Yup. I said it. I am not for dieting for weight loss.
Why?
Diets don’t work!
So many people spend months trying different crash diets and worrying about every piece of food they put in their mouths. And have you ever noticed that as soon start a diet, all you want to do is eat?
Yes, you may lose weight, BUT studies show that most people who lose weight by dieting gain it back (plus more!), within 1-2 years. And that begins the diet/overeat yo-yo cycle. This wreaks havoc on your body. It can throw your hormones out of balance, slow your metabolism down and make you anxious and stressed out. Not fun.
If you want to lose weight, change your focus from dieting to become thinner, to feeling good and loving your body everyday. Eat foods that give you energy and get in the habit of moving your body everyday. Not only will you avoid feeling miserable and stressed out, you’ll make healthy changes that will last forever.
So let’s try stopping all the stuff that doesn’t work, plus makes you feel kind of crappy, and start doing more of the stuff that works and makes you feel great.
Stop Doing:
Calorie counting
Quick fix crash diets
Magic weight loss pills (They don’t work!)
Punish or shame yourself for eating ‘bad foods’
Workouts you don’t enjoy
Eating boring food
Start Doing:
Eat real food.
No more ‘low fat” or light or crazy fake-food products. (Example: fat free mayo. What the hell is in that stuff? Mayonnaise is supposed to be eggs and oil. Fat-free scares me.)
Get excited about eating delicious, healthy food.
Fruit tastes good. And so do veggies. Add almonds and lemon zest to green beans. If you’re not a big fan yet, start with the ones you already like.
Indulge, and be happy.
There are going to be times you want wine, cheese, a burger and ice cream. Sit down and ENJOY it.
Do workouts you enjoy.
Find an activity you like and actually want to do. Take a dance class, yoga, go hiking, rollerblade – it doesn’t really matter, just get your body moving.
Change your chip.
Shift your focus from weight loss, to feeling good and improving your health.
In the comments below, please share one of your tips for feeling great.