FOOD
how to make
dieting
EASY
Getting in excellent shape is never going
to be simple. The chances are, your body and your mind
are most comfortable where you are right now. That is, you have
fallen into an easy pattern with both the foods you eat and your daily
activities, which have resulted in your current body. So, changing
your body means you are going to make some changes that may
not be so comfortable or convenient for you to follow long term. After
months or years of eating more or less what you want, when you
want (or at least caving in on a regular basis), the trick of getting in
great shape is to break the pattern that got you to where you are,
then develop new patterns that are in line with a healthier and better
looking you. Before you decide to take on a new diet and training
plan, it is important to ask yourself with pinpoint specificity, what are
your ultimate goals? That is not to say; “I want to lose 20 pounds.”, as
that will only get you to a point (even if you succeed). What you need
to determine is what lifestyle changes can you make that will result
in long-term, sustainable, and comfortable results that you won’t feel
like you are agonizing to maintain them? How can you make this as
easy on yourself as possible? Most, if not all, diets fail at some point
or another because they are simply too much of a deviation from your
standard, non-dieting routine.
So what makes dieting easy? Essentially, the more
in line with your effortless status-quo, the easier the diet is going to
be to follow. That is, decent tasting food, satiety, not a ton of hours
prepping food, convenience, and also variety all need to be included
in a successful, long-term diet program. If you are dreading any part
of the diet, you are sure to, eventually fail. Here are some keys that
make a tolerable and rewarding diet that can be followed painlessly
for months or years:
Give yourself options: Redundancy creates boredom,
and boredom creates failure. Pick several foods and quantities that
have about the same nutrient combination and feel free to use them
interchangeably as the mood strikes you. For instance, chicken breast,
turkey breast, pork tenderloin and lean beef are all pretty much the
same in their nutritional values. The same is true of rice, potatoes,
oats, and other type carbs. While there are differences, they are
negligible and won’t really affect the outcome. That is not to say eat
cake instead of rice or hot dogs instead of chicken breast though, as
those, and other type processed foods behave differently in the body.
Eat according to your schedule: The common belief is
14
Natural Muscle Magazine
By Steve Marteski
that with a good diet you eat exactly every two or three hours. While
this is important as protein is not stored in the body, don’t create
havoc in your schedule by running out of meetings or pulling the car
over to eat. Eat within a reasonable timeframe that adheres to your
schedule. The more intrusive the eating times are on your day, the
less likely you will keep it up.
Don’t eat foods you don’t like: Some