Obesity is a serious and chronic condition, and it’s an understatement to say it’s pretty common in the United States. More than two-thirds of our population is either overweight or obese.
This is problematic since obesity places you at a dramatically increased risk of developing preventable illnesses like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and fatty liver disease.
Here at Monarque Health & Wellness in Ashland, Oregon, our caring team offers a variety of functional and family medicine services. We’re here to help you live your healthiest life possible, and that’s why we’ve compiled this helpful guide to weight management.
We help you create a custom diet and exercise plan that takes your unique needs into account. The best diet to maintain a healthy weight is one that’s high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
A healthy diet plan also includes smaller portions than you may be used to, water instead of sugary drinks, and more low-calorie foods.
If this sounds intimidating, keep in mind that we help you to make small changes to your diet like replacing unhealthier foods with healthier ones. For example, you can switch white rice with brown rice or quinoa, white pasta with whole-grain pasta, or a sugary soda with an herbal tea.
Exercise is also essential for losing weight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.
An example of moderate-intensity aerobic activity is brisk walking, and vigorous-intensity activity would be jogging or running. The CDC also suggests muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week no matter your level of aerobic exercise.
One reason many people struggle with weight loss is because they often turn to crash diets. The problem with crash diets is that successful weight loss happens not quickly but instead gradually, and it includes making lifestyle changes.
Once you start eating again after a quick weight loss plan, you may gain all of your weight back because you’ve returned to those previous unhealthy habits.
Crash diets can also slow down your metabolism, making it harder and harder for you to lose weight as time goes on.
You no longer have to struggle with your weight, when we can help you along the way.
For more information on weight management programs, you can schedule an appointment at our Ashland, Oregon, office by calling 541-326-4777 today. You can also book your visit online, or send a message to the team here on our website.
