May 6, 2011

Take a Cold, Hard Look - and Find YOUR Fit!

Most of the time, bene-fit is all about the warm and fuzzy.  Deep down, of course, our mission is to help you reach your goals, achieve your dreams, and find a place in your life where health and wellness come naturally.

However, in order to reach those goals and achieve those aims, we all have to do some soul-searching.  And it is in this process that I demand a very straight-forward thing of you: fess up.


The number one thing I hear from new clients that aren't finding immediate weight loss success is this:  "I'm doing everything I can and the weight is not coming off."  The statement itself irks me, since "everything you can" is actually quite extreme - as in, check everything on the list that follows:
  • Are you exercising moderately for 60-90 minutes or vigorously for 45-60 minutes, 5-6 times per week?
  • Are you eating a diet that contains mostly (if not only) vegetables, lean proteins, and fruits, with little to no refined carbohydrates, sugar, sodium, or polyunsaturated fats (and little to no alcohol)?
  • Are you sleeping 7-8 hours per night, soundly?
  • Are you drinking 60-100 ounces of water daily, and is water your only beverage other than black coffee or tea?
  • Do you do meditation, attend church services, practice yoga, or otherwise fulfill your spiritual life?
  • Do you spend your "personal" time in healthy relationships that support your weight loss and life goals?
If you could not answer a resounding "YES!" to everything on the list, well....then you're not doing everything.  That said, if you really are doing everything on the list (first of all, I want to know your secrets!) - you probably need to see a doctor, as there is likely a biological reason for your weight issue (like hypothyroidism or PCOS).

Now, let's get back to reality.  It is most likely that when we say we've "tried everything," what we really mean is that we've "somewhat attempted certain things."  And that's OK.  The point here is that there is a cut-and-dry road to achieving weight loss and maintaining health, and it is aligned squarely with a healthy plant-based diet, ample levels of exercise, good sleep, adequate hydration, mental health, and social support.

It's far from easy.  It usually takes a lot of help.  In fact, that's why bene-fit was founded: to make the challenges of losing weight, getting fit, and staying well easier for everyone.  

And that's exactly why, this summer, bene-fit will launch our first-ever weight loss workshop, a six-week program of education, motivation, and inspiration called "Lose Weight: Find YOUR Fit."  We'll be working with those who need to lose anywhere from 10-100 pounds in an intensive, group-oriented setting.  If you or someone you know and love could bene-fit from a program like this, email us to make sure you get all the latest registration and program information as soon as it's released.

This year, it's time to really "try everything" to improve your health and take the initiative to lose weight, get healthy, and as always - find your bene-fit.