Change Your Lifestyle, Not Your Diet
How many times have you heard this expression: “New Year, new me”?
Every year you’ll create new resolutions to eat healthier, exercise more and make better life choices but usually the motivation to stick with them doesn't last beyond January.
Why?
The main reason may be that these resolutions are not yours.
Have a look at these Google search results (image above) and ask yourself: am I just jumping on the annual trend because everyone else does so?
Does my “to-do” list reflect what I really want to change, or have I used one of the available templates because I do not want to make enough effort to press pause and reflect what it actually is that I want to improve?
What is really required for any change is mental and physical activity done with the intention.
Don’t rush because you think you’ll miss the train. You don’t have to wait till the new year to make a change and you should not give up because you didn’t begin on the 1st of January.
Take some time to slow down and look back at your life and where you are now. Think of the choices you made thus far and what results did they bring.
Ponder and plan.
Create a system of small daily habits that will eventually lead you to achieve bigger goals.
Be patient.
Real, lifelong change doesn’t happen overnight.
All these trendy diets that promise a quick fix and slimline within just 3 weeks are just well-crafted marketing. This approach was designed to bring a temporary form of change or solution to a weight loss problem, but they’re not sustainable and usually result in a yo-yo effect and depression.
Instead, change your lifestyle and focus on fixing bad habits in your life that tend to trigger weight gain, health issues and your mood.
A long term commitment will result in the improvement of mental and physical health, overall wellness and better relationships.
EXERCISE
It is necessary to find the exercise that will give you satisfaction.
The kind of workout that sits well with you and your capabilities sustainably improves weight loss and also boosts your energy levels. You’ll find that you’re not only improving your body composition but also your sleeping patterns.
A well-balanced fitness regime helps reduce high blood pressure, cholesterol; improves bone density and muscle health.
You must find the right balance of workouts that benefit the body wellbeing from head to toe.
Not every exercise has to be HIIT focused and it’s not necessary that you run every single day. You want to mix it up and stay active in the way that benefits you without burning out or feeling exhausted later that day. You want to build strength, flexibility and mobility, and ensure that the physical activity benefits the whole body.
Try not to categorise workouts as good or bad. Everyone has their preferences - exercise should be meaningful and enjoyable, and help your frame of mind too. It’s not “one size fits all”.
Ask yourself: am I enjoying this run? Or is it something I started just because everyone’s jogging now and I do not want to look bad? You’ll get bored, injured or exhausted really fast, and you will not be able to maintain your choice. Try new things if possible and when you find your sport, build it into your routine and stay consistent.
NUTRITION
You cannot exercise your way out of bad nutrition. What and how you eat affects your energy levels and can be detrimental for your physical performance.
If you haven’t already, try a high plant-based diet with organic protein sources.
You don’t need to overdo the protein. I know, I have done it myself in the past and realised that in the short term, yes it’s a very effective tool. But it’s not the only tool you have and a healthy balance of fibre, good fats and unprocessed carbohydrates should be factored into your daily intake of nutrients.
The dos and don’ts:
Avoid sugars like the plague.
Limit ready meals & takeaway foods.
Drink enough liquids such as water, herbal teas, greens juices and smoothies.
Eat fruits and veggies that are in season.
Include healthy fats in your meals: fish, olive oil, avocado oil, nuts and seeds.
Remove unhealthy saturated fats and trans fats = stop using sunflower oil, palm oil, soybean, corn or canola oil.
Quit smoking and drinking.
Move daily even if it’s just a walk in the park.
Challenge your mind to learn a new skill or read more books.
Take your vitamin D, calcium and magnesium, especially during colder winter months when we don’t have that much sunshine.
A diet based approach will only work short term but a lifestyle change can bring long term health benefits that will exceed your expectations.
Aside from the obvious health benefits, these small yet significant improvements will shift your mindset and lift your mood so changes will have a positive effect not only on your life but also on the people you surround yourself with.
Would You Like to Upgrade Your Mindset?
I’m sure that you all want to eat good, get active, healthier and enjoy your life to the fullest. One obstacle standing in the way is most likely the lack of guidance and information about the main concepts that will help you begin lifelong changes.
By making some fundamental improvements to the way you approach your thoughts, relationships, food, exercise, and life in general, you can set the right structure for your process of transformation to make it more sustainable, easier to follow and execute.
How do you do it?
Join my mailing list to keep up to date about my first wellness e-book: The Mindset Blueprint 21/90 Challenge.
It is designed to give you all the necessary concepts and navigate you through the process of unlocking your full potential. This method reflects my personal wellness journey experience, over 23 years of professional practice and thousands of hours of consultations with clients from different walks of life.
If I could transform my life and others have managed to do it following my methods, you can do it as well!
