We don't need to diet

Just eat healthy

Being healthy is not about being virtuous, righteous (or should that be with the supposition 'self'), particular and perfect.

Goodness, if that were the case none of us would manage it! And yet our bodies  want to be healthy. This doesn't have to be be an unrealistic, unreasonable, unreachable fantasy goal, surely this should be the normal state of being.

Why go on a diet to lose weight?

Our  bodies want us to have long term lifestyles and habits, where we eat & drink that which will help us be vibrant, energised, not over/under weight, ill and depressed. They will then do their part, lose excess fat etc. We don't need to diet, just eat for health.

Our food and lifestyle choices act as information for our bodies;

GARBAGE IN ~ GARBAGE OUT

Unfortunately 80% of the foods available in our shops today weren't around 100 yrs ago, ie. they are not in their natural, unadulterated form, making it so easy to eat Garbage!

Our bodies are a physiological response to our environment, so an unhealthy environment leads to an unhealthy out of shape body.

Make your environment healthy and you WILL lose fat and have more energy, PURSUE HEALTH, not weight loss.

Therefore it works to treat your body as a health bank account, in which you make deposits like;

  • real food

  • healthy fats

  • water

  • sleep*

  • stress management

  • correct exercise

  • appropriate supplements where needed

  • well sourced protein

Withdrawals would be things such as;

  • processed foods

  • takeaways

  • polyunsaturated fats

  • too few calories

  • poor sleep

  • high stress living

  • chemicals/additives

  • excess alcohol and caffeine

  • sugary drinks

Don't try and and cheat by 'borrowing' success, eg. using strategies such as;

  • will power

  • calorie counting

  • magic pills

A healthy body comes from making more deposits than withdrawals.

' Let food be your medicine'   - Hipocrates 

And it's not about will power. If you employ this as a strategy, at some point you'll crack and throw the towel in.

When you use will power it taunts your inner rebel and inevitably leads to bingeing, and raging sugar cravings!

We can be emotionally and/or   physically hungry - but food only satisfies PHYSICAL hunger. You may want to ask yourself are you using food to self medicate? Are you physically feeding emotional hunger? Notice how when it's emotional hunger (fatigue, stress, boredom, loneliness, rebellion,   anger etc) it's not the healthy nourishing food you reach for but the quick fix sugary foods that are going to fire the neuro-transmiters in your brain that light up the pleasure centres! This is where a little self knowledge/reflection  becomes invaluable, and that can only be administered with self compassion.

Rather than will power   a much better approach is to use amicable strategies, where you work with yourself, not against berating your body and yourself. Build strategies/methods into your life that are geared to achieving that desired goal of health. Methods which become habits that you then do without thinking. 

For example; lemon in water first thing in the morning, protein always in breakfast, healthy snacks in your bag/at work/ in the cupboard, protein with lunch and dinner, at least 3 veg daily & 2 fruits, daily walks, bed by 10.30pm

This is what matters the most for long-term results;

Being a little less perfect makes you a little more consistent.

Self-compassion always trumps rigidity when it comes to motivation.

Sometimes you have to let “good enough” be good enough.

Sometimes you have to just do your best and allow that to be okay.

IDENTIFY JUST ONE AREA IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU  WILL TWEAK AND HAVE AS YOUR FOCUS THIS WEEK.

YOU ARE YOUR BEST EXPERT - YOU KNOW WHICH AREA TO CHOOSE!