When you are carrying around excess weight, it can harm your body, causing joint pain, overall body pain, difficulty breathing, and increased heart stress. Being overweight can also cause problems with your self-esteem and self-confidence. Your osteopathic doctor can help.
What You Need To Know About Nutrition and Weight Management
When you lose even five to ten pounds, it will help to:
- Lower your blood pressure
- Lower your cholesterol levels
- Stabilize your blood sugar levels
- Make staying active much easier
When you visit your osteopathic doctor, your doctor will perform a complete medical examination and testing to determine any underlying factors or conditions that need to be treated.
Your doctor will also provide dietary and nutritional counseling to help you establish healthy meal planning, so you eat less calories and maintain a nutrient-rich diet. Nutritional guidelines may include:
- Replacing high-fat foods like red meat with lean meats like poultry or fish
- Replacing full-fat dairy products with low-fat dairy products
- Replacing sugary foods and desserts with fruit and other nutrient-dense foods
- Eating lots of green vegetables and other high-fiber, high-nutrient foods so you feel full and eat fewer calories
- Limiting alcohol and caffeine intake
Your osteopathic doctor may also recommend a medically supervised weight loss program including supplements and medications to suppress appetite and boost your metabolism.
Remember that nutrition is only one part of a successful weight management program. Exercise also plays a vital role in helping you expel the extra calories you eat in the form of energy. For exercise to be effective at weight management, you need to:
- Exercise for 30 minutes on most days of the week
- Include aerobic exercises like brisk walking or swimming to get your heart working
- Include weight training to keep your muscles and bones strong
Want To Know More?
To find out more about nutrition and weight management and how your osteopathic doctor can help you lose weight, call your osteopathic doctor today.