One of my greatest passions in life is physical fitness, and my love for exercise has precipitated a deep concern about the role that food consumption can play in optimizing my performance. Interestingly but not unsurprisingly, the primary motive that many people have for eating certain foods is shaping up and slimming down. Unfortunately, people oftentimes find themselves unsuccessful in their attempts to accomplish these goals. Here are three reasons why:
1. It’s Unhealthy.
Unfortunately, there are a plethora of unhealthy diet plans on the market right now. Some are unhealthy because they emphasize supplementation while not emphasizing the importance of getting important vitamins and nutrients from food. As many health experts know, this is dangerous because it does not teach you how to eat healthily. Moreover, using supplementation as the primary mechanism through which you attain the nutrition you need is dangerous because the body doesn’t assimilate vitamins and minerals from supplements as efficiently as it does when they are derived from real food. In discussing the negative impact that poor nutrition can have on health, Washington State University notes that it can entail weak bones and teeth, cavities, and challenges with brain and heart function. While diets involving too much supplementation can be unhealthy, this is not the only type that can preclude you from losing weight. Other types of unhealthy diets include those that restrict your calories. If you come across a diet that permits you no more than 800 calories per day, this is a clear sign that it is unhealthy and will likely result in a cycle of unhealthy eating patterns such as binging, starvation, and/or purging.
2. It Doesn’t Fit Your Lifestyle.
For a diet to be effective, it has to work with your lifestyle. Thus if you’re a very busy person who is constantly on the go and you select a diet plan that involves cooking elaborate meals, you are setting yourself up for failure. You would be better off with a plan that requires five minutes of preparation or less per meal. There are a variety of other ways that a diet could drastically alter your way of living. Thus when you consider implementing a diet in your life, think critically about things like whether or not you’ll be able to eat at restaurants and whether the food has to be ordered online or if it can be purchased in a grocery store. Any of these factors can result in a dramatic and ultimately unwanted lifestyle shift that makes you less likely to have success on your diet.
3. You’re Inconsistent.
As with almost any other aspect of life, consistency in application of principle is key to success. So if you’re cheating on your diet by eating high-caloric, high-fat foods periodically, you are setting yourself up for failure. To avoid inconsistency, attempt to discern why you are either unable or unwilling to commit to your diet. One of the primary factors could be food cravings. This challenge is easily solved by finding healthy, low-fat foods that brings you the same psychological satisfaction as the unhealthy foods you crave.
Conclusion
Although starting a diet to lose weight or become more healthy is generally a good idea, there are a variety o factors that can preclude you from accomplishing either or both of these goals. In reviewing the list above and analyzing your personal eating habits, you can determine whether you’re sabotaging your wellness goals and subsequently make the life adjustments that will enable you to maximize health. Good luck!
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