The Diet Plan That's Impossible to Fail
If you’ve ever dieted before, chances are it didn’t work out the way you planned. You start off with a lot of motivation to lose weight and then slowly but surely, you fall back into your old ways. That pan dulce calls your name. The free pizza at work just can’t compare to the salad you’ve packed. Your friends are all going out for happy hour and you’re starving and snack on some of the communal French fries. Three margaritas later and you’ve “ruined” your diet and are back to square one.
Dieting is a booming industry that benefits from the insecurities we all have with our bodies. Every time we open our apps, there’s another ad telling us we can be skinnier, prettier and have more energy if we just buy into this diet plan, miracle product, protein, detox tea, or pill. The truth is that many products, diets and supplements are not regulated or backed by strong science. Are we really helping our bodies with that diet or hurting it?
What’s a Modern Brown Girl to do?
Ditch the Scale
Yeah, I said it. Throw that bad boy out. Weight is not a true indicator of health or fitness. That BMI score has been lying to you for all these years too. We’ve been programmed to obsess about what life could be like if we just lose another 10, 25 or 50 pounds. Instead, focus on making positive lifestyle changes like incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet, drinking more water, getting more sleep and assess how you feel before you turn to the scale for validation.
Change Your Relationship with Food
You know the internal struggle as you reach for something considered a “bad food.” You tell yourself that you shouldn’t be eating it. But you reach for it anyway, enjoy it for about 30 seconds and then feel guilty for the rest of the day. If this cycle sounds familiar, it’s time to change the way you think about foods. There are no good foods or bad foods. A diet shouldn’t be restrictive. It’s about finding balance for all of the foods you enjoy.
Join the Body Positive Movement
Have you ever tried stopping yourself in the middle of negative self talk? You put on a bikini and think all of these horrible thoughts that you’d never say to anyone else but yourself. It’s time to unlearn that behavior and embrace all of the wonderful aspects of you that make you unique, stretch marks, pansa, and all. Talk to yourself like you love yourself. It’s such a beautiful change of pace.
Practice Intuitive Eating
Are you hungry? Are you bored? Are you anxious? Intuitive eating is all about not dieting and ending the guilt and shame affiliated with food. There’s no calorie counting or restrictions on certain foods, but there are 10 principles they recommend you follow. It’s the anti-diet for someone who wants to change their mindset and heal their relationships with food.
Focus on Your Overall Health
The overall goal for any diet or lifestyle change should be overall health. Do you want to live longer, feel better and enjoy your life? Make all aspects of your health a priority, not just diet. Focus on eliminating stress, taking steps to prevent disease, exercising often, drinking enough water, using good eye cream and sleeping well.
The best version of yourself is not on a diet. The best version of yourself is out there living her best life prioritizing all aspects of her health without guilt or judgement.