The holistic difference: Personalized plans to lose weight and keep it off

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutritional counseling or any aspect of our weight loss programs. Foods that fuel some patients’ weight loss journeys may actually have an adverse effect on others, because of differences in how fats, carbohydrates, and proteins are processed. Some individuals may be genetically predisposed to perform better on a low-carbohydrate diet, whereas others may experience persistent headaches, fatigue, nausea, and stalled weight loss on carb-restricted diets. As part of our nutritional counseling, we can determine the most appropriate foods not only to keep you energized but also to boost your energy so you can stay physically active and avoid weight loss plateaus. 

In order to tailor recommendations for weight loss, we must understand your needs and the factors that contributed to your weight gain or inability to lose the pounds. Our holistic practitioners take a 360-degree view, performing several assessments to identify your “starting point,” underlying causes, and barriers to a healthy lifestyle and healthy weight. As part of this assessment, we may perform blood work, a DNA screening, hormone testing, and other tests to assess your digestive health and to screen for disorders of the autonomic nervous system. Unlike other weight loss programs that are calorie-focused, we get a complete picture of your needs. So, we can create a treatment plan that effectively addresses those needs and challenges. This approach supports continued, healthy, and reasonable weight loss that you can maintain for the rest of your life. 

Holistic providers are well-versed in botanical medicine, nutraceuticals, and other supplements that fill in nutritional gaps and address deficiencies identified during our 360-degree assessments. While fundamental to healthy weight management, we do not limit ourselves to recommending diets rich only in whole foods. We also understand that what you eat and how much you eat may be influenced by factors such as your stress levels and emotions. Mind-body medicine services like acupuncture or biofeedback may be appropriate to help you overcome deeply-seated psychological barriers and to help you take control over day-to-day stressors. It bears reinforcing that your lifestyle is not any one thing, but a combination of elements, from eating patterns to how you handle stressful events. Our professionals take it all into account when determining action steps and the services available at our center. 

Our team incorporates prescription medications into weight loss plans as appropriate. No medication, however, is designed to be used as a standalone. They must be used with the other interventions mentioned here, such as a personalized diet and exercise plan. By partnering with our clinicians, we can also work with you to overcome or minimize the risk of common side effects, such as persistent nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. When your lifestyle is optimally aligned with your personal needs, you are more likely to maintain a healthy weight over the long term. It is important to look at prescriptions as a component of this process and a healthy lifestyle, and not to perceive them as a magic bullet for quick weight loss. The medications you may be most familiar with for weight loss also require a lifelong commitment. 

If you are interested in learning more about holistic weight loss, request an appointment today! Call (917) 477-3538 to speak with a member of our team at the NY Center for Integrative Health in Manhattan.