You may not think of weight loss and mental health as being interconnected, but you’ll be surprised to find that one can have huge impacts on the other and vice versa. As many of our HealthyWage participants have experienced, when you begin removing the unhealthy, toxic patterns in your daily lifestyle and replacing them with healthy habits that contribute to a productive and happy life, you’ll likely see the effects of these changes on and off the scale. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the word ‘health’ as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.” America still claims the #1 spot when it comes to the obesity rate, estimating “that a little over 42% of American adults have obesity, while 30.7% are overweight. Overall, more than two-thirds of U.S. adults in the United States are overweight or have obesity,” (Healthline). With those startling facts, it’s no surprise our nation has seen a more recent rise in the mental health crisis. Read below for our top weight loss tips for mental health that will benefit you physically, mentally, and emotionally.
1. Fuel your body with nutritious foods. You’ve likely heard the saying “you are what you eat” and if you eat junk, you’re going too feel like junk. Fast food and processed foods have become household staples in our country, but would you rather go the quick route that will leave you feeling groggy and bloated or spend 15-20 minutes preparing a nutritious meal and be left feeling satisfied, alert, and fueled? Trust me, as a full-time working mom of 2 young kids, I know first-hand the struggles of just wanting to order takeout for dinner instead of cooking a meal that I know is better for our family…physically, mentally, and financially! Sure, there’s nights I was planning on preparing dinner at home and end up resorting to takeout, but it’s decreased greatly over the past few years. Why? Because I know how I’ll likely feel later that night and yes, even the next day if I skip my planned nutritions and well-balanced meal with something quick and easy that is likely loaded with carbs, sugar, and possibly fried. So, in essence, it isn’t worth it because I love how I feel when I fuel my body with nutritious foods as opposed to convenient junk. So, how can you fuel your body properly? Check out these articles focused on finding a nutrition plan that works for you, incorporating more whole foods in your diet, and creating healthy and sustainable eating habits.
2. Drink your H2O. Yes, we all know water is good for us and we’re constantly hearing people tell us to drink more water. But there’s good reason for it — because it’s the best source of hydration you can give your body! In addition to helping as an appetite suppressant and boosting your metabolism, water also cleanses your body of waste and aids with water retention (goodbye bloat!). On the flip side, if your body is not receiving the amount of water it needs, it can lead to dehydration, mental fog, low energy, headaches, moodiness, weight gain, and even increased risk of a stroke. I’ve always thought I was drinking enough water but it wasn’t until I gave up diet soda a few years ago that I realized I actually wasn’t getting enough. I loved my diet soda, so much I’d joked I was addicted to it. As a New Year’s resolution, I decided to ditch it completely and wow, did I start reaping the benefits. Because diet soda was no longer an option when it came to what I wanted to drink, I begin drinking water all day and started experimenting with different fruits and veggies to infuse my water. Funny thing happened, my digestive issues started disappearing, my skin begin glowing, the numbers on the scale were going down, my mind was clearer, and I just felt better and stronger all around! I can honestly say the benefits I’ve experienced since ditching soda and replacing it with water are so amazing, I have zero desire to ever sip a soda again. Of course I drink coffee in the morning (I’m not a robot!) and treat myself to a Kombucha at dinner and a cocktail or two on the weekends, but my water intake is always at least 95% of my daily liquid intake…everyday and all day! It’s the first thing I drink in the morning (quickly followed by coffee) and the last thing I drink before going to bed. One thing to keep in mind that too much caffeine can increase anxiety and too much alcohol can lead to an increase in depression. How much either affects you is different for everyone so it’s recommend to be aware of how you feel when you’re consuming caffeinated and alcoholic drinks, and cut down if you’re seeing negative impact on your health, both physically and mentally. If you need help incorporating more water into your daily lifestyle, check out our top tips here and start seeing the benefits of drinking your H2O.
3. Get active. Weight loss is mostly attributed to nutrition but that doesn’t mean you get a hall pass when it comes to working out. Exercise is great for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, decreasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, reducing inflammation, and yes, losing weight! Along with its weight loss benefits exercise has just as many mental benefits that include lowering stress levels by physically allowing your body to release energy (i.e. anxiety, anger, frustration, sadness), and giving you that nice boost of endorphins (our favorite natural ‘feel-good’ chemical). Whether it’s strength training, cardio, HIIT, yoga, stretching, or a walk around the neighborhood, I’ve made it a priority to get at least 30 minutes of activity into my day…every day. That may seem extreme but it’s now become a habit so engrained into my daily lifestyle that I don’t want to call it a night and go to bed if I haven’t done some type of exercise that day. I joke that working out is my therapy, but it’s true. It’s time where I can focus on myself (despite the occasionally interruption from one of my kids), and release any unnecessary and unhealthy energy weighing me down. When I’ve gone a few days without working out (rare but it happens), I feel it and it’s not good. I’m sluggish, irritable, and well, just unhappy, which doesn’t benefit myself nor anyone around me. It comes back to: would I rather force myself to do 30 minutes of physical activity and feel amazing for the next 24 hours or skip it and feel like blah until I workout again? Getting active doesn’t require joining a gym or a fitness studio. It can be as simple as committing to daily walks or trying out now online workouts in the convenience of your own home! Check out these online fitness programs and join a HealthyWage Step Challenge where you can win money for taking steps!
4. Be mindful. Between being conscious of what you put in your mouth to prioritizing exercise, mindfulness plays a key role in your long-term weight loss success and overall mental health. It’s can feel natural to just go through the motions, even when they aren’t the best of circumstances. Maybe your clothes are starting to feel tighter because you haven’t thought much about your food choices, which have led to you emotionally eating. Maybe sitting on the couch binging Netflix has become your source of daily activity. Maybe the household chores have begin stacking up in clutters and your “to-do” list just gets longer and longer because you’ve yet to cross anything off it yet. I get it, not every day will be your best day, and that’s OK. But take a moment to acknowledge and feel it instead of allowing it to become your norm. Some people find journaling to not only be therapeutic, but also beneficial in helping them stay on track with healthy habits. Others have seen success with meditation and breathing exercises. Everyone is different so it’s important to find what works for you. First step is being a mindful eater (remember, you are what you eat!), and we’ve got you covered with our top 10 tips here.
5. Get paid for practicing healthy habits. Here’s one final weight loss tip for mental health: start a HealthyWager and join our supportive community with like-minded individuals focused on improving their health and losing weight! The HealthyWager is the individual weight loss challenge customized to you, that provides fun and effective motivation for helping you implement and sustain healthy habits. It’s easy! You pick your weight loss goal, the timeframe you want to lose it in, and your prize (up to $10,000)! Ready to get started? Enter your information in the HealthyWage Prize Calculator to find out how much you can win!!
