Toniqa® Diet for Appetite & Weight Control

The Centers for Disease Control have identified obesity as a chronic disease, one that can and needs to be managed for a lifetime. Obesity in children is leading to many related diseases such as asthma, Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and sleep apnea

Never before have so many people needed to lose weight.

Sixty-five percent of American adults are overweight or obese, says the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). People are becoming overweight at an earlier age too. So many factors play a part in why we have become overweight that it has become a vicious cycle and seems uncontrollable.

Why should I lose weight?

Weight loss is a decision that is entirely up to you. You don't have to lose weight if you don't want to. But there is so much to gain when you get down to a healthy weight. Not only will you generally feel better, you will gain self-confidence and boost your self-esteem. If you take medication, you will, most likely, reduce the amount you take or stop them entirely. You will also be preventing and possibly reversing disease. A natural weight loss program is an investment in the beginning, but you'll end up saving your health and much more in the end.

Counting Calories is Not All There is to Losing Weight

Losing weight is not just about calories in, calories out. Many personal trainers say that all you have to do is control the amount of calories going in versus the amount of calories going out and you will lose weight. Unfortunately, that’s not always the way it works. Our bodies are not machines or computers; our bodies are living organisms with cells, tissues, organs and chemicls that sometimes don’t work the way they should. Your body’s malfunctions can sometimes result in weight gain. Finding out the cause of why you can’t lose weight in spite of the “calories in/calories out” equation is important to living a healthy life.

Examples of conditions that cause you to gain weight include

* hypothyroid * perimenopause * too much estrogen * metabolism adaptations * emotional eating * stress * depression.

Many of these problems are related to each other, such that one condition causes the other condition to kick in. For instance, when you have a hypothyroid, the hormones released by the thyroid to make your metabolism function properly are not released. It sets off a chain reaction in your body that makes it impossible to lose weight, no matter how many calories go in or go out.

Another example is when you are experiencing perimenopause, your body makes too much estrogen. This causes you to gain weight which makes your body produce more estrogen and the cycle continues resulting in weight gain and no weight loss.

Sometimes when you restrict your calorie intake too much, your body’s metabolism adapts to this decrease in energy and lowers your metabolism. Your body can survive on less calories and won’t go into your fat stores for energy needs because it doesn’t need to. As a result, your diet is causing you to not lose weight.

Emotional eating occurs when we allow our emotions to control our behavior. It doesn’t matter if you know that a particular food is bad for you, you consume it anyway, just like an alcoholic turns to liquor to deal with difficult emotions.

Too much stress can cause a physiological reaction that results in weight gain even though you are following the guidelines of a healthy diet. Stress can cause you to gain weight if you do not process your body’s “fight or flight” response in the right way. Depression can cause you to turn to sugar for for an increase in energy and to lift your mood. Sugar causes an increase in serotonin which makes you feel good. But then it is quickly burned off and you need more, just like a drug addict needs more drugs to stay “high” and feel good.

So what can you do? If you are having problems losing weight,

1. Examine your habits and see if you are not eating the right things and exercising regularly. Keep a food and activity journal to see patterns in your daily living that might be sabotaging weight loss. If the calories in/calories out equation is coming out wrong,then
2. Investigate your overall health. The internet can be very helpful as long as you are careful to use credible sources of information.
3. See your doctor and have lab work done that includes a TSH test (shows thyroid function).
4. Look at how you handle your emotions. Do you eat when you are not hungry? Get to the bottom of those feelings that cause you to eat.
5. Are you under a lot of stress? Do you deal with it in a healthy way? Find out how your body can improve the way it reacts to stress.
6. If you are depressed, find out the reasons why and look for other mood-lifters besides sugar. If it’s really bad, your body may not be manufacturing enough serotonin. There are resources and supplements available to help you overcome this problem.

For most people, losing weight is all about calories in/calories out. But if that equation is not working for you, care enough about your health to find out the reason why your body is not operating the way it should.

How to Achieve Your Healthy Weight

In the past, recommended weight loss goals were based on a so-called ideal body weight. Ideal body weight is determined by height and gender and can be unrealistic for many people. For some people, simply preventing weight gain is an appropriate goal. For others, losing just 5 to 10 pounds is recommended. If you think you'd like to lose more, your chances of success are greater if you take small steps. Reach your goal of a 5- to 10-pound loss first; then reevaluate your need for further weight loss. Focus on achieving lifestyle change, not a number on the scale. If you are a numbers person, remember that weighing yourself every day might be discouraging. If you want to follow your weight loss, weigh yourself only once a week at the same time and on the same scale.

Simple Steps for Weight Management

To lose weight, use more calories than you eat. This requires you to balance your calorie intake and your activity level. The best way to lose a pound a week is to reduce your food intake by 250 calories a day and increase your activity level by 250 calories a day. The USDA says between 20 to 50 percent of the amount of calories you need each day is determined by how physically active you are. The remainder of the calories you need per day are used for basic body functions such as breathing, circulating blood and keeping cells functioning.

Eat all your vegetables, but try leaving behind one fourth of your entree. If you clean your plate at every meal, you are probably eating too much, especially if you eat out often. Quench your thirst with water instead of soda pop or sweetened drinks such as Kool-Aid or sports drinks. A can of regular soda has about 160 calories. If you are drinking even just one can per day, switching to water or diet soda for 6 months can eliminate 28,800 calories from your diet. That equals 8 pounds.

Shoot for adding at least one serving of vegetables or fruits a day. In general, fruits and vegetables are low in calories, have a lot of nutrients, and can even curb your appetite for less healthy foods. Cut back on the number of times you eat out. Remember, eating out means restaurants, fast foods, convenience stores, and vending machines. Switch to food that is grilled, baked, or fresh. Frying foods and adding sauces can double the calories of a meal. Know how much you are eating. Get out your measuring cups and see how your portion sizes measure up. Keep track of every thing you eat for 3 days. This may help identify one or two habits that are sabotaging your weight management efforts.