Weight loss is one of the richest areas for online research. Everywhere you look you’ll find different advice. There are fad diets, extreme promises, and downright weird techniques.
The reality is that you don’t need to trick your body into losing weight. It’s all about creating the right environment and then following through with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
One great way to set yourself up for success is a chiropractic weight loss program. Here’s what you need to know:
How is Chiropractic Care Connected to Weight Loss?
While few people realize it, chiropractic care can make a strong difference in your weight loss program. There are a few ways it helps:
Pain Relief
Chronic pain has a massive effect on your ability to lose weight. When you’re in pain, the last thing you want to do is get up and exercise. Depending on the type of pain you have, activity can make it worse.
There is a well-documented connection between chronic pain and obesity. The good news is that chiropractors are highly experienced in treating chronic pain. Many pain issues are caused by a misalignment in the body, and chiropractic care can make a powerful difference.
Reduce Pain Medications
For many people with chronic pain, the only solution they received was pain pills. The danger of opiate addiction is well-documented, but there’s also a weight-related problem with pain pills. Many of them cause you to gain weight as a side effect.
If a chiropractor is able to help your pain, you can reduce or stop taking your pain medications entirely. This alone can make your weight loss efforts more effective.
Enhancing Your Body’s Metabolic Processes
The spine is an extremely important part of the body. When you have a spinal misalignment, it hinders the communication between your brain and other areas of your body. This type of communication breakdown can affect nearly every function in your body, including your metabolic processes.
When your spinal alignment is relieved, those lines of communication get back to running smoothly. Your body can metabolize nutrients more efficiently, and that includes burning more fat for energy.
Stress Relief
When you’re uncomfortable because of a spinal misalignment, it adds stress to your daily life. Unfortunately, that stress can put a stop to your weight loss efforts.
Many people turn to food for comfort when they’re stressed. Similarly, if they’re in pain, they use pain as a source of joy. Even if you aren’t a stress eater, the stress alone raises your body’s cortisone production. Cortisone is a hormone you produce in times of stress, and it lowers your ability to burn fat and lose weight.
Better Sleep
It’s no secret that quality sleep is harder to come by when you’re in pain. When your back is misaligned, there’s no mattress or sleeping position that will help until you treat the misalignment itself.
A lack of sleep is a problem when you’re trying to lose weight. Your body doesn’t have the healing time it needs to build muscle and metabolize nutrients. You also don’t have as much energy so you’re less likely to exercise. To add to the challenge, a lack of sleep tends to stimulate stress, bringing the dreaded cortisol back into play.
More Comfortable Exercise
That saying “no pain, no gain” isn’t always true. There are types of pain you’re supposed to have during exercise, like muscle exertion. However, many people have other pain when they exercise. You may have discomfort in your knees, ankles, or hips.
This pain is enough to keep many people from exercising as much as they should. They often attribute it to normal aging, but the reality is that it can often be treated with chiropractic care.
Clearly, chiropractic care and weight loss go hand in hand. But what can you expect from a weight loss program that’s led by a chiropractor?
What is a Chiropractic Weight Loss Program?
A chiropractic weight loss program combines all the benefits above with a medically supervised weight loss program. It’s a holistic approach that combines multiple methods into an integrated program.
During your weight loss program, a chiropractor will perform adjustments based on your specific needs. This helps to set up your body to lose weight successfully in all the ways we discussed above.
However, adjustments alone won’t make the weight fall off. The chiropractor will also help you create a customized diet and exercise plan to reach your goals. After all, a Doctor of Chiropractic still has significant medical training.
Many chiropractors who supervise weight loss use a specific type of diet for their patients. It’s a low glycemic index and anti-inflammation diet, or LGAI. This type of diet gives you all the nutrients you need while encouraging your body to burn fat rather than carbohydrates alone for energy.
In some cases, your weight loss program can include nutritional supplements. This will depend on your goals and what your body needs. Rather than prescription medications, these supplements are a natural way to give your body the tools for success.
Do Chiropractic Weight Loss Programs Work?
Experts agree that successful and long-term weight loss is all about making a lifestyle change rather than going on a temporary “diet.” You need a holistic approach for sustainable improvement, and that is what chiropractic weight loss programs offer.
While no studies appear to compare chiropractic weight loss programs to other weight loss methods, the weight loss results speak for themselves. Keep in mind, though, that your success depends on how well you adhere to your program.
How to Start a Chiropractic Weight Loss Program
A chiropractic weight loss program offers a wide array of benefits. For many patients, the added guidance, supervision, and pain management makes all the difference in their success.
If you’re ready to gets started, reach out to a weight loss chiropractor. You’ll be able to set up an initial appointment to discuss your needs and find out how their program can fit you.