Originally written for The HLP App
Weight management is a journey, and a personal one at that. What works for one person might not work for another; some people are suited to exercise routines, and others prefer to change up their diets. However, the most important thing you can do when managing your weight is find balance.
Work happy, not hard
This means not doing too much of one thing and not enough of another. Approaching things in your own way is good for your confidence and your stress levels, which acts as great motivation to reach your weight loss/gain goals.
So essentially, if you prefer doing a bit of extra exercise in order to eat what you’d like, then go for it. The most important thing is that you’re approaching your weight loss journey in a way that is comfortable for you.
Often, people tend to think that weight management means cutting out the things you love, constantly working hard at the gym, and in particular, counting every last calorie. Not only is this not true, it’s actually a harmful idea.
According to obesity specialist Dr. Fatima Stanford, it’s time for us to take a different approach.
“The idea of’ a calorie in, a calorie out’ when it comes to weight loss is not only antiquated, it’s just wrong.”
Instead, taking an individual approach and considering your own body’s needs, limits, and specifications, is the way forward.
Things to consider
There are several different things to focus on instead of each individual calorie you take in. such as:
Food quality 🍏
Balanced diet ⚖
Sleep routine 🛌
Regular, light exercise 🏃♀️
Reducing your stress levels 💆♀️
You can find plenty of ways to improve all of the above on the HLP app in our toolkit.
Calorie counting apps
Weight management should be healthy and positive. A recent rise in the use of calorie counting apps can be seen as contributing to unhealthy weight management and a rise in stress levels, which can actually have the opposite effect of positive weight management.
Putting yourself under pressure to constantly maintain a daily amount of calories can be very stressful. When your body is stressed, it produces a hormone called Cortisol. Cortisol can cause our bodies to seek comfort and nurture in other ways, which can lead to a lack of exercise or overeating.
In addition to this, they can also be particularly dangerous for users with eating disorders.
"Many people with eating disorders count calories or track weight loss to the point of obsession, and such apps can facilitate or exacerbate such behaviours and make recovery harder" says Tom Quin, head of the UK’s leading eating disorder charity, Beat.
Everything in moderation
Our solution? Start small, gradually phase in changes to your diet and exercise, and don’t get too caught up in counting calories.
Whilst some changes and adjustments are necessary in your weight loss journey, they shouldn’t have to cause you stress and upset. Here are some quick tips for starting small:
Try a 7 minute workout during your lunch break 🏋️♀️
Replace one item in your weekly shop with a healthy alternative 🍏
Replace one car journey with a walk or a cycle 🚲
There are plenty more tools and tips to check out in our toolkit, so remember to keep your weight loss journey healthy, fun and stress free.
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