To change your eating habits is difficult, because you can’t simply abstain from it. Research has shown that it is harder to change your eating habits than to quit smoking or drinking. You can’t just quit eating or you’ll die! Going cold turkey is not an option. You need to eat every day, so your body, your inner organs, your muscles and your brain receive enough fuel and keep functioning.
As humans, we have evolved to like foods that can be bad for us, especially if consumed in excess. We are hard-wired to love sugar and fat. Sugar has a direct impact on the reward centre in the brain, and it is a very addictive substance. If you eat too much sugar, it will create havoc in your body. Sugar triggers an immediate release of blood sugar lowering hormone Insulin. One or two hours later, you feel very hungry as your blood sugar drops sharply, and in spite of your resolutions, you reach for something high in sugar and fat, like cookies or chips.
The first step towards change is to forgive yourself for everything you’ve done so far and start afresh. It’s never too late to change. Acknowledge that change doesn’t happen overnight. Any diet that promises quick results won’t work. Or it might work in the beginning, until you reach a “plateau”: your weight stops moving, even though you stick to your diet plan. When you cut your calories too low, your metabolism slows down, and you stop losing weight. You might even put some weight back on. You get discouraged and drop your new resolutions, using the excuse: “It doesn’t work anyway” or “ I don’t have enough willpower”.
How much willpower you have depends on how motivated you are. You need to look at the big picture, the end result, and be patient. There is no rush. You’ve been overweight for a while, so do you really need to lose weight quickly? While quick results are certainly encouraging, losing weight too rapidly will backfire. It doesn’t give your body and your brain enough time to adjust. Your body goes into starvation mode, which means it burns less and less energy in response to your reduced food intake. When your brain doesn't have enough time to adjust to new eating habits, you will fall off the wagon at the first opportunity, and you'll be back to square one.
To stay on track, don’t tackle all your issues at one. It takes 21 days to form new habits. Once a new habit is formed, it will stay with you, as it will become an integral part of you. You won’t have to use so much willpower to eat healthy, as it will become natural to you, just like brushing your teeth.
Change requires consistency. It’s a process of continuous effort that needs time. Rome wasn’t made in a day, and you won’t be able to change your body shape overnight. You won’t be able to change it in a few weeks, as it may take months. But you want to do something that lasts forever. You don’t want to lose weight only to regain it once your diet is over. This is what you need to keep in mind, so you can keep going.
Implement changes step by step. To stay on track, focus on one goal at a time. Think about the worst thing you’re doing with your diet at the moment. Do you eat huge portions? Do you eat too much junk food? Are you addicted to sugar? Do you use food to cope with stress at work or at home?
Next thing, decide on your goal. For instance, reduce your portions. Or decide to stop eating take aways and commit to preparing healthy meals at home, using wholesome ingredients. Or reduce your sugar intake as much as you can. Or decide to drink more water. Drinking water is a wonderful tool for weight loss. Water has no calories, but it fills you up and detoxifies your body. Pick one goal and stick with it for at least 21 days. Then ad the next goal to it. This way, you give your body time to adjust and your brain is able to form new habits that are lasting.
If you fall off the wagon and give in to a craving, don’t feel bad about it. Don’t fall into the guilt trap. Guilt is a useless emotion. Analyse where you went wrong and start again. Don’t blame yourself or beat up on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, and if you accept that you'll make mistakes you're more likely to succeed. Mistakes are blessings in disguise, as they are learning opportunities. They are your stepping stones. Trial and error is part of our human experience: this is how we get better at what we're doing.
If you start doing something new you won’t be perfect at it right away. You’ll probably never be perfect at it! That’s not your goal. Your goal is to look after yourself better and achieve a body shape that’s healthier for you. Trust yourself that you can do it, even if you’ve failed in the past.
My new book “The Magic of Sensible Dieting” is packed with tips and information that will lead you to success. The principles I explain are very simple. It’s an easy to follow method. Just reading the book will change the way you look at dieting. This is not a fad. It’s a way of life - something you do every day, for the rest of your life. You will lose weight, and you will be able to maintain your healthy weight once and for all.
With love,
Bella
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