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Health & Fitness

New Years Diet and Resolutions 2014

Every year people "start fresh" on Jan 1, only to abandon their new years diet and resolutions by Jan 31. Are you ready to stop dieting & start living?

We rang in 2014 last night and today all around us people are pledging to improve health, get rid of every bad habit and begin their diet and their exercise plan. These popular New Years Resolutions are wonderful, but people don’t actually make a “plan” and then wonder what went wrong. People are ready to be healthy, ready to lose weight, ready to be fit, but not always prepared to act. Meaning, people start rigid routines that are not easy to sustain and then get discouraged in a few weeks when they “fail”. Or set the expectation to lose the same great first week rate every week, this just doesn’t happen except in fiction. Or they get sucked into the quick start 2 weeks or 30 day plans only to be left on day 31 without a plan or motivation to continue the rigidity. Are you or someone you know looking to rid themselves of new years resolutions, the quick fix and make lasting changes? Are you looking for weight loss in Alpharetta or Johns Creek? Are you looking for a nutritionist in Alpharetta or Johns Creek? Are you looking for fitness and yoga experts in Alpharetta or Johns Creek? Look no further than NutriWell Coaching. We offer affordable options that rival every “popular” plan and diet, costing less per pound lost than any other program in the area.

Popular Diets

Diets fall into a few categories:

  • Very rigid in what you can and can not eat. Stray just a little and the world will implode!
  • Eliminate food groups. Depends on the plan, but if we combine all the diets never eat foods into one plan, then we would be left with nothing, not even water! 
  • Super food. Usually one food, but sometimes a group. There is not one single food that has the super powers to provide all the nutrients that our bodies need.
  • Carb phobic. Lumps all carbs into one group and they’re all evil. Cake and bananas are equally as bad for our health in these plans. People ultimately tend to cave for the cake and keep the evil billing for the healthy foods of the group!
  • Meat is the bomb! Eat as much meat as possible, and add a bunch of veggies. Anything adding a bunch of veggies has some redeeming factors, but the evidence is very strong that eating your weight in meat is not healthy for anyone.
  • Timing is everything and we must eat all day. In fact, there is no evidence that frequent meals is beneficial, and obesity researchers have been looking at this for years. People tend to be as successful with 2 - 3 meals per day as 6 meals per day if their choices are healthy and satisfying.
  • Boring- pretty much sums them all up. Who came up with the idea that if we eat bland food and give up all of our favorite indulgences that we’d be skinny and healthy? My experience is the exact opposite. 

Traits of healthy, energized people

People who are at a healthy weight for their bodies, free of chronic disease, have the quality of life they desire, and energy to spare do a few similar things:

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  • Live mindfully- enjoying the day appreciatively.
  • Eat mindfully- enjoying the flavors, textures, and colors of their meals. Portions are appropriate vs. super-sized - what would fit on an eight inch plate. Attention is given to the experience of eating vs. distracted by so many other things - TV, Phone, ...
  • Follow a primarily plant based diet, diet in the true sense of the word meaning a way of eating.
  • Listen to their bodies and choose foods that sustain energy and stamina and fuel their activity.
  • Are active daily, not just in dedicated activity of choice but also in moving throughout the day.
  • Balance work and pleasure. Balance is not always equal, however there’s enough of both.

This month, each week I’ll take each of these traits and give you step by step suggestions to put these traits in your everyday life! 

For a “quick start” read these past popular blogs:

Recipe of the Week:

Instead of one recipe, try a whole book! Pick up Carolyn O’Neil’s new cookbook Southern Living Slim Down South Cookbook: Eating well and living healthy in the land of biscuits and bacon

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