Crash and Fad Diets

 

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While you may not know the exact definition to a crash or fad diet, I bet you can name a few. 

Let's start with the definition:  a simple diet that are often short-term, weight loss intensive and potentially dangerous when extended (source).  Note the phrase potentially dangerous here.  

Why are they potentially dangerous? Because most of them involve starving yourself of basic daily caloric needs or a sufficient amount of necessary nutrients.  That's in addition to the yo-yo dieting effect.  This is when you diet for a short term, drop weight/fat, and then start eating like you used to which results in even MORE weight/fat added.  Your body doesn't know what is going on (to put it simply).

They even cause you to lose muscle! Why? Because your body has nothing to use for fuel so it goes to whatever sources it can find - which is often muscle.  Who wants to destroy their hard earned muscle gains?

A few popular crash/fad diets include:

• Beverly Hills Diet
• Blood Type Diet
• Cabbage Soup Diet
• Grapefruit Diet
• Israeli Army Diet
• Junk Food Diet
• Master Cleanse Diet
• Subway Diet
• Zone Diet

Just google a few of these and I am sure you will think of other diets that are similar in nature.  

The best way to lose weight/fat is by a lifestyle change.  We teach our clients how to still enjoy the foods they love while changing their mindset about food.  

What crash/fad diets have you tried successfully or unsuccessfully?

"I Have Bad Genetics"

 

I get it.  Genetics do play a factor in overall health/wellness.  Sometimes.

Hormones play a HUGE role of course but those can be addressed with your doctor so not going to discuss that here.

Let's focus on the whole wanting to blame your "genetics" or say "it's a thing my family has" as a crutch.

Too many times people will just accept having to take a bag of medication with them or take ten pills a day as normal.

Sometimes things do happen to people randomly - such as my former healthy eater coworker who loved to run and workout but yet he had a heart attack in his 40's.  I get it.  Things can happen.

THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

What gets me is watching someone eat something like two jumbo sized honey buns while saying "my family all has diabetes which is why I do too." Or watching someone eat food with grease dripping off of their food (and their chin) saying "My heart problems come from my family.  Everyone has heart issues." Said person may or may not be sitting on the couch for six of more hours per day and can barely walk across the room without complaining of pain (just to add for dramatic effect).

Call me a jerk, but at times, it's hard not to roll my eyes.

Why do people not look at lifestyles of their family members with these conditions to see if there is a common denominator?  I cringe whenever I have to give my family's health history. I swear I've seen doctors cringe.

Random fact to interject - I started thinking about my own health after my paternal grandfather (in his 70's), my father's sister (60's), and my father (52) all died from Colon cancer. Oh, let me add my maternal grandmother is a colon cancer survivor. 

Maybe I'm too proactive or too much into research.  I look at the conditions that are "common" in my family and ask myself "What can I do to change this?" "What can I teach my children from this?"

Break the family "curses." Look up risk factors and how you can mitigate those. The body is a machine and it's a pretty cool machine when you really start to look into how it works.

"I Can't Stick to a Plan"

 

It's hard to create new habits.  

It's hard at first to push yourself to do physical activity when you really just want to go back to bed or home for the day.  

It's hard at first to plan ahead and ensure you have nutritious meals on hand.  It's easier to go to a restaurant or a drive-thru.

Both of these habits require a new mindset. Both of these habits require change on your part.

It's even harder if you have a history of crash or fad diets.  Those mess with your mindset as they are usually VERY restrictive.

It's harder if you have tried X celebrity or X social media influencer's cookie cutter workout program and found it too advanced.

Have you tried hiring a coach to help guide you through the process? Have you tried hiring a coach for accountability and to get all of your questions answered?

What's your history of "not sticking to the plan?" Tell us in the comments!

Limiting Beliefs

 

This is kicking off our limiting beliefs when it comes to health, fitness, and wellness series.  We are going to go through six common beliefs throughout this series and how to overcome them. So check back daily!

What is a limiting belief?

A belief about yourself that restricts you in some way. 

Think about that last part for a minute.

RESTRICTS you in some way.  No one likes to be restricted.  Well, most people do not like to be restricted is a safer thing to say.  

What this is saying is YOU are RESTRICTING yourself through your MINDSET.

This can also be referred to as SELF SABOTAGE. Which brings to mind the phrase we use a lot - "Get out of your own way."

These beliefs come from a piece of negativity we have experienced from somewhere/someone AND out of fear.

Six Common Limiting Beliefs

1. I do not have time to (workout, go to the gym, cook, etc.)
2. I can't stick to a plan
3. I have bad genetics/hormonal issues
4. I do not have money for a gym membership/coach
5. I have never worked out and do not know how
6. I hate working out

Any of these sound familiar? Have you said any of these things before? Comment below to share your limiting beliefs!

Building Habits

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So many people that we coach, a root cause to a lot of past (and current) "failures" for lack of a better term, comes down to simple habits.  Many want to say that they do not have time to get a workout in, meal prep, etc.  But when we take a look at how they are spending their time, we can typically work together and FIND a small window - even if it's a simple half hour time block. 

Another factor? Perfectionism.  Bad habits and perfectionism are two things that will result in missing a goal every single time.  

Let's talk about habits. . . 

Habits are either good or bad.  Good habits? Brushing your teeth, eating nutritious foods, and so on.  Bad habits? Hours of TV each night, drinking excessively, making excuses, etc. 

Research shows that the easiest way to break a bad habit is to REPLACE it with a good habit.  For example, watch too much TV or surf too much social media in the evening? Replace that time with a quick workout or an evening walk.  It takes about 21 days for a new habit to stick.  

Try replacing just ONE habit this week and see what happens.