Are you on the diet roller-coaster? Sadly, more than one in three Americans adults over 20 is obese, and nearly 70% are overweight or obese. And if this is the example we’re setting for our children, they are in worse shape than we are! The “diet” and weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar revenue generator; but are people getting thinner and healthier, or sicker and fatter? It’s time to find better solutions to begin breaking the diet cycle for a healthy life!
I’ve battled body image and had food challenges my whole life, and I don’t think I’m special. Sadly, I’m pretty sure that I’m a typical American female, who has bought into what people have said to me about my weight, and what TV and magazines promote to be “beauty” standards.
I’ve spent most of my 50 years on this planet wishing I looked different and weighed less. And I know that I have spent more of my life thinking about dying than actually living! I share this with you because I know I’m not alone. There are a million options out there for companies willing to take your money and help you get your “diet” on track. A lot of them work and some are just snake oil, but ultimately you have to do the work! It begins with what you’re thinking about and HOW you honor your relationship with food.
You can’t put water in the gas tank of your car and expect it to run. Why do we think putting all sorts of artificial everything into our body is going to fuel our cells and keep our body running optimally?
FOOD IS FUEL.
What you eat matters. How much you eat matters. And here’s a hint… you will NEVER be able to exercise off the huge amount of excessive calories consumed in the typical American diet. When almost every meal is eaten out, and calorie consumption per meal is what you should be eating per day, there is only one direction your body weight is going to go, and that’s UP - at an alarming rate! If processed, junk food is your passion, your body is actually STARVING. When no actual nutrients are going in, you’ve got no fuel – lots of calories, but nothing that your cells can actually use to keep all systems functioning properly. It’s not rocket science, it's common sense. Whether you’re a meat eater; vegetarian; or vegan, healthy whole-foods matter. But your body may be so toxic from poor choices, that it might take a while to flush the crap, (literally) out of your system before better nutrition can start re-building a healthy body. And if you don’t really have a good connection with your body, you might not even realize that some of the foods you’re eating are killing you! A friend of mine posted a comment on Facebook about being bullied for gluten intolerance. She has great insights. “You know when you make fun of someone who is gluten intolerant, it’s like making fun of someone with Cancer… We slowly die inside if we eat it. The side effects are terrible. We bleed inside ourselves. It’s no joke… Please keep your judgements to yourself… Unless you have seen what it can do, be quiet please.” Ruby R. Aside from the emotional impact of having somebody make fun of the foods you can/cannot eat. It’s not just gluten intolerance that’s an issue these days. Look how many people have food allergies and food sensitivities. Diabetes is running rampant and so many inflammatory issues have food as a contributing factor, yet doctors don’t always see the connection. When diagnosed with Optic Neuritis, I was blind in one eye and on super-high dose steroids; desperately trying to regain my eyesight. I asked the Rheumatologist I was referred to about food and nutrition; I wanted to know what I could eat that might help me regain my health and sight. She laughed at me and said, “Nothing that you eat will make any difference.” This was the advice from a specialist that deals with inflammatory diseases! (I was quick to find a new doctor and like-minded experts who knew more about nutrition that could better guide me to figuring out what foods were contributing to my inflammation issues, and what foods actually helped reduce inflammation.) But if this the advice you get, and you BELIEVE it! You will continue to eat foods that might be contributing to your demise, regardless of the health issues you’re facing. Our body is a delicate eco-system. If anything is out of balance, everything is out of balance. We can compromise for a while, but sooner or later something will break, wear down, or stop functioning correctly. Food as Fuel is a critical component to maintaining a healthy body. Ask yourself this question: Do you Eat to Live, or Live to Eat? Is your body a Temple fueled by good nutrition, or are you a human garbage disposal? It sounds crass, but it’s the reality of the situation: whether the foods you eat are fueling your good health or causing you to feel sick, listless, and causing you to gain weight rather than maintain a healthy weight. Getting your body on track with a FOOD as FUEL Lifestyle isn’t going to happen overnight. But it’s not going to happen at all if you’re on the “diet” rollercoaster. Breaking the diet cycle is hard work, but isn't your body worth it? Consider using the following strategies to help shift your relationship with food for a healthy life and break the diet cycle:- Seek help from nutrition experts, or find a wellness support program to get you started
- Consider food allergy testing
- Eat only when you’re hungry, drink when you’re thirsty
- Start writing down what you eat (time of day, portion sizes, calories)
- Shop around the edges of the grocery store where you can buy fresh ingredients rather than processed, pre-packaged foods
- Buy Organic, whole-foods whenever possible
- Spend more time preparing your own meals, rather than eating out
- It might benefit you to count calories or track points
- Weigh yourself regularly (not to feel bad about yourself, but to use as a reference guide and tool to track your progress, or ensure you are maintaining your healthy “ideal” weight.)
