FAD Diets? This is How I changed my vision from Losing Weight to a Lifestyle Change.
To name a few FAD diets which I know Keto, Gluten-Free, Atkins, GM, Detox, and the list goes on. Does this really can be continued for the whole life? To be specific I am not against these diets, it may work magically to some people. But I doubt if this can be continued forever except for the need of only weight loss. I did not take these as my solutions, as the intention I had was for something that could last forever. There are so many varieties of food that are in fashion these days. We get too excited when we hear those modern fancy names and we think of giving it a try at least once. I am one of them who always thought of whats new fancy in the market to be tried next.
The only intention behind sharing this blog is to remind the comfort and choices of food that we all stay with daily that is nothing but our traditional food that we have been eating since our childhood and yet we underestimate the power of them when it comes to losing weight. Stick to the foods that we have been eating daily instead of those limited edition FAD Diets which expires as and when there is a new one in the market.
To give you a personal experience with this idea I can say that I never had a feeling to lose weight until it was required to impress someone and be acceptable. It started all from there. And slowly it turned out to be one of my daily routines. But this routine did not last for long as the intention behind it was only to impress someone. I was not able to understand what good it was doing to me. But when I realized that if this routine was only for someone and not for myself, then what if I am no longer connected with that person. Am I going to go back to that unhealthy lifestyle?
That was the time I realized, how beautifully that small routine changed my body. However, it was for a very small time and not needed initially. Even though I came to know that very late, I decided to brush off the need to impress someone and live my life in a healthy way for my self. Now, when I know that my life is totally under my control and not anybody else, I have taken a step ahead to deep dive into myself and analyze how Fit I am and what more can I do to reveal the best of myself.
I am genuinely against rushing when it comes to losing weight or reaching a Fitness Goal. There are people who think losing weight is equal to living healthy. Of course, that is correct only when we want to get rid of those extra pounds. But we all know that after a certain time, we tend to get back on to those unhealthy habits which lead to weight gain and feeling disappointed again. Rather I call it, Healthy Habits is equal to Healthy Lifestyle.
So I always believe it is a good idea to think for a lifestyle change instead of keeping the intentions limited to just weight loss. I don’t expect this change to come overnight. It will take its own sweet time so patience and consistency throughout is essential. Get to know your WHY power to begin with. Ask yourself why do you want to start it so that it keeps you motivated throughout your journey. Here are some of my personal tips for all those out there looking to begin for a lifestyle change which is of utmost importance.
- Drink at least 1 glass of water as soon as you wake up to get rid of those toxins in your body and boost your metabolism. Or to make it more beneficial, add a half of lemon to it. You can also add some berries, limes, citrus fruits to it to make it taste good. After all, the whole intention here is the water intake. Drink at least 8 glasses of water to keep you hydrated throughout the day and maintain regular bowel movements.
- Avoid having tea or coffee right in the first place in the morning. The real meaning of our breakfast is nothing but breaking the fast that we have had for more than 10–12 hours. So we need to fuel our stomach with some wholesome and nutritious food options. Never skip your breakfast as it is the starting point that gives you the energy to stay active and productive throughout.
- Divide your 3 big meals of the day into smaller parts. This is the area I place a lot of importance on. This prevents you from overeating all at once which further disturbs your digestion process. Also, it is very important to have a small healthy snack as a mid-morning and mid-evening option which further helps you to avoid over-eating during your primary meals (Lunch and Dinner) without getting that craving to eat junk foods or binge onto some unhealthy options.
- Make sure you include at least 1 fruit in your complete day which gives your body plenty of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers. It can be any seasonal fruit or any easily available ones. Also, it helps to maintain a healthy gut and prevent constipation and other digestion problems.
- Exercise and Diet both go hand in hand. Although, it should never be limited only to lose weight. It works wonders for your body when you sweat it all as it gives you the strength to build your core. Any physical activity for at least 30 min helps not only lose weight but to decrease the risk of heart disease, maintains blood sugar levels, improve your mental health, and much more.
- Make it a habit to finish your dinner no later than by 8 pm. There should always be a gap of 3–4 hours between your last meal of the day and your sleep. Also to keep the digestion active post-dinner and to keep the metabolism actively working I live by the habit of taking a night drink 30 mins before I got to bed. Night drink option which I usually prefer is a cup of green tea or a mixture of Fennel-Cumin-Carrom seeds tea or Ginger Lemon tea with a drop of honey.
- Lastly the very important of all, Take out some ME time, the time that you are only with yourself. Meditate, live in with your positive thoughts and motivation to give yourself a boost and make you feel happy.
So these were some of my insights on leading to lifestyle changes and habits wherein I don’t feel the need to lose weight anymore and everything takes place naturally.
Change it from the core. The body achieves what the mind believes.
