April 2, 2019 | Ryan Heickert, MS, ATC at Function & Strength
Most people see a “Diet” as a restriction of food over a pre determined amount of time. The amount of time is usually determined by the amount of weight you would like to lose or by a date of an event you want to look good for.
Here is the problem with this definition of a diet. Once the goal is reached, most do not know what to do next. “How do I proceed from here” one would say. Most would revert back to old habits and the progress they made is usually gone in weeks and EVEN more weight is gained.
This process (of returning to your previous weight or even heavier) is known as the rebound effect or yoyo effect. This is the main reason why many people struggle to keep the weight off once they hit their goal.
So, here is what you have to do. Look at the word “diet” as the actual food you eat daily, not something that’s stopped once a certain weight is reached. To lose weight and keep it off, there NEEDS to be a lifestyle change and a change in your diet. Yes, yes, yes, I know that you have heard this before, so, let’s try this again. I am here to help you find a way to make minor adjustments to help improve your lifestyle that will help you reach your goals.
Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind when starting a lifestyle change:
If your primary goal is weight loss, the weight should come off slowly (fast doesn’t last)
It’s a long term commitment
Try not to restrict foods and completely eliminate certain food groups unless you are allergic to them or have a medical issue restricting certain foods
Also, try looking at the word DIET as the foods you eat, but also as this acronym:
Did
I
Eat
Today
Look for my next blog that will help explain the reasoning behind these 3 lifestyle changes.