WEIGHT LOSS VERSUS WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Health Coaching
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The Journey to True Health: Beyond
Weight Loss

As many people embark on the journey of weight loss, we often overlook one crucial aspect: our innate health. We become fixated on a number, focusing on losing weight through various diets, while forgetting to truly tune into our bodies and listen. Our bodies are incredibly intelligent and have an amazing ability to adapt, change, and heal on their own, yet we often underestimate them.

Headaches & Root Causes:

Suffering from headaches? Reaching for that painkiller again and again may not be the long-term solution. A headache is simply a symptom, not the root cause. We need to address the root cause rather than continuously treating symptoms. The same applies to weight gain. While we may focus on losing weight, it’s important to prioritize our health and listen to what our bodies are telling us.

Health Over Weight Loss:

Weight gain can be a symptom, not the primary issue. As we strive for weight loss, we should first aim to improve our health. Focus on feeling better, increasing energy, healing metabolism, reducing inflammation, balancing hormones, and improving sleep quality.

A weight loss mindset is often focused on image, aiming to fit into an idealized beauty standard. This leads to food plans centered on restriction and short-term fixes. Restriction places the body in survival mode, which lowers metabolism and can actually hinder weight loss. A body in survival mode will hold onto fat until it feels safe enough to let go.

The Right Focus:

If you’ve tried every diet and still can’t lose weight, it’s possible that you’re focusing on the wrong symptoms. Nutrition should be enjoyable. If it’s not, you’re probably doing it wrong. Nourishing your body properly will make you feel amazing. When food is your medicine, it heals, energizes, balances hormones, improves gut health, and enhances sleep quality. Ultimately, this will help you maintain a healthy weight.

Weight management should focus on improving overall health—not just weight loss. It’s about eating well, staying physically active, and improving sleep. While weight loss may occur as a side effect, it shouldn’t be the primary goal.

A Lifelong Commitment:

Weight management is about wellness, with the primary focus being on creating a healthy body. Food plans should be designed for lifelong eating that supports our bodies and helps maintain a healthy weight. This is a lifelong journey, not a quick fix.

A holistic approach to health involves focusing on how you feel: mind, body, and spirit. There’s no endpoint. It’s about creating a lifestyle that nurtures your well-being for the long term.

A Quick Gut Check:

Ask yourself these simple questions:

  • Can I live/eat like this for the rest of my life?

  • Am I treating my body with respect and doing things that are loving for both my body and mind?

  • Am I sacrificing my health to achieve a certain weight goal?

  • Am I equating my self-worth to a number on a scale or a pair of jeans?

Final Thoughts:

Through weight management, you can enjoy life without enduring miserable diets. By developing healthier habits, you’ll experience the benefits of weight loss while realizing that this new way of living is far better than the old one.

Sarah Koenig
Weight Management Practitioner
Your Home of Health

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