Now that summer is coming to an end, how will your eating habits change? Typically the cyclical dieting routine goes like this: extreme dieting before summer, flexible dieting to enjoy the summer, detox immediately after the summer, and loose “dieting” during the winter because “hello sweaters and jeans”. What if I told that you didn’t have to go through these extremes and could find YOUR own version of healthy + happy? Not someone else’s and not some strict diet that gives you great results, but makes you absolutely miserable and just isn’t sustainable long term. It doesn’t require any restricting; just gradual, positive changes AKA “little adapts”.
There seem to be so many different diets these days, such as Whole30, Keto, Paleo, Macros, South Beach, that it’s hard to keep track of them all. While I do believe that these diets can help to instill healthier habits + provide great, immediate results, they don’t really teach you about why you should be eating certain foods and what nutrients they are providing you. Ultimately, you’re not paying attention to how certain foods make you feel but rather focusing on the number of LBs you’re losing. Both are important depending upon what your goals are, but if you choose to focus on how certain foods make you feel and how your body reacts as well, you will more easily be able to develop a healthy, happy lifestyle to transition after your 2 week or 1 month diet ends. This is exactly what I provide for my clients as well as create their own individual food guides to help keep them on track.
As you transition from a diet to a lifestyle, you’ll need to start incorporating foods again that maybe were limited or restricted from the diet. This is the perfect opportunity to really understand what that food does to your body and if you actually have any sensitivities to it. Many of my clients will use a food tracker for a few weeks to become more conscious of what they are putting in their bodies and how they feel after eating.
Whether you are starting your healthy lifestyle or transitioning off of a restrictive diet, you need to start thinking about if the food you are eating is REAL FOOD. This is the easiest + healthiest way to make better food choices. Don’t get me wrong, everyone’s body is different so we require different ratios of food or macros and definitely have different sensitivities to food. Since macros are a term thrown around often these days, let’s define them. Macronutrients are the food groups that we need to eat in large quantities and provides us with the bulk of our energy: carbohydrates, protein, + fats. In addition, micronutrients are essential elements (vitamins + minerals) that we require in smaller quantities to help our bodies function and stay healthy. We need both macronutrients + micronutrients to survive and thrive.
I keep referring to “Real Food” because at the end of the day, you need to buy and eat less packaged foods filled with sugar, salt + chemicals as well as make a conscious effort to cook at home more frequently. In addition, one of the biggest lessons I teach my clients is that 3/4 of your plate should be filled with greens + veggies. I can’t tell you how many photos I see where I see the carbs, protein + 1 measly green when the plate should be overflowing with greens + veggies. Greens + veggies provide our bodies with so many nutrients + vitamins not to mention plant based protein that it’s silly not to have them as part of almost every meal. The easiest way to do this is by adding a handful of spinach or kale to your morning smoothie or asking for a side salad or veggie with your meal.
Lastly, the key to creating a healthy lifestyle is by being consistent with your healthy food choices and workout routine. I’m not saying you need to eat healthy 100% of the time, but it’s about making the healthiest food choices you can at least 80% of the time given your circumstances. With that being said, don’t forget to live your life and to utilize the question “Is it worth it?” to help guide your healthy food choices. As you’re more consistent with your healthy lifestyle, you will start to have more energy and feel better overall. As a result, you will be motivated to continue making new “little adapts” each week to get the results that not only make you feel and look good but also make you happy!
In conclusion, listen to your body when it comes to eating and pay attention to what it’s telling you. Maybe try tracking your food for a week or 2 in a free food tracker like myfitnesspal and see what your diet is really like. Lastly when it comes to eating, try as best you can to choose the “real food” option, make sure there is always an abundance of greens + veggies on your plate, and be consistent with this new healthy lifestyle you are developing. If you’re someone who needs and wants more guidance, reach out for a FREE 30 minute consultation because why not? Happy September!
With Health + Happiness,
Jax
