The overall purpose of a holistic approach to losing weight is to take the steps toward a more pure source of food and eliminate toxins from your body so it has the ability to right itself, cure any imbalances and recreate health at the cellular level. Diet and lifestyle modifications will allow your body to shed any excess fat stores, naturally strive to find fitness and give you mental clarity. As long as you keep active and moving, your body will bounce back to a prime and healthy natural weight. It is all about learning how to eat in harmony with your body's needs and finding peace in your self.
Step 1
Be realistic. Consider the way you have been eating for the past few years: Has it been pretty healthy or really off the mark? How do you want to feel? What do you want to look like? Write down these present habits and your future goals.
Step 2
Write down everything you have eaten for the past week, to know what patterns you are working with.
Step 3
Make a list of healthy foods you have eaten and would gladly eat more of (favorite vegetable dish, rice pilaf, salad or fruit...).
Step 4
Make of list of foods you should avoid eating while trying to lose weight (comfort foods full of fat, chips, ice cream, heavy dairy products and simple carbohydrates...).
Step 5
Know that changes to lifestyle and eating habits do not come easily or quickly. Make a reasonable goal for yourself; aim for a comfortable skin and happiness with your body image. The challenge of holistic weight loss is not how quickly you can lose pounds, but how efficiently you can get your body to metabolize the foods you eat.
Step 6
Make a goal to increase your raw food intake to about 60 percent of your daily consumption, within an attainable amount of time. This will assure your increase in fiber and vital nutrients is gained, both of which are needed to lose weight and achieve better health long term.
Buy lots of vegetables and salad makings, avoiding high fat dressings, plus make sure you get plenty of fruits and nuts. Start juicing and making smoothies with your new purchases. Try experimenting with different foods, adding them to your existing recipes (e.g., sub in eggplant or zucchini to your basic stir-fry dish, or topping your salad with sunflower seeds).
Step 7
Educate yourself on good sources of protein and carbohydrates, keeping in mind that extreme diets like veganism or the macrobiotic diet are not necessary to lose weight. We are omnivores by nature, so if you eat meat, you do not have to eliminate it, just cut down on the quantity and frequency of consumption. High protein diets can be hard on the digestive system, especially if it is mainly red meat, or lacking vegetable matter. Too much protein can consume our energy reserves, slowing down metabolism and increasing fatigue. Changing your sources of protein to a lean one can be beneficial to balancing your metabolism: Try adding more fish, white meat, vegetable proteins if needed.
If you are vegetarian, evaluate what foods you eat, how much and how often; and make sure you have a balance of proteins and carbohydrates in your daily diet. Any imbalances can lead to deprivation of vital nutrients and will make your body go into "starvation mode" creating a cycle of slowing metabolism and increasing fat reserves.
Step 8
Increase your fiber intake. The fresh foods will help with this too, but grains, seeds and legumes can provide your body with soluble (easily digestible) fiber. Fiber also helps create a feeling of fullness, decrease appetite and maintain level blood glucose throughout the day---good for avoiding cravings and hunger pains.
Step 9
Find a good source of recipes that use fresh foods, raw foods, vegan items, local foods, gluten-free or low-carb products. Just make sure they are focused on natural foods, not based on commercial "low-fat" hydrogenated/homogenized ingredients, like famous "diet brands." Don't be afraid to try new things; you'll reap the rewards.
Step 10
Plan your meals out a week at a time--inching your way toward success is the best model. Consuming several small meals a day, versus a few larger meals. Your body burns food and fat more effectively if it is provided in smaller portions, keeping blood sugar levels even and lessening cravings and unhealthy binges.
Step 11
Slow down. Chew your food completely, allowing the enzymes in your mouth to break down carbohydrates. This one process starts the act of peristaltia and increases your complete nutrient absorption throughout the GI tract, which will make you healthier overall!
Step 12
Do not eat anything high in calories close to bedtime. Your digestion slows considerably during the sleep cycle, and any food will just putrify in the gut overnight, causing a sluggish metabolism in the morning.
Step 13
Memorize the principle of eat less and burn more. This will be how you increase your metabolism. The goal of holistic weight loss is to accelerate energy spending while balancing the absorption of nutrients and allowing the body to find equilibrium.
Step 14
Increase your activity level, whatever that is. Do more of what you enjoy: walking, cycling, swimming, as long as you get your heart rate up for 30 minutes several times a week. Get out of the house and have fun, or stay at home and do an exercise video, anything that gets you moving more regularly. Daily increase of activity is necessary, as this guarantees an increase of calories burned and get fresh blood flowing to every organ in your body, key to gaining mental clarity and relieving daily stresses.
Step 15
Be rational, don't do anything in excess, not even exercise. Moderation is key. Don't push too hard, and pace yourself. Otherwise, you'll peak and plateau. Slow and steady wins the race in holistic weight loss.
Tips and Warnings
- Tip: Beware of highly concentrated calories in healthy snacks like dried fruit, granola, smoothies and juices. Although good for you, they should be eaten in moderation. The fact that obesity is a national epidemic may not be entirely dependent on diet and exercise. Our daily exposure to chemicals in our world may be contributing to our body's fat storage. Whole, unrefined foods offer the safest nutrients--nourishing all the body's cells and detoxifying at the same time. Cook as many meals and snacks for yourself so you know every ingredient.
Things You'll Need
- The desire to make a change in your life
- The willpower to see it through
- The care to keep your self in check, daily
- A good support system of people who back you up in your endeavors
- A basic knowledge of what foods are healthy and what foods are not
- The capacity to be active or exercise
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