It's not a diet, It's a lifestyle

 

        Healthy weight loss- It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle

        

Happy Monday!!  Don't try to do a short fix... Make it your life

It's not a diet. It's a lifestyle

Weight loss and weight management are two trendy topics in the country today. 

More and more people are joining weight management programs. Whether it's

for aesthetic purposes or health reasons, people take weight management more

 seriously than ever before. While some people may result in a workout program, 

others try out dietary changes.
When was the last time you went on a dietary change? Your answer is probably

recently. While many articles or books may advocate for people to try dieting to 

lose weight, many misconceptions surround this approach.
Studies have shown that approximatively 45 millions Americans go on healthy dieting 

each year. Dieting can produce impressive results at first, but this change largely 

disappears after a year. Only a small percentage of people who go on healthy 

dieting are able to successfully keep the weight off after dieting. The other 

percentage resort back to their regular eating habits and regain the 

lost weight. 

This statistic is alarming and goes on to prove that dieting is not 

an ideal approach to losing weight.

Your body needs healthy food in order to run properly and healthy. The results of 

dieting are almost immediately but not long-lasting. As the body loses weight, 

the metabolism rate slows down and makes it harder to continue dieting. It is 

important that you understand what works best for you without 

feeling deprived and reverting to prior unhealthy eating habits.

Why Diets Don’t Work

Diets simply focus on losing weight, which is not sustainable and goes against the 

intuitions that the body has developed through evolution. The body reacts to 

hunger by producing hormones that are designed to ensure you eat and improve 

your taste. While you can temporarily resist these signals, it is almost impossible 

to do it in the long run.

Reasons Why Diets Don’t Work

1. A one size fits all approach
People have different backgrounds, body chemistry and overall health goal. The

results of dieting vary from person to person. Therefore, dieting may work for some 

people but not for others. It is essential that you customize your eating plan to your 

own goals and needs.
2. Losing Weight Through Dieting Is Temporary
Losing weight through dieting is not permanent, and there is a huge possibility of 

weight gain. Although you may lose weight at first, the results do not last, especially 

after quitting dieting. Dieting can cause weight gain when done repeatedly, which 

may lead to obesity.
3. It Ruins Your Relationship with Food
Anyone who has tried dieting has experienced this. Restrictive diets deny you the 

pleasure of eating delicious food. You struggle to understand what it means to 

approach food in a natural, intuitive way. Dieting can make you obsessed with 

counting calories instead of eating proper nutrients. It can take away the satisfaction 

your body and mind crave from eating proper food.
4. Dieting may Lead to Unhealthy Eating Habits
Losing weight through dieting leads to a drop in the hormones that help you feel full. 

It also amplifies the hormones that make you feel hungry. The body reacts to famine 

by helping you gain weight. Dieting slows down your metabolism, causing any 

calories you eat to be used more efficiently. This makes it easier to gain weight 

than it is harder to lose it. Weight is gained as fat, and this is counterproductive 

in the weight loss process.
5. A focus on weight loss vs. health
The main reason most people start dieting programs is to lose weight and look thin. 

People want a perfect body type to look like models or movie actresses. The truth is

 you can be thin and still be unhealthy. You may not have an ideal BMI, depending 

on your body type and genetics. The body is deprived of essential nutrients when 

you focus only on losing weight.
The society pressures women to have a certain type of body in order to be beautiful. 

For this reason, some women have undergone immense pain and suffering to meet 

this false standard. So, dieting has become more about beauty than wellness and 

good health. The beauty industry has instilled insecurities and profited handsomely 

by selling products that are meant to fail.
Most people do not address why they are doing it in the first place. Dieting only 

focuses on the end results of losing weight. It is vital that you know why you want 

to lose weight and your overall health goals. Other factors that you should consider 

include your self-image and how it's shaping your eating goals, how you became 

overweight, and any history of trauma around eating.
6. Dieting leads to emotional instability
Dieting interferes with certain hormones in the body, which leads to disruptions in 

others. The human body is like a small eco-system where one action leads to 

counter-reactions. A low-calorie diet can raise cortisol levels in your body, which is

the hormone related to stress. This may result in eating more as your brain sets up a 

reward system. This can also bring about eating disorders like binge eating disorder.

So, What Actually Works?

Now that we have established that dieting is a quick-fix approach that will make you 

happy for a short while before you become overweight again, what should you do? 

There are ways that we can develop a healthy body without compulsive exercising 

and restrictive dieting. Nutritionists suggest lifestyle changes as a more efficient 

and healthy approach to weight management. Lifestyle changes aim to keep up 

similar habits for a prolonged period, while dieting is a systematic temporary change.
Lifestyle changes can include but not limited to moderating healthy food intake, 

managing stress without food, increasing physical activity, workout sessions, and 

getting for depression and any other illness. It is important that you do what works 

best and matches your personality. Here are a few ways in which you can start 

making lifestyle changes.
1. Clarify what your goals are and why
There are plenty of reasons why one may choose to lose weight. You may want to 

improve your self-image or reduce the risk of developing pre diabetes due to 

increased fat or even just wanting to more active to keep up with your kids. It is

 important that you set realistic fitness goals on what you want to achieve. This will 

ensure that you don't put unnecessary pressure on yourself or try quick fixes. This 

will also help you to stick to a long-term healthy lifestyle.
2. Make long-term choices
Dieting advocates restricting what you eat for a short period. You may want to eat 

clean, but it can become tiresome to keep up with and leads to more problems. 

Focusing on achieving optimal health for the long-term has a lot of benefits and

 helps to know what is sustainable for you.
Lifestyle changes set you free from restrictive dieting practices. It gives you a 

chance to learn what works for you and become more intuitive of your cravings and 

needs. They are the foundation for being happy and achieving your health goals.
Unlike dieting, lifestyle changes are not drastic but progressive. This means you can 

deal with occasional setbacks and forget the fear of failure. This gives you the 

freedom to eat clean and trying out different kinds of meals without the guilt of 

ruining your diet. This occasional indulgence is still part of your long term health plan.
3. Change Your Mindset
You should move your focus from looking good to actually feeling good about 

yourself. Although dieting may have results that make you look 

good in that Instagram post, 

it doesn't feel good restricting yourself. We both know you want to eat that bacon or 

grilled cheese sandwich, but you are afraid since you are dieting. Lifestyle changes 

help to stay healthy without feeling bad about it. The brains seek the reward of feeling

 good.
It is equally important that you change the way you view exercise. There is a huge 

difference between doing what you want and what you have to. Doing what you 

want replaces shame and anxiety with a new relationship of happiness, making 

exercise part of your life. Exercise does not necessarily mean you burn calories and 

lose weight, but it can be something you enjoy doing. Doing this means that losing 

weight comes as an outcome rather than a goal, and the results are long-lasting.
4. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness can help you better choices in stressful times. This helps to avoid using 

food as an escape, which leads to bad eating habits. Enjoy your life and making 

choices that support both your emotional and physical well-being. Set aside time 

for mediation and practice being present in the moment. This will ensure that you 

live a rich, healthy and meaningful life.
5. Reflect
Over time you can adjust and recalibrate what isn't working for you. Changes in life 

circumstances, health or aging, can affect the shape of your overall health goals. 

You may need to do away with certain foods at some point or include others to meet

 your goals.

We believe that understanding the connection between 

your mind and body is the key to attaining your fitness goals.

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