How to Lose Weight Naturally
Weight loss can be very frustrating. For some people it seems like they can’t lose weight no matter what they do. I have friends like this. They are motivated, successful, smart people, but they can’t lose weight and keep it off. I think this is because there is an underlying reason for their weight gain.
I would call these people complex cases, and not because I am insulting them! On the contrary, I feel for them because weight loss can be very hard if you are a complex case.
I know some about complex cases, because I was one. I couldn’t lose weight, I felt tired all the time, and I had a multitude of other “unexplainable” symptoms. Even though I was never extremely overweight, I still had a problem: my weight wouldn’t budge. But for me, I knew it was because I felt so terrible, and exercise made me feel worse.
Once I was finally able to find answers for my health problems the weight loss came naturally. I never concentrated on losing weight, but on fixing my health. The weight loss happened by itself. This doesn’t mean I didn’t do any work. It just means that once I knew what to do I was able to do it. I never went hungry and I felt satisfied after my meals.
While I was researching to try to help myself, I found many other stories online about others who lost weight. Many of these people were like me. Once they were able to unravel some health problems, they lost weight naturally.
Now that I have all those hours of research and experience under my belt, I want to help others who are wanting to lose weight.
How to Lose Weight the Healthy Way
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for more details.
I decided to make an infographic to help those who need a roadmap to help them lose weight. these tips can really help when you successfully lose weight even when it feels lie you have hit a plateau and just can’t lose any more weight.
Here are the 5 Steps to Natural Weight Loss. You might only need a few of them. But, they are in order. If you can’t seem to lose weight, start with #1 and then if you still need something more consider #2. Work your way down this list and there is a good chance that you will be able to discern your underlying cause for weight gain.
1. Eat Clean
For most people simply switching over to more real foods will result in weight loss. I love to teach others how to eat healthier-sign up here for a series of emails on how to eat healthy and frugal.
I also have a printable with some of the best foods for weight loss. Grab the Weight Loss Printable here. (It is free!)
2. Love Your Liver
Loving your liver can be one of the keys to weight loss. A sluggish liver can cause many symptoms including weight gain. Some other symptoms of a sluggish liver include bloating of the abdomen, constipation, inability to digest fatty foods, rashes, psoriasis, eczema, intolerance to caffeine, and bad breath. If you think your liver may be struggling, you can add more raw foods to your diet like these detox salads. You can also add in green juices (like the one at the bottom of this post). I also like to use this wheat grass powder to help my liver.
3. Consider the Thyroid and Adrenals
If you have already worked on eating clean and loving your liver, you may want to have your thyroid and adrenals checked. Most doctors can run tests to check your thyroid. I would suggest reading up on thyroid testing, because many doctors don’t do enough testing. That can make you think that your thyroid is working fine even if it is not.
The adrenals can also cause problems with hormone balance and weight gain. To discover if this is your problem, you could choose to do saliva testing (through a naturopathic physician). You could also consider the symptoms of adrenal problems and see if you seem to fit the bill.
There are many things you can do if you discover that you have either thyroid or adrenal problems. A natural minded doctor can help you get appropriate treatment for thyroid problems. You may also want to consider a thyroid friendly diet-like this book that has healing recipes and nutritional protocols for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s is one of the most common thyroid diagnosis.)
Adrenal problems can often be helped with good self care practices and appropriate nutrients.
I know that both thyroid problems and adrenal problems can seem complicated and the treatments sometimes seem hard (lifestyle changes can be hard!). However, many people discover that they lose weight naturally once they address thyroid and adrenal problems. Plus, by addressing thyroid and adrenal problems, they simply feel much better.
4. Balance Your Hormones
If your hormones are unbalanced, you are probably noticing some uncomfortable symptoms like weight gain, anxiety, insomnia, thinning hair, blood sugar issues, PMS, and breast cysts. If you suspect that hormones might be causing your weight gain, you can work on balancing your hormones naturally.
A good cookbook for balancing hormones is Cooking for Hormone Balance.
5. Get Support
Sometimes the hidden key to losing weight is a friend or mentor. It is so much easier to stay on track when you have someone to help and support you!
My sister is an excellent support person-and I don’t just think that because she is my sister! She is really encouraging and really wants to see others succeed in their weight loss goals. You can read more about her story on her Beachbody page.
Here are some before and after pictures of my sister.
You Can Do It too!
Of course these steps don’t have to be taken in this exact order. Though many people will find the help they need by working the way down the steps, some people will already have an idea of which step is perfect for their particular situation. I would choose whatever resonates with you.
You can also do more than one step at a time. You might know that you need the support of friends while you are changing your eating. Then I would do both at the same time! You also may have more than one thing checked if you are going to the doctor.
Even if you feel like you have tried so hard, and you just cannot lose weight, I really think these tips can help you! You might be surprised how easy weight loss can be once you are able to pinpoint what you need.
Need to remember these tips? Pin it for later-
Disclaimer: This post is not medical advice. I am not a doctor or medical professional. I share only from my own experiences and research. Consult your own practitioner before making changes in your diet or supplements.
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