DITCHING THE FAD DIETS

Thinking about going on a diet? Three words come to mind when I think of diets: trendy, temporary and deceitful. Most diets you find online will set you up for failure so it's best to flat out avoid them. Every fad diet you come across will claim to be the "ultimate solution" to achieving your health and fitness goals. However, diets can do more harm than good.

The focus in this week's newsletter is to discuss easy and sustainable tips for achieving your health goals without having to go on those bogus diets.

Unfortunately, we have become a society looking for that quick fix. The thought of losing weight quickly or improving your health with minimal effort can be very appealing. However, people fail to realize that fad diets lack the nutritional balance necessary for long-term health. They tend to emphasize extreme restrictions, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies and a bunch of other health issues you want no parts of. Majority of the time, these diets are unsustainable, resulting in that yo-yo effect where lost weight is quickly regained. And best believe that weight comes with a high interest rate! So what do I do? Well I'm glad you asked.......

START BY CHANGING YOUR MINDSET

First things first, change how you think. When we think of dieting, we only think of the foods we can’t have. People will physiologically convince themselves that eating to improve your health is a bad thing. Can someone please explain to me the logic behind that? Instead of asking yourself “How am I going to eat this boring food?” ask yourself “How can I make my meals more enjoyable?” or “What fun and creative recipe can I try today?”.

YOUR HEALTH ISN'T TEMPORARY, SO WHY EAT LIKE IT?

The thing with diets is that people tend to use them for cosmetic reasons like weddings, vacations or events like spring break making them temporary. Dietary interventions are not intended so you can fit into that outfit you bought 5 sizes too small just to wear for one night. You need to find a legit reason why maintaining a healthy diet is essential to your health or you’re setting yourself up for failure before you even start. If your health isn’t a good enough reason for wanting to eat healthy, then you may want to adjust your priorities.

SAY NO TO BINGE FOODS:

Avoid having binge foods incorporated in your meal plans! What are binge foods you might ask? Well, these are foods that you know you’ll over eat (This can be in food form or even liquids). What I mean by that is they are foods that you will eat more than one serving of even if the package contains multiple servings. *Side Note: Be sure to check out my previous article on the importance of monitoring your servings/portions.

THINK AHEAD, PLAN ACCORDINGLY

One thing I’ve realized from surveying clients I have trained over the years is that their management skills are complete trash when it comes to meal planning. QUESTION TIME:

How many times have you come home from a long, hard day at work and felt like cooking a nice, healthy nutritious meal? Don’t worry, I’ll give you time to think. Are you done thinking? I am almost 100% positive that nearly everyone answered NO!!

This is exactly why you more than likely grab the easiest, fastest and typically unhealthiest thing you can find to eat (Its usually always FAST FOOD) You can’t rely on yourself to make the rational decision to cook a healthy dinner when you’re hangry and full of emotions coming home from work. Do yourself a favor and PLAN AHEAD!

MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES

This is very important especially when trying to stay consistent. If your meals aren’t consisted of nutrient dense foods choices, chances are you’re going to feel hungry which will cause you to overeat. The foods you choose to include in your meal plans can make things easier, or harder. Aim for foods that are dense and will keep you feeling full longer. If you’re still feeling hungry after that, then there’s about a 99% chance you need to hydrate.

GET CREATIVE

Do you know what the best thing about creating a meal plan is? YOU get to choose what you want to eat and what YOU don’t want to eat. Seems pretty simple right? If you’re bored with the foods you’re eating, it’s probably because your cooking pretty boring meals. There are countless amounts of resources out there available to you that will make your meal planning experience enjoyable. What it really boils down to is you have to stop making excuses for yourself and stop being lazy!

If you want to be lazy, then contact a professional (LIKE MYSELF HINT, HINT) to do the hard work for you. Easy enough to just eat right lol? As always stay active my friends!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. The information suggested is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition you currently have. Always consult with your primary care team or a qualified healthcare professional before making any dietary changes,