Massage therapist writes about weight lost the natural way

Local man publishes healthy book
Massage therapist writes about weight lost the natural way


Larry Pahl is hoping to make a difference in how people think about weight loss.

The 53-year-old completed a book in the fall, "Mother Nature's Weight Loss Secrets," after five years of research that began with pain management. During his research, Pahl, a massage therapist, found chronic pain often was connected to weight issues, and if the weight issues were addressed, then the pain could be addressed.



"The reason I want to help them so much is that in addition to the physical problems, there's a lot of mental (issues)," Pahl said.

Pahl's book and ideas on weight loss center around stress management and a manageable plan, rather than diets and weight loss pills.
"We're not wired to lose fat fast, but that's what everybody wants to do," Pahl said. "I know so many people who lost hope due to failed attempts. You have to do (weight loss) nice and slow because that's how we gain it."

When a person is not managing stress, Pahl said the body's metabolism slows down the way it burns calories, which can cause muscle loss and increase fat gain.

"The more stress we have the more weight we gain, and the more weight we gain the more pain and disease we have," Pahl said.

The keys to reducing stress are to drink water - no more sugary drinks - to remain hydrated and getting a full night sleep to keep energy up, which will keep emotions up, Pahl said.

Sugar also has a high-impact on weight gain because it quickly turns to fat, he added.

"Anyone eating more than 600 calories at once causes a sugar spike, loses muscle and stores fat," he said.

However, people shouldn't restrict calories below 1,300 to 2,000 calories, because the body will go into "starvation mode" and start storing fat.

"All I'm trying to do is increase awareness," Pahl said.

Pahl's book includes other thoughts on weight loss and strategies on how to live healthy. Among other things, he suggests creating a lifestyle plan that is reasonable, enjoyable and sustainable.

Pahl studied massage therapy at Massage Away, now the National Institute of Alternative Medicine, and is hoping his book and ideas on weight loss will appeal to a diverse audience. Anyone interested in getting a copy of the book should contact Pahl at 701-6519.