StettlerLocal.com February 4, 2022 - Contributed by Katie Bainbridge, Thrive 360
January and February are busy months for the health and fitness industry. People flock to their local fitness facilities with good intentions of improving their health and losing the “holiday pounds.” The latest and greatest fad diets and products are plastered all over social media, promising quick and easy weight loss.
With all the flashy ads, it’s easy to become convinced that a specific “diet” or “product” will help you reach your weight loss goals. Diet “products” usually come with instructions to also eat certain foods. The common denominator is almost every fad diet or diet product, no matter how flashy or expensive will work if followed consistently.
Why do people have a hard time sticking to a diet? A significant downside to fad diets is they require drastic changes to eating habits and force you to follow a strict plan. Humans are creatures of habit and generally don’t like change. We can manage these fad diets for a while but typically fall back into old habits, gain back the weight we lost and sometimes even more.
Here are some simple tips for successful weight loss and maintenance:
1. Start slow- incorporate more whole foods (unprocessed) into your regular diet.
2. Be mindful of your portion sizes. Learn what constitutes a proper portion size.
3. Keep your snacks small and healthy.
4. Don’t go too long between meals or snacks- hunger can lead to binge eating.
5. Avoid processed foods as much as possible- chips, baked goods, fast food, etc.
6. Make water your drink of choice! Avoid pop, sweetened beverages, and alcohol.
7. Walk more!
8. Be patient with yourself. Healthy, sustainable weight loss is 1 to 3 pounds per week. It takes
time and consistency to build healthy habits!
For more information and healthy eating resources, visit Canada Food Guide:
https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/
Katie Bainbridge is Co-owner of Thrive360 Fitness in Stettler, AB. She is a Canfitpro Certified Personal Trainer and Healthy Eating and Weight Loss Coach.