Can you go against the flow?

I'm on my soapbox - fair warning.

Are you confused by the many, many weight loss plans out there? How about the diet bandwagons that are making headlines? It is so tempting to jump on the latest trend or try the newest, best diet program that promises quick results. But as a health and wellness coach devoted to strengthening your body's foundational systems and your overall health, quenching inflammation, and getting to the root of your health concerns, my go-to for eating is real, whole food. My philosophy is that we have to learn how to navigate our way through the aisles, our kitchens, and restaurants learning how to make choices that are sustainable ones - ones that actually feed our bodies what they need. When we cut out meals comprised of whole foods in order eat those prepackaged foods designed to bring on weight loss, we leave an entire spectrum of phytonutrients on the table, among other things. Things that we have yet to even identify! Instead we eat "food" pumped full of synthetic ingredients that our bodies don't even recognize as food. In pursuit of health through slimming down, we actually compromise our health through feeding our bodies things they cannot fully process and put to good use. Losing weight to get healthy is backwards thinking. Getting healthy to lose weight is a different philosophy and it is one that makes sense. The body holds onto fat for reasons that are not addressed in a very restricted calorie diet designed to force weight loss. And in most cases, when people make the transition to eating real food from eating the prepackaged shakes and bars, the pounds come right back, often bringing more along with them. I haven't even addressed the stimulants and additives that are part and parcel of so many (not all) of these programs, but that's a blog post for another day.

If you have used one of these programs and had successful weight loss, I'm happy for you and I wish you well, and I mean no offense to you. My desire is to meet people where they are. If you need help transitioning to working with food in place of bars and shakes, I'm here for you. If you are experiencing repercussions from an extreme eating plan, let's back up and assess what's going on from a functional nutrition standpoint. If you are sailing along and feeling great, I'm so glad for you.

If you are tempted by a weight loss program, but it appeals to you to move at a pace that is more moderate while learning how to manage your body composition and weight with real, whole food created for our enjoyment, talk to me. Let's evaluate whatever symptoms you may be having through a nutritional assessment, your health history, and your food journal, and let's see if we can get to the root of your issues to find why you may be struggling. Let's also look into any mindset issues you may be having around food and nourishment. Please consider an approach that builds your body up and honors the way it is created to work. There are no quick fixes that don't also compromise your body's function, your hormonal health, and your metabolism. Short cuts come at a long-term cost. How much are you willing to pay?