Are you ready for the changes that will happen this year? Now, you may be asking, “What changes, what’s going on?” Well, a new year is upon us and many prepare for it by making New Year’s Resolutions to be healthier, while others choose not to. Common New Year’s Resolutions include wanting to lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more, take steps toward healthier behaviors such as meditation or relaxation, or spending more time on self-care or with loved ones, the list is endless. Now you may be among those who do not have a resolution, but the bottom line is… your health is changing but you may not like the result.
The philosopher, Heraclitus who lived in 500 BC said, “The only thing that is constant is change.” Health and wellbeing rarely stay the same, therefore, it is either something we seek and find or something we ignore and lose. So, will you be ready or not for your health change?
Below are a few strategies to make the best of the changes ahead, even if you are not planning them.
- Expect the best! Refuse to expect anything but the best from the situation. Say to yourself, “something good will come from this change.” These thoughts will increase your positive energy levels and lift your mood. Rarely do we know exactly how things will turn out even when we are planning the change, but when we look for the good, we usually find it. Stress levels increase when thinking the worst about a situation, and most of the time our worst fears never happen. Therefore, don’t waste your energy for nothing and keep your focus on expecting the best.
- Connect the change to a belief. Saying things like, “I am increasing my energy” or “I am getting stronger,” increases a protein in the brain called BDNF (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor). This protein helps make change easier and permanent by creating new brain pathways. A negative view of any change decreases BDNF, making it virtually impossible for new pathways to be formed. This is why we so quickly forget something we learned when we didn’t see the point of learning it in the first place.
- Forget the “All or Nothing” mentality! In other words, break the change into small manageable steps. No matter what that change, breaking it into smaller steps
makes it easier to fit into your life for the long haul. Often, when working with individuals to lose weight, they feel like they are either “On or Off” the plan. Instead, start small and build on the behaviors that lead you to success. Break it into one step per month, such as adding fruits and vegetables one month and then cutting back on added sugar another. Check out “Small Steps for Lasting Results” for a step by step health plan. - Make it sustainable! Set yourself up for success before you get started. I don’t know anyone who enjoys redoing something they have already done. Unfortunately, when we want the quick fix, the magic pill, or ask our fairy godmother for change, the clock will eventually strike midnight, and all returns to where we started. Diets that promise the quick fix, are the magic pill that will wear off. Unfortunately, quick weight loss includes more than fat, it also includes water and muscle, which slows the body’s metabolism. If someone is losing weight, their shape, and strength, then they are also losing muscle. When the weight is regained, it is all fat. Therefore, diets make us fat, or fatter. Instead, avoid the “redo” and embrace healthy sustainable health habits that lead to lasting results. Research concludes the most sustainable eating plan provides approximately 45% to 55% carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, starchy vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes), 12% to 20% of healthy proteins (lean meats, fish, low fat dairy, vegetable proteins such as bean and legumes, and nut butters), and 20% to 35% healthy fats (nuts, seeds, fatty fish, avocado, and olives) Diets that provide these ratios are the DASH or Mediterranean diet which both has shown to promote health. These diets may provide slower weight loss, but you won’t have to repeat it.
Here are a few characteristics of the “magic pill” diets to avoid:
- Highly restrictive by eliminating certain food groups
- Promises significant weight loss in the first week or month
- Promotes foods that have been shown to lead to disease
- Promises you can eat your favorite foods and still lose weight
- Forces you to buy only their food or supplements
Hopefully, these tips help support your health changes in 2019. If you are looking for support or accountability, please contact me for your free consultation and how to make lasting change to love your life!
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