Obesity is at an alltime high in America and many insurance rates are tied to body mass index. In plain English, the more you weigh, the more you pay. To lose weight in 2014, set yourself up for success by utilizing every tool at your disposal. Quit spending money on pills and fad diets.

Every year, people spend billions of dollars on quick fix remedies. You didn’t become overweight in one day, so don’t expect it to come off any differently. You are fighting a lifetime of bad habits, so use a variety of different approaches. To get the best success, Join a support group such as Weight Watchers or TOPS, get regular acupuncture treatments to support your digestion and reduce cravings, hypnosis to help your mental state, more sleep and of course, eat less and move more.

If you need low-impact exercise, try t’ai chi or qigong. There are many studies showing that t’ai chi can help. Acupuncture will help with your health in general because it looks at the person as a whole, so if there are some systemic problems with your weight, the acupuncture will help clear those out.

Robert D Chasan II is the admissions director of the Arizona School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ASAOM). For more information, call 520-795-0787, email [email protected] or visit asaom.edu.