The easiest and best weight control method focuses on lifestyle changes, not dieting.
Diets have a very high rate of failure. The diet industry is so huge because people seek a quick magic fix. When one program doesn’t work, they go on to the next, and so on. They are looking for someone or something to do the work for them.
Diets are events with an end in mind. Lifestyle changes are a process that creates permanent habits. Lifestyle changes are not a fix; they are a personal revolution!
I will present four lifestyle changes that can lead to weight loss, permanent weight control, and much better health. You may have heard of some of them before, but let’s look at them in a more “appetizing” way.
1. Get Motivated with Knowledge
The more you learn about the benefits of healthy eating, weight control, and exercise, the more motivated you’ll become.
You’ll also learn how unhealthy eating, body fat, and lack of exercise damage your body and reduce the quality and length of your life.
When I began learning about healthy foods, I quickly realized I was completely ignorant about nutrition. Like most people, I had been taught about so-called good eating through exposure to food producers and restaurant advertisements.
I concluded that this advertising had brainwashed me, and everyone else. I had been eating unhealthy food, believing it was good for me, and it seemed like everybody else was doing the same.
We have also been taught over the years by the various USDA food pyramids, which have not reflected a healthy diet. They have more closely resembled the interests of animal food product companies and the grain producers that feed their animals. How do I know these things? By watching documentaries that point out that the USDA’s “other” responsibility, which is an obvious conflict of interest, is to support food producers. And the biggest and most influential player is the animal food products industry. In addition, these documentaries present statistical information that clearly shows a pattern of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and a host of other health problems associated with the USDA’s diet recommendations. Browse a list of these documentaries here.
Although more recent USDA food pyramids are better than past ones, they still do not represent the optimal diet. The Harvard School of Public Health describes a healthier diet in its Healthy Eating Plate graphic. However, it still doesn’t reflect the “best” diet.
It was a similar situation with exercise. The advertisements convinced me I needed an exercise contraption or a gym membership to succeed. Not true! I started out with a health club membership, but I eventually got smart and put together my own inexpensive home gym. It saves me lots of time, I no longer get colds, and I listen to the music I like.
I learned about healthy eating and exercise by reading articles and books and watching documentaries. The documentaries had a particularly strong impact on me. They inspired me to go from 85% vegetarian to 100% vegan without much effort.
This was one of the most compelling facts that convinced me to become a vegan. All the bad fats come from animal-based products. There are no bad fats in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Words like beef, steak, pork, nuggets, and seafood were created to enhance the appeal of these “foods” and separate them from their animal source. Referring to beef as “dead cow flesh” doesn’t sound appetizing.
Once you learn about healthy and unhealthy foods, you’ll be motivated to make the right choices.
2. Fall in Love with Healthy Foods
Something amazing happens after eating healthy foods for a few weeks. Your sense of taste changes, and healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and nuts start to taste more and more delicious! And that’s not all. The junk food, typically high in bad fats, sugar, and salt, begins to taste more and more disgusting.
Those who say healthy food doesn’t taste good haven’t given their taste buds enough time to adapt. Once they do, each meal can be very satisfying with a bit of creativity. Learning how to spice up healthy foods takes a little time.
The best part of healthy eating is what these foods will do for you. They can dramatically improve your health, prevent and eliminate disease, enhance your mood, improve your complexion, and give you permanent weight control without much effort.
3. Become a Small Portion Gourmet
You can easily lose and maintain weight by reducing the size of the portions you put on your plate. And you can do it in a way that makes it very satisfying.
You make it appealing by putting together small food portions that are very attractive. You do this by having a lot of variety, selecting multicolored ingredients, and arranging them thoughtfully. You add healthy spices and spicy vegetables like peppers and chilies to enhance the flavor. I use a lot of chili powder and crushed red chili peppers. You approach the preparation of these meals like a French gourmet chef.
You know what I mean if you’ve ever been to a French restaurant. The portions are small but incredibly beautiful and delicious! I’ve also seen this kind of preparation at Japanese restaurants. Their portions tend to be comparatively small but extraordinarily gorgeous and flavorful.
The other part is to savor each bite by chewing it thoroughly. You accomplish several good things when doing this. You’ll enjoy the taste of the food more. You’ll prepare the food for more efficient digestion. And you’ll give your stomach more time to signal your brain that you’ve had enough to eat.
I just recently adopted this strategy myself, and I love it. It makes a lot of sense. I’ve heard about the value of small portions but never considered it a gourmet technique.
I was looking for a way to lose a few extra pounds I’d gained over the winter when I came across this approach. I added the gourmet dimension. I’ve noticed some significant weight loss in just a couple of weeks. I already know that this way of eating will become a permanent part of my lifestyle. I’m excited about it. Here are a few tips.
During the first few days, you’ll probably still feel hungry after you’ve eaten. This will go away after your stomach shrinks. 😀 You’ll also get better at savoring each bite of food by chewing it longer. At first, you’ll need to concentrate on chewing longer, but it will soon become a habit. These things will lead to getting a quicker “I’m full” signal.
Becoming a “small-portion gourmet” is much more appealing than “limiting yourself” to “small portions.” One makes you feel like you’re enhancing your meals, while the other makes you feel like you’re sacrificing.
4. Feel Good Look Good with Exercise
Many people say they don’t like to exercise. People who say that don’t know what they are missing.
Exercise provides a long list of benefits. Here are a few. Exercise keeps you healthy, slim, firm, strong, energetic, youthful, attractive, and feeling fantastic.
Many experts say the feel-good brain chemicals (endorphins) released after exercise can last hours. They also say that the fat and calorie-burning activity can last hours.
One of the most appealing aspects of exercise is how it makes me feel. There are days when I may be dragging a little in the morning, but once I complete my 4:00 a.m. power walk or swim, I always feel great! The same happens after I finish working out with free weights or doing abdominal exercises just before lunch.
In his book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
The best advice I can give you about establishing an exercise routine is to keep it simple. Don’t get caught up in all the hype. To get fit, you don’t need a super high-intensity exercise regimen like the ones advertised on TV. You just need three things.
- Aerobic exercise with power walking, swimming, jogging, or biking.
- Resistance exercise using free weights or resistance bands.
- Abdominal exercise using a multipurpose workout bench or mat.
Health clubs have machines for everything, but getting there is very time-consuming. If you’re new to exercise, joining a gym is a good place to learn, but it’s not required. I suggest a trial membership during which you ask for (free) guidance from a staff member on how to work out properly.
Warning: If you have health concerns, you must talk with your doctor before you begin. You must also learn to use exercise equipment like free weights safely.
Here’s one of the coolest things about exercise. If you’re ever feeling down for any reason, physical or mental, you can always depend on exercise to make you feel better. Much better in many cases
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The emphasis of this weight control method is efficiency and ease. Weight control should be a natural result of healthy eating and exercise. Quick fixes using diet pills, diet food, diet programs, and boot camp-style workouts aren’t sustainable long-term. Choose instead a healthy diet and exercise protocol that you can use for a lifetime.