How to Stop Bouncing from Diet to Diet (And Start a Healthy Living Lifestyle)
Did you hear my eyes roll?
If I had a quarter for every time someone says, “Oh, I’m not on a diet – I’m on a lifestyle change!” What happens next is a few weeks of gung-ho effort. They have some app loaded on their phone that tracks every step and every bite that crosses their lips. Everyone within earshot has a complete understanding of everything they eat, why they eat it, and what the results are every Monday (because they weighed themselves over the weekend).
Then…suddenly…it all goes silent once they hit the plateau. Some may push a little longer, while others are pushing their way to the front of the crowd to get their first pick of the fresh donuts that just arrived. If you haven’t been this person yourself once or twice, I’m sure you have encountered them.
I’m no doctor, but I jumped off of the diet wagon eons ago and found my peace with food, and my body reacted in a positive way just by being more mindful about everything. No matter what nutritional book you’re reading, these tips will fit right in.
Cooking and eating mindfully, the anti-diet
As a Southern woman, I admit that I’m quite stubborn. I also love eating, so nothing puts me in a foul mood than the suggestion of a diet. I live within an abundance of flavors, so don’t you dare tell me that I cannot have something.
Eat and prepare whole foods
Adopt the practice of cooking from scratch as much as possible. It doesn’t take much more effort than the convenience boxed foods. Start with a recipe the first time or two, then let your creative juices run wild. You’ll realize how much more vibrant your meals become because you have complete control over the seasoning. If you’ve already been altering your convenience foods, you’re already more than halfway there.
Read all labels for pronounceable ingredients
If you’re already cooking from scratch, you can skip this section because you are already well aware of everything you are eating.
For instance, instead of consulting me and my collection of Spicy Chicks dip flavors that are easy to read, my husband comes home with a tub of bacon-onion dip with some chips. I looked at the ingredients, and for the life of me, I could not find one mention of onion. I have a problem with that, and I told him so. There was also nothing in the ingredient list that identified the mysterious green flecks, either.
Many chemical ingredients in these convenience foods are used as preservatives and contain hidden sugars. These sugars can blow any dieting effort if you don’t pay attention.
Cook with love and purpose
In my household, I never make food just to put in anyone’s belly. I make food to be a dining experience, with no special occasion needed at all. Not a detail is overlooked in making even a simple meal flavorful.
Slow down, be mindful, and savor it all
The world is buzzing all around us all of the time. When it comes to eating, I urge you to take a moment to become engaged with what you are about to eat. Appreciate the colors, textures, and finally how the flavors come together. What senses do they excite? What memories come to you?
When you take the time and enjoy food that brings you joy, you may notice that mindless cravings start to subside. My Uncle Jack (the slowest eater in the history of the world) taught me this. That man loves to eat, and you can see his appreciation in every bite. For this, I love cooking for him!
Here at Spicy Chicks Gourmet, we want every meal to strike an emotion. The hardest part is achieving the perfect seasoning combination. As a couple of chicks who love mixing spices, we are here to get you off to a great start. We start you off with one recipe, but encourage our customers to explore beyond – then come back and share with us what remarkable results you had.
Visit our recipes page for delicious ideas!