Before heading off to celebrate the start of a new year, here’s one last post for 2015 and it does not involve resolutions and none of that “new year, new me” talk! Extreme views on what healthy eating and living should be have inundated our minds and it’s time to let go! 
How many of you might’ve set a whole list of resolutions for 2016 that constitute some element of changing the way you eat, your fitness or the way you live? Some may think that you might be setting yourself up for failure and others might even profit from them. How many Instagram personalities in the wellness industry are you following? How many of their images have triggered you to either feel bad about the way you look or trigger change in the way you eat, live and exercise?
My point is, this year has continued to see a rise in extreme views on healthy eating and fitness and the endless labels and hashtags when it comes to nutrition are being circulated with a vengeance. What I ask of you is this, let 2016 bring an end to labeling the way you eat, bring an end to size discrimination and be the start of mindfulness and awareness when it comes to the way you live.
2016 should not be the time where you start “detoxing” or quitting some sort of food that is apparently the cause of your weight woes. It should be a time where people get reacquainted with food and gain an understanding that health comes in all shapes and sizes. My recipe to a healthy view on health, nutrition, change and weight loss would probably entail the following:
Motivation. A simple word, yet it serves as the backbone to achieving your goals. We’ve all struggled with being “unmotivated” at some point in time, creating this endless feeling of frustration as we slowly watch our goals slip away. Reality is, change is difficult. Behaviours and habits become deeply ingrained over a long period of time throughout our lives but that doesn’t mean that changing them is impossible. Your motivation to change should start with having a specific direction, make a decision to for it and finally, be dedicated.
Ditching the “D” word. No more unnecessary restrictions based on fads and finally accepting the facts. Weight loss, which is safe, sustained and possible, involves 3 pillars: eating real food (i.e. non of that detox concoctions), exercising and getting enough rest. So enough of short-lived promises and get yourself on track for the long haul! Here are 3 ways to tell your diet is a fad:
- Your diet comes with a promise.
- Your diet guarantees ultra-fast weight loss.
- Your diet cuts out a food-group such as carbohydrates, gluten, dairy…etc
Letting Go of Guilt. First of all, food should never make you feel guilty. Secondly, never deny yourself anything. It’s about moderation and not elimination. Being overly strict tends to bring out the “diet fanatic” in everyone. You are more likely to binge on foods you’ve restricted, for instance, once they unexpectedly show up at a friend’s get together or when hunger strikes. This is where mindful eating comes to play, which is a skill that does take time to acquire.
Kindness and Patience towards your body. This includes accepting the fact that there is no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to health and nutrition and that you should never compare yourself to others. Health comes in all shapes and sizes and a six-pack does not define you! You are a whole person and not an individual body part.
So here’s to ending a year sans fear of what is yet to come. Here’s to a year where your weight, that number on the scale will not define you nor your health. And on that note, farewell 2015!
Sending all the positivity in the world to each and every single one of you! x
Dolphin Solutions
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