Ditching the All-or-Nothing Diet Mentality
I recently read an interview with Dr. Oz that really surprised me. When the reporter asked him what he does for exercise, he responded:
“Every morning, I do a quick yoga workout: a Sun Salutation, interspersed with one hundred push-ups and fifty jackknife sit-ups. It takes me seven to ten minutes, and then I’m in the shower. One night a week, I’ll run on the treadmill or the elliptical.”
I guess I expected him to say something more along the lines of:
“I get up early everyday to meet my trainer at the gym for an hour of powerlifting. Then I run 5 miles. Three nights a week, I go to a hot yoga class.”
Or something as equally intense!
But Dr. Oz knows what the real key to developing a healthy lifestyle is—and that is….
Consistency.
In other words, no matter how rushed or busy Dr. Oz gets, he can exercise daily since his workouts are short. And doing something healthy everyday beats doing something healthy for three days only to be followed by four days on the couch because you are tired and burned out.
It’s the same way with diet—have you ever started an intense eating plan with lots of rules only to find yourself overwhelmed and diving headfirst into some ice cream?
Next time, instead of going ‘on’ a huge plan, think about something that is simple and realistic enough to do everyday.
Instead of: “I’m not going to eat any carbohydrates…”
Try: “I’m going to start everyday with a healthy, protein-rich breakfast”
What is one simple healthy eating strategy that is realistic enough for you to implement everyday?
~Chef Jenny
Speaking of high-protein breakfasts, in my upcoming 6-week Natural Foods Cooking Program you’ll learn how to build a better breakfast with protein rich recipes you can prepare the night before. No more harried mornings! Check it out here.
Chef Jenny Brewer MS, CNS