This argument is very popular within the Lifestyle and Fitness circle, we often argue about which of the two approaches is the better route to take in order to achieve our health or fitness goals and I bet you there are valid points to be made for both cases.
Dieting simply means one’s decision to restrict his or her food intake in order to ensure that the number of calories intake is strictly measured to achieve a specific bodyweight type. Diets are most times adopted to achieve quick and short-term health and fitness goals.
On the other hand, Lifestyle changes imply taking a more holistic approach to health and fitness goals. This involves bringing about changes in one’s way of eating, drinking, sleeping, entertaining oneself, exercising, and living generally which are usually long-term in nature, all with the aim of achieving certain health and fitness goals. With the lifestyle approach, one can achieve health and fitness goals slowly but steadily and these changes are usually a lot more difficult to reverse.
More people might prefer the long-term lifestyle approach to the short-term diet one because sometimes, the rudiments of a diet lifestyle can be very intense and overwhelming. Some dieting plans could include protein-only, or fruit-only diets and this can leave you feeling drained of energy, stamina, and could end up affecting your immunity.
Nonetheless, there are still very healthy dieting plans that one could adopt in order to help improve their general health and wellbeing. One only needs to consult a professional dietitian who would then advise on a diet plan bearing in mind your body type, activity levels, and specific health and fitness goals.
Some general guidelines for a good diet could include:
- Taking enough water, about 6-8 glasses daily
- Having three well-balanced meals in a day
- Having dinner at least 2-3 hours before bedtime
- Take more fruits and fresh vegetables in your meals
- Eating more Proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and fewer fats at every meal
- Limit the portion sizes
- Drinking less alcohol etc.
Hence dieting is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s just the idea of subjecting oneself to very strict and lean diet options for long periods may not be very healthy in the long term.
Likewise, it actually isn’t very effective to adopt short-term diet changes if, in the end, you’ll still have to revert back to your old way of eating and probably reverse whatever gains you may have achieved using diet plans.
On the other hand, to achieve lifestyle changes, one would need to develop a much more holistic, well-rounded approach. It would involve changing the way we think about food and other life activities generally.
It starts in our minds and then works its way from there until it becomes part of our lives. It might involve us adopting a positive mindset concerning our goals, how we eat, sleep, interact with others, exercise, work, etc., and also realizing that whatever restrictions we impose on ourselves is so that we can become better versions of ourselves both now and in the future.
You can begin from the very simple things. Like learning to eat healthier, eating moderately, exercising more, practicing more mindfulness mind and stretching, setting and achieving personal and work goals, and much more.
By way of a list, here are 5 key areas where you can make lifestyle adjustments that will positively affect your overall health and fitness levels.
1. Maintain a healthy weight: Aim for a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 21 and 23. You can adopt healthy dieting habits as listed above, like cutting down on calorie-dense foods, drinking more water, eating more whole foods, eating the rainbow and vegetables, etc. in order to achieve this feat.
2. Be more active physically: Adopt a lifestyle of exercise. Start and work your way towards 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week of some form of exercise you enjoy such as walking, running, hiking, swimming, dancing, pilates class, or biking.
3. Adopt healthy self-care practices: Make use of self-care practices mindfulness mind, journaling, personal treats, celebrate your small victories, and the occasional indulging in extracurricular activities outside of work and other life obligations to achieve a better version of yourself.
4. Build healthy relationships: Creating time for relationships that make life more meaningful and help build you up is very important. Life should never get too busy that we don’t actively remember other people in our lives.
5. Make room for rest: Rest is important, it is part of what makes us whole as human beings and so should not be taken lightly. Incorporating adequate rest as part of our lifestyle habits will go a long way to ensure we’re healthy and fit enough to live the rest of our lives.
Achieving positive and meaningful life changes involves a lot of commitment and the willingness to change old and unhealthy habits. Even if you start with short-term dieting options, ensure you make plans to take it all the way by adopting long-term lifestyle changes that are all-encompassing.
Sensible diet plans and sustained lifestyle changes are a desirable road for anyone that hopes to achieve a lifetime of health and fitness
Be positive and feel good about yourself, you don’t have to measure your results in life through other people’s lenses.
Love yourself, and invest in your body. You will see changes and begin to look and feel better.
With Love and gratitude as always, Xo!
Making lifestyle changes without knowing where to start can be scary and overwhelming, but getting the help of a health coach (like me!) can help make the process so much easier.
If you want to know where to start, you can book a FREE discovery call using the link below. You can ask any burning questions you might have about diets, workouts, and anything health related. Did I mention it’s free? Book now!
Disclaimer: Please note that I am not your doctor while I am a health coach by profession. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor does it establish any kind of medical relationship between you and me. I will not be held liable for any damage resulting from or related to your use of this information.