Have you ever wondered why marketers prefer the term “ diet vs. lifestyle change ” rather than “diet” only? Why do you think that is? According to Boston Medical Center , around 45 million Americans go on a diet per year and, believe it or not, Americans spend a whopping $33 billion every year on weight-loss products. But, despite this huge statistic, about two-thirds of Americans are still overweight or obese.
Aside from low self-esteem and limited physical movements, people who are overweight have a higher risk of developing serious health issues such as heart diseases, diabetes , high cholesterol, stroke, arthritis, high blood pressure, and gallbladder disease.
What is Diet?
Diet is temporary. Diets have short-term goals with a target date. The whole context of a diet is to last as long as you can until what you’re preparing for is finally over and you can get back to your normal routine.
Dieting feels more like a punishment and deprivation than rewarding. When you start to see results, you tend to go back to your old habits of not eating a well-balanced meal and regular exercise – thus, the weight comes right back on.
When a person is on a diet, they see food as a temptation that they should avoid for now because they have a goal to reach. But, once they’ve reached their goal, they eat everything they deprived themselves of. All the hard work that they’ve exerted will all be put to waste.
According to a famous Victoria Secret model, Miranda Kerr, “If you want that piece of chocolate, have that piece of chocolate. Just don’t eat the whole block.”
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What is a Lifestyle Change?
Lifestyle changes are permanent. When you think long-term by changing your lifestyle, the sky isn’t your limit. As its name suggests, lifestyle changes are for life. You are not just doing it because you have a goal that needs to be accomplished right away. Your main goal is to live longer by taking care of yourself. You’re not thinking about escaping like a prisoner. You’re looking at the bigger picture and that is to grow old healthy and happy.
The results are limitless too. When you match your diet vs. lifestyle change to your positive outlook in life and behavior, you will not stress your body out way too much. Your body will heal and be healthier instead of crashing and burning constantly.
A lifestyle change can help you enjoy your food without feeling guilty because you already have alternative guilt-free foods to enjoy.
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Key Characteristics Of a Healthy Diet:
- Your eating habits will depend on where you eat
- Foods are categorized as “ good ” or “ bad ”
- You are greatly restricting your calorie consumption
Key Characteristics Of a Healthy Balanced Lifestyle:
- Having a well-balanced meal to nourish one’s body
- Moderation, not restriction
- Regular and consistent exercise
- Losing at least 1-2 lbs a week of body weight
Although a well-balanced diet is encouraged, it shouldn’t be rushed nor should it have a time frame. diet vs. lifestyle change are all about good changes that you’re doing to your body. The more pressure you exert into your body into losing weight- yes, it might just work, but only for a short time. If you want results that will last a lifetime, you need to give your body all the nutrients that it needs in order to properly function. You have to be kind to your body so that your body will reciprocate your kindness.
The main goal of changing your lifestyle is not to deprive you of good food or let you go through extreme hunger. It will only lead to a weak mind and body, exhaustion, and mental stress. It’s vital to listen to your body. Although weight loss takes more time, it is permanent as compared to going through a diet.
What’s the Importance of Dieting?
Getting the proper nutrients and calorie count is important to keep your body healthy and active. Yes, it may be great to fit into your old pair of jeans when you were 18 but is the weight loss really worth it when you get sick often? Sadly, most Americans, especially among women and teenagers, go through a diet without consulting from an expert.
Yes, diets can help you lose weight as fast as lightning but about 95% of those who are in a diet gain their weight back within 1 to 5 years. A so-called “ yo-yo ” diet is very risky. A “yo-yo” diet is when you lose weight, gain them back, lose again, and gain them back…it’s like a never-ending cycle. It can have a huge negative impact on your health because it increases your risk of heart diseases and a lifetime negative impact on your metabolism.
Instead of speeding up your metabolism, you end up slowing it down. When you go through a diet, your body is forced to be in starvation/fasting mode. Also, you’re going to miss out on all the important nutrients that you need to have daily. Let’s say you lack calcium – your risk for osteoporosis and broken bones will gradually increase as you get older.
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How to Make Healthy a Lifestyle Change?
Making a lifestyle change is challenging especially when you want to transform many things at once. Lifestyle change is a process that takes time and requires support. In order for you to be successful on it is to make a plan, do a research, commit and follow it if you’re ready to make a change.
According to American Psychological Association, to help you making lifestyle changes that last are the following:
1. Start small. Do not expect to make big, drastic changes. Your goal is long-term so give your body ample time to adjust to the changes that you’ve made.
2. One small change a time. Some people can multitask activities while some cannot. Replacing your bad behavior takes time. Change doesn’t just happen overnight. In order to be successful, focus on one goal at a time. Slowly but surely.
4. Ask for a support. Accepting help from the people who cares about you will strengthen your commitment. Asking for help from a psychologist is also considered if you’re unable to meet your goals. Making changes is really difficult, it takes time and commitment but you can do it. Failure is normal and okay. Stand up and get back on track.
If you don’t know how to start, where to start, or maybe even why you should start changing your lifestyle, you can always consult a professional who can craft a full meal-plan and exercise that you can do. On top of that, you can join fun-filled activities. Check out our website to know more!