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It is no coincidence that diets do not work as long as we would like — there are reasons for this. Instead of looking for the next magic recipes, we suggest focusing on the three basic principles of smart nutrition.
I just finished talking on the phone with my friend and almost burst into tears. I remember well with what joy and hope she entered the fight against excess weight: the diet promised her salvation. She firmly believed that this time everything would work out. And life will magically change. The new mode seemed so good, convenient, especially at the very beginning.
But everything collapsed, and old habits returned, and with them — a familiar feeling of shame, failure, disappointment and hopelessness.
Most of us are well aware that diets don’t work. By diet, I mean any special diet that we set up with the goal of losing weight as quickly as possible. This regime is not designed for the long term.
Recent weight loss research suggests that rapid weight loss—contrary to previous beliefs—may be a good strategy, reducing the health risks associated with obesity and poor eating habits. However, you must have another, more realistic strategy for an indefinitely long time, or you will return to the old way of life and, perhaps, gain even more weight than you lost.
My friend, like many others, has tried all diets, and cyclical weight loss and weight gain over the decades has formed in her a strong belief in her own lack of will. We already have enough reason to criticize ourselves, so the feeling that we are not able to maintain a healthy lifestyle in everything else is terribly demoralizing. It would seem, is it not our fault that we cannot control our appetite and stick to a diet? No. It’s not our fault, such breakdowns are inevitable.
Any diet food is extreme enough if it allows you to achieve quick results.
And we often perceive the transition to it as a serious sacrifice on our part. We spend hours preparing special meals and buying special, expensive foods. But at the same time, we do not feel satisfied after such a meal. A determined attitude and a high level of self-discipline can be maintained for a certain time, but all of us, in all honesty, can not wait until this diet is over and we can finally relax.
I got over this diet swing a long time ago. I know for sure that such overcoming requires a revolution in consciousness: the formation of a new attitude to food and to oneself. Awareness of their own, unique needs for food, and not following a single instruction for all.
I’m not going to underestimate the real difficulties associated with losing weight. At the slightest weight loss, the body’s defense reaction turns on, which activates the accumulation mode, and appetite increases, as our body tries to restore balance. This is really a problem. Still, I believe that changing your relationship with food is the only strategy that works to achieve and maintain a healthy weight throughout your life.
Principles of healthy and sustainable weight loss
1. Stop going from extreme to extreme
Every time you make a drastic lifestyle change, there is a predictable boomerang effect.. You feel so limited by rigid discipline, deprived of pleasure, that at some point there is a breakdown, and you abandon the diet and lean on fatty, sweet and high-calorie foods with particular passion. Some people lose faith in themselves so much after years of “failure” that even the most modest (and highly successful!) dietary changes break down.
I ask them not to be too self-critical: these kinds of things happen and you just have to start over with the good habits they have already developed. For some clients, this sounds like a revelation. But in fact, if you fell on the road, you will not stay there. You get up, dust yourself off and move on. Why, stepping back from healthy habits, then you have to overeat for months? Do not criticize or punish yourself. Just start again. There really is nothing wrong with this.
If the breakdown repeats, it is also not scary. Start again. Selfishness and insults are not allowed. Instead, tell yourself, “I’m fine, that’s how it was meant to be. It happens to almost everyone, and it’s normal.»
2. Enjoy what you eat
It is impossible to stick to a diet that you do not like for the rest of your life. Plus, life is too short to eat foods you hate. Trying to replace your favorite cheeseburger with a salad only makes sense if you really love salads.
What healthier (but equally beloved) meal would you replace a cheeseburger with? Whether it’s baked potatoes with cream cheese or hummus and avocado cereal, it’s important to find healthy alternatives that make you happy.
But it will take time for your taste buds and habits to adapt.
If you cannot live without sweets and are trying to give up sugar, replace it with a natural source of sweetness like honey. This is already progress. I went to this for a long time, but now I can confidently say that I no longer crave sweets. And I don’t miss them at all. «Don’t miss» sounds a lot better than «deprived,» doesn’t it?
3. Settle on changes you can definitely support.
My client recently regained her great shape due to the fact that she thought out the regime perfectly and organized herself a balanced healthy diet. She spared no time to grill vegetables and chicken, prepare healthy sauces and other healthy delicacies. “I made colorful arrangements out of them on a plate and published them on social networks,” she said. What is the problem then?
Only that, due to her over-employment in business, she could not afford to live like this permanently. As soon as the wellness program, which was under the supervision of a nutritionist, ended, she stopped preparing these dishes.
If something doesn’t fit into your daily life, don’t take it on.
Of course, it is helpful and important to form new eating and eating habits — this process will be part of your journey. But only take on those transformations that are realistic for you and that you can maintain indefinitely.
When you’re thinking about adding something new and healthy to your diet, like a green breakfast smoothie, first ask yourself these questions: Is it easy to make? Will I enjoy its taste? Can I imagine myself doing it regularly without any problems? If the answers are mostly positive, then the habit might be right for you. This is probably exactly what you are looking for.
Use this principle in any other situation involving a change in lifestyle, diet, exercise — this will increase your chances of success.
About the Author: Susan Biali is a physician, wellness coach, lecturer, and author of Live the Life You Love: 7 Steps to a Healthier, Happier, More Passionate Version of Yourself.