We've all tried them - Atkins, Keto, Paleo and if you're a certain age then maybe the Cabbage Soup Diet. But do any of these diets keep weight off in the long term? In most cases, sadly the answer is no. They may provide a short-term fix, but in the longer term the pounds will slowly creep back on which is why you should quit dieting.
In fact, evidence shows that dieting is actually linked with a higher risk of weight gain. Many of you will know from bitter experience that you try a diet, you lose some weight, you probably don’t feel great as you’re denying yourself certain food groups, or the things you love and then when you return to your normal way of eating, the pounds creep back on again.
This is why we need to reframe what we see as a 'diet'. When you look the word 'diet' up in the dictionary, the first meaning is 'The food and drink we consume on a daily basis' and the second meaning is 'a limited amount of food we eat for medical reasons or to lose weight'. If we were to focus on the first meaning and to embark on a diet that is for life and which provides us with all the nutrients we need to thrive then we'd have much less need to focus on the second meaning.
A great way to look at your diet is to ask if you can still see yourself eating the way you're currently eating in two years time? if the answer is no, then it's not the right diet for you.
It’s also important to recognise that we are all different. We don’t all respond in the same way to the calories we consume and we don’t all undertake the same amount of daily movement. What works for one person may not work for another and this is why Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching works so well. Through a number of in-depth consultations, I can get to know you, your likes and dislikes, what has or hasn’t worked for you previously and about your lifestyle.
Its also important to not look at one factor in isolation, for example, stress, sleep, movement and what we eat are all interrelated and can impact upon each other. Taking all of this information, we can develop a fully individualised plan that works for you and which you can easily stick to and enjoy seeing the benefits from for the rest of your life.
So why not start your journey now by booking one of my 30-minute Vitality Review Consultations? We can talk about your health goals and discuss some tips for changing your diet and lifestyle so that you can find an energetic, healthy version of you who can thrive in life.
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