Don't Diet. Just Eat Well.

A few days ago, I talked about why exercising simply to lose weight is not enough. Exercise is something that needs to be incorporated into your life – it’s not something you should stop once you hit some random number on the scale. 

The same rule applies to nutrition. 

I used to diet when I wanted to lose weight. By that, I mean I would severely cut back what I was eating, feel hungry and miserable. Then, after losing a few pounds, I would go back to eating the way I did before the diet. Remarkably, I never kept the pounds off. 

Fortunately, this changed for me once I started working out. At first, my motivation wasn’t in the right place. When I first got started, I picked the hardest workout program I could find because I wanted to lose weight without changing my nutrition habits. Fortunately, I realized that at the very least, I needed control portion sizes - so that’s where I started.

By making that one simple change, I started to lose weight. I figured out about how many calories I should be eating, and adjusted my portions accordingly. Soon, I realized that the healthier my food choices were, the more food I could eat (thus avoiding hunger). I started to incorporate a wider range of vegetables and lean meats into our diets. I started buying quinoa and kale, and chose organic foods whenever possible.  I started drinking Shakeology – a high-nutrient shake – almost every afternoon because I learned that it kept me from snacking. Gradually over time, I made changes that improved my nutrition, I achieved my target weight, and I built muscle that makes me feel like I can take on the world.

And I didn’t diet.

Instead, I made changes that will last. My grocery cart looks very different than it did just one year ago. But I don’t feel deprived in the slightest. And, if we’re out at a restaurant or enjoying a special occasion, I feel free to indulge from time to time, because my fitness and nutrition fundamentals are sound.

That’s the goal, isn’t it? To develop good nutritional habits that you can live with over the long haul.

Post-Thanksgiving Blues

                OK, it’s confession time – self-control around the holidays is not my strong suit.  I don’t always make the ideal food choices, but I generally do pretty well.  I thought I had mastered the art of portion control and calorie awareness. Unfortunately, over the past three days, I’ve learned that I’m nearly helpless in the face of a good stuffing – and as a result I’ve gained three pounds since Wednesday. Now that Thanksgiving is over, I need to buckle down, lose those few pounds and get back on track. But I’m going to take a few lessons away from the past few days.

                First, it takes a lot of effort and sweat to lose weight. It takes very little effort and no sweat whatsoever to put it back on. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all in favor of enjoying Thanksgiving. But at the next holiday feast, I need to take my own advice and stick to one moderate helping.

                Second, my body feels like total crap the day after I overeat – especially when the food has a high fat content and is loaded with butter. I stuck with my workouts over the Thanksgiving holiday, but I didn’t have my usual energy. By this morning (Saturday), I had to drag myself out of bed to do a Stretch workout (which was desperately needed). Fatty foods are no good for fueling a workout. Of course, you need some healthy fats in your diet - but butter-laden bread and potatoes don’t fit the bill.

                Third, portion control is something that should be practiced at every meal – and not shelved for special occasions. Thanksgiving is just as nice if you eat smaller portions of the same foods – just eat a bit less of the unhealthy foods and a bit more of the healthy ones. Make sure there are wholesome salads and vegetables on the table, so you can satisfy your hunger and have more energy the next day.

                Tomorrow is December 1, so I’m going to take these lessons and follow them for the rest of the year. My December will be packed with holiday lunches, parties, and family dinners, but I’m committing myself to making healthier choices.  I fully intend to get through the holidays in style (which means that I should be able to zip up my dress on New Year’s Eve).