Anyone whos struggled to lose weight knows that the journey isnt just about the physical; it affectsallof you, mind and body.
A friend of mine has lost more than 100 pounds and kept it off. She shared with me that strangers and acquaintances often inquire why she did it the hard way [with healthy eating habits and exercise] versus having weight-loss surgery.
That wouldnt have worked for her, she explained, because it was stomach surgery not brain surgery. Her weight gain was linked to her emotional health, and once she decided to be proactive aboutthataspect of her well-being, the other habits soon stuck and the pounds began to fall off.
That approach is an example of holistic weight loss, which considers your emotional and mental health, in addition to physical health.
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What is Holistic Weight Loss?
Even if youve never heard the word holistic in relation to weight loss, youve likely implemented some techniques or habits that are, in fact, holistic. You could also call this approach integrative, interdisciplinary, or mind-body weight loss.
The first thing one needs to understand and remember is that excess weight is a symptom, says Wallisa Vaughn, M.D., a board-certified family medicine physician specializing in addiction and integrative and functional medicine.
When Dr. Vaughn helps patients with weight loss, she addresses far more than the weight itself. I believe in addressing the actual cause of problems, and excess weight is frequently the result of one or more problems and it leads to other problems.
In medicine, we look atholisticas treating the whole person, says Rachel Goldman, Ph.D., FTOS, a licensed psychologist specializing in health and wellness. If there are mental, emotional, or social factors going on, that can impact the physical symptoms.
The kind of weight loss that I encourage and that I help clients with is thinking about our mind, our body, thoughts, and emotions, says Goldman, who is also a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine.
While holistic is now a popular wellness buzzword, the practices it can encompass have been used for decades, Goldman says. Depending on your age, perspective, history with weight loss, and frame of reference, terms like holistic might be more appealing than a more clinical description like integrative health, she says.
Goldman works at a clinic where patients work with a whole team of experts: a dietitian, psychologist, trainer, and a physician. Other similar programs might also include an endocrinologist, a chef, or a meditation teacher.
Were really focusing on all angles of weight loss, because we know that obesity and weight gain are not just about the behaviors or just about our environment or the food were eating, says Goldman.
Holistic weight loss is like getting a full inspection instead of just an oil change; it makes sureallaspects of you are ready for your weight-loss journey.You can lose 60 pounds and then still be miserable inside, or be depressed, or have poor self-image, Goldman says. That holistic approach is really going to get someone to be healthier and happier overall.
Why Try Holistic Weight Loss?
In order to lose weightand keep it off, its important to focus onproper nutritionandexercise, not just one or the other. And one of the keys to keeping that weight off is establishing sustainable lifestyle changes that you can stick with and that includes things beyond what you eat and how you move.
Nosingleaspect of your health exists in a vacuum; its all intertwined. This is what a holistic view of health looks like. Integrative or holistic approaches to weight loss can help establish healthier mind-body relationships.
Thats why exercise has long been part of such treatment plans, says Dr. Vaughn. You may be stressed because youre overweight, or you may be overweight because youre stressed or both. Either, way exercise can help to break that unhealthy cycle.
Regular exercise can helpreduce stressandanxiety, which in turn can help youestablish healthiereating habits.
Since most of us wouldnt ignore a prescription from a doctor, Goldman says to think of weight-loss practices as being equally important. Those habits might includedrinking more water, monitoringfood portions, managingstress, getting enoughsleep, andregular exercise.
This reinforces the idea that the real work of weight loss happens throughout your daily life and that shedding excess pounds is about more than one action.
6 Holistic Techniques for Weight Loss
If youre ready to integrate a holistic approach to weight loss, start with these strategies. You might be doing some of them already!
1. Hold yourself accountable by trackingeverything
Goldman has her patients track everything: weight, meals, exercise, sleep, mood, stress, and water. The goal, she says, is not to become reliant on the numbers themselves, but to use them to draw connections between behavior and consequences including success.
Use apps and trackers or apen and paper, but jotting down what youre doing to support your goals or derail them can provide valuable information later on.
If you step on the scale thinking you lost weight, only to see that you didnt, you wouldnt know what to change for next time if you hadnt tracked it, she explains. If we dont have that data, we dont know why or whats going on. The number on the scale is only part of the answer.
Tip:Think about the variables that might be affecting your own weight-loss efforts, and then track them to get a better grip on their effects. Sleep quality and stress levels are common interferences, so consider starting there.
2. Set goals, but be SMART about them
How many times have you said Ill exercise more, only to end up being very flexible with the definition of more? Weve all been there. The best way is actually to createSMART goals, says Goldman, referring to the acronym that stands for specific, measurable, attainable [or achievable], relevant [or realistic], and timely. She prefers weekly goals, so youll know pretty quickly whether you met them.
The only exception to that rule for her is weight goals. The number on the scale isnt something we can control, but wecancontrol the behaviors that cause the number to go up and down.
To keep patients from getting too hung up on numbers, she first asks them to share how their week went. This begins to connect our behaviors to our weight, which can lead to better choices and renewed commitment to goals, she says. Maybe youll reconsider that second glass of wine or think twice about dessert, for example, once you see how such indulgences can influence your weight when you have them too regularly.
Tip: Find time each week to set SMART goals for yourself, but dont overdo it one or two will do.
3. Talk it out with a professional
If you can relate to30 Rocks Liz Lemon and her night cheese, youre not alone.Emotional eatingis the most common complaint Goldmans patients have about losing weight and keeping it off, but she cant help them unless she knows what else is going on.
We have that vicious cycle of our negative thoughts, which can get us nowhere, Goldman says. A trained counselor or psychologist can help people identify thoughts, identify the triggers that are causing those thoughts, and then help them work on changing those thoughts. Its really about combining the behaviors and thoughts, because we all know weight loss is not just calories in and calories out; its not that easy. Our emotions tend to get in the way.
Tip: You wouldnt hesitate to seek medical treatment if you had a physical issue, so do the same if youre struggling emotionally.
4. Include daily mind-body practices to chill out
Ever have those days where your minds in the game but your body isnt, or vice versa? Thats where mind-body modalities likeyoga,meditation, andtai chican come in, as a way to re-establish that connection.
Goldman recommends doingdeep breathing, yoga, or meditation daily. No time for an hour-long class? Take five or 10 minutes throughout your day todo some poses. She encourages patients to implement these practices morning and night to start the day feeling relaxed and de-stressed and set the tone for the next day.
Tip: We all have time for a few deep breaths: Set a timer on your phone for morning and night, and make time to breathe. Have more time? Keep going. No one ever says my breathing is just way too deep and steady!
5. Use positive reinforcement to reward yourself
Youve worked hard, so you deserve to treat yoself! That weekly Netflix binge or monthly manicure can actually help support your weight-loss goals. Positive reinforcement works, Goldman says depending on what reward youre using and what youre using as that positive reinforcement. Of course, we dont want to be using food.
You dont need to break the bank on rewards, either. Make time for an Epsom salt bath to ease aching muscles after a workout, go to a movie with a friend, or listen to your favorite podcast.
And dont feel guilty about these acts of self-care and self-love, says Goldman: Weshouldbe rewarding ourselves for good behavior. [Hey, if it works for potty training] She especially likes to use positive reinforcement when the weight is slow to come off by telling her patients to usenon-scale waysto determine success, like feeling stronger and noticing how their clothes fit differently.
Tip: On days when youre feeling less-than-excited about your weight-loss habits, make a list of potential rewards. Dont just make them contingent on weight loss, either. Reward yourself for two consecutive weeks ofhealthy meal prep, or for a month of sticking with your workouts.
6. Re-define weight loss
Dr. Vaughn uses a simple shift in vocabulary to help patients visualize their healthier, happier, potentially smaller selves: People always say you lost weight. You didntloseit! The weight hasnt been misplaced. Youre working hard to get it off. [And you dont want it back!]
When you feel your motivation slipping, write down or repeat apositive mantra or quotethat resonates with you, like I cant change yesterday, but I can change today, to give yourself an extra mental boost.
Tip: Think of excess weight as clutter youve collected over the years. Youre simply doing a Marie Kondo by getting rid of those pounds/clutter that you no longer need.
Losing weight and getting strong and fit is a whole-life transformation. Take a step back and look at the big picture, and make sure that every aspect of your life supports your ultimate goal.