Establish Healthy Habits, Not Restrictions
It is easy to get swept into believing the next fad diet will be the answer to our problems. However, what those things don’t tell us is how much unnecessary stress we may put on our body. Research suggests yo-yo dieting may disrupt normal human physiology, such as alterations in metabolic efficiency and fuel utilization. Additionally, it may lead to increased systemic inflammation, which in turn can cause one to be at risk for developing a variety of health issues. Not to mention these fad routines often end in no results, or results that stick for a little and vanish quickly, leaving us at square one, again. These fads lead us to believe we have failed, when really the routines have failed us. Frequently, they create negative emotions that have the ability to harm our mental well-being. They often lead us to believe we are not good enough or we didn’t try hard enough, which is entirely wrong. We need to be strong enough to know that these fad routines are not our friends, but rather enemies.
One of the best things you can do to improve health is to create healthy habits; slowly. Add a walk into your day, try a new vegetable, test out a new exercise class, drink more water, set aside 5 minutes to practice deep breathing, etc. When we begin to incorporate healthy habits into our lives, and not restrictions, we truly begin to create a happier, healthier and more joyful lifestyle. And remember, slow and steady wins the race. Try to regularly incorporate new, small, healthy habits into your daily life. You will find these stick much better than trying to incorporate one drastic change. Strive for healthy habits you enjoy and you will be surprised at the positive change in your life.