According to the Institute of Medicine, two-thirds of adults and almost one-third of children in the United States are overweight. Harmful habits that lead to an unhealthy weight can be devastating to personal wellness.
We are aware of the problem, but often the solution evades us. We become complacent after fad diets and complicated systems fail us. We often look for a quick fix to the more fundamental issue of leading inactive lives and eating larger, less-healthy portions. Even our body types will tell the story of our issues that may stem from a hormone imbalance.
Instead of focusing on what we put in our bodies today, next week, or even next month, we should ask ourselves how do we want to look, act, and feel years from now. dōTERRA® Slim & Sassy® is not a diet, but one step toward choosing a lifestyle change. It addresses weight-gain at its source, giving you the energy and confidence you need to become your best self.
Four Steps to Success
A healthy body helps support a lifetime of energy and vitality and can aid in preventing the accelerated onset of many degenerative diseases. Managing weight and healthy body composition is primarily a matter of expending more calories than we consume. It sounds simple, but is something many struggle with.
The Slim & Sassy® Lifestyle Change advocates have impressed upon us the satisfaction that accompanies a healthy lifestyle. How did they do it? Their stories explain how each reached outside their comfort zone and decided it was time to choose change by:
1. Changing Their Attitude
2. Improving Their Diet
3. Exercising
4. Resting and Managing Stress
These four changes are crucial in helping individuals achieve their goals and make the lifestyle changes necessary to not only succeed, but also maintain success.
Tips for Success:
1. Take the dōTERRA Lifelong Vitality Pack®!
2. Write down specific goals with specific deadlines. Be realistic.
3. Find someone that will hold you accountable and be encouraging.
4. Use five drops of Slim & Sassy Metabolic Blend five times a day.
5. Replace one to two meals with the Slim & Sassy TrimShakes.
6. Drink lots of water with Lemon essential oil.
7. Exercise at least five days a week.
8. Get rid of your big clothes immediately! Reward yourself with new clothes instead of treats.
Change Your Attitude
Many believe that weight management is only a factor of proper nutrition and exercise; however, one of the greatest influencers is the right mental state. A person’s success at managing weight can usually be traced to how they begin. Creating a healthy lifestyle can be challenging; based on your starting point, there can be significant obstacles to overcome. In order to provide the best chance possible, individuals need to prepare themselves mentally as well as physically.
The common attitude associated with lifestyle change or weight management is often negative and restrictive. This attitude is not sustainable and makes weight management seem like an elusive goal. A better approach is to focus on the positive aspects of undertaking a lifestyle change. Below are a few suggestions for maintaining a positive attitude toward a healthy lifestyle change:
- A lot of pessimism arises from false or unreasonable expectations, especially when those expectations involve you. Set smaller goals within larger ones. When you provide yourself with realistic expectations you will be more likely to succeed.
- Post a blank sheet of paper on the wall or use a journal to count your achievements. Focus on the positive aspects associated with your goals instead of minor failures. When faced with a negative thought, use this record to remind yourself of your achievements.
• Consider befriending new people—people who are optimistic and have a healthy attitude towards life. Sometimes a poor attitude is a result of surrounding ourselves with individuals who have negative perspectives.
• Find a support system—someone who will be honest and supportive as you work toward reaching your goals. Be specific about your needs and your desires so that they understand where they can be of the most help.
Improve Your Diet
“One of the most important elements of weight management is the role of nutrition. Exercise without proper nutrition limits your success. The basics of weight management include caloric consumption and expenditure. When making a lifestyle change, many tend to forget this simple concept. Even with vigorous exercise, calorie consumption can far exceed calorie burn without proper dietary change. Providing your body with proper nutrition is a healthy and safe way to improve lifestyle.” —Dr. David K. Hill, DC
Implementing the basics:
- Don’t skip meals. When you skip a meal, your body goes into “survival” mode, slowing your metabolism and storing excess food or glucose as fat. Instead, consider a meal replacement to reduce hunger and provide needed nutrients.
- Choosing water over sugar-sweetened beverages can aid in maintaining a healthy weight. Substituting water for one 20-ounce sugar-sweetened soda will save you about 240 calories.
- Focus on finding a balance between hungry and full. Stop eating when you are no longer hungry, not when you are full. To help, try decreasing portion size by using a child-size plate.
- Don’t make the mistake of trying to change everything overnight. Decrease or replace one unhealthy food item at a time. For example, if you like chips, switch to baked or multigrain.
- For a simpler approach to making healthy choices, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness.
Support Your System
Healthy Living Starts on the Inside
Our DigestZen® line of supplements and Zendocrine® Softgels help you maintain a healthy digestive system and support weight management efforts when you exercise, change your diet, and stay hydrated.*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
EAT RIGHT!
Eating right is an important part of any weight management regimen. Monitoring portion size as well as choosing healthful, nutrient-dense foods can make the difference between whether you feel great during your program or lack energy. A helpful way to remember portion size* is shown in this diagram, as well as useful tips that can help you get the most out of your weight management plan.
Fat-Loss Accelerators
REDUCE WHITE
White sugar, dairy fats, white flour white rice, potatoes, bananas, etc.
REDUCE HIGH CALORIE BEVERAGES
Fruit juice, sodas & colas, sports drinks, alcohol, etc.
GRAZING VS. FEASTING
3 healthy meals a day GOOD 6 mini meals a day BETTER
HYDRATION
5 servings (20 drops) of Slim & Sassy blend mixed with water throughout the day
Exercise
Exercise does more than just burn calories. It can positively influence many components of health, including body chemistry and physiology. Proper exercise expends calories during and after activity, promotes better sleep, decreases cravings for unhealthy food, and can even elevate cognitive function.
To achieve a well-rounded fitness routine, incorporate aerobic, strength, and flexibility training into your exercise each week.
Aerobic Training
Recommended: 5 days a week
Exercise that uses large muscle groups and increases heart rate
Low intensity: walking
Moderate intensity: jogging
High intensity: sprinting
TIP: Aim for 150 minutes of low to moderate intensity or 75 minutes of high intensity aerobic exercise each week.
Strength Training
Recommended: 2 days a week
Exercise that focuses on specific muscle groups
Gym: free weights, resistance machines, pull-ups
Home: push-ups, abdominal crunches, leg squats, resistance bands
TIP: Strength training will help maintain muscle mass during weight loss; strive to work all major muscle groups for approximately 45 minutes each week.
Flexibility Training
Recommended: 7 days a week
Increase blood flow to muscles and prevent injury Static Stretching: holding a stretch for 20–60 seconds
Dynamic Stretching: repeated, controlled muscle movements (arm circles, walking lunges)
TIP: Try to fit in 10–15 minutes of stretching each day.
Not everyone enjoys exercising in the same way. If you are unhappy with your current exercise routine, be creative. Here are a few suggestions to help you get started.
• Biking
• Kayaking • Basketball • Kickball
• Skiing
• Gardening • Yoga
• Swimming
• Dancing
• Zumba®
• Jump Rope
• Ice Skating
• Hiking
• Rock Climbing
• Cross-Country Skiing • Walking
Rest & Stress Management
Dr. David K. Hill, DC, dōTERRA® Chief Medical Advisor, states, “Achieving proper rest is an import- ant feature of any wellness program. Sufficient amounts of rest provide bodies with an opportunity to recover from the day’s activity, improve energy levels, and reduce the effects of stress.”
Tips for a good night’s rest:
- Create a set routine by going to bed each night and rising each morning at the same time.
- Make your bed comfortable. Use it only as a place to sleep and not for activities like reading, watching television, or listening to music.
- Enjoy daily physical activity. This will allow you to fall asleep faster and enjoy a deeper sleep.
According to Dr. Hill, “Stress induces physiologic changes that cause a natural resistance to weight loss and can even reduce immune capability.”
Tips for reducing stress:
- Know your limits. Taking on more than you can handle increases stress.
- Work on time management. Create a plan for daily activities and tasks to eliminate pressure and create a sense of accomplishment.
- Generate a support system. Share your responsibilities or your feelings with others.
- Set aside time to relax. Find healthy ways to respond to stress by scheduling time for you.
Call us today to help you SUCCEED in your resolutions for a Healthy Year in 2019! We will consult, coach and encourage your lifestyle changes with no guilt!
