As the holiday season approaches in full swing, now is the time to implement healthy habits to avoid weight gain and even lose weight. You may already have “getting back in shape” on your 2021 New Year’s Resolutions list, but why wait until the new year to discover a new, healthier you?
At Amy Brenner, MD & Associates, our staff strives to help patients look and feel better—inside and out. We understand it can be tricky to break old habits and start changing your lifestyle, which is exactly why we offer top-of-the-line weight loss programs in Cincinnati to guide you through the journey.
Keep reading to learn more about healthy eating habits to lose weight and our unique program that will help you keep the weight off.
Why does the body gain weight in the first place?
Before we answer that, let’s differentiate between types of weight gain. You could be gaining water weight, which may leave you feeling swollen and bloated. You could also be building muscle. One pound of muscle is more compact than a pound of fat, which is why people often say “muscle weighs more than fat.” If you’re eating right and lifting weights, you may notice your figure slimming up but the number on the scale may be a little higher than expected.
Pro tip: In this case, measuring your body with a tape measure can give you a lot more insight on fat loss and whether or not you are getting smaller. If you are losing inches around your waist, it doesn’t really matter what the scale says.
The weight gain we want to focus on is fat gain. Now, keep in mind gaining weight because of fat doesn’t mean your body is growing more fat cells; the number of fat cells in your body stays relatively constant once you reach adulthood. Fat gain actually comes from fat cells increasing in mass and getting bigger. So when you “lose fat” you’re shrinking those enlarged fat cells.
With that in mind, growing fat gain doesn’t come out of nowhere, and many people try to make the process more complicated than it actually is. There are two factors that come into play for weight gain.
- The number of calories you consume
- The number of calories you burn
So, if you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. If you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you eat and burn calories at about an equal rate, you will maintain your current weight.
In general, weight gain is influenced by:
- The amount of food or beverages you consume
- Your metabolism (people with higher metabolisms will burn more calories)
- How often you exercise / how physically active you are
- Age
- Genetics
- Stress levels (stress releases the hormone cortisol, which can cause cravings for sweets and fatty foods)
Healthy habits you can try to help you lose weight
It may sound easier to go on some “fad diet”’ and lose 30 pounds in 30 days. Not only is that super unhealthy, most people end up going back to their usual lifestyle once the diet is complete. As you can guess, returning to the same bad habits that caused you to gain weight may reverse the weight you worked hard to lose.
That is exactly why healthy lifestyle changes are better than temporary diets. It may take longer to reach your goal weight, but you’ll find it much easier to maintain your weight loss later on.
Pay attention to what you’re drinking
Some people eat extremely healthy yet still have trouble losing weight. Whenever you’re counting calories, you cannot ignore beverages. That “harmless” coffee you get at Starbucks every morning could be adding hundreds of calories to your day without you even knowing. A great habit to try is limiting how many high-calorie drinks you have each day. If you can, limiting yourself to only water can make a world of difference, and your body will thank you too!
Do something active each day
We aren’t saying you should engage in strenuous physical activity every day (rest days are crucial), but we are saying moving your body each day can have a huge impact on your health. Even if you’re not a person who goes to the gym, there are simple ways you can incorporate getting more active on a daily basis, including:
- Walking your dog in the morning
- Parking further away in parking lots
- Taking the stairs instead of elevators
- Playing with your kids
Find ways to limit stress
Since stress raises cortisol levels and, in turn, unhealthy cravings, finding ways to limit stress can help keep your weight down. Not everything works for everyone, but meditating, having pamper days, trying out yoga, and even speaking to a therapist can reduce stress levels. Plus, when you live a stress-free life, you may find yourself happier with a more positive outlook on life.
Fill your plate with lots of vegetables
The great thing about vegetables is that they are typically very low in calories, yet high in fiber. That means you can add more to your plate without going into a caloric surplus. For example, for dinner, instead of having equal services of meatloaf, rice, and veggies, try filling half your plate with vegetables. In doing so, you’ll probably have less room for the more calorie-dense foods.
Limit eating out to once a week
If you’re a person who eats out every day or multiple times a week (fast-food included), you could be consuming way more calories than you actually think. Even a salad from McDonald’s can come with a hefty number of calories. It may be difficult at first, but if you limit eating out, you may find yourself losing weight. An added bonus? You could be saving a lot of money, too.
Get to know the Healthy Habits Weight Loss Program at Amy Brenner, MD & Associates
Sometimes it can be hard to jumpstart your lifestyle change on your own, and that’s where our Healthy Habits program comes in. With our physician-supervised program, you get diet plans that not only will help you lose weight but also learn healthier eating habits. We will also ensure you have all the tools you need to maintain your weight loss.
Why do people gain weight after dieting?
There are a variety of reasons why someone may gain their weight back. First, whenever you eat in a caloric deficit, your metabolism could slow down. So if you jump from eating 1,400 calories a day to 2,000 right away, your body may store the extra calories it’s not used to consuming. Oftentimes, these “diets” are designed as temporary eating patterns rather than long-term changes you could implement for the rest of your life. Second, some diets may leave you feeling fatigued and hungry. That means you may not even have the energy to complete it, or when you do, you eat a lot more than normal to satisfy the cravings you’ve ignored.
Unlike other diet and weight loss programs, our Health Habits program brings real results. Why? Because we combine your diet plan (with foods you buy at the grocery store instead of expensive packaged meals) with prescription medications and peptide therapy to curb your appetite and boost your metabolism. These factors set you up for success so you don’t feel hungry and too tired to continue with the process. Plus, since our plans are with food you buy from the store and cook for yourself, you don’t have to worry about waiting for expensive meals or breaking your budget.
This unique, three-month program includes:
Liver Detoxification: Before you lose any weight, we will detox your liver to get rid of stored toxins and prepare your body for an increase in fat metabolism.
Lipo B Injections: We typically give Lipo B injections every 7 to 10 days throughout your treatment to help with energy support and fat metabolism. This is optional (included with two of our packages).
Supplementation: During the restricted calorie phase, we highly recommend proper supplementation to ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs. A quality Multivitamin and Probiotic are extremely important to support your body’s proper function throughout this process.
Along with your plan, we recommend scheduling follow-up appointments with our wellness coach every 7 to 10 days throughout the process. This will help keep you on track and accountable. One thing that sets us apart from other weight loss programs is our commitment to your success. We take your goals and make them our own, so when you succeed, we do too.
Learn more about healthy eating habits to lose weight and our programs at Amy Brenner, MD & Associates
Let our health experts help you get through the weight loss process just in time for the holiday season. As a medspa and medical practice, we are uniquely equipped with the ability to not only boost your overall health, but also help you enhance your outer beauty with aesthetic treatments.
We’re here to offer a warm, friendly environment while providing the highest quality aesthetic treatments and wellness plans to help you look great and feel great. No matter what, we will stick with you throughout your entire journey, because your goals are our goals.
Get started today by using our virtual consultation tool or scheduling an appointment.
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