Health Goals Not Related to Weight

In my experience as a dietitian with nutritional counseling, public health, corporate wellness, and clinical dietetics I have been having conversations with people for years about their health. What strikes me as odd though, is that no matter what I go in to talk to client, patient, or employee about, they all seem to think I am there to talk about one thing: weight. Even when people are in healthy weight ranges, they seem to automatically think that they need to change their weight if they need to talk to a dietitian. However, this is not the case at all. As we talked about last week, weight change can be a healthy goal to have for yourself as long as it is approached in a healthy way. But, weight is definitely not the ONLY goal to have for yourself when it comes to healthy living. 

When we simplify nutrition and fitness down to weight then we are turning a blind eye to all of the other health determinants that often influence health outcomes more than weight itself. In fact, In practice I have found that focusing on the parameters outlined below leads to greater success in attaining a healthy weight than focusing on weight itself. Why? Because we are so much more than a number on the scale, and when we learn to dig deeper into what we want for our lives then we can change our healthy habits with the goal of treating ourselves well because we deserve it- not because we want to see some number on the scale. 

So instead of only focusing on weight, check out some of these other things to focus on in healthy living as well. 

Blood Work (Biometric Markers)

Although blood work sounds like a simple term, it encompasses a huge group of health parameters we need to be aware of. Getting regular blood work done can show you nutritional blind spots that you may not find otherwise. Furthermore, information about what is in our blood can help inform how you eat each day. Now before you get too confused, I don’t mean that your diet should change based on your blood type. Instead, your diet should change based on your blood composition. 

Let me explain: things like blood lipids (Total Cholesterol, Triglycerides, HDL/LDL levels, etc), glucose levels (including A1c), vitamin and mineral profiles, and hormone levels all both influence and are influenced by our nutritional choices. Everyone’s body and genetic history is different, so it is important to pay attention to what your personal blood is made up of and make informed nutritional changes as a result. 

For example, if diabetes runs in your family and your A1c is elevated, then as a result you can alter how you consume carbohydrates throughout the day and be more intentional with consistent body movement to help regulate your blood glucose levels. Or, if you have hypothyroidism then you will be at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and Vitamin D deficiency and as a result can intentionally regulate your intake of foods high in Vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acids. The list can go on and on, but what is important to remember is that we can allow what is happening inside of our bodies to dictate how we are approaching nutrition and health related goals. 

Energy Level

Energy level is a huge topic I talk to my clients about day to day. So often people get used to feeling exhausted all the time and just assume it has to stay that way. News flash: it doesn’t have to be this way. Our bodies were made to feel energized by the food and activity we give it each day, not depleted by them. Living life in a way that makes us feel drained constantly is no way to live. Instead, focusing on goals that encourage you to move in a way that makes you feel good and eating foods that give you vitamins and minerals that give you energy will leave you feeling healthier and happier throughout each day. Regardless of what the scale ever says, if you aren’t living with the energy you want to have then there are ways to address that. So instead of focusing on weight, focus on your energy to enjoy the things you love in life and your nutrition will follow suit.

Physical Strength/Fitness

Another important aspect of health to focus on is physical fitness. Weight and fitness are far from equivalents. I have met with many people who are extremely fit and healthy, but are larger in body weight. Likewise, I have also met with lots of people who are at a healthy weight but have a terrible diet and activity level. You can’t determine fitness by what you see on the scale. Instead, focusing internally on goals related to strength and activity level can give you greater motivation than the scale ever will to keep you going to the gym day in and day out. Fitness is an incredible way to see your body accomplish things you may never have thought were possible. Whether it’s running a marathon or being able to lift more than 5 pounds at the gym, activity is a way to pursue health and celebrate what your body can do that is empowering mentally, rewarding for your body, and a valuable part of any health journey you may find yourself on.

Mental and Emotional Health

This is one of the biggest reasons I encourage people to focus on other goals instead of or in addition to weight. So often weight can be a way we downplay our successes and beat ourselves up mentally. When we are focused on what we look like on the outside we can quickly become hypercritical of our bodies physically, which leads to excess mental and emotional stress. Food and physical activity are incredible ways to honor our bodies and love ourselves well and they should never be a way to punish ourselves for what we think we look like. Making goals and seeing success mentally and emotionally is far more important than any weight loss goal ever will be, and when we focus on our mental health so often our physical health will follow as a result. 

So start focusing on other health parameters other than just weight. Your health is so much greater than what you see on the scale and it is important to live that out day to day. For more help on how you can focus on some of these things, set up a FREE discovery call today on our website nutrition502.com or email us at natalie@nutrition502.com.