3 Ways To Decipher A Diet From A Healthy Lifestyle Change

Food For Your Soul: Dawn McGee

Let’s clear this up once and for all, enjoying food does not mean you have an unhealthy lifestyle. 

In fact, enjoying food is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle.

“The word diet is often misused when speaking about lifestyle change so let’s clear that up now.”

You don’t “go off” of a lifestyle when you want a treat or a night out like you might do when you’re on a diet. You simply adapt the foundation that’s already there to fit your real life, day in and day out. 

Living A Healthy Lifestyle:

I go out, eat great food, and have a ton of fun, all while living a healthy lifestyle. 

I recently went out for lunch with a friend, and had sushi with some delicious edamame as an appetizer. We then went on a walk together around a beautiful lake, and we got some quality time to catch up. 

I live a life full of joy, fun activities, and delicious food, and I maintain a healthy life while doing it all. All without following a diet. 

If you know anything about me, you know the word diet is high on the list of my least favorite words. The word diet is often misused when speaking about lifestyle change so let’s clear that up now. Diet just means ‘what we eat’.  It’s a noun, not a verb.

3 Ways To Decipher A Diet From A Healthy Lifestyle Change:

1. Consider If The Plan Is Based In Science.

Before you jump on the new diet bandwagon that’s coming around, take a look at the logistics of why it supposedly works. Is it logical? Factual? Scientific? Some diets are so obviously simple fads that all it takes is a quick round of research to understand it isn’t based in science and isn’t worth your time. 

2. Ask Yourself: Can I Do This For The Rest Of My Life?

“There’s so much more to a healthy life than what we eat and how much we exercise!”

Could you avoid carbs for the rest of your life? Could you count every calorie of every day? Would you drink shakes in favor of real food?

If you’re anything like me, the answer is no, you definitely couldn’t. If the health advice that’s given to you isn’t something you can see yourself keeping up for the long run, it’s pretty clear that it isn’t worth following. 

Instead, opt for healthy choices that are reasonable and realistic for a long period of time. That way, you get real results that stick. 

3. Would You Let Your Child Follow This Plan?

I would never want my kiddo to skip breakfast and operate on an empty stomach all morning. Therefore, I definitely wouldn’t let him try intermittent fasting. If the plan you’re following isn’t something you would want your kiddo to do, then why should you do it yourself? 

When we’re focusing on our health, the first two things that come to mind are always what we eat and how much we exercise. The reality is, though, that there’s so much more to a healthy life than what we eat and how much we exercise! 

Recharge It’s Vital:

We can understand that our cell phone needs to be recharged in order to be on and ready for action throughout the day. Each night we make a habit of making sure to charge it so that it’s good to go. So why can’t we apply that same principle to ourselves? 

What are your top nutrition questions? Post them in the comments and let’s have some thoughtful conversations about feeding our bodies and our souls.

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