Dieting vs Making a lifestyle change

Dieting involves restriction and often is only sustainable short-term, which can lead to an all-or-nothing mentality where we are either “on a diet” or “off a diet.” Changing habits is when we assess our current lifestyle, nutrition intake, exercise regime, and identify where we can make small changes. Making small changes can collectively add up to an improvement in our health and wellbeing without feeling overly restricted or following something that is unsustainable long term.

It can be challenging to know where to start with changing habits, but a good first step is to write down areas where you feel you can make improvements. (Download our workbook on “Empowerment through Nutrition” if you want a step-by-step guide on changing habits and mindset.) Once you have identified these areas, ask yourself what you could do differently to move towards your weight loss goals. It could be that you are snacking a lot in the evening – are you eating enough during the day? You may be having a few too many alcoholic drinks – could you cut down the number of days you are having a drink or reduce the number of drinks you are having in one sitting? Are you not exercising as much as you would like to – could you add some exercise to your lunch break?

I often get asked, "What is the best way to lose weight? Keto, intermittent fasting, or…?" [Insert any other well-known diet!] There is no diet that is the “best way to lose weight.” The best way to lose weight is focusing on a personalized approach; this is one of the fundamental components of creating a way of eating that is sustainable for you long term.