Dieting is a term our nation is quite familiar with. As the rates of obesity rise, we are more aware of its long term effects on our life and health. With this mind, dieting has become very popular.
But what exactly does the word diet mean? Well, according to Merriam-Webster, a diet is defined as “to eat less food or to eat only particular kinds of food in order to lose weight.” That sounds about right, don’t you think?
When your family members or friends say they are going on a diet, this is typically what they mean. But look at that definition one more time. Does anything look odd to you?
Though the word is not written, this definition implies something temporary. Once you have lost the amount of weight you set out to, what do you do then? For most, they revert back to their old habits because they accomplished their goal and want to get back to the foods they love. Once this happens, they gain all the weight back and are stuck in the same situation they were before.
That is why diets suck! Not only are they temporary, but they make people give up everything at once, which is incredibly difficult. Many will fail here, but if they stick it out they hate it.
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They aren’t allowed any of their favorite foods. They also feel terrible, because most diets are too low in calories. This stops them from ever dieting again once they regain the weight back.
This is not a good way to live, nor is it a good way to make yourself healthier. Is there an alternative though? Absolutely there is!
A while back, I was talking to my wife about the word dieting and I told her, “it isn’t a diet, it’s a way of life”. I said it jokingly, but I began to really think about that statement. The more I thought about it, the truer it became to me.
You can’t simply change the way you eat for several months then go back to the way things were. You will not see optimal results. It must be a lifestyle change.
That is the only way you can achieve results that are sustainable. When you make a lifestyle change it is usually a top priority and its something that you want to be doing the rest of your life. Changing the food you eat is no different.
But it shouldn’t make you hate life. That’s the difference between “a way of life” vs. a diet.
You may be wondering how you would begin implementing this “way of life” so it doesn’t suck. Well, I want to give you a couple tips. The first question everyone usually has is “Do I have to give up my favorite foods?”
The good news is you don’t. Let me explain.
Nutrition is all about consistency. But you don’t need to be 100% consistent, only 85-90%. This gives you plenty of room for those favorite foods.
Using this approach, you would be able to eat a few bad meals per week. If you are craving pizza eat it, if you want a bowl of ice cream eat it. Just keep it to 10-15% of your meals per week.
That’s the beauty in this “way of life”. You don’t have to give up these foods nor eat only 800 calories per day. You simply eat well most of the week, but also have room for a few unhealthy meals.
I recommend doing this one day out of the week though. This will place you on a schedule so you know that on one specific day you can cheat a little bit. If you have your bad meals throughout the week, it can be very easy to lose track and overeat.
A good approach is to use this on the night of the week where you have a big social gathering. If you have a birthday party one weekend, and you know there will be beer and cake there, save your day until then. This will allow you to have those foods, and not be so concerned about watching what you eat.
Another tip, comes from something I usually see with many of my clients. Many will be craving something sweet or salty during the week. Once you begin changing your meals, these cravings will be pretty strong, because you are not feeding your body what it has been used to eating.
A simply trick is to look for better foods that offer the same taste. For example, if you are looking for something sweet, try a piece of fruit, protein powder with almond milk, or dark chocolate. If you want something salty, try some walnuts, cashews, or pumpkin seeds.
These foods will give you the taste that you are craving without allowing you to cheat. It’s a win-win situation.
Diets suck and they always will. But you do not need a diet to see great results. If you are struggling with losing body fat, you need to make a nutritional change. As I mentioned above, this must be a lifestyle change to see sustainable results.
These two tips will serve you well as you begin this process. It will be hard at first, and you do not need to expect perfection. It may take you some time to iron everything out.
That is normal. The key is once you become comfortable with the changes, be consistent. That is the name of the game.
You must also be patient and not expect to see changes overnight. This will set you up for failure. Trust in the process.
The rewards in the end will be well worth it. You will not only feel better and look better, you will have set up a nutrition plan that you can easily follow for the rest of your life.
That’s what it’s all about; empowering you with the ability to live your life and look the way you want to look. Diets offer nothing more than a burden and stress. A “way of life” sets you on a path to freedom!
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