During this heart-pumping cardio session I just so happened to be watching E! Yea, yea … I know—mindless television—but trust me, sometimes that is needed! Well, during my time out in “la-la land,” Richard Simmons, the motivating, cheery, eccentric man who is just as synonymous with fitness and nutrition as he is with itsy-bitsy, bright shorts, came on (during some count down show or whatnot) and said something to the point of, “I don’t believe in diets … do you realize that the first three letters in diet spell D-I-E … DIE! … now who wants to do that!?! Because that’s exactly what dieting can make you feel like…”

Despite my blurred vision from face lotion seeping into my eyeballs and barely functioning ear phones, Mr. Simmons’ quote stuck with me. Perhaps because the first three letters of my chosen profession—a dietitian—also spell die. Consequently, this got me thinking–do any of the negative connotations that at times surround dietitians subconsciously have to do with this fact …?  But then … I got back on track to my MAIN thought.

Diets Don’t Work

Right on Richard! Diets don’t work! Almost all who severely restrict items allowed in their shopping cart and consequently, in their mouth, regain their lost weight and perhaps more. As soon as those “forbidden” foods are let loose from their cell and the “all or none” mentality takes over, all healthifying efforts—exercising, more sleep, more produce, more whole grains, etc.—may be left sitting on the bench just waiting to get back on the playing field! In other words, the diet has gone out the window and “eating real, non-diet food” is allowed again … until the dreaded “diet” returns.

AND … it’s more about just the numbers on the scale! Diets make people feel deprived and alone in their “restricted world.” Basically, they zap that pep right out of your step! And who, may I ask, doesn’t want a peppy step?!?

Healthy LIFESTYLES are Key

This, my friends, is exactly why it’s about a healthy lifestyle! A lifestyle where you forego the numbers on the scale and focus on health, where you listen to when your body is hungry and full and respect those internal cues, where you appreciate your body, truly enjoy food and never feel deprived.

Now … Why are you doing these things? Because ultimately, it’s about your health—inside and out. When you live healthfully, in a balanced sense (you need to have some fun too; i.e. the daily sweet treat and a day or two off from training to mentally and physically recoup), your body will show your healthifying efforts and remain likely to say that way—as opposed to regaining all the weight lost from some fad or detox diet.

Proof to the pudding … According to the National Weight Control Registry, people who have lost  weight and kept it off for the long haul engage in the following healthy lifestyle behaviors:

• 78% eat breakfast every day.
• 75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
• 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
• 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.
• 98% modified their food intake in some way to lose weight.

Ahem … notice the LIFESTYLE piece and no dieting, regarding the above stats? YES, foods eaten may have been healthified in some way (i.e. smaller portions, more veggies, etc.), but no “diets,” so to speak, were in place. Instead, a healthy lifestyle was waiting to hatch out of the egg—which is necessary for long term successful health and wellness!

Small Changes Lead to BIG Results

Keep up your healthifying ways and simply add to them to continue on your healthy lifestyle path. If you eat a vegetable twice per day, add another serving or try a new vegetable! If  you’re exercising, think what you could do to add to your routine—more weights, adding an extra session each week, or simply, taking stairs instead of the elevator? Over time, when you add on “healthy” behaviors, you’ll adopt a healthy lifestyle or maybe even a healthier one.

For example, if you’re already on the up-and-up with the produce eating and exercise loving, but you don’t cook much at home–start! That’s healthy not only for your insides, but for your brain, as you’re learning something new and personal life, as you can have more cooking fun with others … see where I’m coming from? This “healthy lifestyle” will help keep your ticker tickin’ fabulously, a smile on your face, and an appreciation for food and yourself in more ways than one, which I think is most healthy.

Happy Healthifying!

What’s one of your healthy behaviors? We gotta share the health!