The New Year has rolled in and it is YOUR year to Start Living! This year is about making the mental shift from “dieting” to “living”. If you are looking for long term success and reaching your goals and maintaining them, it is all about making this a lifestyle change rather than a temporary fix!
The difference between a “diet” mentality and a lifestyle mentality is your perspective. Having the right perspective doesn’t mean everyday is going to be easy, but it can make all the difference in the world when it comes to reaching your goals and keeping you moving forward.
“Diet” vs. Balanced Lifestyle
A diet is all about numbers! The number on the scale, number of calories burned, number of days dedicated to working out, number of sets, reps, number on your clothing tags, etc…. A dieters success is determined by numbers!
A lifestyle change is NOT about numbers and all about how you feel. It’s about doing something active everyday, making smart nutritional decisions, setting up your goals and ensuring your actions are in line with your goals. The lifestyler’s success is defined NOT by numbers but in the ability to stick to a goal and how it makes YOU feel.
The “diet” mentality reaches a certain weight (number) and then has reached their goal and is “finally happy” and “life’s problems are solved”.
The lifestyle approach sees that there is a deeper root to habits and one must dig deep within themselves to discover, address and deal with deeper problems directly to cleanse the system and build a solid foundation. Happiness stems from within and once one can conquer their inner self, happiness shines through, forever.
Going on a “diet” typically means changing habits based on the rules of that particular diet. Restriction kicks in, the counting begins and the cravings follow. Regardless of how you feel, you tell yourself that “this is the way” and “how you are going to reach your goals”. You assume that it’s this dieting technique that is going to give you the results you desire, not you! The outcome of this diet, if it works, are superficial…. What you are changing is the outer but what about the inside? This is where the post “diet” rebound kicks into gear. It was a “quick and temporary fix”. The problems you hoped the weight loss would solve are still there… This becomes a frustrating cycle, continuing to look for that one “diet” that WORKS… Problem is you keep looking!
Making a lifestyle change involves an internal and permanent changes, from the Inside Out. It is about understanding your relationship with food, eating, and physical activity. You recognize that the primary problem isn’t what you eat, or even how much you eat, but how and why you eat. Eating mindlessly, impulsively our of habit, using food to manage stress or to fill a void, etc. Those are the issues that need to be addressed, working from the inside to discover the roots. Learning to take good care of yourself and create habits that will help you emotionally, physically, and spiritually—so that you don’t turn to food to “solve problems”. It is a lifelong journey that is constantly changing as your needs and circumstances change and it is adapting to those changes.
With that being said, Of course, the outer still matters! Of course, we all want to look and feel great in our clothes. It is important to control portions and what you are consuming but this is not the ONLY way to look and feel your best. Combining conscious decisions with digging deep within to discover your roots is where the lifestyle will carry you through forever!
A Diet seeks quick results… “24 hour diet, 2 week diet, even 2 month diet”, expecting life transforming results YESTERDAY.
The Lifestyle understands that results take time and they will come and they will stay, as long as you are consistent and stay focused on what you want and where you are headed! Our Lifestyle Plan is about creating a foundation and building upon it, from the Inside Out.
This year, change your perspective and take responsibility for your actions. Shift your focus from a “diet” to a balanced lifestyle and see how you feel and how your permanent results unfold!
It is about taking those first step, shifting your focus away from the diet mentality and closer to a new and improved life(style mentality.
Here is to living the lifestyle in 2011!!