By: Mackenzie Nix, Health Coach
That dreaded word…so many think they “need” to do it, but just cannot bring themselves to… diet.
You hear it all the time from your friends and family. Whether it is a wedding coming up that they need to look good for, or a special reunion and opportunity to impress family or friends. In today’s world, you see diet (almost makes me vomit just typing it out) on newsstands, Facebook ads, those darn infomercials…everywhere. Before I get any further, lets look at the definition (thanks to Merriam-Webster):
Diet:
1a: food and drink regularly provided or consumed (a diet of fruits and vegetables,a vegetarian diet)
b: habitual nourishment links between diet and disease
c: the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason (…was put on a low-sodium diet)
d: a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight (going on a diet)
2: something provided or experienced repeatedly(Their imaginations feverish from a diet of detective novels -- The New Yorker heard a steady diet of excuses)
Commonly, people who go on “diets” deprive themselves of needed nutrients to lose weight. Point 1b. of theMerriam-Webster definition marks diet as habitual nourishment. In today’s climate of disparaged health, I don’t believe this definition is in line with how “diet” is used most frequently. So many people use diets as a temporary fix to a long-term problem, and not as a source of nourishment. Fad diets so rarely provide our bodies with what we need. In 1d., diet is defined as a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight. Unless you have a medical condition or have been told by a healthcare provider, I do not feel anyone should be limiting their consumption of good food and liquids. We need good food (more on good vs bad later!) for our bodies to function properly. We need good liquids to help our kidneys, liver, skin (& more!!). So why does society tell us to diet? I honestly do not know, and probably will never have a good answer. But what I do know is this… We need to change our minds and lifestyles in order to change our bodies.
Losing weight is no easy thing to do. Trust me when I say I know what it is like to struggle with weight. It has been a struggle my entire life. Three-day crash diets, 10-day shreds, salads for three meals a day…I have tried them all. But it was not until I started to truly change my lifestyle that I finally started seeing results. For me, those results are not always weight loss. It is the way my body feels in the morning, or how I am no longer bloated at the end of the day. There is no healthy quick-fix, and unless you are a super-dedicated person, a fad diet will probably not work long term either. But what can work is identifying what your body needs, how it operates, and lifestyle factors that can help you – and ones that are standing in your way. Are you getting enough sleep? How are your stress levels? These are two very small questions that can make a huge impact on your life, and a great place to start.
Are you ready to ditch the “1d” diets and change your life? Good for you! If you are unsure of where to start, contact our office for a free consultation to see if our health coaching program is a good fit for you. Together, we can help you ditch the “d” word and help you make a lifestyle change that can positively impact your future years.
Mackenzie is our resident Health Coach at Prairie Sage. You can click the button below for contact information to schedule your free consult, or to get started working with her today!