Diets Really Have No Place in a Fitness Lifestyle

Getting fit has nothing to do with going on a diet. In fact, I came up with an acronym for the 'diet' word and how it affects us:

D: Depressing
I: Illogical
E: Extreme
T: Taxing

How many times have you heard someone say they are on a diet? Diet trends are numerous and marketed ad nauseam. Diets may have a place in clinical scenarios but really not something for us regular people who may be sedentary or even active adults wanting to get back in shape.

Nutrition does play the largest role in our health and fitness. This doesn't mean restricting our calories by means of a fad diet is the way to a fitter body. It simply means eating better food for our goals. Actually not eating enough can work against us causing our body to hold onto fat stores.

Diets are also not lifetime sustainable because they can be too restrictive and remove important macronutrients from our daily food intake. We function best eating all macronutrients including lean proteins, healthy fats, and good carbohydrates. Any nutrition plan asking you to eliminate vital nutrients to reach your goals quickly should be a red flag. It may be tempting, but remember if something sounds too good to be true - it is.

Reducing fat and gaining muscle is not about eating less just eating right. Consuming nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, nuts, and seeds will enable you to reach your goals without feeling deprived. It does mean reviewing your current nutrition plan and changing up the food you eat.

Nutritious foods contain fewer calories allowing us the freedom to eat more and not feel guilty. When we start filling our plates with mostly vegetables and an appropriate portion of lean meat, counting calories can even be removed from the equation. Remember, no one ever got fat eating kale.

A healthy lifestyle is meant to be enjoyed and not to feel like a burden. Contrarily, diets can cause us to feel deprived and frustrated. Who enjoys drinking special shakes all day instead of eating real food? We are meant to cook, eat and enjoy real food. This is also called eating to live and loving every minute of it.

When we stop looking for quick fixes and forget about fad diets is when we can really be on our way to getting fit and healthy.

Article Source: Diets Really Have No Place in a Fitness Lifestyle