Weight loss can be a really tricky topic to navigate. With ever-increasing pressure from the fashion and beauty media, alarming advertising campaigns and a fatphobic rhetoric that is ingrained in our current society, it can honestly be tough to feel good about yourself at times. But no matter what your body looks or feels like, you’ve still got every reason to love the skin you’re in.
That being said, there are some times in life you may look to lose weight. It could be for health reasons, it could be for fitness and flexibility reasons… Whatever they are, if you decide it’s time to shift some excess kilos, there are healthy and sustainable ways to go about it. As a Naturopath who specialises in women’s hormonal health, it’s an area that I have developed experience in over the years.
Feel like you’ve tried every diet under the sun? Been to a million different group fitness classes? And somehow you’re still not getting the results you’re looking for? This is likely because the underlying cause still hasn’t been addressed. For some, a simple dietary switch and more frequent exercise may be all that is needed. But for others who might be experiencing a hormonal imbalance or water retention issues, losing weight (and keeping it off) is going to mean you need to pry a little further. Here’s how we do it:
1. Determine The Underlying Causative Factors Preventing Weight Loss
One of the first goals I like to set in a naturopathic consultation is determining the underlying causative factors behind any condition. We will of course work together to manage symptoms, which in the case of weight loss may involve a revised dietary and exercise plan, but the main goal is to find the root cause. When we can locate what’s driving an imbalance, we can unpick the entire structure so the symptoms you struggle with don’t continue to come back. Common areas to investigate are inflammation, thyroid imbalance (not just with a TSH reading), female hormone imbalance and blood sugar regulation issues.
2. Draw Up A Holistic, Individualised Dietary Plan
The best diets are highly individualized. Because what works for you and supports and nourishes your body, may be entirely different for someone else. As a Naturopath, one of the core pillars of weight loss focuses on the foods you eat, and how those can be adjusted to help you meet your goals. Dietary plans very rarely involve fad diets or harmful calorie deficits, and often focus on a ‘crowding out’ approach, where you focus on filling your diet with good stuff, rather than just eliminating the bad stuff. We also make sure it fits into your cooking style, lifestyle and family needs.
3. Create A Sustainable, Enjoyable Exercise Plan
The key to sticking to your exercise plan is filling it with exercise you enjoy. There’s no point in committing to an expensive HIIT group class membership if you hate going each morning; you’ve got to love the exercise you do, then you’ll want to do it all the time. There are three core pillars of exercise – strength, cardiovascular and flexibility. The best plan for you will incorporate all of the above. You may love running and yoga, you might like weight lifting and long walks. Whatever brings you joy is the best kind of exercise.
3. Prescribe Supplements for Underlying Factors
One of the core pillars that sets apart a Naturopathic treatment protocol from others is our ability to determine and prescribe supplements to address any underlying factors. So, if a hormonal imbalance is the reason for any weight changes, the right supplements in the right doses can be made available to you to support you on your journey toward overall health.
Weight loss can be a challenging and emotionally exhausting space to navigate, but with the right team by your side, you can get to the ultimate state of health and wellbeing that you’re craving.
If you’re interested in seeing how we can work together, head here to book your free discovery session.
