At any given time, approximately 20% of Americans are on a diet, according to CDC statistics. With the current obesity rate at over 42%, it does not seem like enough people are trying to get healthier.
Our topic for today’s blog post deals with the concept of easy weight loss, and I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the answer is a resounding no. If there were an easy way to lose weight, we would not be in the midst of a crisis in the United States, and obesity would not be on the list of the top causes of early preventable death.
The news is not all bad, however; there are strategies and help for those who wish to lose weight and keep it off. While there is no easy way to lose weight, there are easier ways to do so.
What Is Holding Back Your Weight Loss?
A recent survey indicated that 6 out of 10 Americans admitted that they felt that trying to lose weight through diet and exercise was almost as bad an experience as being obese or overweight.
Many of them attributed their unhealthy weight to a lack of willpower, social commitments, and time restraints. Now, post-pandemic, even more Americans feel that they lack the support system and finances necessary to lose weight.
There are many elements that can affect an individual’s ability to lose weight. One of the hardest things to understand is why some people can lose weight and some cannot, even though they apply the same principles under similar circumstances.
Research has shown that a person’s chemical makeup, hormones, medical conditions, mental health, and lifestyle can all contribute to how their body responds to typical weight loss methods.
Why Am I Not Losing Weight? Ask Dr. Batash
Dr. Batash, a board-certified gastroenterologist and the world’s leading expert on non-surgical weight loss, discusses the effective strategy to lose weight and covers the common mistakes his patient make.
Why Super Restrictive Diets Fail
Some people decide that they are going to go on the newest or craziest-sounding “diet de jour”, and they might make it through two days before they quit. Crazy diets that severely restrict calories or certain food groups are more focused on counting calories than improving overall health. The unfortunate fact is that while you may accomplish a small loss on these types of diets, it is normally what is known as “water weight,” and the loss is not sustainable.
Also, there are very few individuals that can go from overeating and eating the wrong types of foods to eating two crumbs and a glass of water without negative side effects. Some physical side effects might include headaches, shakiness, feeling lightheaded, constipation, and other physical maladies that can result from the over-restriction of calories.
In addition to physically feeling awful, there are metabolic changes that happen within your body that can add to your misery.
- The stomach begins overproducing ghrelin, which is a hormone that sends signals to your brain to alert you that you are about to die of starvation (that is how you will feel);
- Then your metabolism will get word that you are about to perish because you haven’t eaten, so it will slow down to a crawl and preserve every ounce of energy it can until you give up on your hunger strike. It will most likely outlast you and win the fight, so all your starving will be for nothing;
- You will begin to stress out because not only are you super hungry, but now you are cranky, and everyone is getting on your nerves. This excess stress will signal your body to dump cortisol into your system, which in turn causes cravings for unhealthy foods containing too much sugar, salt, or fat. Cortisol also causes your metabolism to slow down because it is associated with the built-in “fight or flight” response that is essential to survival.
What Is The Easiest Way To Lose Weight?
This is a bit of a trick question because the answer is different for every person. Each person has their own set of underlying issues that have most likely contributed to their current weight. As long as you are fighting against an unknown enemy, you are bound to lose the battle, but determining what these hindrances are and effectively addressing them is the easier way to lose weight.
Consulting with a professional who is an expert in treating obesity and the associated comorbidities can make it easier for you to lose weight. Doctors who are trained to treat patients suffering from this complex disease can do testing to identify certain issues that may be interfering with your ability to lose weight. They also have tools and medications that can boost the efforts that you put forth to promote weight loss more effectively.
Obesity-trained doctors also have amazing support programs that you can get plugged into that provide guidance in areas such as nutrition, diet, exercise, behavior, lifestyle modification, etc. Having a solid support system, guidance, and accountability in these areas can be a great way to stay motivated and make it easier to lose weight than being on your own.
What Steps Can I Take That Are Easy Ways To Lose Weight And Get Healthier?
Losing weight does not happen overnight and requires permanent lifestyle changes. If you concentrate on making choices that will help you become healthier, you will lose weight as a result. Some examples of easy ways you can lose weight are listed below.
- Begin with making a few changes at a time and then implement more and more. For example, if you currently drink three sodas a day, cut back to one and then maybe move to one a week;
- Concentrate on making healthier food choices;
- Cut down on eating fast food;
- Stop buying junk food so it is not even in the house;
- Start taking a 20-minute walk each day;
- Fill up a clean, empty 5-gallon milk jug with water and make an effort to drink all of the water in it during the day. Do it again the next day, and so on;
- Start going to bed regularly so you get at least 8 hours of sleep;
- Find an outlet to help manage your stress levels;
- Get help from an obesity specialist like Dr. Steven Batash.
Maintaining a healthy weight does not result from fad diets or counting every calorie. It comes from a series of lifestyle choices that you make every day. It is a result of cutting out unhealthy behaviors and replacing them with healthy habits.
Losing weight is not easy, we understand that and work with individuals every day who have struggled with their weight for years. At Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center, we have dedicated our lives to helping people become healthier through weight loss, and we would love the opportunity to help you too.
We will evaluate your medical history, gather information about your previous dieting and weight loss attempts, and talk about metabolic testing. Once we have a clear understanding of your weight loss goals, we will put a comprehensive plan in place that will help you achieve those goals and will also address any underlying issues that blocked your previous weight loss attempts.
We can also consider medications that can help boost your metabolism and curb your appetite while you are under our medical supervision. You may be a good candidate for a weight-loss balloon or a non-surgical procedure that can help reduce how much you are able to eat in one sitting. Best of all, whatever your personalized plan consists of, you will have a team of experts supporting you throughout your entire journey.
Contact Batash Medical today to find out more about how we can help you. We know that having a substantial weight loss goal can feel overwhelming, but having a support system of caring professionals and the guidance of experts is a much easier way to lose weight than testing out the newest crazy fad diet. Set up your appointment today! You will be glad you did it tomorrow!
