About two-thirds of adult Americans are either obese or overweight. With diabetes and heart disease topping the list of leading causes of death, we need to make some changes.

Many adults have made multiple attempts to lose weight only to find that the weight comes right back. If we have spent years eating the wrong foods, eating too much food and not moving our bodies enough, we need to give our metabolism a chance to adapt and change. This means that weight loss should be gradual. We want to gradually decrease the number of calories consumed while increasing the number of calories used.

Overweight adults under-estimate how much they eat by about 30 percent. If you are adopting a new way of eating, it is important to learn what a normal portion size is, and to re-educate your body to be satisfied with an amount of food we need for fuel and nutrition. While many people may have an aversion to counting calories, this too can help re-educate us about what is a normal amount to eat for our physical needs. This is the only accurate way to know how much you consume.

Our bodies are faced with multiple toxins found in our environment and our food. After prolonged exposure, our liver can have a difficult time processing these toxins and irritants, leading to an accumulation in our system. This can also occur with our own hormones. Hormone imbalance can lead to excess hunger and weight gain. We want our liver to be functioning optimally for it to process hormones and toxins.

One of the best ways to help our liver function at its best is to make sure our gastrointestinal system is working well. Most of us have taken antibiotics or other medications at some point in our lives. This can affect the function of the gastrointestinal system. We may also often have intolerances to foods we encounter on a regular basis (wheat, dairy, soy, sugar) that can lead to inflammation in the intestines. Gastrointestinal health can be restored with good bacteria, fiber and by eliminating irritants.

Healthy weight loss should be viewed as a life-long lifestyle change. There is no temporary diet that will lead to sustained weight loss. A healthy approach is to focus on getting a majority of our calories from vegetables, some from protein, and a bit from grains and fruit. We also need to move our bodies much more than the average American does. Approaches can include walking, yoga, exercise classes, hiking, or anything you like to do that involves moving your body. With this combination, over our lifetime, we will maintain a healthy weight while leading a healthy, active lifestyle. Not only will this greatly improve our chances of avoiding some of the leading causes of death, but we will feel better and have more energy while we are alive. And isn't that the point of good health?

Doria Keesling, APRN, CNM, is a certified nurse midwife at St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center's Women's Care Center.