The word diet, the one we all avoid yet still hears way too often, has slightly different meaning in different languages.
But let’s talk about the fact that when you say “I need to go on a diet” or “I need to try this new diet” the concept you are referring to is eliminating something that you are consuming in order to lose weight in a limited time frame.
Often times we begin a diet and limit certain foods in order to lose weight. In the beginning, we are extremely motivated; but then life happens, your goals fade away, and you start lacking. Not only are you not losing weight, but rather you are also gaining some pounds.
And this is the cycle of the famous saying “I’m starting a diet tomorrow…”
Instead of having the mindset of dieting, try to look at food as fuel
We eat to fuel our bodies, energize, and feel good both internally and externally in the long term.
Consuming processed foods is like an illusion. It will make you feel energized and hyper for a short period of time, but then you will begin to feel tired, and hungrier, and your skin will look older. Serious damages such as being diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity are long-term effects of eating such foods. It’s like putting diesel gas in a regular car; it simply doesn’t match.
In contrast, eating plant-based foods will energize and fuel you as well as make your skin smoother and healthier. Most importantly, the chances of getting diagnosed with diseases are low.
So instead of dieting, you're making healthier choices and fueling your body so it can work properly.
Furthermore, it is important for us parents to understand the responsibility we have for our family. So many times I hear parents say: “My child is overweight, he/she needs to go on a diet.”
I start to ask questions regarding household habits, and most of the time I find that the entire family lacks healthy nutrition and an active lifestyle. If we want to see a change in our kids, we ourselves must initiate it! Everything starts with us parents!
With love & health,
Yael Rodriguez
CPT & a health coach