Managing one's weight can be a complex, personal journey - but with compassion and the latest medical knowledge, many find an optimal path. Getting accurate information is essential. This means understanding basics like:
Calorie balance - Weight is greatly impacted by the balance between calories consumed and calories burned through activity. Even small daily mismatches of just 100-200 calories can accumulate to extra pounds over time. Careful tracking of all food intake and activity helps identify needed calorie adjustments for one's goals.
Body composition - The balance of fat mass, muscle mass, bone mass and water weight affects total weight, associated health risks, and physical appearance. Losing fat while maintaining or gaining muscle most often improves health and body satisfaction. Tracking composition helps gauge progress beyond the raw scale number.
Health conditions - Some hormone disorders like hypothyroidism or hormonal changes related to menopause directly influence weight regulation and require medical treatment for optimal health and weight. Evaluating relevant medical factors through blood tests and physical exams is prudent.
Emotional factors - Past experiences, stress levels, depression, anxiety and overall emotional health interact with appetite regulation, cravings, motivation, and daily habits that impact weight. Taking a holistic view to uncover and address key emotional and behavioral drivers through counseling can complement medical and lifestyle efforts.
Lifestyle behaviors - Activity patterns, eating behaviors including food choices, portion sizes, and meal timing along with sleep and other lifestyle elements make up the daily environment impacting weight. Small steps that gradually improve the quality of behaviors over time can make big cumulative impacts.
With accurate knowledge, personalized support, and often medical guidance, sustainable progress losing fat and gaining health can happen one step at a time.
As a leader in integrative medical care, Ashdown has state-of-the-art clinics ready to help customize a complete weight management plan for each patient based on leading research and clinical experience. Key components often include:
With an integrative clinic team guiding all aspects of care, patients benefit from up-to-date expertise while discovering the joy of living each day to the fullest. Ashdown has these dedicated resources and proven protocols to guide each step of your journey without it feeling like a lonely struggle.
Sustainable weight management leads to healthier aging through reduced disease risk and improved physical capability to engage in lifelong passions. But the path is admittedly complex, given interacting medical, lifestyle and emotional factors that must align. Still, with today's integrative knowledge and support systems, many achieve healthier long-term outcomes. Key principles for lasting success include:
Patience and self-compassion - Developing new lifelong habits inevitably takes months and years requiring patience and self-forgiveness during ups and downs. Progress often flows from celebrating small wins and milestones along the winding path rather than demanding instant perfection.
Flexibility and adaptation - Bodies and environments change across the decades. Revisiting your lifestyle plan quarterly, annually or during major life changes and adjusting components as needed is critical to stay on track through life's complexity.
Comprehensive personalization - No two bodies or lives are identical or static. Work with multifaceted teams leveraging the latest testing to uncover your unique solutions. Then retest and adjust approaches over time.
Professional guidance - Don't struggle alone. Regularly work with knowledgeable health teams who monitor your progress, provide accountability and cheer you on as you discover your most vibrant self.
With an thoughtful, compassionate and informed approach, integrative clinics help patients progress steadily over months and years through sustained lifestyle changes, often complemented by helpful medical interventions. Ashdown offers fully customized weight management care based on the latest advancements for your unique needs across the decades. Start your journey toward lifelong wellbeing tailored just for you.
