Mentality

One of the things I hear the most from people that comment on my weight (how much I've lost, how good I look, etc..) is that they ask me what diet I'm on. This is an important question, because the implication is that I'm doing some kind of special "super-duper diet," the secrets of which can only be bought with 3 easy installments of $39.95. This is not the case, and really never has been. To wit, I really have to laugh at abominations like the Atkins diet. Holy God, what hath we wrought unleashing this monstrosity on an unsuspecting public? The idea that your body doesn't need/shouldn't have carbohydrates seems ludicrous to me. I'm no nutritionist, but even I know that a healthy diet (and "healthy" is the key word here) must include an adequate supply of carbs. Furthermore, everyone I've met that has tried it took off like 20 pounds in the first fortnight, and then immediately put it back on. Therefore, that tells me that there is something seriously wrong here.

Back to my point: I don't use fad diets, I never have and never will.

So what do I tell people that ask me what my so-called secret is?

Wait for it...

Answer: Mentality.

That's it. Like everything in life, your health is (largely) a choice that you make. Do you eat the cheeseburger or get the salad? It's really that simple. But if you're anything like me, you enjoy a cheesesteak from time to time, or a pizza on occasion. Yes I enjoy these from time to time, but I find modifications to make them more palatable to a healthy lifestyle (which is really what we should be aiming for). Instead of a straight-up cheesesteak, I found a place that makes a killer cheesesteak salad. It is delicious, and it helps me control how much crap goes into my body. In the same vein, instead of eating an entire large, hand-tossed pizza with pepperoni and sausage, instead I opt for a thin crust, with light cheese, and throw on veggies and chicken. Boom. Compromise achieved! Not only does it jive with my goal of healthier eating, but it helps satiate my desire to eat this crap.

Reason: lifestyle change.

If it was a diet, I would hate it. When was the last time you loved being on a diet? Even the word "diet" is spelled with the word "die" in it. That's why diets in my opinion rarely work: because most folks go into them dreading them, because they expect to hate it. Most do. The real question is what happens after the diet? You get off of it and put the weight back on? You have to do it again after blowing up like a lard-filled balloon? That is so counter-intuitive as far as I'm concerned.

Theme emerging.

My friend (or friends. I'm humble about the number of people who actually read this), the point is that there is no special trick. No magic pill, word, or spell that will get you healthy for the long haul. It is all in your mind. If you change the way you look at your body and its health, and approach both with a long-term (lifetime) view of how to make it better, then you will succeed for the rest of your life.

And have the occasional cheesesteak.

Cheers!