Let’s admit it, we’ve all started a new diet to lose some ‘extra weight’ or create a better version of ourselves that we’ve previously wowed upon in a recent glossy magazine article. Now let’s admit that it only lasted a week, if that!
Just how many diets have you actually tried? Think about it.
For me, I went through a phase during college where I would wake up on a Monday morning and think ‘Right, today is the day I eat well, treat my body amazingly and shine like a kale eating health goddess!’ This probably happened every monday in fact for a good couple of months where I would then have to restart every week because I simply wasn’t interested. I was more interested with the idea of boasting to people that I could eat healthy like the girls in the magazine and refuse a pizza when offered. I wasn’t actually interested in treating my body well.
Now ask yourself this: Why aren’t you still following that first diet you tried? Or the second, third and fourth one too?
Was it because the diet was too strict, or too boring or perhaps too extreme? Perhaps you went on one of those low carb shake diets? Yup, no wonder why it didn’t last! For many dieters these kinda plans lead to obsessive behaviour, binges and overall a change of mood. You were never happy during these diets were you? That dreaded ‘Oh I’m on a diet’ phase. Have you ever seen somebody shout with joy when they say that word ‘diet’? No, me neither.
So what happened? You gave up. It was too excessive, too boring, too expensive, too strict and so you opened your google browser and searched for the next popular diet.
But guess what? Another diet is not going to work and it most definitely will not solve the problems from you previous diet. There’s a reason why diet’s are dreaded and exactly why so many peoples nowadays avoid the term and instead preach about a balanced, healthy lifestyle that is easy to maintain.
Ditch the word diet and introduce the word ‘habit’
It’s quite simple actually. Decide that you want to live a healthier lifestyle and that’s it. No really, that’s it. Start by focusing on this change for at least 30 days (habits are formed after 30 days). Don’t restrict yourself completely, allow yourself treats and most importantly enjoy it.
Here’s a few tips to how I started a healthier lifestyle:
– Eat more veg and fruit. By this I don’t mean force yourself to eat kale with every single meal, every single day. I actually don’t like kale, so I don’t have it. Instead, eat what you like. Now don’t get me wrong, veg isn’t exactly something we all go crazy for but spice it up a little. Cook with herbs and healthy sauces, add veg into your favourite meals. I have a least a portion of veg and fruit with every main meal of mine. Fruit for breakfast, salad for lunch and veg for dinner. Easy peasy.
– Ditch the sugary drinks and increase your water intake. It’s actually scary just how many calories and sugar your favourite drink may have, even if it’s what you think is a ‘healthy’ orange juice. Don’t be fooled! Read the label and learn the neutritional facts. I love water so this one isn’t hard for me at all – but try infusing your water with fresh fruits for a more natural flavouring or using lemon. Again, experiment with making it more interesting. We all know by now just how important water is. Get drinking!
– Include a good source of protein with each meal – This isn’t exclusive to animal sources either. I always make sure I include plant-based protein sources like beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, quinoa and other grains to my diet as well as meat. It’s an excellent source of energy, fuels your muscles and keeps you feeling fuller for longer.
– Slowly cut out processed foods – Probably the hardest one. It’s not easy at first but I promise, it does get easier and soon you won’t even realise just how natural your diet becomes. Start first by changing one of your meals a day to unprocessed. For example, ditch the ‘healthy’ microwave meal that boasts it’s only 200 calories and instead opt for a more natural and unprocessed dinner cooked from scratch. That way you know exactly what goes into your meals!
– Balance – Probably one of the most important tips! Balance is SO important to me and exactly why and how this lifestyle works. Eat healthy, eat in moderation and eat in balance. That means allow yourself some treats every now and then. For example, on the weekends my diet becomes more relaxed and if I want a large pizza or a tub of ice-cream then you can blimmin’ well bet ya’ that i’ll be having it! It’s normal.
Now let me guess, some of you may be screwing your noses up already with the thoughts of ‘Is that it? Is that all I have to do?’ and that this is perhaps a little to simple and good to be true? Well that’s exactly it, it is just that simple.
Way to many people nowadays over complicate things and think that to lose weight or become healthier they have to put their body and taste buds through hell, like it’s the toughest job in the world. NO IT’S NOT!
Be smart, know what’s good for you and what’s bad for you and make the right decisions. You either want to live a healthier lifestyle or you don’t. That bit I’m afraid is down to you. But right now, ditch the diets and commit to a habit-based lifestyle that treats your body well.
x
1 comment
Building a “Habit” is a great way of phrasing it, and its exactly how I cut out processed foods years ago. When I made health a priority, eating for health and not pleasure became easy. Eating well just became a habit. It takes no will power to resist something that isn’t part of my routine. Great post!