Diet culture is everywhere and it seems like there is a new fix-all-your-problems diet every month. There’s an insane amount of information everywhere about how to lose weight, what to eat, and how to survive on only kale and cottage cheese.
It can be hard to sort through all of the information and decide what new diet you want to try or if a diet is even right for you.
Check out this week’s video to hear what Dr. Rob has to say about all these diets and what might actually work for you!
https://youtu.be/VwezVbj5vfw
Everyone wants a quick and easy fix for weight loss, or their health goals. an easy to stick to diet that includes ALL of their favourite foods and guilty junk-food pleasures. Unfortunately for all of us who are hoping to discover that diet… no healthy, balanced, diet fits this description. (Trust me, I’m disappointed too).
Weight loss and healthy eating can seem incredibly daunting and starting a diet with the wrong mindset can hinder your success.
Start thinking about why you really want to lose weight or eat healthy. Is it to look better? Is it for your overall heath? Is it so you can keep up with your kids? All of these are good, valid reasons to change your diet. Coming up with your reason why can help motivate you to make a change!
Most importantly; Consider Your Personal Needs
There is no weight loss or diet plan that works for everyone. You need to think about your lifestyle, your routine, and your goals.
If you want to try a restrictive diet, but you really like going out to regularly it may make eating at restaurants difficult. If you’re not that keen on cooking, then starting a meal prep-type diet might not be the best choice for you.
Think about:
- Diets you’ve tried. What did you like or dislike about them? Were you able to follow the diet? What worked or didn’t work? How did you feel, physically and emotionally, while on the diet?
- Your preferences. Do you prefer to do a weight-loss program on your own, or do you want support from a group? If you like group support, do you prefer online support or in-person meetings?
- Your budget. Some weight-loss programs require you to buy supplements or meals, visit weight-loss clinics or attend support meetings. Does the cost fit your budget?
- Other considerations. Do you have a health condition, such as diabetes, heart disease or allergies? Do you have cultural or ethnic requirements or preferences regarding food?
Like Dr. Rob said, finding a diet you know you can stick to is way more effective and will help you more long term.
Our best advice for weight loss is sounds super simple:
Reduce processed foods or junk foods, and increase the fruits and vegetables you eat.
Making this ‘simple’ change is actually one of the most effective ways to lose weight and keep it off long term! Successful weight loss requires long-term lifestyle changes, which means the changes actually fit into your life and become habits.
We recommend starting small, trying to overhaul your diet and change everything at once is only going to set you up for failure! Small changes can make a big difference over time.
For example: I pack my lunch every day and when I tried to start eating healthier I started swapping out cookies for an apple. At first it seemed like a terrible trade off and every day I’d silently curse myself for not caving and packing cookies, but eventually it became a habit.
I then switched my sandwich for a salad and the process continued. This didn’t happen overnight, it took several months to get over the loss of my daily cookies and I still miss them at times but I genuinely enjoy the apple now.
I definitely failed a few times and threw some Oreo cookies in the cart at the grocery store and I will definitely fail again. Realizing that you will fall off the wagon from time to time is also important to dieting. We’re not perfect beings and we will stray from time to time. The most important thing is to hop back on the wagon and keep trying.
One of Dr. Rob’s favourite quotes is:
“You haven’t failed until you stop trying”
So as long as you’re trying to eat healthier you’re not failing!
Still not confident about your diet choice? Talk to one of our amazing practitioners for more personalized advice at your next appointment. They’re always there to help you!
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