Dump the diets: make your health a habit!
Posted on June 1, 2009
Have
you ever tried to jump-start a weight loss plan by trying a fad diet or
following a strict calorie count and menu limitations, only to beat
yourself up after the first time you "cheated?" Or maybe you committed
to going to the gym every day, only to feel disgusted with yourself
when you didn't make it seven days in a row?
As a society, where did we ever get this notion that if we don't follow a diet or exercise regimen to the "T", we've failed and there is something wrong with us? In our Biggest Loser culture if you don't win, you're really a big loser. Even celebrities perpetuate the loser mentality by sharing their humiliation with us when they fail. Oprah told us in the January issue of her magazine that she was "embarrassed" and "mad at herself" because she tipped the scales at 200 lbs. While Kirstie Alley - who lost 75 pounds on Jenny Craig only to gain it all back - declared herself "hideous" after viewing a recent tabloid picture. And if these two women - who have all of the resources in the world to get healthy - beat themselves up when they slip, would you expect anything less from the rest of us? Not exactly the role models you need for a healthy mindset when you're riding a weight loss roller coaster.
It's time to end the "all or nothing" mentality when it comes to eating healthy, losing weight or getting in shape. Drop the stringent rules, the strict diet meal plans and fitness routines that were created by someone else. Do they know your body or your lifestyle? You know the dogmas - eat this specific brand of this specific food at this second on Day 3, and do 500 crunches before you go to bed. If they are not working for you, drop them. Or tweak them to make them your own. And most importantly, drop the harsh attitude towards yourself. If you groan at the idea of having to lose weight or eat better, the first step is to change your attitude. It doesn't have to be hard.
Your health and wellness and how well you take care of yourself is a natural part of who you are, your actions and how you live your life. If you're not happy with how you feel right now and you know you need to improve, take heart...it doesn't have to be a dreaded chore. Healthy living is not about deprivation, starvation or killing yourself on a treadmill. It's about making small changes, one at a time, to improve your life and your health.
Yes, you can succeed and improve your health by starting small and incorporating one healthy habit at a time into your daily routine. Try these tips to slowly integrate health back into your lifestyle.
Take Action Challenge
1. Set a healthy intention. We tend to set goals such as, "I want to lose 10 pounds" or "I want to drop 2 sizes." If you set these types of goals and beat yourself up when you don't reach the number, try setting a healthier intention such as, "Every action I take today is a choice, and I'm going to chose at least one healthier option," or "I'm choosing to nourish myself with whole foods today."
2. Pick 3 healthy habits that you know you can easily incorporate into your day and that will boost your energy, your mood and your health. The key word is easy; set yourself up for success. Here are some suggestions for crowding out bad habits with good routines:
3. Repeat your 3 healthy habits every day for the next 30 days. If you skip one or two (or all three), don't stress over it. Smile and appreciate yourself for what you did accomplish during the day. You are a glorious healthy being! And try again tomorrow.
Repetition will help you turn healthy actions into a seamless part of your daily rhythm and routine. So next month, it'll become more natural for you and you can move on to adopting 3 new habits!
As a society, where did we ever get this notion that if we don't follow a diet or exercise regimen to the "T", we've failed and there is something wrong with us? In our Biggest Loser culture if you don't win, you're really a big loser. Even celebrities perpetuate the loser mentality by sharing their humiliation with us when they fail. Oprah told us in the January issue of her magazine that she was "embarrassed" and "mad at herself" because she tipped the scales at 200 lbs. While Kirstie Alley - who lost 75 pounds on Jenny Craig only to gain it all back - declared herself "hideous" after viewing a recent tabloid picture. And if these two women - who have all of the resources in the world to get healthy - beat themselves up when they slip, would you expect anything less from the rest of us? Not exactly the role models you need for a healthy mindset when you're riding a weight loss roller coaster.
It's time to end the "all or nothing" mentality when it comes to eating healthy, losing weight or getting in shape. Drop the stringent rules, the strict diet meal plans and fitness routines that were created by someone else. Do they know your body or your lifestyle? You know the dogmas - eat this specific brand of this specific food at this second on Day 3, and do 500 crunches before you go to bed. If they are not working for you, drop them. Or tweak them to make them your own. And most importantly, drop the harsh attitude towards yourself. If you groan at the idea of having to lose weight or eat better, the first step is to change your attitude. It doesn't have to be hard.
Your health and wellness and how well you take care of yourself is a natural part of who you are, your actions and how you live your life. If you're not happy with how you feel right now and you know you need to improve, take heart...it doesn't have to be a dreaded chore. Healthy living is not about deprivation, starvation or killing yourself on a treadmill. It's about making small changes, one at a time, to improve your life and your health.
Yes, you can succeed and improve your health by starting small and incorporating one healthy habit at a time into your daily routine. Try these tips to slowly integrate health back into your lifestyle.
Take Action Challenge
1. Set a healthy intention. We tend to set goals such as, "I want to lose 10 pounds" or "I want to drop 2 sizes." If you set these types of goals and beat yourself up when you don't reach the number, try setting a healthier intention such as, "Every action I take today is a choice, and I'm going to chose at least one healthier option," or "I'm choosing to nourish myself with whole foods today."
2. Pick 3 healthy habits that you know you can easily incorporate into your day and that will boost your energy, your mood and your health. The key word is easy; set yourself up for success. Here are some suggestions for crowding out bad habits with good routines:
- Drink more water; choose a glass of water over soda or other sweetened drink during your next meal. The average can of cola has more than 10 teaspoons of sugar! Besides the sugar spike, it will also wreak havoc on your teeth.
- Opt for herbal tea or decaf instead of the morning cup of coffee.
- Enjoy 15 minutes of sunshine each day; get out of the office (or house) once during the workday.
- Take a walk instead of parking yourself in front of the television.
- Replace your junk food snack binges with fresh berries or a piece of fruit; strawberries are now in season in most regions!
- Include at least one vegetable in your lunch menu
- Try a green veggie in every dinner this week; experiment with spinach, kale, arugula, swiss chard or bok choy.
- Add a couple of servings of whole grains (barley, millet, oats, quinoa) into your meals.
- If you're a fan of white bread - opt for whole wheat, rye or whole grain the next time.
- Eating out too often? Adopt the rule of 3 - pick only 3 items from the menu, including beverages. (e.g., if you want a glass of wine and bread with your pasta dish, that's it - no appetizer, no dessert.)
- Have a bad habit of scarfing down your meals? Make an intention that you won't eat on the run or in the car. Sit down for each meal and if you can, set the table or at least a place setting. Take an attitude of gratitude and say a blessing or grace before you take a bite. Try chewing your food 25 times before swallowing. You'll slow down and ease the digestion process for your body. The more you chew the more you allow the digestive enzymes in your mouth to break down the food.
3. Repeat your 3 healthy habits every day for the next 30 days. If you skip one or two (or all three), don't stress over it. Smile and appreciate yourself for what you did accomplish during the day. You are a glorious healthy being! And try again tomorrow.
Repetition will help you turn healthy actions into a seamless part of your daily rhythm and routine. So next month, it'll become more natural for you and you can move on to adopting 3 new habits!
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