The fitness and dieting industry thrive on your insecurities, and have managed to figure out how to keep you coming back for more (hence more money for them).
But before you purchase your next groundbreaking shake or start the next fad diet, take these 3 things into consideration first!
1) Are you prepared to diet?
On a motivational level you may say you are an 8/10 and are ready to get started with this diet. However, is your body prepared to diet? Dieting is stressful not only mentally, but physically. Our bodies do not enjoy being in a calorie deficit or losing weight for that matter. So you have to make sure your body is in a good place to start dieting.
Here are a few things to consider:
· When and how long was your last diet? It is a general rule of thumb to be out of a diet for as long as or longer than your previous diet. This allows your body to begin functioning normally via hormones. If you have attempted a diet every single year for as long as you can remember, maybe it is a good time to take a year off from dieting.
· Women: do you currently have a healthy cycle? If your cycle is irregularly irregular or missing, then you may have some underlying root because that needs to be addressed.
· How is your stress management? Eating less calories is a stress, so you will be adding to your current stress levels. If you are currently experiencing high levels of stress either work on managing those levels or wait till the stressful season has passed.· Is your environment proactive to change? Whether it is work or home, it is important to consider how they will either positively or negatively affect your dietary changes.
2) Do your current habits set you up for success or failure?
The process of dieting in itself can certainly implicit habit change. However, this is not always the case. Doing an audit of a couple habits you could implement and practice before you add in a calorie deficit, would increase your chances of success.
A few key habits:
· Eating 3-4 vegetables daily
· Eating consistency
· Increasing protein intake if needs aren’t met
· Moving daily (7000 step is the standard for health benefits)
· Removing the need to have “cheat meals”
· Not referring to food as good or bad
· Understanding the scale is only a data point
3) Is this the right approach for you!?
When we are about to start a diet, typically we are blinded by motivation and promised results. It is important that you take the time to research the approach and determine if it is right for you. There are a ton of great methods and tools to help with weight loss, but not all of them may work for you. Either do your research (not googling the first article you see kind) or consult with an expert.
Even though you may hear the slogan “the right time is now”, that doesn’t mean you have to dive head first. You can take the time to prepare for a diet as well! You should. Your body deserves some consideration and extra love, it works hard for you every day. If you are diligent in preparing then your dieting phase will more likely be a sustainable success for you!
