We’ve all seen the ads on TV or in the magazines. The before and after pictures of all types of people who have lost weight on the latest diet craze. Everything from low fat diets and juice fasts, to herbal remedies and avoidance of carbohydrates promise us great health by losing those unwanted pounds.

Contrary to what these fads indicate however, losing weight does not necessarily make you healthy. Rather becoming healthy first will lead you to lose weight, and keep it off for good. The following are some suggestions to becoming healthy so that you can shed those pounds.

Proper nutrition is of key importance to anyone becoming healthy in order to lose weight. You really are what you eat. Organic food is the best way to achieve the highest quality nutrition available from our food. Eating produce that is brightly colored and fresh will nourish every cell of your body and allow it to work optimally. Don’t forget to add in quality protein sources like cage-free eggs and chicken, free-range beef, and legumes.

The vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids found in quality whole food supplements like marine phytoplankton are a great way to support a high quality diet and lose weight. The over 200 species of marine phytoplankton provide the body a dense source of nutrition and ensure a solid foundation from which healthy weight loss can occur.

Stress management is vital for overall health and wellness. Prayer, meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, and many other techniques allow the body to maintain proper functioning which will support weight loss.

Clean water is needed to hydrate all of our cells. By making pure water your beverage of choice, your cells will be strong and healthy.

Move and stretch your body everyday. Pumping blood through the body is a needed to clean toxins from the blood and improve the use of blood glucose by the cells of the body. Walking 30 minutes per day is a great way to start. Remember that our bodies are designed to move. Honor that process and have fun with it.

Without a doubt many people carry excess body weight. Obesity is on the rise and with it, many other health challenges, so clearly losing weight is very important.

What we want to avoid however, is the up and down “yo-yo” pattern that many people go through with regard to their body weight. You won’t become healthy just by losing weight but, by adopting a healthy lifestyle, losing weight becomes easier and you will keep it off. Become healthy and watch your pounds melt away.