What you need to know about going on diet

Are you thinking about changing your life by going on a diet? Over the next few weeks I am going to be looking at various diets but will not be making pro or con statements on any of these topics.

Unless the specific diet, for instance, says ‘drink 30 glasses of water a day and don’t eat any food’!  Something like that is not only extremely dangerous but it would be negligent of me as a healthcare professional to ignore.

Informed choices

I will discuss the essence of the specific diets, or lifestyle changes, and give you a few tips on how to follow these, if YOU choose the particular diet which I am highlighting.

I am not a dietician, or a fitness guru, or anything like that; I do have over 25 years of nursing experience and have kept up with my reading as to the changing way the world looks at nutrition. I know what works for me and my family, not what will work for you.

I will, however, make this statement. Before you embark on any form of diet or vigorous exercise program, please get a medical check-up.  Make sure you do not have any underlying conditions which can be affected by your diet, especially if you are going on a fast weight loss diet and using diet supplements.

Dieting

Diet is a bad word! It has very negative connotations. If you are looking to lose weight in a hurry, be careful, I found this article on rapid weight loss interesting. http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/rapid-weight-loss?page=2.

Replace the word diet in your vocabulary with the term “eating plan” and see the change in how you perceive your new way of life.

It is definitely a case of what we put in our mouths make us fat! Years ago I read a wonderful book, with great recipes, called ‘French Women Don’t Get Fat’ by Mirelle Guiliano. It appears to be true that, despite the rich foods and wine that the French eat they do not gain much weight. According to http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2920219/How-fat-country-nations-highest-obesity-rates-new-maps-surprise-you.html France has a less than 10% obesity rate amongst women compared to South Africa’s 31% and the USA and Saudi Arabia’s 33%!

Change your lifestyle

Changing to a healthy eating plan means different things to different people and, with so many options out there, I thought it a good idea to present these different diets/ eating plans to you, so that YOU can make an informed decision.

Exercise

Exercise is always a key ingredient to a healthy lifestyle.  Almost every dietary pill, or supplement, or plan, states that they work best when combined with exercise. Being the right weight for your health is something that we should all try to achieve.  One of the most important things to remember is the fat and muscle are not the same weight.  So even though your scale may not change, if you are doing even a little over your normal amount of exercise, you should see a change in your waistline. http://www.precisionnutrition.com/rr-cardio-vs-weights

Here are the links to my meal and menu planners, that you can print for free and use as part of a healthy eating plan.

http://kasheringyourlife.co.za/index.php/printables/monthly-menu-planner-and-shopping-list/

http://kasheringyourlife.co.za/index.php/printables/638-2/

We have a few places left in the workshop, why not sign up and join us on a new journey to making life easier.

http://kasheringyourlife.co.za/index.php/2016/02/09/meal-and-menu-planning-made-easy/