How to Lose Weight, Enhance Your Health and
Find Well-Being by Nurturing Your Mind and Body
by www.SixWise.com
We all inherently know (but like to forget or choose to ignore) that losing weight is really more about simple mathematics than it is about adhering to the latest dietary craze.
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You must address both your mind and your body in order to reach ideal health and wellness.
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Eat more calories than your body burns off, and you'll start to gain weight. The equation is really just that simple: Too many calories + not enough activity = excess pounds.
As the American Academy of Family Physicians puts it, "To lose weight, you have to cut down on the number of calories you consume and start burning more calories each day."
It sounds simple enough … but it if were really that easy, why would 66 percent of U.S. adults be overweight or obese?
Obesity is currently a top health threat for many Americans, increasing the risk of hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease, among other chronic illnesses. In fact, obesity is becoming so prevalent that it is sometimes referred to as the “Great American Disease.”
So why, then, if losing weight is simply about mastering a game of mathematics, do so many people struggle to reach their ideal weight (which means they also often struggle with reaching optimal health and wellness)? Because there’s more to losing weight than just cutting calories and exercising.
Yes, these two components are certainly an essential part of the plan, but another factor, and a major one at that, is your MIND.
Why You Must Nurture Your Mind Before You Can Nurture Your Body
If you are currently in a state of mental unrest, be it financial worries, overworking, relationship troubles or any other negative emotional pattern, it will be very difficult to make your health a priority.
For starters, being stressed out can cause you to gain weight in and of itself, according to the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.
"Under stress, people conserve more fat, and we think that may be what's going on here," says psychologist and study co-author Tené Lewis of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Even after taking into account other factors that could affect weight gain (exercise habits, diet, smoking, etc.) it was found that the more bad things women reported, the more weight they gained!
So the link between stress and weight gain is not just the tendency to overeat when stressed, but the fact that your body produces a hormone called cortisol in response to stress, and increased cortisol causes your body to store fat. So, even if you are watching your diet, stress can cause you to gain weight!
This is why getting into a positive state of mind and having proper relaxation are two of the most important keys to good health. They can help lower cortisol levels, effectively help you reduce stress and also contribute to weight loss at the same time.
Your Weight Loss Program Must Address Both Mind and Body
Because your body and mind are so closely linked, a weight loss program that only focuses on your physical being will miss out on the incredibly important mental and emotional aspects of health.
In fact, if you're looking to achieve long-term health improvements, behavior changes and self-acceptance are more effective than dieting any day of the week, according to a two-year study published in the June 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
To start making positive behavioral changes, focus on making small changes in your lifestyle, not on losing weight. For instance, rather than thinking, "I have to lose 30 pounds," think, "Today I'm going to take a pass on the bread and butter and go for a walk after dinner."
By adding just one or two healthy behaviors to your routine each day, such as swapping your soda for a glass of mineral water, you’re subtly changing your old, weight-sabotaging habits into new healthier ones.
You will also want to include a form of physical activity that addresses your mind-body connection, and we are extremely excited to introduce for you a one-of-a-kind fitness program called SheaNetics, which is an ideal addition to your weight loss journey.
SheaNetics: Your Pathway to Well-Being
SheaNetics, founded by fitness expert Shea Vaughn, blends ancient and contemporary movements with eastern philosophy, creating a stylized approach to fitness designed to improve the quality of today’s western living.
Shea spent years researching and teaching in the commercial fitness industry and has a first-hand understanding of the physical, mental and emotional benefits of living a life of exercise.
The SheaNetics program incorporates the philosophy that “fitness is both a state of the body and mind” and is based on the Five Living Principles that follow:
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SheaNetics:
Your Pathway to Well-Being
SheaNetics realizes your goal is to find total health and fulfillment that is life lasting. This can be achieved by creating harmony in body, mind and self. SheaNetics gives you the practical tools to get into shape and kick it to ever higher levels.
Each nearly one hour workout is a new blend of the-best-of-the-best from Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Gyro-Kinesis, Dance and MORE -- guiding you through unique sequences of movements that strengthen, sculpt, build core and increase flexibility!
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Your “Commitment”: Making a promise to do something, whether it is a workout, seeking better health or just being a better person.
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Your “Perseverance”: Establishing a perpetual belief that “If I try, I will succeed.” You build toward your goal one solid step at a time.
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Your “Self-Control”: Coming to the realization that you are responsible for everything you do. How you react to the events happening in your life is the only outcome of any event that you can consciously determine.
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Your “Integrity”: Not examining the result, only the effort made. It is the level of honesty in the quality of effort you give to the execution of whatever you strive to do -- it has to be the best you can do.
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Gaining, Getting, Giving “Love”: Openness and respect for yourself, others and what life has to offer. It is the willingness to explore and interact with people, to listen, learn and share, and to always set the best example possible.
The program is unlike any other fitness program in that it offers a source of strength and inspiration to support your health journey.
We encourage you to check out Shea’s new 6-Disc DVD/CD workout set to “get started on your pathway to well-being!”
This groundbreaking DVD collection contains:
Find Out More and Order SheaNetics at SheaNetics.com: Your Pathway to Well-Being Now!
Once you’ve jumped right in to SheaNetics, the true mind-body fitness program, you will begin to open your mind to healthy lifestyle habits. With each step you take on this journey, you’ll find it easier to make the lifestyle changes that will ultimately help you reach not only your ideal weight but also physical and mental well-being.
Recommended Reading
Is Your Mind Making You Fat … and Keeping You That Way? The Power of Your Subconscious #1
Stress Now Proven to Cause Weight Gain in Women: Five Key Stress-Reduction Tips
Sources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: FastStats