To lose weight requires a comprehensive programme, designed to suit and be "user friendly" to each person. A key component is to moderate salt intake. Very often crash diets lead to an initial weight loss that is normally attributed to body water loss. Too much salt does lead to unnecessary water retention which does make us heavier. We are largely made up of water and need to maintain that but we can do without unnecessary water retention. To help keep our fluid levels balanced there is sodium (salt) and potassium. Sodium is in common table salt, some preservatives and antacids. It is added to breads and is in many processed foods. Leafy vegetables and celery are some naturally high suppliers as well. The natural suppliers are providing concomitant potassium in balanced levels so those foods do not set out to disrupt our fluid balance.
Potassium is less common in manufactured foods but abundant in natural foods especially vegetables, fruits and pulses. We need both minerals but we do commonly require less sodium than potassium for better health. We can easily get away with avoiding adding salt to our diets. There is one glitch! Our table salt often has been "iodinised". That term means that it has iodine as part of it. Iodine is an essential mineral found in sea foods and foods grown near sea spray. The thyroid gland (located in the neck) needs iodine to make thyroid hormones. So if you decide to ban all table salt, make sure you eat some sea foods or you can even take kelp supplements. Kelp from seaweed supplies iodine. There is a bonus to all this! Helping the body to have more balanced fluid balance will reduce that heavy load of unnecessary water retention. Kelp is often advocated to be taken on slimming programmes. Kelp does indeed accelerate our metabolism because it supplies raw materials for manufacture of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones are the "motor directors". To burn more energy you would want a quicker metabolism. Do not forget exercise!
There is likely to be a groan or at least an inner blockage against exercise if you have never enjoyed any sport. That is fine. Sport is about games, sometimes team spirit and rules. If that incurs dread, very well, try out an activity. Gardening, cleaning and tidying up, swimming, hiking and walking can all be fun activities that you are in control of. Find an appropriate physical form of exercise that is comfortable. As your weight climbs down the numerical scale, movement will be easier and in time a sport may actually be sought out. The benefit of interacting with fellow people while doing exercise is that it takes your mind off of the present activity and focusing on how tired you can easily become. Exercise is the easiest route to raising the metabolism and that is why active people can get away with bigger appetites and intakes of calories. Try and not be a calorie counter. Muscle weighs more than fat. Visualise your ideal state of body and mental health. Use that to inspire you during times of temptation! When all is said and done, it is time to maintain that well disciplined lifestyle. It is not hard, you will have ups and downs.
Tip the scale every so often, make little adjustments and focus on staying within an ideal range (your body mass index). This range will give you more flexibility. One fixed number is not health. Your state of body and mind should be addressed. If you feel happy, be happy! It is sad to aim to be what you think your partner wants. Excuse me, but who is living your life? Life is short. We usually want to be able to enjoy it. To do so we need to be active and full of bubbly energy. If there are a few stomach rolls, who cares? Care about yourself! Answer; are you happy, do you feel optimistic, do you have energy to go out partying? Be yourself, why be a body clone when you can still have peace of mind being yourself. You may think it is clever to overdo the kelp supplementation but that would be foolish. Too much iodine will suppress the thyroid factory, and our metabolism drops. Symptoms of low thyroid activity (termed hypothyroidism) are long and includes; sluggish metabolism, fatigue, mental fatigue, constipation, dry skin, brittle nails, thinning of the hair and even menstrual abnormalities in women.
A pregnant woman with hypothyroidism will have a baby that is a cretin. On the other hand symptoms of excessive thyroid gland activity include; heightened metabolism leading to possible weight loss despite increased appetite, hyperactivity with a faster heart beat, diarrhoea and oily skin. In both conditions there may be swelling of the neck and "a popping out" look of the eye balls possibly in people with excess thyroid gland activity. It is dangerous to have these states and if you suspect any abnormality it is recommended you seek out medical testing and diagnosis. People living near the sea have far reduced chances of developing hypothyroidism. With our wider availability of produce sourced from various geographical areas it is hard to say that if you live in this area or that area you may be vulnerable if you do not have iodinised salt.
To all the readers that might believe their weight loss diet or latest diet is fit for the whole family, think some more. Children need more dense nutritious foods; although you may need less fat it does not mean every family member in your household should be restricted. There are periods in our lives when our dietary needs alter, it depends on growth, activities, lifestyle and our current state of health. Be careful when losing weight, the long-term programme may take time but its effect is likely to be of more success. Always seek and use the programme that fits into a lifestyle that you can live with. It is your health that is the main aim to support and safeguard.
