2 more Signs Your Diet May be Doomed to Fail Before you Even Begin, plus 2 more strategies for success!
#4 – You’re Eating the Same Poor Quality Food, Just Smaller Portions
Alright, here’s some basic science for you: When it comes to weight loss, it all comes down to calories in the end. You eat less than you burn, you’ll lose weight. You eat more than you burn, you’ll gain weight.
Therefore, theoretically, you could lose weight on a diet of cookies so long as you still didn’t overeat past your daily calorie expenditure.
Our bodies aren’t science labs, however. We deal with preferences and cravings. Food is not just a source of calories for us, it’s a source of pleasure. This makes it really hard to stop eating delicious food. And most overly-processed, pre-packaged food is designed to play on our taste buds and cravings.
But poor quality food tends to be calorie-dense food, which means to keep to your calorie budget, you will have to stick to a very small amount of food.
If you are determined to keep your potato chips and coke (now just in “100 calorie servings”), welcome to the land of Deprivation and “Hanger” (anger brought on by extreme hunger).
Success Strategy #4:
Change what you eat, not just how much you eat.
Studies have shown that feelings of fullness and satiety are based largely on the volume of food we consume, not the calorie amount.
By switching to whole foods (think fruits, veggies, lean protein, and whole grains), you’re able to consume a greater amount of food for less calories. This leads to sticking to a caloric deficit (a necessity for fat loss) much easier.
For the caloric amount of one Snickers bar (215 calories), you could instead eat a meal of 3.5 oz chicken, 1 cup of green beans, and 1 sliced tomato. Between the two options, which one do you think will fill you up more?
In addition, by focusing on whole, minimally processed foods, we also get the added benefit of vitamins and minerals that are crucial for all physiological functioning in the body. Start viewing your meals as opportunities to provide yourself with nutrients and fuel for the life you desire
#5: You’re not exercising
Exercise may not be necessary for weight loss (around 80% of weight loss is due to our food choices), but it can definitely optimize fat loss.
By exercising, we can maintain our muscle mass which helps keep our metabolism higher as we drop the pounds. Exercise literally makes us better “Butter Burners.” Plus, once you lose that weight, exercise is key for keeping it off. Those who have found permanent success almost always lead a physically active lifestyle.
By not exercising, you’re not viewing your health holistically. Health isn’t just about weight, it’s about living up to our potential in all areas of our life. Without exercise, we reduce health to being just a “size.” We constantly focus on being “less” and miss out on the “more” exercise can bring–more energy, more years, and more opportunities.
Success Strategy #5:
Change your activity.
Put your body in motion.
This goes far beyond the government guideline of “30 minutes, 5 days a week.” Our bodies were designed to move; start celebrating that fact. Seek out ways to challenge yourself.
This will look different for everyone.
For some, a 20 minute walk will be a enough of a challenge initially. For others, maybe it’s getting off the treadmill and lifting some heavy weights. Pursuing an active life may look like a family bike ride after dinner instead of a night in front of the TV. Or it may look like starting a garden instead surfing the web.
As we begin to experience the benefits of exercise, we begin to realize we’re capable of a lot more than we ever thought. Don’t go through life without seeing what your potential is…test your limits. Push yourself. Discover how health feels.