Road Blocks to Weight Loss

Every day I end up hearing at least one person around me mention that they would like to lose weight, but don't seem to be able to. Take a look at the top three often forgotten aspects of health that are known blockades to weight loss. If you think any of them may apply to you, see your health care professional for more details.

1. You're Taking Birth Control. Even if you're taking bio-identicals, excess levels of hormones are being unnaturally pumped into your system. These hormones are not easily filtered from your system, mess with your metabolim, and make it much, much more difficult to lose weight.
2. You Have Thyroid Problems. The thyroid gland plays a crucial role in the metobolic rate and regulation of weight. If the it isnt producing enough thyroid hormone, (Hypothyroidism) patients gain weight, so much so that unexplained weight loss is one of the key symptoms of hypothyroidism.
3. You're So Stressed out Your Adrenal Glands are Shot. The adrenal glands are one of the key regulators of homeostasis, or our bodies ability to deal with stress. If you're under constant, chronic stress, not only will it take a toll by creating muscle pain, you'll also start to feel the effects as increased fatigue, weight gain, and an inability to shed pounds.

A simple blood chemistry test complete with a general thyroid panel should be able to tell you if any of the above hormonal levels are irregular. Keep in mind that you dont always have to be "off the charts" to still have chemical or hormonal imbalances. Check out the examples at http://www.DirectLabs.com as a great place to get started, or contct your health care provider today.

Conquering fear on the road to health

"I believe that anyone can conquer fear by doing the things he fears to do, provided he keeps doing them until he gets a record of successful experiences behind him." -Eleanor Roosevelt

This is one of those thoughts that can be applied to most any aspect of life that requires our attention- business, personal relationships, health, education, etc. I ask you to consider that statement in terms of your health: Have you been experiencing some sort of pain or chronic injury? Have you been battling weight problems or chronic stress? If so, what have you done about it? When we take the time to truly be honest with ourselves about our health, most of us end up coming to the conclusion that we really haven't done all that we can. Whether its because we are afraid to find out that something serious might be wrong or we just don't want to deal with going to the gym or the uncomfortable process of a real exercise and diet program, there is usually some underlying fear or avoidance factor keeping us from taking that road to improvement.
Unfortunately, sometimes there are no easy paths. Fortunately though, many times the road that starts out difficult does get easier! Sometimes, it even becomes enjoyable, and the rewards are great. So do yourself a favor and start to conquer your health concerns today. Find a friend or health care practitioner that will help you past your fears not just once, but every time you need their support. Keep track of your progress, your mistakes, and what seems to work for you. Eventually, you will find success!

At some point either before or after the start of January, most of us at least contemplate making a list of New Year's Resolutions. Sometimes making a change can be intimidating, but with the right tips, and a little support, just about anything is possible!

* What are you REALLY waiting for? When it comes to making changes, no time is ever "perfect". Nothing comes easily, nor does it come completely by chance. So stop making excuses! Change means making choices, and standing by them even through the consequences and hard time. Stick it out through the rainy season and maybe not over night, maybe not next week or even month, but eventually, you'll be certain to find not just a rainbow, but your rainbow.

* The key to actually achieving resolution goals is to keep them realistic and attainable- after all, no one said that you can create another goal once we've achieved it! Have you always wanted to run a marathon but never really gone running more than a mile? Have you dreamed about being a size 6 but are currently a size 14? Make those your long term goals, but in in the meantime, set short term goals such as "I will be able to run 1 mile without stopping by the end of this month, and 3 miles by the end of next month." Start simple. They aren't "baby steps". Consider them short-ter steps and they'll always keep moving you forward.

* Never base your goals on someone else's achievements. If someone you know has done something great that you really admire, use it as a motivator. However, don't use it as a way to judge or rate your own accomplishments. Remember, we all have different physiology, different genetics, education, opportunities, etc. Forget about what they have, and focus on what is ready and waiting to be reached for YOU.

* Delete the words "I can't help it," "It's not my fault," and "It's too late", from your vocabulary. Of course some situations come into our lives that are out of our control, but there are always aspects that ARE ours to direct. By taking responsibility for where we are in our life, health, finances, or whatever our situation, we are able to better focus on where we are going, and better yet, where we want to take ourselves.

* If you fall off the boat, get back on! Not all goals are accomplished the first time around. If you start to slide back, take inventory of what pulled you off course, and make the effort to avoid it the next time.

* Share your goals and keep track of your progress. Those who take part in journal writing, group activities, and spending "quality time" with friends and family sharing about their experiences and goals often have a higher rate of success for both sticking with their plans and accomplishing the goals themselves.

* If You're Trying to Lose Weight: Movie stars and models don't know everything about dieting. They get paid to lose weight, and usually have a personal trainer kicking their butt to make sure they do. Instead, get advise from a certified professional in each of the following areas: Nutrition- general eating habits AND supplements, Exercise- cardio AND weight training.
- Also, remember that its OK to enjoy your favorite foods such as chocolate and a triple latte every now and then WITH DISCRETION. This doesn't mean nibbling all day, nor does it mean bingeing! If you have to start at once a day, cut yourself back to once a week "celebrations" to rewarded your weekly accomplishments and keep cravings at bay.

* If You're Trying to Quit Smoking: Tell your friends that currently smoke that you plan on quitting. If their really your friends, they'll respect your decision and will be less likely to smoke around you or offer you a highly tempting cigarette which could pull you off your road to success.
- Ladies! Studies have shown that women who quit smoking during the second half of their menstrual cycle had a higher rate of success than those who tried to quit during the week or two before their cycle when hormonal changes and PMS make cravings more acute.

* If You Want to Change Your Outlook on Life: There are hundreds of organizations available to join both online and in person to offer advise and support. Consider asking your local chamber of commerce, church community, www.Meetup.com, or even Google about local community groups, life coaches, physicians, psychologists, and advisors to help you on your road to change.

Make this the year where YOU come first!To learn more about how chiropractic care, Active Release, personal training and nutritional improvements can help improve your pain, stress, and immune levels, contact us today!