DIET VS LIFESTYLE CHANGES
The difference is that diet is a short term thing which might also give some results but those results don't last very long.However, lifestyle changes are meant to stay forever,quitting bad eating habits and saying goodbye forever ,that strategy will help maintain the weight loss and improve fitness.
CALORIES VS NUTRIENTS
Counting calories makes sense but considering the type of nutrient is also important.
Nutrient dense foods include vegetables,fruits,whole grains,chicken,fish,milk,nuts, these foods contain calories but also provide various vitamins,minerals,healthy carbs and fats and proteins.Balanced nutrient dense foods help maintain health and nourishment for long-term.
Empty calorie foods include ready to eat highly processed foods containing very high amount of sugars and added fats.e.g chips,cookies,candies,doughnuts,jams,fruit juices,sodas,desserts,burgers etc
these foods are just calories ,they don't offer any healthy nutrients.
Make the right choice> foods having shorter shelf life are a good choice✔
foods having longer shelf life are NOT a good choice ❌
AVOIDING HEALTHY CARBS & FATS
It is necessary to avoid too much sugars and carbohydrates and also to avoid excess oils and fats but that definitely does not mean that carbs and fats should not be eaten at all.We need healthy carbs e.g oats,brown rice,quinoa, fruits&veggies, also healthy fats like fish ,nuts and seeds.Healthy fats are important because they help absorb the fat soluble vitamins in the gut.So never fear to drizzle that olive oil on your salads!
BINGE EATING VS PLANNED SNACKING
"I was feeling sad so i ate that tub of ice-cream" "i didn't know what to do with myself so i ate that bag of chips while watching TV" we have all been there and done that, i have done that too so i am not judging,but this habit needs to be broken.No amount of food can fill the void (also no amount of shopping can fill that void we are talking about lol) so let go of it.
On a serious note occasional binge eating happens but if it is a long standing pattern, it is a serious problem ( Binge eating disorder/Purging disorder/Bulimia Nervosa) and it needs to be handled properly by a doctor because it can end up in complications like seizures due to electrolyte imbalance,irregular heartbeats,blood deficiencies,(it instantly reminds me of the girl COCO from "Home and Away" TV show ,my NZ friends might relate to that TV show )
The solution is simple plan and pre-prep healthy snacks to have on hand.Snacking is totally good twice a day( roughly 100 calorie each).
SKIPPING BREAKFAST
I cannot emphasize enough about this one.Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.Starting a day by nourishing the brain and the muscles is vital. Skipping breakfast eventually leads to overeating later and being dull during the morning when most of the work needs to be done.Never skip breakfast.Scrambled eggs,veg loaded omelets,oatmeal,muesli,avocado toasts,egg benedicts,smoothie bowls.porridges,pancakes,egg burritos,overnight oats with fruits,savoury egg muffins,quiche,granola bowls.BRING IT ON!
Honestly, i don't get too excited about fancy dinners ,I always get excited for good breakfasts!
SKIPPING MEALS
Nope,not a good idea.Because if we skip meal and stay hungry our body goes into starvation mode and it starts storing the food that it receives,that does not help our goal.
NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER
I struggle with this one too. Not drinking enough water causes further water retention,also we need to drink enough to flush out the toxins and for the vital functions of the body.
DRINKING YOUR CALORIES
Eating an orange is better than drinking a glass of orange juice because the process of chewing and eating triggers the satiety center in the brain and that results in huger satisfaction.On the other hand juicing cuts down the fibers in the fruit and increases the amount of sugar intake.Same goes for juicing other veg and fruits (which is generally considered healthy),it is better to eat the whole fruit or veg rather than drinking juice to take the fibers in and avoid the net sugars.
Smoothies do not subtract the fiber out but disintegrates it,smoothies are better than juice,eating fruit is ideal.
LACK OF PERSISTENCE
We all know what needs to be done,it is just a matter of persistence,isn't it?
BEING TOO STRICT
Being too strict/harsh on own self is also not good because doing so will exhaust you and you will give up.So go ahead eat that piece of chocolate you're craving.
Our group follows a 80:20 rule, eat healthy 80% and 20% allow cravings.
WANTING INSTANT RESULTS
Crash diets,FAD diets,pills,shakes etc anything that offers a quick fix is a gimmick.It is mostly the water weight that goes and comes back soon.There is no short cut.Do it the right way.
FOCUSING ON NUMBERS
After being persistent for couple of weeks,everyone wants that dam number on the scale to go down.I get that.But progress comes in many shapes and sizes,if it is not showing on the scale it does not mean there is no progress,maybe lost inches or better level of hormones,less visceral fat,may be body fat percentage has gone down and it is replaced by muscle tissue.Be patient,those numbers will eventually go down. Above all ,building up healthier habits is an achievement in itself.
NOT SWITCHING UP THINGS
Same eating and exercising pattern reaches a plateau and to break that switching up things is advisable.
NOT EXERCISING
Last but not the least.I am guilty of not exercising enough too,Eating right and exercise work together.Doing one and leaving the other slows down the progress and also there is no other way to attain muscle strength,tone,overall fitness and energy stamina.
The difference is that diet is a short term thing which might also give some results but those results don't last very long.However, lifestyle changes are meant to stay forever,quitting bad eating habits and saying goodbye forever ,that strategy will help maintain the weight loss and improve fitness.
CALORIES VS NUTRIENTS
Counting calories makes sense but considering the type of nutrient is also important.
Nutrient dense foods include vegetables,fruits,whole grains,chicken,fish,milk,nuts, these foods contain calories but also provide various vitamins,minerals,healthy carbs and fats and proteins.Balanced nutrient dense foods help maintain health and nourishment for long-term.
Empty calorie foods include ready to eat highly processed foods containing very high amount of sugars and added fats.e.g chips,cookies,candies,doughnuts,jams,fruit juices,sodas,desserts,burgers etc
these foods are just calories ,they don't offer any healthy nutrients.
Make the right choice> foods having shorter shelf life are a good choice✔
foods having longer shelf life are NOT a good choice ❌
AVOIDING HEALTHY CARBS & FATS
It is necessary to avoid too much sugars and carbohydrates and also to avoid excess oils and fats but that definitely does not mean that carbs and fats should not be eaten at all.We need healthy carbs e.g oats,brown rice,quinoa, fruits&veggies, also healthy fats like fish ,nuts and seeds.Healthy fats are important because they help absorb the fat soluble vitamins in the gut.So never fear to drizzle that olive oil on your salads!
BINGE EATING VS PLANNED SNACKING
"I was feeling sad so i ate that tub of ice-cream" "i didn't know what to do with myself so i ate that bag of chips while watching TV" we have all been there and done that, i have done that too so i am not judging,but this habit needs to be broken.No amount of food can fill the void (also no amount of shopping can fill that void we are talking about lol) so let go of it.
On a serious note occasional binge eating happens but if it is a long standing pattern, it is a serious problem ( Binge eating disorder/Purging disorder/Bulimia Nervosa) and it needs to be handled properly by a doctor because it can end up in complications like seizures due to electrolyte imbalance,irregular heartbeats,blood deficiencies,(it instantly reminds me of the girl COCO from "Home and Away" TV show ,my NZ friends might relate to that TV show )
The solution is simple plan and pre-prep healthy snacks to have on hand.Snacking is totally good twice a day( roughly 100 calorie each).
SKIPPING BREAKFAST
I cannot emphasize enough about this one.Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.Starting a day by nourishing the brain and the muscles is vital. Skipping breakfast eventually leads to overeating later and being dull during the morning when most of the work needs to be done.Never skip breakfast.Scrambled eggs,veg loaded omelets,oatmeal,muesli,avocado toasts,egg benedicts,smoothie bowls.porridges,pancakes,egg burritos,overnight oats with fruits,savoury egg muffins,quiche,granola bowls.BRING IT ON!
Honestly, i don't get too excited about fancy dinners ,I always get excited for good breakfasts!
SKIPPING MEALS
Nope,not a good idea.Because if we skip meal and stay hungry our body goes into starvation mode and it starts storing the food that it receives,that does not help our goal.
NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER
I struggle with this one too. Not drinking enough water causes further water retention,also we need to drink enough to flush out the toxins and for the vital functions of the body.
DRINKING YOUR CALORIES
Eating an orange is better than drinking a glass of orange juice because the process of chewing and eating triggers the satiety center in the brain and that results in huger satisfaction.On the other hand juicing cuts down the fibers in the fruit and increases the amount of sugar intake.Same goes for juicing other veg and fruits (which is generally considered healthy),it is better to eat the whole fruit or veg rather than drinking juice to take the fibers in and avoid the net sugars.
Smoothies do not subtract the fiber out but disintegrates it,smoothies are better than juice,eating fruit is ideal.
LACK OF PERSISTENCE
We all know what needs to be done,it is just a matter of persistence,isn't it?
BEING TOO STRICT
Being too strict/harsh on own self is also not good because doing so will exhaust you and you will give up.So go ahead eat that piece of chocolate you're craving.
Our group follows a 80:20 rule, eat healthy 80% and 20% allow cravings.
WANTING INSTANT RESULTS
Crash diets,FAD diets,pills,shakes etc anything that offers a quick fix is a gimmick.It is mostly the water weight that goes and comes back soon.There is no short cut.Do it the right way.
FOCUSING ON NUMBERS
After being persistent for couple of weeks,everyone wants that dam number on the scale to go down.I get that.But progress comes in many shapes and sizes,if it is not showing on the scale it does not mean there is no progress,maybe lost inches or better level of hormones,less visceral fat,may be body fat percentage has gone down and it is replaced by muscle tissue.Be patient,those numbers will eventually go down. Above all ,building up healthier habits is an achievement in itself.
NOT SWITCHING UP THINGS
Same eating and exercising pattern reaches a plateau and to break that switching up things is advisable.
NOT EXERCISING
Last but not the least.I am guilty of not exercising enough too,Eating right and exercise work together.Doing one and leaving the other slows down the progress and also there is no other way to attain muscle strength,tone,overall fitness and energy stamina.
alaaaaa
ReplyDeleteweightlossguggul
ReplyDelete