While the $65-billion-a-year diet industry pushing pills, supplements and plans would love to keep taking your money, the fastest way to rebound from recent holiday weight gain is simply to get back on track with your tried-and-true healthy living habits.
Don’t be fooled by those “it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle” plans, either. If the plan is setting external rules around calories, types of foods you can and can’t eat, has the word “detox” or “cleanse” in it, and doesn’t address what to do when you’re hungry, it’s not a lifestyle.
I was recently on a panel of judges for the 2015 Slim Chance awards, where we voted on the worst of the worst diets – like those meal replacements that cost you more than a 90-minute massage and deliver a product that tastes like the cardboard box it came in. (See all our “winners” of 2015 Slim Chance Awards here.)
In my nutrition practice, I find the problem is that if people aren’t dieting, they aren’t sure what to do when they need that reset (and we all feel the need to reset after the holidays).
There’s nothing wrong with structure and plans, which is why I'm giving you one. Make this year different, and try a new diet-free approach. Here are my three keys to healthier and happier living. It’s a plan that’s easier on your heart and your pocketbook.
1. Be real. Set realistic goals. The holidays were not just a few days; they essentially span over an eight-week period. Give yourself compassionate and realistic goals – not drastic – that are spread over a reasonable time frame.
Tip: Return to whatever eating habits were easy for you before the holidays. They will become familiar again. Put time back into planning and preparing your own nutritious (and delicious) meals, even though the easier thing is ordering take out. If you drank more alcohol over the holidays, maybe it’s time for a dry spell.
2. Work with your brain, not against it. The brain learns habits pretty slowly after repeated experiences. Give your brain the experience it needs to learn with any effort you can squeeze in today. Taking even a small action is information for the brain to learn and repeat.
Tip: If you feel like you're starting over with exercise, try incremental short bursts of activity – what you can do without quitting on yourself. Simply 10 minutes of exercise at a time can have positive physical and mental health benefits. Stop worrying about the “not long enough, not hard enough” stuff. Last I checked, 10 minutes is better than zero.
Learn simple tips to master the “mini workout,” and check out the Burst! Workout book for 10-minute high-intensity interval trainings that can be done anywhere.
3. Follow the positive. Health and happiness go hand-in-hand. The mind and body must be in unison to create a healthier and happier lifestyle. If there’s one thing we can’t “fake,” it’s positivity. It must be authentic. If you need a mood boost, cultivate it.
Tip: Try my “three things” challenge, and do three things that make you feel great everyday. Anything at all. It could be a moment of contentment like enjoying the chill in the air or the crunch of snow on the ground. Maybe it’s unwinding and reconnecting with a friend or loved one over a glass of tea before bed. Try a new recipe over the weekend that you can reheat and eat later. Or go take a nap. Often, when we're happier, we make healthy choices. We feel better, and that makes us even more happy.
Want more help? I’m releasing a free “Feel Good Guide” at the end of January. Sign up and be among the first to get my tips on cultivating better health and happiness in just 15 minutes a day.
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