Have you ever wondered what it’s all about, what we eat or how we live? Let’s chat about diet versus lifestyle and see what really matters.

We hear many different things about food: bad food, food addictions, food as a treat, fatty food, high-sugar food, processed food, organic food, and raw food. One must be confused.

What about diet? High-fat diet, low-fat diet, sugar-free diet, low-carb diet, keto, paleo, clean diet, raw-food diet, wild diet, meat-free diet, alkaline diet, liquid diet, calorie counting diet, points counting diet, high-protein diet, fasting, not fasting…

Unsurprisingly, many of us feel overwhelmed and turn to an “eat everything” diet.

And hands up, who isn’t fed up when someone says DIET?

Diet or lifestyle

The main problem with dieting is that it’s mostly something we are forced to do, either for medical or aesthetic reasons. Word diet sounds to my ears like a punishment. It’s more like fixing the problem (health or overweight) than preventing it by making our own choices.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the definition of diet is:

a/ The food and drink usually eaten or drunk by a  person or group

b/ An eating plan in which someone eats less food or only particular types of food because they want to become thinner or for medical reasons

c/ The particular food and drink you are limited to when you cannot eat or drink whatever you  want to

However, generally, when someone says, “I am on the diet”, we think they are not eating everything. Dieting is mainly understood as eating certain foods for weight loss. And honestly, how often have we told someone on a diet: “Ah, just make an exception today…”?

Quick fix diet

I’ve found that many diet programs can be extremely time-consuming and fail to properly educate followers on what and why to eat. On the other hand, some programs overwhelm followers with so much scientific information that they become lost.

Additionally, the weekly menu provided often includes expensive or time-consuming foods that many people do not enjoy. As a result, once the program ends, individuals struggle to maintain their new eating habits and often revert to old ones.

Who wants to spend their whole life in the kitchen, counting calories or points? This is the main reason people initially follow diet programs but eventually give up.

Consequently, their bodies experience a yo-yo effect, and they become disheartened about their ability to lose weight or change their eating habits.

We tell ourselves:
“I can’t go through my whole life without….” And we quit.
 
Or another one:
“This doesn’t work for me…“
 
What about:
“I probably have a slow metabolism, or it is in my genes…“
 
Have you ever found yourself thinking this way?

Or what about the “guaranteed recipes for weight loss“? I bet you have heard of the slimming cabbage soup diet or the egg and grapefruit diet. Juicing, detox teas, and fat-burning foods are other quick fixes for weight problems.

The truth is that “the special food” could work. However, there is a time and place to incorporate those ideas into our lives. It isn’t just run for a fix-me-now option.

Lifestyle, not diet

Today, let’s forget about diets and focus on improving our overall lifestyle and well-being. Eating healthy and making small changes can be easier than we think.

I like to use the word lifestyle instead of diet. Lifestyle is when we choose what and when we eat, how we treat our body, and when and how we move. It is also how we think and make it a long-term habit.

Lifestyle is when we educate ourselves step by step and gradually include things we like, which benefits our well-being.

People have unique reasons for making food choices or wanting to change their eating habits. However, there is always a reason behind every decision.

NOTE:

It’s important to note that while I can provide information, I am not a psychiatrist or therapist and won’t delve deeply into this topic. Nonetheless, I wanted to raise awareness of these reasons, as we often judge people without knowing their background.

Apropos habits

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, habit is:

• Something that you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it.
• Or a particular act or way of acting you tend to do regularly. 

So, how do we change our eating habits?

You might know I have been studying food protocols and nutrition as a hobby for nearly fifteen years. During this time, I have learned about the philosophy behind various diet programs and experimented to determine what works best for me. I learned how to read food labels, measure the right portions, and understand what foods are “good” and should be consumed more, as well as what foods are “bad”. I also learned that it is okay to indulge in a little bit of “bad” food from time to time, especially if it is something we love. (Article about food coming soon)

If we want permanent results, we must make permanent changes to our habits. And that includes eating habits, sleeping patterns, how and how much we move, and our attitude. By attitude, I mean, are we positive thinkers? Are we generally cheerful and happy? Or are we moaning about everything and everyone?

So, generally, if we want to change our habits, we need to make little changes daily. To make this happen easily, we also need to engage our minds. As often, our mind has power over our will.

Our mind

Do you not believe it? Here are some examples of our unconscious minds overriding our willpower, leading us to do things we didn’t intend to do.

• Impulsive spending is a common phenomenon in which people tend to make spontaneous, impulsive purchases in the bliss of the moment, even though they know that it conflicts with their financial goals and a set budget.

• Breaking commitments: Sometimes, we make agreements or commitments, but later, we might come up with excuses to avoid keeping them. Our minds can persuade us to break our promises, even though we always intend to keep them.

• Procrastination: Many people struggle with procrastination. They intend to begin a task or project, but instead, they do everything else except work on it. Even if they are fully aware of the importance of completing the task, their mind tricks them into putting it off or not finishing it.

• Addictive behaviour is a prime example of the power of the mind. Despite knowing the harmful effects of our actions, addiction can overwhelm our willpower, making it hard to resist compulsive activities like smoking, gambling, or substance abuse.

Finding balance

It’s important to maintain a balance between diet, lifestyle and mindset in order to stay healthy. Both what we consume and how we lead our lives are crucial for our overall well-being. Eating nutritious food provides our bodies with the necessary nutrients, and making lasting and manageable changes to our lifestyle helps us maintain our health in the long term.

Being healthy isn’t just one-size-fits-all. It’s about figuring out what works best for us and tailoring our approach based on our own needs and preferences. This includes things like exercising, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and being social. Eating a well-rounded and balanced diet is also important.

Taking care of ourselves in all aspects of life is important for our overall well-being. It’s something we should really prioritize.

I believe this topic has caught your attention. If you would like to learn more about living a healthy lifestyle and how to incorporate it into your everyday life, stay tuned. In the next chapter of our Diet or Lifestyle series, where we’ll explore practical ways to transform your habits. Remember, there is always time to make positive changes that can empower our lives.

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