I was walking around the store today browsing in the book aisle. I couldn't help noticing the plethora of diet books that lined the shelves. I myself own some of them. I have tried several diets in my life. Not as many as some people I know but still enough to know that diets don't work.
Think back to your last "diet." I imagine it went something like this...
1. You realize that you put on a few pounds. Your clothes are getting tight or bathing suit season is quickly approaching and you are scared stiff!
2. You hear about the newest diet craze. Low fat, low carbs, cabbage soup, lemonade, whatever catches your eye. You decide that the time has come...BUT you will wait until Monday to start.
3. You research the diet du jour, plan your menu, make your shopping list, and when Monday comes you start with the plan. You are motivated. You are excited. You are going to look good in no time.
4. A few days go by, you have dropped a few pounds and you are loving it! OK, so the diet is a bit difficult. You're hungry or feeling deprived but who cares, you are losing weight! It is totally worth it.
5. After about a week, 2 weeks, or a month your enthusiasm is starting to wane. You get invited to a party and you are faced with a table full of delicious looking food that you have been avoiding like the plague. One little bite won't hurt. You deserve it after all. You've been so good. You've lost some weight so why not reward yourself with a little "treat."
6. You can't help but wonder what the heck happened. It's been about a week since your little reward and you've been eating out of control. Your diet plan has been trashed and you don't even care about it anymore. Life is too short. Food is enjoyable and why shouldn't you live life to the fullest and eat whatever you want right?
This scenario or ones similar are played out every day in this country. We have been brainwashed to believe that the next diet will be "the one" that will save us from ourselves. These authors know more about this then we do after all. And didn't our best friend Suzie have amazing results on diet xyz? It has to work for us.
I say ENOUGH! Enough of the deprivation! Enough with the crazy plans that inevitably throw our bodies out of balance! Enough with feeling like a failure because we can't live without bread! It's not working! Our obesity rates are at an all time high. It was Albert Einstein who said, "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" and this couldn't be more true when it comes to the world of dieting.
Join me in kissing our diet days goodbye. Embrace food and enjoy it in its whole and natural form. Eat what feeds your body and also feeds your soul. You will be amazed at the difference this simple change can make.
Can't imagine how to do this? It's best to start where you are and make a change. Decide on one healthy food you can add to your repertoire and head off to the store to pick it up. Experiment with different ways to cook it and when you are feeling comfortable, try something new.
If the whole thing seems overwhelming, contact me today for a free health consultation. Spend an hour doing something good for yourself. You will have the opportunity to zero in on the changes that make sense for you and you will get really clear about your health and wellness goals. How often do you actually get an entire hour to focus on your health?
In my area of the country it is beginning to feel like spring. The weather has warmed up, the sun is out, the birds are chirping and people have begun to emerge from there hibernation in their modern day caves.
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