Acupuncturist and Chiropractor, Dr. Allison Heffron explains how acupuncture can help with weight loss, stress relief, and achieving your health goals for the new year.
Have Your Weight Loss Resolutions Failed In the Past?
Many people go into the new year with a “new you” resolution mindset. More often than not, these resolutions revolve around a weight loss goal. Unfortunately, most resolutions are put on the back burner and forgotten. Instead of repeating the same failed strategy,why not set yourself up for success by setting achievable goals? Achievable goals with a little bit of TLC or TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) can go a very long way.
First, let’s talk about the most common goals for weight loss. When you set up an achievable goal you should begin with something small. Many small goals add up to one big outcome, because math.
Small goals can include losing 5-10 pounds in 1-2 months. Typically, losing 1-1.5 lbs a week is a healthy way to lose weight. Now, how do you go about it? Before revamping your entire diet it may be easier to compromise a few things first.
Going cold turkey rarely ever works and, again, you want to set yourself up for success by changing a little at a time. If you eat 5 junk food snacks a day try to substitute 1-2 for something healthy. Once that becomes routine then substitute another. Making things become routine is a very good way to make healthier choices become a part of your new lifestyle.
Aside from diet there is activity. Activity does not automatically mean running a half marathon or going to the gym 5 days a week. You should find something you truly enjoy. Whether it be Zumba, walking, rock climbing, cycling, weightlifting, whatever it is, just try to do it at least once a week. Once it becomes routine you can add another day and then another day after that.
Can Stress Prevent Weight Loss?
Last month in November, I had written an article about acupuncture and stress. When you are on a transformation journey parts of that journey can be very stressful. Acupuncture can help let your mind rest. It is very important to give yourself a break and not be so hard on yourself. Of course, that is much easier said than done.
When you stress yourself out you release a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol inhibits weight loss. Stressing yourself out will just end up making it harder for you to achieve your goals. Luckily, having acupuncture treatment done helps decrease the production and release of cortisol to help calm your mind and body.
Acupuncture for Weight Loss
Acupuncture is helpful in the actual act of weight loss. If you are a new patient, your acupuncturist may ask you a number of questions regarding the different systems of your body such as your digestive system, circulatory system, sleep, menstrual cycle, etc.
The reasoning behind this is to paint a very detailed picture of how your body is functioning. It also gives a practitioner an idea of what needs to be supplemented in order to help your body function optimally.
The body undergoes a lot of stress on a daily basis. When you are making lifestyle changes it can jolt your system into a, “What is going on!? What are you doing to me!?” frenzy. That is where acupuncture can really help with keeping everything as balanced as possible while undergoing positive changes.
There is a whole “microsystem” of acupuncture points in the ear that are meant to decrease addiction cravings. Acupuncture needles are also inserted in different areas around the entire body.
When you make the decision to go into a lifestyle transformation make sure you have a great support system and the right tools to succeed. Patience, small and achievable goals, patience, a buddy to work with who is in it just as much as you are, patience, an acupuncturist, and I don’t think patience was mentioned, so patience.