How Many Diets Have You Tried During Your Lifetime?
Photo from Pixabay - no photographer noted
Did you have success followed by a regaining of the weight (plus some)?
Maybe the weight came back after a month, maybe two, but always...without fail... there they are again, those pounds (or kilos) you swore would never return...
And why did you feel you needed to go on that diet in the first place?
Maybe because you wanted to be thinner in order to look awesome in that dress, suit, jeans, bathing suit or naked in the bedroom?
Or, are you doing it for health reasons?
The Problem
Going on a 'diet' is the problem. A diet for most people means you will change your eating habits for some period of time until the weight drops off. During that time you feel deprived, you feel hungry, you not-so-patiently wait to return to your 'normal' eating habits.
But wasn't it your 'normal' eating habits that landed you in this position to begin with?
Looking great is one thing but feeling great, avoiding disease, being healthy and fit enough to do what you want to in life - isn't that the real end goal?
What You Don't Want
What's your greatest fear? Obviously, that question evokes wide and varied responses but I think everyone would agree that a life-threatening or life-altering diagnosis would be on that list. Cancer, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and the list goes on.
No one can promise that one of these fates won't befall you, but if you are taking care of your body in a way to minimize the likelihood of these diseases you will give yourself the best chance to live a life feeling good in health.
The Last Diet - Ready? Here's the Diet
Photo-Unsplash by Jon Tyson- 'And Healthy' word addition by a
Superhero photoshop editor who wishes to remain nameless.
STOP THE DIET MENTALITY!
Change the way you think about food!
- No longer do you think "I can't have that cake for dessert because I'm on a diet"
- You think "I don't eat cake because it destroys my health and pushes me inch-by-inch towards diabetes or a heart attack - instead I have a delicious bowl of berries with all those health-promoting antioxidants, fiber, and nutrition with a dollop of whipped cream on top."
- Nor do you think - "I'm NEVER going to have a piece of cake again" because of course, you are. But instead of it being a 'normal' part of your diet it will be a very, very, occasional treat.
The critical change here are the words 'can't' and 'don't' and 'never'.
If you 'can't' do something it's because you are not allowed to do it or you are incapable of doing it. I can't kill my neighbor, I can't lift 800 pounds.
If you 'don't' do something it's because you are making the choice for yourself to not do something. I don't eat gluten because it makes me sick, break out like a teenager, and gives me gut pain.
I don't eat refined sugars and carbohydrates because they zap my energy, promote cancer, diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease and I want to live to 100 years in great health - enjoying my life.
Get the Difference?
Here it is - Step by Step
- You are no longer on a diet.
- You choose foods you know do promote health (veggies, clean grass-fed meats, healthy fats, nuts, seeds, etc.)
- You avoid foods known to destroy health (processed carbohydrates, foods with added sugars, soda, cookies, foods with trans-fats, gluten etc.)
- You listen to your body to find out what works for you - no one strategy works for everyone; you have to find what works for your unique body.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Stay tuned as I continue to discuss healthy food and lifestyle choices.
In the meantime here are a few of my previous posts to get you started.