A Genuine “Whole-istic” Approach To Weight

My training in integrative nutrition and mind body eating psychology means when it comes to weight issues, I’m passionate about looking beyond the conventional diet-centric approach, which oftentimes overlooks the beautiful complexity of our human design.

There’s more to the weight loss story than just “calories in, calories out.” There are a myriad of “non-physical” factors that can be the root cause of why bodies are hanging on to unwanted weight. Our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, attitudes, and personal history all have a part to play.

Here are some key factors that I love exploring with my clients:

1) What other symptoms and health conditions are you experiencing? For instance, how’s your mood, energy level, digestion, joints, elimination, sleep, appetite, mental focus? What does your recent bloodwork show about your blood sugar, metabolic health? There’s an important mindset shift here: Health comes before weight. You can’t have a list of symptoms and health concerns but only want to ‘lose weight.’ Bottomline, a healthy balanced body will find its natural, healthy sustainable weight.

“It is health that is real wealth, not pieces of gold and silver” – Ghandi

2) What’s your daily stress level like? And remember stress can be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. Everything from being in chronic pain, financial insecurity, unhealed trauma, feeling stuck in a dead end job, or toxic relationship, to feeling a lack of purpose, can wreak havoc on our central nervous system and keep our bodies stuck in some degree of fight, flight, freeze mode.

When this is the case, elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol can disrupt: sleep, appetite control, calorie storage and fat burning. In addition to these hormonal changes, stress can also drive you to engage in unhealthy behaviors that contribute to weight gain such as erratic eating schedules, emotional eating and a sedentary lifestyle.

If your stress or stress-related weight gain is making your every day a struggle it might be time for a more holistic approach that can equip you with tools and practices designed to help you work at the root cause.

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James

3) Limiting Beliefs – Our food, health and weight challenges are powerful doorways to uncovering the areas where we unconsciously limit ourselves and what we believe is possible. As a health and life coach, I know that working at the level of our identity is fundamental because our core beliefs have a huge effect on both our behaviors and our biology. Mindful inquiry and self compassion practices can help you let go of the beliefs that are keeping you stuck and replace them with new ones that align and empower you to achieve your desired health outcome.

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right” – Henry Ford