The actual definition of a diet is “the usual food and drink of a culture or person”. But that’s not probably not what you think of when you hear the word diet. Diets are most often associated with deprivation, time lines and promised, rapid weight loss. I’m not a huge fan of diets. I have a personal history with them that leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended).

Lifestyle changes I can get down with. The phrase “lifestyle changes” implies no deadlines. It implies something that will be with you for the long haul. And if it’s going to be something that is with you for the long haul, it has to be something that you can keep up with and adopt for a lifetime – without getting bored, without depriving yourself, without doubting your decision.

So what’s the difference?

Diets:

The action: Temporary change for a specific end goal (typically weight loss)

The focus: Focus on food intake and calorie burn

The result: (Maybe) a temporary solution

Lifestyle changes:

The action: Adopt habits to promote long-term health and happiness

The focus: Incorporate more important things than calorie count

The result: life-long health and fitness

Dieting Doesn’t Work in the Long Run

Studies show that 95% of people who lose weight on a diet gain it back.

Diets are temporary. They are too restrictive to adopt for a long period of time so you go on them, you probably lose some weight, you fall off them because it’s not conducive to the life you want to live, and you gain weight back.

Diets cut foods (sometimes entire food groups) out of your life that provide your body with nutrients. If you are a 5’8” woman on a 1,200 calorie per day diet, there is no way that your body is getting all of the nutrients that it needs to thrive. Your body will adapt – your metabolism will slow down to prevent what it sees as starvation, your energy levels will drop and you’ll feel the lack of nutrients even in your mood. Not a solution.

Diets suck. I’ve tried low-carb diets before – bread became crack. I’ve done the low fat thing – I can’t even imagine living without avocado and olive oil now. I need flavor, I need texture, I need all my food groups. And unless your doctor has said otherwise, you do too.

Lose the Diet Mindset, Adopt a Lifestyle Change

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,

Your thoughts become your words,

Your words become your actions,

Your actions become your habits,

Your habits become your values,

Your values become your destiny.” Mahatma Gandhi

Here is what I know: the dieting mindset is one of guilt, anxiety, good vs. bad, and not being perfect or good enough. That’s not the life I want to live and it’s one that I want you to leave behind.

Reassess your goals.

Think about your fitness and health goals in two ways:

Long-term: Close your eyes. Imagine what a fit and healthy life looks and feels like for YOU. It doesn’t look like losing 5 pounds for your reunion, does it? I’m guessing it runs along the lines of being able to move freely and without pain, to fit into your favorite clothes, to be able to do what you want to do anytime that you want to do it – without physical restrictions.

Short-term: What can you do on a daily basis that will help you reach that goal fitness level that you imagined above? How about eating an energy and nutrient packed diet every day? How about getting enough sleep and putting time aside that’s just for you? How about exercising on a daily basis? Check, check, check.

Allow yourself.

No more good or bad, perfect or off track. Somewhere along the line we’ve learned to take pride in or feel horrible about the food choices that we make. You are proud of the smoothie you had for breakfast but feel endlessly guilty about the cookie you had after lunch. IT’S JUST FOOD. It does NOT have this power over you. Allow yourself that.

Allow yourself a glass of wine at the end of a long day. Allow yourself a slice of pizza with your salad. Food is food. Does some fit your goals better than others? Yep. But all food can fit into your life and as soon as you believe that, you hold the power.

Don’t use food as a reward.

Thinking “I can have this ice cream if I run 5 miles first” is detrimental in a two ways.

First, this thinking puts the power in the food again. IT’S JUST FOOD. If you want a bite of ice cream, have a bite of ice cream. There is no “I deserve it”.

Second, this thinking makes exercise a punishment from which you need an escape or a prize for enduring. Exercise is good. Movement is a piece of this puzzle.

Don’t forget to enjoy food.

Take the time to enjoy what’s on your plate. Spend more time preparing, eating and appreciating what you are eating. If you currently eat while doing 101 other tasks, or can’t remember the last time you at lunch away from your desk, or can’t remember what you had for breakfast (it’s 9:28 am as I write this), start practicing mindful eating. Food tastes great. Food is nourishing. Enjoy food.

10 Lifestyle Changes You Can Adopt Right Now

You’re reading this post and hopefully feeling inspired to ditch your diet, take my advice to heart and start living a healthy lifestyle instead. Before you ditch the diet for that oh-shit moment of what’s next?, here are 10 lifestyle changes that changed the way I felt and still feel about food, my body, my energy levels and my goals.

1. Drink at least 8 cups of water every day. Literally a life changer. The moment your body is actually hydrated, you will realize that you’ve been missing.
2. Eat fruit or vegetables at every meal. My body feels SO good on vegetables and I know it’s not just me. Fill your plate with a rainbow of produce.
3. Recognize that you don’t have to finish every meal. It took my brain a long time after I started to recover from my eating disorder that I didn’t have to finish every bite of something. It took me consciously telling myself that I would be able to have this food again to let the last bites go. It’s a liberating feeling to leave food on the plate and not feel tempted to devour it.
4. Find a workout that you love. If you hate running, STOP. There are numerous ways to exercise– find a workout that makes you happy and do that.
5. Take a high-quality multi-vitamin and Omega-3. Take a multi-vitamin and omega-3 is a solid way to fill in any gaps that you might have in your diet. Keyword: HIGH-QUALITY. I take these every single day.
6. Stop comparing yourself to others. This is something I struggle with and have to consciously put effort into, but it’s worth it. When you catch yourself comparing yourself to your skinny best friend or that girl that looks amazing no matter what, shut it off. You are enough.
7. Listen to your body – it knows (or can learn) exactly what it needs. If you pay attention to your body for long enough you will start to understand it. The main tool that helped me learn to listen to my body was a food journal. In keeping one for years, I started to understand my cravings and the way that my brain (mis)interpreted them.
8. Treat yo’self. For the love of whatever you believe in, treat yo’self on the reg. Life is too short not to do so. 80/20 folks. Eat 80% of your meals for physical health and 20% for mental health.
9. Move every day. Those days when you feel too mentally drained to go to the gym? Go. I PROMISE you, movement makes all things better.
10. Take more time to eat. Enjoy dinner with your family. Savor your favorite breakfast. Shut everything off and step outside to eat lunch. Take the time, take the moment.