What is the difference between “being on a diet” and “living a nutritiously healthy, active lifestyle”?
At first you might think they are vastly different from one another but if you look closer they can be rather similar:
BOTH
- include wholesome, nutrient dense food choices,
- avoid junk and processed food (for the most part),
- include regular activity.
Yet, of course they differ. They have to, right? Otherwise we wouldn’t have such a difficult time staying on a diet.
But they don’t differ in their components -no- they differ in attitude, in HOW we view the components.
What do I mean? Well, for one: mind-set.
Diets focus on abstaining from something, denying cravings, giving up something.
Healthy eating habits focus on health-supporting food choices one enjoys, on trying new healthy recipes and eating mindfully.
Two, diets focus on numbers: how many calories can I eat? How many kg have I lost? How heavy am I?
Healthy lifestyle focuses on how I feel, on nourishment, and on what my body needs.
Three, diets make working out a chore. Who likes chores? Be honest, you didn’t like chores as a child and you don’t enjoy them now.
With diets, exercise is something that must be done. You must sweat to lose expend calories.
Healthy lifestyle focuses on exercise as enjoyment, as form of stress-relief, to balance out hormone, support health, age gracefully, support bone-health.
You see…….both contain
the same components yet one sounds like a punishment while the other sounds like a doable and ENJOYABLE lifestyle.
So, it is all in the eyes of the beholder.
Choose your thoughts and in return you might just gain happiness, and a healthy, active, balanced lifestyle.
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