Dieting Vs. Lifestyle Changes
Before taking care of your health, you must understand the difference between dieting and lifestyle changes. Many people in the fitness and health industry stopped supporting dieting. This is happening because dieting is something you do for a small period of time compared to changing your lifestyle, which is a long-term solution. The results for each impact your health in different ways.
Difference Between Dieting and Lifestyle Changes
Dieting is a solution to reach your short-term goals and is all about losing weight. It's an eating habit that will last as long as you can until you reach your goal. Then you will typically revert back to your regular eating routine and the weight comes back. During dieting, you see certain foods as a temptation and punishment. On the other hand, lifestyle changes are long-term and become permanent habits in your life. They will help you control your weight and health. Ideally, you should try to find a balance in your life where you are able to enjoy the things you want to eat without making painful sacrifices.
Importance of Dieting
Dieting is sometimes a viable way to reach short-term goals. First, you have to analyze your goals and make a plan to achieve them. For example, if you need to lose weight for a specific event like a photo shoot, talk to a professional nutritionist. They will know the best diet that can help you reach your goals. It’s important that you don’t maintain this diet long-term. After reaching your goals, you should return to your regular eating habits.
Start Making Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes can be very challenging to make. They aren’t impossible if you are very patient. It’s better to work on making one change at a time instead of multiple changes at once. It is easy to get overwhelmed (or put too much on your plate). True success comes from making a commitment, doing research, and making a plan. According to American Psychological Association, there are several things you have to consider when planning lifestyle changes:
Make a plan that will stick. This is a plan that will guide you during your journey of change. During the planning stage, you need to be specific as to what you want to accomplish. Write everything down and analyze each goal. These will help you set realistic goals for yourself.
Start small. Once you create your plan and set your short-term and long-term goals, then divide your goals into small steps so you control the process and have the opportunity to achieve realistic results each week.
Change one behavior at a time. The process of changing unhealthy behaviors takes time. Many people stress out during this process because they try to make too many changes too fast. Try this instead – change one habit at a time and create goals to keep track of your progress. Once a healthy behavior becomes a habit, then you can move on to a new one.
Involve a buddy. The fact of having someone with you during this journey is helpful to keep you motivated and accountable. You could join a group that aligns with your goals. This is a good solution because having someone to share your successes and struggles with will make the process easier and less intimidating.
Ask for support. If you ever feel overwhelmed or unable to reach your goals during this process, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You could consult a Psychologist. Psychologists understand the connection between mind and body. A few therapy sessions will help clear your mind and organize your emotions. It will also help you set your goals.