That is the question!

I don’t like the word diet. It sounds restrictive, controlled, hard to do and something you can’t do for the rest of your life. If you feel that way too, then don’t diet………just practice a healthy nutrition lifestyle. You’re probably saying….”what the heck is that?”. Let’s get into it.

Here’s the reality

Eating is not only a physical requirement to stay alive, it’s part of you. It’s an emotional event. When you get down to it, the act of eating brings out emotional feelings: satisfied (just enough), stuffed (way too much), frustrated (not enough). These 3 states pretty much depend on two things: taste and amount. Did the food taste good and do you feel like you ate enough.

You are a complex person. Realize that and accept it.

The goal is to bridge the science (how many calories your body needs to reach your goal) with/to your emotion (acceptable satisfaction). We dealt with the science in the last newsletter. What about your feelings.

What’s going on in your head

Let’s not even consider the nutritional value of food. Let’s just consider why we eat. First, you want something that tastes good. Second, you’re trying to satisfy a craving or a physical need. You are a complex emotional being. Under those stressful times of life, do you tend to eat more or less? Neither is good. This brings up one of Brene Brown’s points on her Ted Talk about being a “numbing” society. Here’s a link to the YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o It’s 20 minutes long but well worth it for opening up your awareness. About 14.5 minutes into she talks about “we are a numbing society”. Embrace your humanness. To deal with our stress, we may do things that aren’t the best for us.

So………what’s next

Diets are okay for a short term, but they don’t work as a lifelong healthy nutrition lifestyle. Realize that you can not stay on a restrictive eating regiment forever.

Diets should be a short term means to help you get to an end (your goal). The key to a diet is to learn about yourself. How is your body responding? If a specific diet works, realize why it’s working. We’ll talk about some specific diets in the next newsletter.

Here’s the main thought……take the good parts and incorporate them into your healthy nutrition lifestyle.

Feel free to send me an e-mail at [email protected]

To your health and happiness,

Nate