Courtesy Bridget Caitlin Photography
By Jennie Dore MS, RD, CDN
When you decide to recommit to your health or weight loss journey, what are the first things you think you have to do?
Be more strict?
Eliminate foods?
Intermittent fast?
Be told exactly what to eat?
More willpower?
These are actually many of the actions limiting you from seeing the progress you desire. You don’t need to be extreme to be successful. Following more rules and eliminating aspects of your life you enjoy is actually setting you up to feel restricted and giving power to these foods.
When we can’t have something we desire, we want it MORE. More often leads to access, and then feeling stuffed and guilty, which just continues to fuel the all-or-nothing diet rollercoaster.
Willpower is a temporary feeling. It is an emotion; emotions are fleeting. Instead of relying on temporary tactics, we need to create reliable strategies that set you up for success.
Understanding what YOUR body needs to feel your best and manage cravings, while including aspects of your life and nutrition you enjoy, is key to sticking with it and enjoying the process.
One of my favorite things that happens when I work with my clients is seeing them be able to add back in foods they either restricted out of fear of overeating, gaining weight, or thought they were intolerant to.
Yes, food allergies and intolerances are absolutely a real thing. But what I have seen with the hundreds of people I have worked with, more often, when we focus on the basics, digestion, energy, and stubborn fat loss improve.
The Basics of Nutrition and Wellness;
• Maintain a steady rhythm each day with regular eating intervals. Avoid waiting eight hours during the day between meals when you are absolutely ravenous. This is often when overeating and not making the best food choices happen. Creating a meal rhythm for your day can look many different ways based on your schedule, but in general, having three balanced meals, four to six hours apart, and adding a snack as needed is a good place to start.
• Plan ahead three balanced meals with sources of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Add in a snack or two based on hunger levels and activity level. If you hope your meals work out for the day, this will likely not work to your advantage. Having nutrient-dense meals ready to grab during busy days does require some planning ahead. But taking this time ahead will ultimately save you time and stress, so you can focus on other things that need your attention and have the sustained energy to perform your best.
• Sit down, slow down, and chew your food. Making mealtime more intentional and limiting stressful activities will help with the digestion and absorption of your food. When you are present at your meal, you will also feel more satisfied after eating.
Nutrition can be overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be, when you know what works best for YOU. My recommendation is to ditch the all-or-nothing thinking with dieting and nutrition. Bring it back to the basics of nutrition and wellness to create lasting results you feel good.
Learn more at www.jenniedore.com
Editor’s Note:The September printed issue misidentified the article byline. The story should have been credited to Jennie Dore, MS, RD, CDN. We regret the error.