Tuesday
Dieting with a Positive Twist
Dieting with a Positive Twist
Advice from SparkGuy
-- By Chris Downie, SparkPeople Founder
Quick, when you think of the word ‘diet,’ what pops into your mind? Someone hovering over an all-lettuce salad, using a stopwatch to count the time until the next permitted bite? If this sounds familiar, then it’s important to know that this is not the way to get healthy. In fact, it’s the complete opposite; getting healthy is fun!
For many of us, getting healthy means giving up all the foods we like to eat and starving ourselves for long stretches throughout the day. Of course that would not be a pleasant experience. If you are dreading each day while you are on a so-called ‘diet,’ then what’s the point? Getting healthy, though, has to do with much more than eating right – it’s about simple things that you will enjoy.
Every little bit counts; even activities that you think have nothing to do with your health count. Walking around the neighborhood, talking to friends and family on the phone, setting goals, reading - these are all activities that will help you in your quest to get healthier, all while keeping you positive.
Sure, you may have to watch out for some foods in your diet, but it’s more important to simply incorporate healthy foods – fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates – into what you eat. At the same time, exercise does not have to be a rigorous, three-hour workout. The key is finding exercise you enjoy, such as playing racquetball, riding a bike or throwing a football with your kid.
And that’s just the point – getting healthy is something to enjoy, not to detest. Getting healthy is not something you should look at as a chore; it’s something that can be a fun and great experience. It can a positive experience that will not be a short-lived fad, but a new way of life for you. ¶ Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Advice from SparkGuy
-- By Chris Downie, SparkPeople Founder
Quick, when you think of the word ‘diet,’ what pops into your mind? Someone hovering over an all-lettuce salad, using a stopwatch to count the time until the next permitted bite? If this sounds familiar, then it’s important to know that this is not the way to get healthy. In fact, it’s the complete opposite; getting healthy is fun!
For many of us, getting healthy means giving up all the foods we like to eat and starving ourselves for long stretches throughout the day. Of course that would not be a pleasant experience. If you are dreading each day while you are on a so-called ‘diet,’ then what’s the point? Getting healthy, though, has to do with much more than eating right – it’s about simple things that you will enjoy.
Every little bit counts; even activities that you think have nothing to do with your health count. Walking around the neighborhood, talking to friends and family on the phone, setting goals, reading - these are all activities that will help you in your quest to get healthier, all while keeping you positive.
Sure, you may have to watch out for some foods in your diet, but it’s more important to simply incorporate healthy foods – fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates – into what you eat. At the same time, exercise does not have to be a rigorous, three-hour workout. The key is finding exercise you enjoy, such as playing racquetball, riding a bike or throwing a football with your kid.
And that’s just the point – getting healthy is something to enjoy, not to detest. Getting healthy is not something you should look at as a chore; it’s something that can be a fun and great experience. It can a positive experience that will not be a short-lived fad, but a new way of life for you. ¶ Tuesday, June 27, 2006
