Do you also know that less than 3% of all diets work? Dieting in America is a failure. Millions lose weight, but it doesn’t stay off. The main reason for this is:
- Weight loss methods used in diets never get ingrained into a person’s lifestyle. Once those methods stop and old habits return, the pounds come right back and often go above the dieter’s original weight.
Another common method used by those who want to lose weight is to simply skip meals until the scale shows a downward trend. This also has no effect in the long run due to a similar reason as that above:
- While skipping meals helps lose weight in the short run, it has no effect in the long run because healthy lifestyle habits are never learned. The weight eventually returns and another cycle of skipping meals needs to happen.
So what lifestyle behaviors do we need to take on in order to get slim and stay there?
Rather than looking at another diet plan, why not look at groups of people who seem to just overflow with health and glean some insights as to what they actually practice when it comes to eating that keeps them at a normal body weight over the years? (By a normal body weight I mean a weight that the knees will generally be able to support for years without wearing out and that looks appropriate for the person’s height and skeletal frame.) Here are 3 of this group’s behaviors worth modeling:
- Begin by eating 3 meals a day minimum. I know eating to lose weight doesn’t seem to compute, but the majority of those who maintain a healthy body weight start out with breakfast and eat 2-4 more times throughout the day. As a result, they don’t seem to struggle with low blood sugar levels, seasonal weight gain and binging. Start with learning how to satisfying your body’s natural need for nourishment.
- Choose foods closest to their most natural form. Proteins, vegetables, fruits and whole grains should make up 80% of your household food supply. Boxed and processed foods should take a backseat in your food supply. The less processed a food is, the more nutrients and fiber you get and the greater “shut-off” power it has on your appetite. A great rule of thumb is to serve 2 pieces of sliced fruit at every dinner to cap an appetite and boost vitamin intake.
- Go for quality over quantity, even with desserts or snack foods. Get around this overflowing-with-health group and you’ll hear words like organic, raw and whole. Even if it’s chocolate, it’s dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa. Desserts may not be frequent, but if they’re eaten, they’re the real thing such as homemade not packaged. As you choose quality over quantity, your palette will be trained to know the difference and you’ll be able to easily decline processed, manufactured foods that simply miss the mark in taste.
I know you want to be slim, but I want much more for you. I’d like you to overflow with health that’s sustainable as well as enjoy a body weight that is meant just for you. The behaviors above really can help you in the long run. What are you waiting for?
dorielim 