As I made my journey along to the way to health and weight loss I have been asked numerous times what diet I was on or following. I quickly respond with “I am not on a diet nor do I follow any specific diet”. People then give me a dumb look and ask how I can be losing weight when I am not on a diet. Almost everyone then asks me what exercise program I am on to which I respond “I am not on an exercise program”. I am then stared at again with that dumb “Deer in headlights” look.

That is one of the things I find funny with the mentality of most people these days. The thought that one has to be on a specific diet or exercise program to lose weight is not what is important and not what is going to make you successful. The secret to losing weight and getting yourself healthy is Changing Your Lifestyle.

That’s right, changing your lifestyle. Changing your lifestyle includes eating a healthy diet, getting some exercise and getting support for what you are doing.

Most diets either don’t work or will result in the yo-yo factor that many dieters encounter over the years. Eating a healthy diet that includes a balance of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, proteins and fats is the way to do it. Restricting the calories you eat over a day to what your body needs to fuel itself and not all the extras that most people typically put into their mouths. I follow a diet that gives me 1800 to 2200 calories per day. Another change that needs to be made is the number of meals you eat. I now eat 6 meals a day. The normal breakfast, lunch and supper with snacks mid-morning, mid-afternoon and again in the evening. This allows your body to be fueled all day and avoids the spikes in blood sugars associated in big meal crashes. Make sure your grains are whole grain too. Brown, red and black rices not white. Whole grain breads, not white. Use sweeteners or other sources for sweetening things other than white sugar. Brown rice syrup or Splenda works good for this.

Exercise programs are again over rated. Unless you can afford the time and expense of a personal trainer you have to do what you can. Walking is what I have done as much as possible (although at -40° C it is hard to walk outdoors) and we have purchased a treadmill for the winter and wet/cold summer days. We try and walk for 30-45 minutes whenever possible. My in-laws (who are some of the healthiest 75 year olds I know) actually go to one of the malls where they live and walk the malls at a good pace to get exercise. I also do some push-ups and sit-ups/crunches a couple times a week and that helps with the strength and toning of the muscles.

Consistency is the another component of the lifestyle change. You have to be consistent with what you do. You have to be consistent with recording what you eat. You have to be consistent with the foods that you eat. You have to be consistent with the exercise you do. Being consistent helps you take control of everything that you do.

Support is the final change in your lifestyle. Your family, friends etc. have to support you in your lifestyle change. Having a spouse/partner who doesn’t want to eat healthy with you will make it more difficult for you to eat healthy. Walking alone or exercising by yourself is also not a lot of fun. Involve your loved ones and your change will be easier and they will be benefitting along with you. It takes team work to succeed.

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