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I wish I had been given a dollar every time someone has asked me this question!
Tomorrow is the first day of Spring and with it comes a desire to shake off the accumulated winter kilos the fastest way possible. Surely that must mean going on a diet?
The fitness industry is constantly up against the big giants such as television, women’s magazines and social media who promote the next best, most popular, sure to work, amazingly easy, fast, cheap and best way to lose weight. Such is our quick fix, society.
Immediately the word DIET conjures thoughts of painful food restrictions and giving up everything we love in the pursuit of lost kilos. Perhaps it means living on cabbage soup (without friends), protein shakes/bars or lemon juice for several weeks. Well, it really depends if you think this is LIVING. The most miserable people to go out with are those on a DIET! Real living should be with real food and real food should be considered a daily appreciation, celebration and expression to share with family and friends.
Why so many diet options? Surely if we were to obtain the miraculous results a diet promises we would only have one diet, we would all be on it, and we would all be thin and happy. Diets and diet books make big money, a good reason to create a new diet each week or to put a new spin on an old diet, reinvent it and attract more $$$ again.
A more sensible approach to nutrition is called a FOOD PLAN. Yes, we plan our holidays, we plan our finances we plan our houses and décor, we plan our work life balance, so why not our food?
All you have to do to start your food plan is to reassess your pantry and fridge contents. Throw out all the bad, high fat high sugar foods and create a new healthy shopping list for the week ahead.
Type a generic list on the computer so you can simply print it out each week and circle the items you require.
By preparing a list you will have assessed what meals to cook each night, what to take for snacks and lunch each day. You now have all the required essentials for meal preparation and it will eliminate the temptation to wander into the nearest lunch bar, or fast food take away.
This is the start of your plan.
The next step is to shop, BUT ONLY FROM THE LIST, NO EXTRA TEMPTATIONS. We all know how it works when we have no list and simply impulse buy, especially if the kids come along to help.
Try to minimise the purchase of processed food from the isles, these typically contain more salt, sugar and preservatives. Shop specifically from the perimeter of the shop, which is where you will find most fresh produce, a much healthier option.
Being organised will definitely help the plan. Organise your purchased food into daily portions so your food is easy to grab and go for work, even if you sleep through the alarm.
Perhaps take a few hours on the weekend (groan), to prepare and freeze some food for a few easy weeknight meals.
Of course nutrition and food planning is only the start. The other side of the plan relates to exercise, meal timing, portion control, understanding food labels and obtaining a balance of macronutrients from all 5-food groups. That all sounds daunting and far too much work for the average dieter!
So lets take it one small step at a time.
Starting to assess current shopping and eating habits are a good start. Healthy food choices will give you stable blood glucose levels, more energy, better sleep, and an inclination to get out and do exercise. Now you’re starting to win.
See your plan is starting to come together!
Think back to your last quick fix diet. Did it come together for you and provide a change that lasted? What did you learn from it? Truly assess whether you can afford the time, money and health to continue to fool yourself you are going to succeed on your next diet. Break the habit.
Ditch the diet – eat healthy – plan for you and your family’s future and your body will thank you for it!
Full nutritional analysis consultations are available at Regenerate Personal Training. These sessions are designed to educate, motivate and empower clients to create a balanced lifestyle.
"The way you think, the way you behave, the way you eat, can influence your life by 30 to 50 years" -Deepak Chopra
