So it is about summer time and you want to get to that certain amount of weight or you want to tone up the body by losing some extra weight.
One of your next steps will be to look for the "latest and greatest" or revert back to something you have tried in the past.
How many of you have tried the Atkin's Diet? Paleo Diet? South Beach Diet? How many are still on these? (The Paleo being newest, could have a few "yes" answers).
One of the issues with a diet, which is defined as "a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight," is that they tend to be temporary. One of the other issues is that people not only reduce what they eat, but also the foods they eat. The idea may be good but the effects are not.
Almost everyone who has tried to stop smoking "cold turkey" will either fight a huge battle or go back to smoking. Quitting something abruptly that your body is used to doing is a big challenge to maintain. People tend to have more success by "cutting back" on habits, versus cutting them out.
Similarly, when you want to cut out all carbohydrates and sugars from your normal lifestyle of eating, which you are already used to eating, is going to have a large rate of people reverting back. Additionally, when you all of a sudden introduce foods that your palate is not accustomed to having, but you eat it anyway, you likely will not stay with eating that food.
As many of our ancestors did not have the most healthy diet, they maintained a sense of fitness due to their lifestyles. The opportunities our modern society provides is likely even more unhealthy but there is a more sensible approach to "dieting" rather than cut out everything we're used to eating.
The short answer is portion control. This allows you to still have the foods you like, but not in the same proportion you had previously. This allows your palate to still enjoy the same foods but in smaller portions.
If your diet was full of a lot of unhealthy options, you will likely not lose a lot of weight. Plus, your overall health may not move into an "ideal" range. However, this is a place to start when you are needing to lose weight.
If you are used to eating at buffets, eat less of the foods you enjoy. If you are used to ordering the larger burgers, buy off the value menu or cut in half. If you are used to drinking sugary drinks, try drinking unsweetened tea or water, or only having one glass instead of 3 refills.
One negative thing you can do when you begin dieting is to skip meals. That is what we will talk about the next time.
For now, see what areas you can cut down on to help keep your palate happy but not enlarging your stomach. This will help you adopt a new lifestyle much easier.
Now it's your turn...what is one of your greatest dieting challenges?
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