WEIGHT LOSS
WEIGHT LOSS
What is the first country that comes to mind when you think of obesity?
Did the USA pop into your head? Certainly for the last 40 years they have lead the way when it comes to the highest incidence of obesity in the world.
However, a recent study suggests that Australia and New Zealand are challenging the leaders for the title of the world’s fattest country.
Published in The Lancet on May 29, the study, “Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013” revealed that Australasia has some of the highest rates of obesity in the world.
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Incidence of Overweight and Obesity (Percentage of population)
| Country | Boys / Men <20 | Boys / Men >20 | Girls/ Women <20 | Girls/ Women >20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australasia | 25.3 | 68.6 | 24.0 | 56.7 |
| Australia | 24.4 | 68.2 | 23.0 | 56.1 |
| New Zealand | 29.6 | 71.4 | 28.7 | 60.0 |
| USA | 28.8 | 70.9 | 29.9 | 61.9 |
| China | 22.6 | 28.0 | 13.7 | 27.1 |
Worldwide, the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined rose by 27·5% for adults and 47·1% for children between 1980 and 2013. The number of overweight and obese individuals increased from 857 million in 1980, to 2·1 billion in 2013, indicating that nearly 30% of the world’s population is overweight or obese.
There are many organizations and individuals who have attempted to explain these large increases in obesity in the past 33 years. For the most part they have focused on a range of contributing factors.
- Increases in caloric intake
- Changes in the composition of diet
- Decreased nutrient value of whole foods due to farming practices and low soil quality.
- Decreases in the levels of physical activity
- Changes in the gut microbiome
- Heavy metal and chemical toxicity
So what is the best way to lose body fat and keep fat off? How can you stop yourself from becoming just another statistic?
It’s likely fair to say that weight loss is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ strategy! Any approach to losing body fat will be multi-factorial and will need to focus on mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.
With that said there are several key concepts that should be discussed, ones that most likely apply to every individual regardless of age, gender or race.
ANY WEIGHT LOSS STRATEGY SHOULD TAKE A HOLISTIC (WHOLE LIFE) APPROACH TO HEALTH AND HEALING.
We all know that dieting does not offer a long-term solution to weight loss. Most weight loss programs involve some form of calorie restriction in addition to increasing calorie expenditure through exercise.
However, little emphasis is placed on addressing the specific thought patterns, mindset or lifestyle factors that lead to the weight gain in the first place. As such, when the ‘diet’ concludes, as it always does, the individual simply falls back into ‘old habits’ and ‘fixed mindset’ patterns of thinking.
- A reduction in the amount of time spent sitting (Sedentary Lifestyle)
- Less processed foods such as breads, cereals, pasta, pre-prepared meals, canned or packaged foods, processed meats and farmed seafood.
- A reduction in the amount of time spent using phones, computers, watching television or using other electronic devices.
- Minimizing or completely eliminating alcohol, sugar, coffee and other inflammatory foods and drinks.
- Reducing the amount of negative thought patterns and negative emotions that are experienced on a daily basis.
- Reducing the amount of stress experienced on a daily basis.
- Minimizing or completely eliminating all soft drinks, fruit juices, energy drinks and other liquids containing sugar and harmful additives.
- Improvements in sleep patterns
- Adequate hydration on a daily basis
- A diet based firmly on organic, whole foods
- A diet that focuses on vegetables, leafy greens and healing herbs/spices
- Daily physical activity
- Being grateful on a daily basis
- Being happy on a daily basis. Happiness leads to success!
- Connecting with friends and family on a weekly basis
- Greater mindfulness and a lifestyle that is focused on conscious living, organic living, and sustainable living!
Organise an appointment with a Body Genius weight loss specialist
The more simple the strategy, the more successful the outcome.
There are literally hundreds of research papers that have studied the effectiveness of various therapies and lifestyle modification programs. The outcomes are very clear: The more complex and time consuming the treatment strategy the less compliant the patient will be with the program. And it only makes sense that if the patient is less compliant then the level of success diminishes exponentially.
The message couldn’t be any more straight forward. Keep things simple and make one change at a time.
Begin by identifying one lifestyle factor that is likely holding you back from losing weight. Choose something that you feel confident you can change easily and set a realistic goal for yourself. Once this goal is achieved, reward yourself in a positive way and then set another easy goal to achieve. Step by step you will make significant progress towards your bigger goals. The process is the exciting part and you should enjoy the journey just as much as reaching the destination.
Remember that forming habits requires diligence and effort. You must repeat the practice hundreds of times for it to become ‘engrained’ within your lifestyle and for it to become an unconscious habit.
Set yourself up to win!
There is a long list of simple strategies that will enhance your likelihood of success.
- Employ the services of a Mentor or Coach. You need someone to hold you accountable and to keep you on track. The journey will be a whole lot more fun and exciting when you work with someone else.
- Employ the services of a Mentor or Coach with an exceptional track record of success. There are talented people out there that have helped thousands of clients do exactly what you are trying to do. They can make the journey much easier and often save you valuable time along the way.
- Tell all your friends and family about your goals and what you would like to achieve. Not only does this type of ‘public announcement’ hold you accountable, studies have also shown that it significantly increases your likelihood of success.
- Begin with simple, easy to achieve goals. Celebrate these ‘wins’ and then slowly move forwards to more challenging goals.
Going ‘cold-turkey’ can pose significant challenges for many people. Whether you are trying to overcome an addiction to sugar, coffee, chocolate, or alcohol, there are strategies that can be employed to improve your chances of success. One of these strategies is to create intermediate steps between your current habits and where you would like to get. Consider these examples.
Goal: Eliminate caffeine for 60 days
Current Consumption: 6 cups per day
| Steps | Action | Success √ |
| 1 | Reduce from 6 cups of coffee per day to 5 | √ |
| 2 | Reduce from 5 cups of coffee per day to 4 | √ |
| 3 | Reduce from 4 cups of coffee per day to 3 | √ |
| 4 | Reduce from 3 cups of coffee per day to 2 plus one cup of tea. | √ |
| 5 | Have 1 cup of coffee per day and one cup black tea | √ |
| 6 | Have one cup of coffee per day | √ |
| 7 | Have one cup of black tea or green tea per day | √ |
| 8 | Avoid all caffeine for 60 days and enjoy the health enhancing benefits of herbal teas. | √ |
Note: We have noticed that individual clients will move between steps at their own pace. Often this is dependent upon the severity of symptoms experienced.
Goal: Eliminate sugar for 60 days
Current Consumption: Consistent intake throughout the day
| Steps | Action | Success √ |
| 1 | Stop all sugar from beverages: Do not add sugar to tea or coffee and avoid drinking fruit juice, sports drinks, energy drinks, and soda. | √ |
| 2 | Reduce your intake of sugar from chocolate and lollies by 25% | √ |
| 3 | Reduce your intake of sugar from chocolate and lollies by 50% | √ |
| 4 | Change to 70% dark chocolate and avoid all lollies | √ |
| 5 | Reduce your intake of chocolate by 75% and consume only 70% dark chocolate | √ |
| 6 | Change to carob or raw organic treats | √ |
| When needed use honey, maple syrup and stevia | √ | |
| 7 | Reduce your intake of breads, crackers, bagels, cereals, pasta and other processed carbohydrates | √ |
| 8 | Avoid all breads, crackers, bagels, cereals, pasta and other processed carbohydrates | √ |
| 9 | Eliminate all fruit | √ |
| 8 | Avoid all sugar for 60 days | √ |
Note: We have noticed that individual clients will move between steps at their own pace. Often this is dependent upon the severity of symptoms experienced.
- Create work-life balance. Set strict boundaries and create free time for friends, family, and activities that enhance your spiritual health and happiness.
- Identify deficiencies and excessive traits and learn how to find balance. For example you may identify that you don’t move your body enough (deficiency) and that you have a tendency to work too much (excess). The first step is to identify these deficiencies and excesses and then create structure to overcome them.
Set time aside each day to center yourself, quiet your mind, and to practice mindfulness. There is a wide range of techniques that can be used for this purpose.
- Mindfulness techniques
- Meditation
- Tai Chi
- Qigong
- Body-centering exercises
- Yoga
- Breathing exercises
Want to learn more about our weight loss services? Contact Body Genius today!
BODY GENIUS INSTITUTE – INTEGRATIVE HEALTH
Why should you consider our services if you’re trying to lose weight?
We are 100% clear on why we exist and what we would like to achieve. Our cause has been clearly defined and every individual we help brings us one step closer to reaching our goal.
Please read “Our Cause” which you can find under the ‘Who We Are’ tab at the top of the page.
Collectively, the Body Genius team has over 60 years of experience in the health and wellness industry and we have helped thousands of people to achieve their goals. We have a proven track record of success.
Our strategies and protocols are based firmly on the foundation principles of health. Where possible, our protocols are supported by the latest scientific evidence.
Foundation Principles of Health
| Organic whole foods | Adequate hydration | Quality sleep patterns |
| Active Lifestyle | Mental Health | Spiritual Health |
| Emotional Health | Optimal Breathing Patterns | |
Our goal is to enhance your quality of life and to create a sustainable lifestyle that not only helps you achieve your weight loss goals, but also enhances your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.
Our treatment protocols are well-structured and follow a proven system for success. Why we exist as a company is outlined in the document outlining ‘Our Cause’. ‘How’ we operate as a business is clearly defined in The Performance Pyramid e-book available from this website. You can be confident that you are working with a team of skilled professionals that are focused on your success and have the experience and systems to make this happen.
OUR LOCATION
The entire Body Genius team, including our weight loss team and holistic health coaches, is located in Perth, WA just a few minutes’ drive from the CBD. Want to learn more about weight loss or any of our other services? Contact us today!
