Make It Positive

The word “diet” has quite the negative connotation these days.  I asked someone about their “diet” recently and they were quick to tell me that they have not had a diet in years.  Really?  No intake of food in years?  Ha.  Well obviously I knew what this person meant, but still I think it is interesting that I have to dance around the word in worry that it will turn someone off of my recommendations and/or shut them down to our conversation completely.

Some may cringe at the word “diet” because it holds bad memories of deprivation fad diets and maybe the constant yo-yo of weight loss and gain. True, the word is attached to many popular ways of eating that promise speedy weight loss success but ultimately secure you back in the seat of the roller coaster of weight loss, however isn’t “diet” just the way that we eat, whether good, bad or ugly?

What about “wholesome diet” and “nutritious diet?”  Still negative?  Think about building a “diet” or “way of eating” or “food intake” that supports you, supports your health, your brain, your activity, your energy, and that makes you feel GRRRREEEEAAAAT!

I challenge you to take on your most current, or maybe long running, food and weight challenges, without believing you need to go through a program or way of eating that causes you great discomfort or doesn’t support the energy you need each day.  Now I am sure that some would define giving up soda or a daily fried chicken as “great discomfort,” but I am talking about the frustration, hunger and lack of energy that comes from an over-restricted eating pattern, not the challenges you may face in changing your habits and making healthier decisions overall.

Creating healthier and more nutritious eating habits is not a walk in the park if it means BIG changes for you, but it is also absolutely doable and worth it!  Often people take an all or nothing approach and jump into a totally different way of eating (i.e. carbohydrate free, all liquid, cabbage soup, etc.) searching for quick weight loss.  I’ve mentioned before how in the initial phases of following an unnecessarily restrictive or fad diet you may experience the “honeymoon phase” of working hard and succeeding at something so challenging and different from your norm (like 3 days of only liquids).  What happens on day 5?  Are you then tired, hungry, craving all your greatest food temptations, ultimately to come “off” the restrictive diet, not having changed a thing about your normal day-to-day eating habits? This approach may contribute to the up and down of weight loss.  With nothing changed in the everyday, wouldn’t we expect the weight to return?

Why not put all that great drive, motivation and effort into changing one small thing at a time in your daily diet/intake/eating habits (whichever you prefer).  Then your hard work and motivation would yield not only weight loss (yes, likely slower than that “miracle” diet), but also a new healthy habit that you can maintain long term, that makes you feel better, and that helps you maintain your weight loss.  Pick something to work on (soda intake, lack of fruits and veggies, over-sized portions, etc.) and work on it, every day, one decision at a time.  I think it’s the thought of the time that this strategy will take that keeps people from taking this more conservative approach, but what of the now 2 years, 5 years, 20 years of up and down weight battle trying every “quick way” out there?

What type of “diet” will you create?  Wholesome, healthy, strengthening, supportive, nutritious, delicious, balanced?  Make it a positive.  What one small thing can you start working on today?