Weight Loss
As of 2017, 64% of Canadians over 18 years old were obese or overweight.
So it’s absolutely critical that you get yourself to a healthy weight in order to reduce your risk of these diseases. Plus, losing weight has also been shown to boost energy, boost confidence, improve mood, improve intimate relationships and may even improve your memory.
When it comes to losing weight, we implement a plan that addresses 4 major pillars (see below). This ensures that you not only achieve but exceed your goals AND you sustain them.
Inflammation
Addressing inflammation is important to get underneath the root cause of resistant weight loss. Inflammation can mount due to hidden food allergens or sensitivities. And we reduce inflammation by eating an anti-inflammatory diet.
Environmental Chemicals AKA ‘obesogens’
A subset of environmental chemicals have been named “obesogens”. These are chemicals that are involved in weight gain, and may be contributing to the obesity problem worldwide. The term obesogens was coined around 2006, based on the knowledge that exposures during early development to specific chemicals were found to disrupt metabolic processes and increase susceptibility to weight gain across the lifespan.
Examples of chemicals that may be obesogens
- Cigarette smoke
- Air pollution
- Tributyltin, a chemical that is widely used as a fungicide and heat stabilizer in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) piping
- Flame retardants
- Phthalates, a broad class of chemicals that are added to many consumer products to make them softer
- Bisphenol A
- Some pesticides
- Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), industrial chemicals that were used widely in the past in products such as paints, cements, fluorescent light ballasts, sealants, and adhesives.
Bio-individuality
There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to diet. The more we learn about our own individuality, the more we understand why some people respond better to some diets compared to others. There are genetic variations that determine our body’s ability to breakdown and extract various nutrients. AND there are differences in our microbiome that make some of us more susceptible to over-eating or specific food cravings. In order to make sure your diet works for you we need to make sure it is tailored to your bio-individuality.
Longevity
I once read “there’s a reason why ‘the biggest loser’ TV program never does a reunion show”. The reason is that most of the contestants gain all of the weight back. Maintaining weight loss is notoriously difficult. That’s because the conventional “restrict calories” approach is not enough in today’s environment. The world we live in is full of environmental stressors that creates inflammation and environmental chemicals that disrupt our metabolism.
You can stop beating yourself up if you haven’t yet achieved your goal. You just haven’t had the right strategy.
Homework
Think about your body composition goals. How much weight do you need to lose? Pick a date (be reasonable with yourself here) that you would like to have achieved your goal. A good rule of thumb is to plan to lose 1-1.5 pounds per week.
Now imagine what it will feel like to be at your goal weight. How will you move? How will you show up in the world? Create a clear vision in your mind. Use this as your motivation. Connect with this goal every single morning.
Book an appointment with Dr. Bozinovski ND. to get started on your individual weight loss plan.
References
Government of Canada. Tackling Obesity In Canada.
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/obesity-excess-weight-rates-canadian-adults.html
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Obesogens.
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/conditions/obesity/obesogens/index.cfm