Mainstream weight loss techniques, like modern dietary trends, are constantly changing. What was supposed to work yesterday no longer works today, and tomorrow the trend will be just as different.

The reason for this is simple: there is no one-size-fits-all weight loss program that works for everyone. Our bodies are different, and everything from hormones to lifestyle play a role in how each individual can best achieve their weight loss goals.

Humanity’s bio-individuality is the reason these mainstream dietary and exercise trends are so short-lived; it’s the same reason some people swear by certain routines while others revile them. The Atkins diet may have worked for your next-door neighbor, but it might just put you in the hospital.

Our Charlotte weight loss programs are created with your individual genetic, biochemical, environmental, and lifestyle situations in mind.

Bio-Individuality & Its Implications for Weight Loss

We need to stop thinking there is a magic combination of diet and exercise that is guaranteed to set weight loss in motion. Instead, we need to think, “What’s the magic combination for me?”

Our Charlotte weight loss programs start by analyzing each individual. We take the following information into account:

• Are you drinking enough water per day?
• Are you eating 7-10 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per day?
• Are you getting enough Omega 3’s, nuts, and seeds? Are the fats you’re consuming healthy?
• Are you skipping meals for long periods of time then overconsuming in a single sitting?
• How often do you exercise, and what is your exercise routine?
• Are you consuming a lot of sugar substitutes, hydrogenated oils, and processed foods?

Obviously there is a spectrum here between collective and individual health, as adjusting consumption and exercise habits in accordance with the questions above would likely help a massive percentage of the population lose weight. 

But what if, after correcting your diet, you still can’t lose weight? Now we need to dig a bit deeper to find the underlying cause of your weight-loss troubles.

• Your Firmicutes-Bacteroidetes ratio may be out of balance. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes are two major bacterial phyla in the stomach, and it has been shown that an imbalance in the ratio between the two correlates with obesity, as well as other diseases.
• You could have intestinal permeability (commonly called “leaky gut”) that is mitigating the absorption of nutrients.
• You may be swinging from states of high blood sugar to low blood sugar (dysglycemia)
• You may have a parasitical, bacterial, or fungal infection.
• You may have inadequate levels of probiotics.
• Your thyroid, hemoglobin A1c, and/or sex hormones may not be in a functional range.
• Your cortisol levels may be too high.

Our Charlotte weight loss programs seek to uncover the above factors that can contribute to difficulty losing weight. By balancing these factors, your body can take over and weight loss can occur naturally.

When your individual biochemical, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle circumstances are understood, an effective weight loss program can be put in place. With the help of our certified nutritional consultant and personal trainer, you will be well on your way to a healthier body and mind.

Common Diet Changes That May Work for You

As stated above, there’s no one-size-fits-all weight loss program that works for everyone. With bio-individuality in mind, this goes for our Charlotte weight loss programs as well. We evaluate your specific physical and environmental situation and set up the best weight loss program for you.

However, there are common techniques that work for many people. Here are some things you can probably expect.

Eating Whole, Single-Ingredient Foods

This is one of the best ways to lose weight and improve your health. Eating whole, single-ingredient foods will cut out all of the added sugar and fat found in processed foods.

Not only are single-ingredient foods often packed with essential nutrients, they also tend to be more filling, making it easier to stay inside your healthy calorie limits. 

Avoiding Processed Foods

You guessed it – the above implies less of the sugar, fat, and calorie-packed processed foods you may be used to eating. Not only are these lacking in essential nutrients, they’re also specifically designed to make you want to eat more and more and more.

Processed foods are addictive, and like most things that are addictive, they’re bad for your health.

Limiting Sugar Intake

Our bodies need sugar, but modern foods are serious overkill. Our Charlotte weight loss programs often specifically involve limiting sugar intake.

Did you know the average American eats about 15 teaspoons of added sugar each day? You probably don’t even know you’re doing it, because this added sugar is hidden in the various processed foods that people eat throughout the day – it’s hidden under different names in the ingredient list.

Here are common ingredients you’ll see on processed food packages that basically just mean “sugar”:

• Glucose
• Fructose
• Sucrose
• Corn Syrup
• Dextrine
• Dextrose
• Ethyl Maltol
• Malt Syrup
• Maltose
• Rice Syrup
• High-Fructose Corn Syrup
• Agave Nectar
• D-ribose
• Galactose
• Maltodextrin

Drinking More Water

Our Charlotte weight loss programs often involve increasing the amount of water you drink each day. This can include drinking water before meals and as a replacement for other drinks, such as soda or sweet tea.

Switching To Black Coffee

Coffee itself isn’t bad for you. In fact, it’s packed with antioxidants. It may also help weight loss by boosting metabolism and burning calories with your increased energy levels.

By switching to black coffee as part of your Charlotte weight loss program, you’ll get all the benefits of the beverage without all the added sugar. 

Cutting Out the Liquid Calories

This includes soda, fruit juices, sweet tea, sweetened coffee, chocolate milk, and energy drinks. This one simple action can seriously increase the amount of weight you lose. 

Adding Eggs to Your Diet

Eggs are a great weight-loss food. They’re also inexpensive, high in protein, low in calories, and have plenty of nutrients.

Our Charlotte weight loss programs often involve adding foods that can reduce appetite and give a more immediate sense of fullness. Eggs do just that. 

Adding More Fruits & Vegetables

Almost no weight loss program would be complete without the added benefits of increased fruit and vegetable consumption. They’re healthy and promote weight loss. They contain plenty of water, fiber, and essential nutrients. 

It’s one of those simple steps that can quickly bring you closer to your weight loss goals.