Achieving and Maintaining a Healthy Weight

"How do I lose (or gain) weight?" is, of course, the most asked question when I mention I'm a nutritionist. So why did it take me so long to write about it? Well, there are so many theories, diets, and products out there that it took a while to wade through them to separate fact from fiction. I also am loathe to write something that will make you think there's a one-size-fits-all approach to maintaining a healthy weight. We are, after all, biochemically unique. Not only that, a "healthy" weight for an individual is also different at different stages and ages of their lives.

However, I feel that I've been talking and giving so much advice about it that I realised that there are three key common factors that I can talk about that affect our weight:

• the quality and quantity of the food we eat
• how well our digestive system works
• metabolism!

What's the first thing you'd do if you want to lose or gain weight? Adjust the quantity of food you eat, of course! That's a fact. But what's even more important is what you eat and the quality of what you eat. Low carb, low Glycemic Index...yes! Whole, local, seasonal and sustainably sourced produce are high in essential nutrients required for the body to function at optimal levels.

Moving on to digestion, keeping our digestive system healthy not only means that we get the most nutrients out of the food we eat, but also we eliminate toxic waste more efficiently. Do you know that your body will produce more fat cells to store if you don't get rid of them? It's the body's strategy to keep toxins out of circulation, and away from the body's major organs.

I'm very particular about making sure that the food looks good from paddock - or for us city folks, from market - to plate. Selecting the freshest produce, cutting all the ingredients evenly and at the right size, making sure that the table is set beautifully to complement whatever dishes are going to be served. Shared meals eaten leisurely are encouraged, very much like the French :) 

What does that have to do with digestion? A lot! Digestion is a mechanical and biochemical process that involves all of our senses. Your mouth waters when you see something that looks delicious, right? In Ayurveda, one of the world's oldest medical systems, digestion is the cornerstone of good health and this news article offers a really simple explanation.

Finally, we get to metabolism, which is the process of converting food into energy, and is a very complex biochemical process that is unique to each individual. Our bodies are able to regulate this process according to its needs when it is functioning optimally. However, today's stressful lifestyle and poor dietary habits mean that this is not usually the case. To cut to the chase, I've found 27 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism but if your metabolism is slow due to a thyroid problem, I recommend seeing a holistic health practitioner and have it treated as early as possible.