Losing weight requires a lot of changes in your life. I hate to call it a diet because diets require the temporary change of food and exercise regimes. Wanting to adapt a healthy lifestyle requires the need to want to be HEALTHY. The goal should not be just to lose a certain amount of weight or to weigh a specific number, but the overall goal is to make adjustments to allow one to become healthier 100%. So, looking at food is one of the first things you have to adjust.
In the beginning, people look at food as the enemy. When people seek to make changes, they become very mindful of what they eat, how many calories, and various other factors become the main aspect towards their healthy goal. But, the objective is to not swear off all bad foods because the reality is, we need a combination of good and bad foods – your new goal is to just now choose the good foods more often than before, and sporadically “treat” yourself to the bad foods. How can one do this?
First, know what your weaknesses are. I hear many times, “I love bread…” “I cannot be without potato chips…” and the list goes on. Once you have identified your main weakness, the next step is learning how to make those adjustments into healthier selections. This is the hard part because some people truly find it difficult to eliminate their favorite foods. Although I went cold turkey and literally eliminated all my weakness foods – chips, cookies, break (I love biscuits), and juice, I would not recommend it for someone who has not fully adapted the mindset necessary for this lifestyle change at first. But, you have to gradually reduce your intake or control the amount of foods readily available to you.
When I changed my mind and took full control of my life, I literally went through my cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer, and threw out ALL the garbage. Leaving your temptation foods readily available in your household or draw at work will make it too easy for you to cheat with the “enemy.” Once you reduce the amount of enemy prone foods, you will grasp an understanding of how to casually implement those treats into your new lifestyle. If you know you used to eat a big bag of potato chips every day, you may need to reduce it down to once a week, in the early afternoon, and prepare to work out afterwards. Although you will still take in those calories, if you plan and stick to the plan of working out afterwards, then it will lead towards successful results.
You cannot be afraid of food. You are still allowed to go out and enjoy yourself. Too many people say they cannot go out and enjoy themselves because their friends aren’t eating healthy with them. While this is true, you have to keep your goal in mind. If there is a group of people going out and you truly have the desire to have buffalo fried wings, then see if anyone else wants them and share. We cannot torture ourselves and become afraid to eat – you will quickly relapse if you do not give into your desires. Understand that many people in your circle will definitely help you keep focus – do not doubt them. Having family and friends who eat freely in front of you, will still watch what you eat, and support you in your endeavors.
The final step in loving the right foods is, reshaping your mind. You are going through a full transformation process. Your body and mind has to be on the same wavelength; however, it takes a while for the two to sync. One day you will wake up wanting egg whites, but by lunch time you desire a muffin – this is normal. It takes many trials before you fully become successful in making the best food choices. Think of it this way, you are reprogramming your mind to adjust to the new settings – healthy settings. Slowly get rid of the bad foods, and replace them with foods and snacks that you actually enjoy! Do not let food control you and your goal of being healthy. Food is not the enemy, but you have to start realizing you desire better fuel (fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and lean proteins) to survive. Once you eliminate the bad fuel – you will see just how better you feel inside and outside.
No comments:
Post a Comment