(Article written for NFit Magazine, January/February, issue)
Learning how to adjust your life one meal at a time
Atkins Diet. The Zone Diet. Paleo Diet. Slim Fast Diet. Nutri-System Diet. South Beach Diet. Weight Watchers Diet. Jenny Craig Diet. They all have one common word in mind…DIET.
According to Dictionary.com, a diet can describe as a “food and drink considered in term of its qualities, composition and its effects on health.” An example of this definition is “Milk is a wholesome item of a diet.” Or another way to describe a diet, according to dictionary.com, is “a selection or a limitation on the amount a person eats for reducing weight.’ An example of this is “No pumpkin cheesecake for me, I am on a diet.” If you did a survey of 100 people, ask them what is the definition of a “diet”, how many people would say the first definition and how many would say the second definition? My guess is that most of the people would say that the definition of “diet” is a limitation of a certain food to reduce weight.
The CBS News website stated that about 45 million Americans diet each year. People in the USA will spend $1 billion to $2 billion per year on weight-loss programs. When people think of “diets”, they tend to think about diets above. Weight Watchers teaches you how to eat properly, weigh out your food, goto weekly meetings and weigh yourself…keep yourself accountable. Paleo Diet is “diet” that concentrates on people eating meats, veggies and fruit and good fats (avocados, nuts, olives, etc.), what the Cave Man had back in the Paleolithic Days. Slim Fast Diet is drinking a shake for breakfast, lunch and then having a sensible dinner.
Every January, people are looking for their New Year’s Resolutions. They want to go on a diet and lose 10 lbs. by March. They want to get stronger. They want to run a 5k or a half marathon. They want to lose 50 lbs. with “Fill in the Blank Diet” by August for their class reunion. There are thousands of New Year’s Resolutions every year…some of those resolutions work…some of them do not.
So, here is a question as a health coach and a fitness coach that I ponder every day…why do Americans go on a diet? Why do people start their diets in January or on a Monday? Why do Americans keep going on a diet…lose the weight for their class reunion, only to put it back on again within in 3 months?
Here is the answer that you all have been waiting for…there is no need to go on a diet, every January or Monday or to get ready for a class reunion; it is a very simple thought:
Let’s make YOUR LIFE BETTER through YOUR LIFE STYLE.
As a health coach and a fitness coach, I feel that when people go on a “diet”, then tend to limit themselves on all types of food. No breads, pastas, chocolate, chips, alcohol, sugar, cookies, etc. but what happens is that when people pull back ALL the food that they like, people will tend to overeat the things that they were not able to eat on their “diet.” If you look at your “life style”, then why can’t you occasionally have a piece of chocolate after dinner or a piece of pizza?
People who are looking to lose weight, to start an exercise program, to stay off of meds, or to sleep better need to look at improving their life style. Research shows that it takes 21 days to develop a habit. This can be 21 days of exercising, 21 days to eat healthy, 21 days to take a multi-vitamin and fish oil, etc. When you start your new life style, you need to have a good attitude and tell yourself that you need to try this for 21 days. Remember this isn’t a diet that will get you to lose 10 pounds before your class reunion; this is a life style change that will get you to lose 10 pounds and keep it off after the class reunion.
So, you may ask…where do I even begin? When I put on Nutrition Seminars and talk about eating and changing your Life Style versus being on a diet, I tell people these basic things:
Don’t feel overwhelmed…this isn’t a diet, it is a life style change.
Make time for YOU…your family and friends need you around! It is time to take CHARGE of YOUR LIFE and LIFE STYLE!
The basics:
1. Make a grocery store list. Don’t go in when you are hungry. Stick with your list. Stay around the perimeter of the grocery stores.
2. Reading and understanding labels.
3. Every time you sit down to eat, ask yourself: where are my Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat?
4. 5 meals a day (Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner)
5. Look at your daily duties and find a time to workout!!!
- 5 x 30-45 mins a day!
- 5 x (2 x 25 mins a day) Break it up if you have too!
As a health and fitness coach, I care about people and their life styles. I want people to be around for their kids and their grandkids. I lost my Dad way to young (61 years old) and he only held his granddaughter one time. I couldn’t save or take care of my Dad but maybe my words of advice can help YOU!!!
(Article written for NFit Magazine, January/February, issue)
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