[1/4/12] Wednesday Wellness: D.I.E.T.

During the first few days of a new year, many people go on a diet. They vow to totally elminate sugar, or chocolate, or refined carbs, or soda, or a multitude of other things from their eating plan. Or they might massively restrict their calorie intake. They vow to stick to this diet no matter what. This time...

And then a few days, or weeks, or maybe even months later, they just can't stick to this vow.

And they fall off the wagon, so to say. They go off their diet.

In a big way.

Diets just don't work.

Diet = DIE-with-a-T

When you go on a diet, eventually you'll go off that diet. And that usually means a return to old habits and often old scale numbers. Or even larger scale numbers.

Because who can really stick to eating carrots and celery all the time? Or never, ever, ever eating a favorite dessert or snack food or soda? Ever again?

No one can.

And no one should. It's just not realistic.

Any diet that requires you to totally eliminate something is not a good diet to follow.

Because deprivation does not work.

Ever.

Diet = DIE-with-a-T

A more realistic approach is to follow a healthy eating plan which incorporates all your favorite foods. No, you might not be able to eat as much of these as you once did or as often as you once did. But you will be able to eat some, sometimes.

And usually, some, sometimes can be enough.

It's kind of like budgetting your money. If you really want to buy something, or take a vacation, or put money in savings, or _____, you find a way to incorporate that into your budget because it's important to you. It might take awhile, but you eventually reach your goal.

And you often find that you really didn't miss what you had to give up to reach your goal.

Because you didn't have to totally give up anything.

Because deprivation does not work.

Ever.

This year, resolve to adopt a healthy eating plan attitude, not a "DIE-with-a-T" attitude.

And really enjoy reaching your goals, knowing you will not only reach your goals, but you will be forming healthy habits that will last a lifetime.