The “Sick” Diet
At one time of another we’ve all been on the “sick” diet. We may not have thought of it as such but we’ve been too sick to eat and inevitably we lose weight. Like every other diet however, the weight doesn’t stay off once we feel better and go back to our regular way of eating.
I’m writing about this because I’ve been on the sick diet for the past 3 days and lost several pounds and now as I start to feel better, I’m reminded of the choices that I have related to my eating.
I can go back to my mostly healthy but still more calories than I need habit and slowly but surely put that extra 10 pounds back on.
OR
I can figure out how to incorporate some of the healthier aspects of the sick diet into my daily eating routine.
Obviously, we’d all like to make #2 work, but easier said than done. The first step is to fully understand the “healthier aspects” so that we can incorporate them. We know:
We ate less (because we weren’t hungry when we didn’t feel well)
We ate healthier (in an attempt to get better faster)
We drank more water and other healthy fluids (to flush toxins out of our system more quickly)
We moved less and still lost weight
So how do we eat less, eat healthier, drink more water and move MORE and maintain our weight once we feel better??
That’s the million dollar question and the reason there are so many diet trends and miracle drugs out there. We all want the quick fix without having to do the work. Well you’ve already done a bunch of the work while you’ve been sick, so let’s keep going.
Figuring out your “WHY” is the most important step in determining your success.
The WHY has to be compelling because it’s the thing you will go back to again and again when you face choices to:
eat the the healthy or the unhealthy foods,
take the walk or sit on the couch, or
eat before the party so you’re less tempted by all of the unhealthy options and bring a fruit platter rather than the cupcakes as a healthy dessert option.
Most of us know that we’ll live longer, we’ll feel better and we’ll look better if we maintain healthy weight, but WHY DO YOU really want to take that extra weight off and keep it off?
Do you want to be able to play with grandchildren, travel, enjoy your life as you continue to age?
ACTION STEPS:
Take 30 seconds right now and really think about your WHY. What is most important to you as you age that will keep you motivated to make the healthier choices in your daily life for both yourself and those you love?
What is one thing you can do today that will improve the quality of your health and is so easy you are 100% confident that you can do it, not only today but every day? This can be as small as drinking one extra glass of water or eating an extra serving of vegetables with a meal.
If we can learn to take baby steps that are sustainable, we create compound interest in our lives. Habits that are so small that they feel slightly ridiculous are the ones that are easy to maintain, and they are the ones that will shift the balance of your life in time.
