“For individuals who want to exercise but have fears or concerns, can understanding what they are scared of help ease their minds?”
Overcoming Exercise Fears
One reason for the ongoing weight problem is that individuals don’t move around enough, and one reason individuals don’t exercise is fear (Craig M. Hales et al., 2020). For individuals, physical exertion and moving the body to the point of increased heart rate, heavy breathing, and excessive sweating can cause anxiety and be scary when they haven’t done it in a while or have never worked out. Some anxieties and fears individuals may experience include the following:
Looking Foolish
Anything can happen when exercising. When individuals can’t figure out how a machine works or aren’t sure if they’re doing an exercise correctly, falling off a machine or dropping a weight can cause a feeling of foolishness. Knowing how to use machines and weights takes practice. Ask a gym employee or personal trainer for guidance, as educating individuals on doing exercises correctly and safely is their job. And most individuals working out are happy to help as well.
Experiencing Pain
Some avoid exercise, fearing intense pain. Exercise is not supposed to be painful, but it will cause soreness because individuals use muscles that they haven’t used for a while or at all. For instance, the muscles will experience a slight burning sensation when lifting weights. The body reacts to the workout and adapts to exercise. As the body gets stronger, individuals recognize their body’s response and are able to challenge themselves with heavier weights, longer runs, walks, and workouts. When beginning an exercise program, start slow. Some trainers recommend doing slightly less than an individual thinks they can for the first weeks. This helps to build a habit without the risk of burnout.
Injuries
When starting an exercise program, individuals can feel changes all over their bodies, like everything is pulling and tearing apart. Individuals who haven’t exercised much may be unable to distinguish between the normal discomfort from exercising for the first time and pain from an injury. Shin splints, side stitches, or other common side effects may develop from beginning an exercise program. Individuals may need to stop exercising, treat the injury, and start again.
If there are sharp pains in the joints, tearing in the muscles or ligaments, or anything else that doesn’t feel normal, stop and seek medical attention.
Exercise Mindfulness
The body will feel something while exercising, but separating real injury pain from normal sensations is important.
Be aware of how the body feels throughout the workout.
Follow instructions and pay attention to proper form to minimize the risk of injury.
Proper Footwear
Wearing the right workout shoes is a good idea to avoid and prevent injuries.
Invest in a quality pair of shoes to give the body the support it needs.
Proper Form
If lifting weights, one way to sustain an injury is using incorrect form or posture.
If you are unsure how to do the exercises, consult a trainer or gym employee to explain how the machine works.
Warm Up
Jumping into a workout without warming up can lead to injuries that can lead to chronic pain conditions.
If lifting weights, do a little cardiovascular exercise first or a warm-up set with lighter weights.
Workout Within Fitness Levels
Injuries happen when trying to do too much too soon.
Start with a light program.
Work up to more intense and frequent workouts.
For example, if only able to walk for 10 minutes, start there and increase gradually.
Failure
When it comes to exercise, failure can be experienced in different ways, like losing weight, failing to make it through a workout, being unable to stick to an exercise program, etc. This is part of the process, but individuals can overcome exercise fears through perseverance.
Setting the bar too high can become an excuse to quit.
A simple way to deal with this is to set a reachable goal.
Long-term goals can be set to work toward.
Do what you can handle now.
Individuals take risks whenever they do something out of their comfort zone. However, taking risks may be necessary to overcome exercise fears, keep going, and achieve success.
Weight Loss Techniques
References
Hales CM, C. M., Fryar CD, Ogden CL. (2020). Prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among adults: United States, 2017–2018. NCHS Data Brief, no 360. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db360.htm#Suggested_citation
For individuals wanting to improve and/or maintain health research shows evidence that acupuncture may help promote weight loss. Can incorporating acupuncture into an overall health plan help achieve this goal?
Acupuncture Weight Loss
Acupuncture is a traditional medical therapy that inserts thin, flexible needles into the body at specific points. It has been around for more than 2,500 years. The practice is believed to stimulate the body’s energy/circulation, and research suggests that it could improve various factors known to contribute to weight gain and obesity. (Kepei Zhang et al., 2018)
Acupuncture regulates energy flow and helps restore the body’s balance, which is believed to promote homeostasis and self-healing. (Ning-Cen Li et al., 2019)
Acupuncture stimulates connective tissue, which affects blood circulation, nerves, and the immune system.
It has been used to help manage conditions like migraines, infertility, pain management, and weight loss.
At the first appointment, the acupuncturist will take a general medical history and identify weight loss goals.
They will help identify the root causes contributing to weight gain, e.g., slow metabolism, thyroid issues, and overeating, to develop an effective personalized treatment plan.
A trained and licensed practitioner may also be able to provide nutritional and health coaching in addition to acupuncture treatments.
Procedure
The needles are thin and designed to work effectively without causing pain or bleeding.
The needles are left in for 15 to 30 minutes per session, depending on the treatment stage.
The practitioner may lift or rotate the needles as part of the technique during a session.
Many individuals report that acupuncture treatments are relaxing and pain-free.
For weight loss, the ear points will be the focus.
Research suggests that stimulating certain outer ear points may help balance hormones that help decrease cravings and suppress appetite. (Li-Hua Wang et al.,2019)
Two hormones that help in weight loss and acupuncture may help rebalance include: (Li-Hua Wang et al.,2019)
Ghrelin
Controls appetite and meal stimulation.
Leptin
Regulates fat storage and metabolism.
Acupuncture Weight Loss can help:
Decrease food cravings
Suppress appetite
Improve digestion
Increase metabolism
Research
Acupuncture weight loss recent research:
One study compared the effectiveness of auricular/ear acupuncture to body acupuncture in obese women and found that those who received ear acupuncture lost more weight than the individuals who received acupuncture in other body areas. (Cayir Yasemin et al., 2017)
Another study found that overweight females between 20 and 30 years of age who received six weekly treatments of ear acupuncture experienced a reduction in waist circumference. (Felicity Lillingston et al., 2019)
Many individuals gain weight as a result of stress.
Research suggests that acupuncture therapy helps stimulate the release of endorphins or the body’s natural pain-relieving hormones.
This helps create calming, relaxing effects that counteract stress eating caused by tension, frustration, and anxiety. (Laila Ahmed Abou Ismail et al., 2015)
When incorporated with lifestyle adjustments, like regular exercise, improved sleep, stress management, and a balanced diet, a review of studies concluded that acupuncture is effective for weight loss. (S-Y Kim et al, 2018)
Safety
The risks of acupuncture are low when performed by a licensed and certified practitioner. The most common side effects include:
Soreness
Bruising
Minor bleeding where the needles were inserted
Fatigue
Before seeking acupuncture treatment, consult your healthcare provider about consideration. They may recommend a reputable practitioner if the treatment is right for you.
Chiropractic Care and Metabolism
References
Zhang, K., Zhou, S., Wang, C., Xu, H., & Zhang, L. (2018). Acupuncture on Obesity: Clinical Evidence and Possible Neuroendocrine Mechanisms. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2018, 6409389. doi.org/10.1155/2018/6409389
Li, N. C., Li, M. Y., Chen, B., & Guo, Y. (2019). A New Perspective of Acupuncture: The Interaction among Three Networks Leads to Neutralization. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2019, 2326867. doi.org/10.1155/2019/2326867
Wang, L. H., Huang, W., Wei, D., Ding, D. G., Liu, Y. R., Wang, J. J., & Zhou, Z. Y. (2019). Mechanisms of Acupuncture Therapy for Simple Obesity: An Evidence-Based Review of Clinical and Animal Studies on Simple Obesity. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2019, 5796381. doi.org/10.1155/2019/5796381
Yasemin, C., Turan, S., & Kosan, Z. (2017). The Effects of Auricular and Body Acupuncture in Turkish Obese Female Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial Indicated Both Methods Lost Body Weight But Auricular Acupuncture Was Better Than Body Acupuncture. Acupuncture & electro-therapeutics research, 42(1), 1–10. doi.org/10.3727/036012917×14908026364990
Lillingston, F., Fields, P., & Waechter, R. (2019). Auricular Acupuncture Associated with Reduced Waist Circumference in Overweight Women-A Randomized Controlled Trial. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2019, 6471560. doi.org/10.1155/2019/6471560
Ismail, L. A., Ibrahim, A. A., Abdel-Latif, G. A., El-Haleem, D. A., Helmy, G., Labib, L. M., & El-Masry, M. K. (2015). Effect of Acupuncture on Body Weight Reduction and Inflammatory Mediators in Egyptian Obese Patients. Open access Macedonian journal of medical sciences, 3(1), 85–90. doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2015.010
Kim, S. Y., Shin, I. S., & Park, Y. J. (2018). Effect of acupuncture and intervention types on weight loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 19(11), 1585–1596. doi.org/10.1111/obr.12747
Muscle spasms also referred to as muscle cramps, are painful contractions and tightening of the muscles. They are common, involuntary, and unpredictable. Temperature drops and cold weather can cause the muscles and joints to contract and tighten, leading to spasms and pain. Chiropractic, physical therapy massage, exercises, stretching, and an anti-inflammatory diet can bring relief and help strengthen the muscles to prevent future episodes.
Muscle Spasms
Spasms are common and can affect any of the muscles. They can involve part of a muscle, all of a muscle, or several muscles in a group. Spasms occur when the muscle/s involuntary and forcibly contract uncontrollably and are unable to relax. The most common sites for muscle spasms include:
As the weather gets colder, this causes the muscles in the body to lose heat, causing them to contract. As a result, the muscles and joints become tighter, stiffer, and decrease mobility and range of motion. This forces the muscles to work harder than usual to compensate. This can increase the fatigue of the muscles, leading to more prolonged bouts of pain and discomfort after physical activity, movement, exercise, etc.
Symptoms and Causes
A cramp can last a few seconds or last up to 15 minutes. During a muscle spasm, the following may be experienced:
Twitching in the muscle.
Pain in the muscle.
Throbbing.
Hardness and/or stiffness.
The muscles appear physically distorted.
Because the muscles have to work harder, the cold weather can increase muscle spasms. One of the most common causes of muscle spasms is overuse and fatigue. However, exact causes vary from person to person. Some experts believe that one or more of the following contribute to the spasms/cramps, and they include:
Dehydration.
Stress.
Not stretching the body regularly.
Muscle fatigue.
Restricted blood circulation.
Involuntary nerve discharge/s.
Over-exercising.
Exercising in the heat.
Exhaustion of salts and minerals:
Potassium
Magnesium
Calcium
Possible causes for leg cramps at night or nocturnal leg cramps specifically include:
Sitting for too long without moving around to keep circulation healthy.
Sitting with unhealthy posture.
Overusing the muscles.
Standing or working on hard floors.
Dealing With The Cold
One way to deal with the cold is to warm up before any physical activity. Taking a few minutes to get the heart rate up can increase the blood flow and flexibility of the muscles. This will ensure the muscles are functioning correctly and avoid the need to work harder to stop spasms. When a cramp strikes, there are a few steps to try to alleviate the spasm:
Stretching the affected area.
Massaging the affected area manually with a massage roller, percussive massager.
Stand up.
Move around.
Apply heat or ice.
A warm bath, shower with massage setting if possible.
Herzberg J. Stevermer J. Treatments for Nocturnal Leg Cramps. (www.aafp.org/afp/2017/1001/od3.pdf) Am Fam Physician 2017;96(7):468-469. Accessed 3/1/2021.
Chiropractic medicine is used as a standard musculoskeletal injury/strain treatment and for rehabilitation. Chiropractic helps with:
Different types of back pain
Headaches
Neck pain
Shoulder pain
Arm pain
Hand pain
Leg pain
Foot pain
Spine and nervous system health are essential for a properly functioning body and overall health. There are significant benefits of chiropractic care that can improve an individual’s overall quality of life and health. Chiropractic treatment can help:
Relieve Stress
Stress is natural in life, and it’s too much or poor management techniques that can cause pain and or injury. Chiropractic can improve how the body responds to stress. The nervous system is responsible for adapting the body to its environment, especially a stressful environment. Around 90% of the central nervous system travels down and through the spinal column. Spinal vertebral subluxations/misalignments can interfere with proper nerve flow disrupting body functions. Vertebral subluxation decreases the body’s ability to adapt to the environment. When this happens, stress can have a high adverse impact on the body’s health. An aligned spine along with an optimally operating nervous system helps the body to manage stress easier.
Improve Posture
Posture shifts affect spinal alignment and nerve function. The most common is Forward Head Posture/FHP. This is where the head shifts forward and down on the shoulders. This affects the natural curve in the neck, causing tension to form in the spinal cord. Improper ergonomics and overuse of electronic devices play a role in FHP. Chiropractic treatment helps and restores proper spinal alignment, significantly improving the body’s posture.
Elevate Mental Mood
Individuals in pain are often in a bad, sad, low mood reflecting their pain level. Balancing the body’s nervous system restores the balance of chemical flow in the body. Conditions like depression and ADHD have shown improvement with regular chiropractic care.
Strengthen Immune System Function
Spinal misalignment adversely affects the nervous system. The nervous system sends all the necessary information to different areas of the body. If the spine has been compromised, specific sites will not receive the vital signals required to function at full potential. This can affect any or all the systems in the body, especially the immune system. Chiropractic improves nerve flow to the organs of the immune system.
Enhance Thorough Sleep
Lack of sleep leads to all kinds of health issues. Lack of proper sleep can be from a nervous system that does not shut down, add pain, stress, and nightly symptoms do not allow the body to rest. Optimal spinal alignment relaxes the nervous system decreasing pain. Sleep improves over time, with individuals reporting reduced pain and an increase in health and wellness.
Body Composition
Gluten Effects
Gluten causes digestive issues/problems for individuals that have celiac disease or autoimmune thyroid disease. Individuals with these conditions that eat gluten foods can present with uncomfortable and painful effects. Symptoms can vary and have different classifications.
Classical Celiac Disease – CD
Classical celiac disease presents with symptoms that include:
Diarrhea
Discolored stools
Constipation
Abdominal bloating
Pain
Weight loss
However, these symptoms are more common in children with CD than adults. In adults, symptoms are more similar to those in non-classical celiac disease.
Non-Classical Celiac Disease
Non-classical celiac disease symptoms may not present with severe digestive symptoms as in classical CD but suffer from other symptoms. These include:
Silent CD is less visible. There might not be any symptoms, but damage to the intestines is still occurring.
References
Khodakarami, Nima. “Treatment of Patients with Low Back Pain: A Comparison of Physical Therapy and Chiropractic Manipulation.” Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 8,1 44. 24 Feb. 2020, doi:10.3390/healthcare8010044
Rubinstein, Sidney M et al. “Benefits and harms of spinal manipulative therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” BMJ (Clinical research ed.) vol. 364 l689. 13 Mar. 2019, doi:10.1136/bmj.l689
Urits, Ivan et al. “A Comprehensive Review of Alternative Therapies for the Management of Chronic Pain Patients: Acupuncture, Tai Chi, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, and Chiropractic Care.” Advances in therapy vol. 38,1 (2021): 76-89. doi:10.1007/s12325-020-01554-0
Chiropractic medicine specializes in the musculoskeletal system. It treats the whole body because if one area of the body is inflamed, swollen, out of place, or damaged, it affects other areas. Chiropractic’s goals are to bring the body back into balance and get it functioning at an optimal level. Achieving overall health and wellness requires an individual’s body to be at its appropriate weight.
Obesity and Pain
Chronic pain and obesity are linked, according to various studies. Individuals dealing with chronic pain are more likely to become obese, and those who are obese have an increased risk of developing a chronic pain condition. Research studies also show that individuals that lose weight have a reduction to complete alleviation of pain.
The Pain Gain Cycle
The goal is to break the cycle. When an individual is dealing with pain symptoms, eating foods high in sugars and starches can be comforting. However, unhealthy food is fueling the pain and causing inflammation. Back pain commonly occurs in individuals that are obese. Chiropractic helps kickstart the weight loss process by relieving pain naturally and safely.
Spinal Alignment and Weight Loss
Spinal alignments go beyond relieving pain to help with weight loss. Adjustments improve the body’s ability to burn fat and maintain overall health. A spine that is out of alignment can affect the nerve pathways of the central nervous system and the communication signals affecting nearly every aspect of the body. Problems with the central nervous system can affect how the whole body burns fat and the metabolic system.
Hormone Regulation
Spinal misalignments can affect the body’s hormone regulation. These hormones include those for breaking down foods during digestion. Affected hormones can contribute to weight gain and prevent weight loss. Chiropractic corrects the nerve’s pathways, allowing for proper hormone regulation, which can help with weight loss.
Pain Relief and Exercise
Exercise is pivotal to losing weight, building muscle, and maintaining health. The problem for overweight individuals is that they are in too much pain to exercise. With back pain, just walking a quarter of a mile can become excruciating, and this is where chiropractic care for pain relief comes in. When managing pain through chiropractic, individuals can exercise regularly.
Nutrition and Lifestyle
The whole body is a unit where everything affects something else. Chiropractors are becoming or teaming up with certified nutritionists and health coaches. Part of a treatment plan includes nutritional recommendations personalized to individual needs and weight loss goals. They also recommend:
Specific exercises
Lifestyle adjustments
Third-party support
Whole Body Composition
Weight Loss and Cheat Meals/Days
A cheat day or meal every once in a while will not undo weeks and months of regular workouts and eating healthy. Cheat days can help individuals stay motivated for the long term. But this does not mean getting carried away and going on a bender or making cheat days a routine. The goal is to develop healthy eating habits that become the norm while decreasing the craving for junk food. Changing body composition and losing weight is a long-term journey, but done correctly and with support turns into a healthy body.
References
DeMaria, Anthony, et al. “A weight loss program in a chiropractic practice: a retrospective analysis.” Complementary therapies in clinical practice vol. 20,2 (2014): 125-9. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2013.11.007
James M Whedon, DC, MS, Andrew W J Toler, MS, Louis A Kazal, MD, Serena Bezdjian, Ph.D., Justin M Goehl, DC, MS, Jay Greenstein, DC, Impact of Chiropractic Care on Use of Prescription Opioids in Patients with Spinal Pain, Pain Medicine, Volume 21, Issue 12, December 2020, Pages 3567–3573, doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnaa014
Okifuji, Akiko, and Bradford D Hare. “The association between chronic pain and obesity.” Journal of pain research vol. 8 399-408. 14 Jul. 2015, doi:10.2147/JPR.S55598
Losing weight can be one of the hardest things to do. It is also one of the best things anyone can do to get rid of back pain and optimize overall health. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight impacts the whole body, especially the spine. It is prevalent for individuals who are overweight to experience back pain. This comes from the added weight that the feet, legs, pelvis, and spine have to support. For many, once the weight comes off, the back pain reduces significantly and/or disappears completely. For those embarking on a weight loss journey, our:
Chiropractic team
Physical therapists
Health coach
Nutritionist
Can provide resources to plan, encourage, and assist in reaching health goals.
Overweight, Obesity and Back Pain
Spine pain is one of the top reasons individuals see a doctor. The need to lose weight is based on body mass index/BMI. BMI can be an indicator that an individual’s weight might not be in a healthy range. BMI ranges:
Normal weight – Body Mass Index of less than 25
Overweight – Body Mass Index of 25 to 30
Obese – Body Mass Index of 31 to 35
Extremelyobese – Body Mass Index of 36 or higher
If unsure about how to get an accurate BMI measurement, talk to our team about InBody Testing.
Added Weight Places Pressure On the Spine
Added bodyweight places added strain on the low back. Studies have linked obesity with degenerative disc problems. Combined with the physical impact the added weight has on the spine and overall health, it can also affect spine surgery outcomes. Studies have shown that some overweight/obese individuals have an increased risk for surgery-related complications like:
Infection
Issues recovering from anesthesia
Overall recovery struggles
The good news is that individuals do not have to lose a significant amount of weight to see and feel the benefits. Losing 15% of excess weight will improve chronic back pain.
Exercise
Successful weight loss is the ability to maintain the loss. It needs to be something that can be committed to and brought into an individual’s lifestyle. Trying to go hard with an extreme diet or intense exercise program is not recommended. This is like not having any long-distance running knowledge along with training but entering a 12345K race. An individual will collapse after a few blocks. And sustained weight loss is just that, a long-distance journey that requires:
Getting educated about what is going on with the body
Understanding how foods affect/impact the body
Understanding the body’s unique needs to lose weight
Developing a personal health goal plan
Following through
Lifestyle factors contribute to healthy body weight. Being able to embed healthy habits into one’s life is the objective. Although it can sound easy to do, it can be a challenging process. With professional help, individuals can:
Maintain a nutritious and balanced diet
Have an active lifestyle
Maintain healthy sleep habits
Keep stress under control
Discussing a weight loss plan is very important. A professional health coach, nutritionist, and chiropractor will develop the right program that considers an individual’s specific health status.
Overall Health
Achieving a healthy weight will reduce to relieve back pain completely and significantly improve quality of life. Weight management is challenging, but once the benefits are seen and felt, it becomes second nature.
Body Composition
Healthy Kidneys
The kidneys pump more than 400 gallons of recycled blood through the body every day. These organs work nonstop to filter blood and remove waste. If the kidneys become impaired, the body can become overloaded with waste. Unhealthy lifestyle choices can harm/damage the kidneys. Kidney disease progresses slowly over the years. Individuals can lose 90 percent of kidney function before symptoms become serious. Chronic kidney disease is not reversible. However, with lifestyle adjustments, an individual can lower their risk of developing kidney-related diseases.
Proper Hydration
Drink plenty of water to clear sodium, urea, and toxins from the body and prevents kidney stones. Try to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Every individual’s body water levels are different. A body composition test can determine what is normal for the individual.
Maintain healthy diet
Poor diet contributes to visceral fat gain. This has been linked to chronic kidney disease. Reduce visceral fat by eating a healthy diet of vegetables, fruit, and lean protein. Cut down on salty, processed foods. Body composition testing can help form an individualized diet plan to reduce visceral fat.
Supplements, antibiotics, and OTC medications
Overuse of common over-the-counter medications and supplements can cause kidney damage and disease. Consult with a doctor before taking medications and supplements if there is kidney function impairment.
Maintain fitness and physical activity
Cardio and strength training exercises are recommended. High blood sugar levels stress the kidneys. Building adequate muscle mass will help control blood sugar. A body composition test can make sure there are adequate amounts of muscle mass.
References
Liuke M, Solovieva S, Lamminen A, Luoma K, et al. Disc degeneration of the lumbar spine in relation to overweight. Int J Obes (Lond). 2005;29(8):903-908.
Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Fryar CD, Flegal KM. Prevalence of Obesity Among Adults and Youth: the United States, 2011–2014. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Center for Health Statistics.www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db219.htm. Page last updated: October 28, 2015. Accessed July 10, 2017
Samartzis D, Karppinen J, Chan D, Luk KD, et al. The association of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration on magnetic resonance imaging with body mass index in overweight and obese adults: A population-based study. Arthritis & Rheumatology. 2012;64(5):1488-1496.
Understanding the difference between weight loss and fat loss will help promote a healthy change and improve an individual’s wellbeing. Fat loss can be a part of losing weight. However, individuals lose more than just fat. Fat loss is the goal for most individuals, so taking a deliberate, focused approach will generate the best results. Here we discuss how individuals can optimize for fat loss.
Understanding The Difference
Weight loss is the overall reduction in body weight
Fat loss is a reduction in body fat
When losing weight, the body is not just losing body fat, and changes are being made to each component of body composition. This includes:
Body fat
Lean Body Mass
Body Water
This is also true for weight gain. An individual cannot control how much is lost but can influence what is lost.
Weight Loss
Hundreds of diet and exercise programs can help achieve fat loss, some better than others. The ones that tend to work better focus on the same thing: reducing energy intake from food/diet while increasing energy output through exercise and regular physical activity. This forces the body to compensate for the missing energy by breaking down the body’s tissues, including fat and muscle. As an individual loses weight, they will also lose some muscle in the form of Lean Body Mass in addition to body fat.
Fat Loss
Body fat is a combination of essential fat and storage fat. Storage fat is adipose tissue that has accumulated for reserved energy. This type of fat changes with diet modification and regular exercise. Too much storage fat can negatively impact physical and mental wellbeing, so this should be the focus for better health.
Focus on fat loss and not weight loss
There is a clear association between obesity and chronic disease. Focusing on weight loss can lead to unintended consequences like eating disorders. This is why focusing on weight loss, and healthy body composition is critical. This is the recommended approach because it encourages the individual to move more and eat healthily.
Understanding health benefits of losing fat
Body fat percentage works better as a gauge of health than weight.
Weight is composed of lean body mass, body fat, and water, so any changes in these areas can lead to weight gain and not just fat loss. Excess body fat, specifically storage fat, has a close association with chronic diseases like:
Type 2 Diabetes
Hypertension
Heart Disease
Various Cancers
The key is understanding that a healthy body fat percentage will help reduce the risk of these diseases and improve mental health and overall health.
Different ways to measure fat loss
Tracking body fat loss means having body composition tracked and monitored. There are devices and methods for determining body composition, including:
For genuinely accurate results, get tested by a highly skilled professional who uses medical-grade tools for assessment. Cheap plastic calipers and at-home scales don’t tend to be the best options.
Metabolism changes with weight loss
When losing weight, there is more loss than fat. One loss can be Lean Body Mass, which is critical because the amount of Lean Body Mass has directly influenced Basal Metabolic Rate or the body’s metabolism. The Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories the body naturally burns when resting. When focusing on weight loss and not making changes to minimize lean body mass loss, the individual decrease the size of their metabolism. However, if an individual continues with the same eating habits, this could be a setup for weight regain.
Weight loss can slow down metabolism.
Here is an example of a typical set of body composition results of someone who would be clinically diagnosed as obese.
Along with weight and body fat mass measurements, the individual naturally developed muscles by carrying their body weight. This means that individuals that are obese also have relatively large metabolisms. Dramatic changes to Lean Body Mass and metabolism are not ideal, especially when the goal is maintaining a healthy body weight.
The weight and body fat bars on the above chart are significantly over average, and the Skeletal Muscle Mass bar. This is common for individuals that are obese. Individuals that are obese have developed this muscle by carrying a large amount of weight. Large amounts of muscle begin to build to move the heavy body. This is why it is essential to come up with a focused/customized approach for gaining strength, losing fat, and body recomposition, rather than just weight loss.
Stopping weight regain
Focusing on body composition, developing muscle, and Lean Body Mass is crucial. With weight loss, there will be some Lean Body Mass loss. This means a low metabolism and non-regulated eating habits can lead to regaining weight. With no development of Lean Body Mass and skeletal muscle to help grow the metabolism, there is an increased chance of weight retrieval. Along with continued changing eating habits after an individual reaches their target weight.
Building muscle, losing fat for healthy body composition
The main areas to focus on to change body composition, overall health, and wellbeing.
Focus on body composition, not on weight loss
Instead, track changes in body composition. This means optimizing programs for fat loss while minimizing Lean Body Mass loss. Weight loss will occur, but proper nutrition and strength training can reduce Lean Body Mass loss.
Develop new eating habits
An important step is understanding how to improve eating habits by choosing a diet plan that will be enjoyable. When optimizing for fat loss, it will take longer than weight loss. Effective dietary strategies go for half to one pound of fat loss per week. This is a manageable and sustainable goal that will not cause adverse effects on metabolism. Slow and steady is the better option and will lead to long-term changes.
Start strength training to increase metabolism.
Strength training/weight lifting is a great way to increase metabolism. Increased muscle benefits range from:
High ability to recover from disease/s
Reducing insulin resistance
Keeps the body mobile
Helps combat obesity by increasing BMR and metabolism
Body composition in the long-term
Fat loss is more important than weight loss and will lead to long-term changes. Understanding that working out smarter and finding out body composition numbers will promote getting fit while keeping the fat off. It will take longer than expected, but dropping 30 pounds in less than a year and then regaining it all back is counterproductive.Take the time to make minor, impactful adjustments that will lead to a lifetime of optimal health.
InBody
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The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, and sensitive health issues and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use public health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support directly or indirectly our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation as to how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900. The provider(s) Licensed in Texas& New Mexico*
References
Hall, Kevin D et al. Calorie for Calorie, Dietary Fat Restriction Results in More Body Fat Loss than Carbohydrate Restriction in People with Obesity. Cell metabolism vol. 22,3 (2015): 427-36. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.07.021
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Tobias, Deirdre K et al. Effect of low-fat diet interventions versus other diet interventions on long-term weight change in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology vol. 3,12 (2015): 968-79. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(15)00367-8
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