining a healthy weight? The idea is that many biochemical processes in the body need enzymes to function best. A number of minerals like magnesium, zinc, selenium, as well as many vitamins such as B and D, are essential for proper functioning.
•          Be proactive! Get tested to see which nutrients your body is missing so you can address the deficiency as needed. It is also recommended that you get a body composition test done so you can definitively know what your basal metabolic rate it and can tailor your diet and lifestyle accordingly. Lastly, consider talking to a doctor about whether any hormonal/thyroid issues are interfering with your body’s ability to lose weight.

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.