Employing healthy eating strategies into your lifestyle can seem like the hardest thing in the world to do at times. We have all of the information out there telling us how to eat better and live healthier lives, and who doesn't want that. The problem, though seems to come when its time to put the "pedal to the metal". If you're like me, you've probably done what I've done a time or two (or possibly more), which is make a resolution to improve your nutrition and really work on losing that weight that's been "hanging out" (pardon the pun) on your body ever since you started having children. Again, if you're like me, the desire always seems to be there but strangely enough, the ability for me to follow through on my conviction to really do what it takes to lose weight always seemed to elude me. Well, after an untold number of failures and immense frustration, I was finally able to experience that breakthrough that I'd been seeking, but unfortunately, too many people are still looking for an answer to their weight loss problems.
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How Poor Nutritional Habits Can Sabotage All of Your Weight Loss Efforts
I think we can sometimes erroneously think that we shouldn't have to change a thing and the weight should still fall off of us because, somehow, we really want it to just go away. I have to confess, that was definitely me for so many years. I was of the mindset that if I just wished hard enough, then something good had to happen. I would wake up the day after so many nights of late snacking only to find that...Drats!...my body weight was actually moving in the wrong direction. This never used to be the case, but being in my 30's...yes my 30's...my body needs more help than I would have ever wanted to believe. Seems the old metabolism just wasn't what it used to be. As much as I wanted to lose those extra pounds (30 to be exact), I had a very serious hurdle that needed to be overcome if I was going to really get serious about shedding those unwanted pounds.
One thing I learned about myself which was very important for me to know was that I really didn't want change as much as I thought I did. I most definitely wanted to see physical change, but I also know that I certainly wasn't willing to work for it. I didn't want to put in the time or effort it took to begin curtailing some of my poor eating habits so that I could start seeing some real weight loss results. The issue that had to be addressed was what I would be willing to do to start experiencing the change that I so desperately wanted to see. I finally came to the conclusion that If I wanted to see change, I needed to make it happen! For me, there would be no more hoping and wishing!
The major issue, which it took me so long to figure out was that there was most definitely a reason why all of the experts were saying to minimize the amount of junk food that we consume. Foods like potato chips, ice cream, cookies, and soda would have to move from the category of dietary "staple" to occasional "treat". Making this change had to be one of the most difficult things that I'd ever had to do. I started wondering if people who smoke experience this kind of struggle when they are attempting to quit. I was briefly comforted by the fact that, like them, I was doing something positive for myself, and that not only was it worth the struggle, but that it would be absolutely necessary that I struggle. It couldn't be easy...not after so many years of indulging my every desire every day. If change was going to happen, it would have to happen at a personal cost to me. But, boy would it feel good when I finally came out on the other side...healthy and much lighter too! That's a reward worth fighting for! So what would be my plan? Well, strangely enough, I took an approach not seen too often today in our "Here and Now" society. I took it slow...and steady!
Why You Need to Improve Your Nutrition over Time to See the Best Results
I had already experienced the results that came with the quick weight loss diet programs out there, and I didn't want that for me anymore. It was just too frustrating and painful. I was fresh out of any belief that they would produce results any different from what I had experienced in the past. In fact, I knew they wouldn't. The only question was how was I to make the necessary changes to my lifestyle and not end up where I had always ended up? I decided that I was going to finally try it the way I've always heard but was too impatient to try. I was going to take it slow. I realized that by making some small changes in my life over time, I was able to gradually take off those unwanted pounds and didn't have to worry about them coming back. The reason I didn't have to worry about them coming back was because I had done so much more than implement a new strategy, but I had actually changed my nutritional strategies to the point where I had gradually diminished the impact of all of my poor eating habits and had also gradually improved my nutrition. The result was a total-body transformation that had me literally jumping for joy! So, how can this happen for you?
How Adopting Healthy Eating Strategies Will Accelerate Your Weight Loss Efforts and Lead to Lasting Success!
It's quite simple, actually. When we adopt healthy eating strategies, we begin to better understand the impact that a piece of fruit will have upon our body as opposed to a bag of potato chips. We begin to see that when we incorporate more healthy grains, fruits and vegetables into our diets, it leaves less room for poor eating habits to creep in and steal our weight loss rewards. One thing that I found quite helpful was the importance of breakfast on my body. I realized how important the right type of calories was on my metabolism. That breakfast biscuit, though it provided necessary energy, was not helping facilitate weight loss, but actually was promoting weight gain. I learned that it was important that we not skip meals in an attempt to save on calories, because that actually promoted weight gain! Obviously, the late night snacking had to go! No more 11 o'clock rendezvous with the fridge. It was far more beneficial to my body for me to finish all of my meals and my snacks by 8 o'clock at night. This would prevent me from putting my body in a compromised state of having to digest food late at night or worse yet, while I slept. This was never a good recipe for success, but I had ignored all logic for the sake of satisfying my guilty pleasures.
By focusing on making one dietary change per week, it became easier to adjust to my new lifestyle. It still was very challenging, but far easier than the "All-or-None" approach I had been using all these years. This is the same approach that many women and men will be using over and over again with great frustration and no lasting results until they slow down long enough to see that the quick weight loss approach is really the "impatient" approach. Thankfully, I was able to finally see the light, and learn that successful weight loss...the kind that lasts...only happens when a commitment to small, gradual change is implemented consistently, and even in the face of adversity and set-backs. It is important to realize that when you take this approach, you will improve your nutrition in such a way that, after a while, it will become almost effortless. This is the way that I commend to you, and please remember, slow and steady always wins the race!
By applying what you've read in this article, you will start adopting healthy eating strategies that don't significantly affect your current lifestyle, allowing you to experience a more enjoyable weight loss experience. You'll also truly understand why it's important that you make small, manageable dietary changes if you are to reach your weight loss goal. Lastly, you'll understand why adopting consistently poor eating habits will sabotage all of your weight loss efforts and ultimately produce frustration and failure.
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