10 things to do instead of going on another diet

10 things to do instead of going on a diet

10 things to do instead of going on another diet

It’s that time of year when everyone seems to be going on a diet. You’ve been over-doing it on the festive treats & you’re feeling tempted…

In January there’s a lot of talk of setting goals for the year ahead. With all the pressure to lose weight & get fit, but confusing advice on what to eat, it’s no wonder you consider going on a diet to get some guidance on what to do!

But you’ve been here before. You know that by February, it will have all gone out the window. Then when you feel ‘free’ you end up over-doing it on all those treats you’ve been denying yourself all January.

Before you know it, you’re feeling worse & heavier than you were at the end of December.

Forget dieting & tweak it instead.

Here are 10 things you could do instead of going on another diet that will make it worse!

1. Focus on eating regular, well-balanced meals

Feed & nourish your body regularly throughout the day. Instead of obsessing over counting Calories, focus on making sure each meal has a balance of different types of food. You’ll feel more satisfied, then you’re less likely to snack & pick between meals. When you give your body what it needs, you’re less likely to have cravings. Check out my free course to get back to the basics of normal healthy eating & find out how to make it easy to eat well balanced meals.

2. Drink plenty of fluid

When you drink enough you feel better. Like a car engine needing oil to function properly, your body needs enough fluid to work at its best. If you drink enough, you’ll feel less tired & will be able to concentrate better. Also, it’s easy to mistake thirst for hunger & end up over-eating. So, when was the last time you had a drink of water? Go grab a glass now!

3. Aim to get at least 5 handfuls of fruit & veg/day

Most people in the UK get around 3 handfuls of fruit & veg each day. Aim to have more fruit & veg to give your body the nutrients it needs. Again, you’re less likely to snack between meals if you’ve fed your body what it needs. Start with making sure you have at least one portion at each meal. Then build it up from there. Go for whatever fruit or veg you like & remember frozen, dried or canned all count!

4. Find a way of moving that you enjoy

When you enjoy exercise, you’re more likely to keep it going. It’s about building a regular habit. Doing exercise is like a current bank account not a savings account. You have to put money in & take money out regularly to keep a current account open. Whereas with a savings account you can deposit a load of money then leave it for years. Exercise is the same you have to do it regularly, not do a load in one go, then that’s that! How could you move that’d be fun so it’s easy to keep doing?

5. Try a fun new hobby

Are you lacking fun in your life? What could you do about that? When you feel happier & content with life, you’re less likely to eat out of boredom. When you do things that give you a sense of achievement you feel better about yourself then you’re less likely to eat for comfort. Forget focusing on your weight and think about how you could get more fulfilment out of life.

6. Do what you need to improve your mental health

What do you need to do to feel well mentally? Maybe it’s time to end that toxic relationship. Do you need to find more fulfilling work or a better balance between work & time off? Take that first step to reach your life goals. How could you make time for what you need to do to care for yourself? When you feel emotionally well, you’re more likely to eat well and it’s like a positive cycle.

7. Work on building your body positivity

Stop focusing on what you hate about your body. That will only make you feel shittier & more negative about yourself. You only get one body. You only get one life. It’s too damn short for all that self-hate and criticism. Instead try focusing on what you can do with your body. Be grateful for your body, it’s truly amazing just as it is. I know it’s easier said than done, but start with the intention to accept yourself first – ‘warts’ and all.

10 things to do instead of going on a diet
‘Body Positive Power’ by Megan Jayne Crabbe is a great book if you want to read more about building body positivity!

8. Set yourself a challenge

Take your mind off obsessing about your weight, food and eating. Turn your attention to something you’ve always wanted to achieve. It could be a physical challenge like a marathon or hill climbing. Or it could be a creative goal you keep putting off. Write that book, make your own clothes. Build your self-esteem & self-confidence with achievements. When you feel good about yourself, you’re less likely to use food as an emotional crutch to fill the void.

9. Throw out those scales

Remember your health is about so much more than just the number on the scales. YOU are so much more than the number on your clothes labels. Focusing on the number on the scales doesn’t necessarily lead to healthy habits. It can be a slippery slope to losing weight regardless of how you do it. Focus on building healthy habits and being kind to yourself – that’s more important than a number that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.

10. Listen to your body’s hunger cues

Learn to follow your appetite to eat the right amount for you. Try to eat mindfully, paying attention to your food so you’re aware of your eating, but without judgement. Take the time to really enjoy food, rather than rushing meals. Aim to eat until you’re satisfied rather than full.

The Grandad in this book ‘Grandad’ by Rachel Elliot, has the right idea; “Life’s for living!”

Bonus: Do literally anything other than go on that diet

Make a wish list of what art & craft you want to create this year. Redecorate or declutter your home. Write a plan to try a new thing every week – you never now what you might fall in love with! But ANYTHING is better than going on another diet – dieting sucks!

Which one sounds good to you? Pick the easiest for you, give it a go and see how you feel.

Remember there’s more to life than food and weight-loss – while you’re obsessing over your weight, Calories and what diet would be best, your life is slipping away.

Life is too damn short to be punishing yourself for not having the body of your dreams (that doesn’t exist anyway!)

Life is too damn short to be depriving yourself of food you love.

It’s time to ditch dieting forever – you deserve better.

Need help to ditch dieting forever? Want to eat normally again AND lose weight healthily ..? While still enjoying the cake & chocolate? Hell yes!

I can help you ditch dieting forever, either with my 1-2-1 support. Or if you prefer to work independently, you can learn all the skills I teach my 1-2-1 clients, on my ‘No More Diets’ online course.

My Weekly Round-up! AKA; what I’ve been up to recently…

  • Still been mainly drinking the Teapigs Earl Grey Strong that I got for my birthday. But I’ve also been enjoying the Choco tea from Yogi Tea in the evenings. It’s nice to have a hot drink in the evening sometimes, but I try to avoid caffeine after 6pm, so Choco tea is perfect
  • Genevieve has been back at school over a week now and I’m not gonna lie, I’ve struggled to get back into work mode! I spent quite a bit of last week binge-watching & bawling through ‘Maid’ on Netflix. Sometimes you need a good cry, it’s like an emotional decluttering! I really enjoyed the series, I thought it was both beautiful & uncomfortable, depressing & uplifting.
  • I’ve actually been out and socialised, which doesn’t happen much these days. It was a business mastermind meeting, but that still totally counts right?!
  • Also I’ve been working on one of my goals for this month. So far I have decluttered 7 out of the 8 kitchen cupboards – woohoo! More cleaning and tidying, rather than decluttering, but a few bits n bobs are ready to go to a charity shop.
  • We walked up another hill at the weekend, so that’s two out of 22 that we’re aiming to do this year. Felt like a bit of a cheat as we only walked up the short, shallow route of Grinshill. But it was still nice to explore round there with Genevieve climbing trees. Maybe next time we’ll pick a slightly more challenging hill…
  • On the drive home, Genevieve was making sure we noticed all the road warning signs. ‘Watch out for slippery roads!’ ‘There’s a sharp bend in the road!’ ‘Watch out for horses!’ etc… It reminded me that on the way home from walking up The Wrekin last weekend, we saw 2 deer crossing the road! I can’t believe I forgot all about it. So magical, especially as it was the first time Genevieve had ever seen deer.
  • I’ve kept up walking along the brook most week days after the morning school run. I was feeling a bit sad to see that a load of trees have split or blown down in the storms the other month. But on a happier note it looks like the council have planted some new trees too. Plus I saw a clump of shoots poking through – maybe some crocuses – hope they survive the colder weather!
  • Bird Nerd Update: A couple of times this week I’ve seen a woodpecker really close by me. I think one of them was a bit confused by the mild weather… He was hammering away at the tree. I thought they didn’t do that until spring, when they’re trying to attract a mate?! On the one morning a goldcrest almost flew at my face, but swerved at the last minute. Then I thought I saw a heron fly past our window at home… but I didn’t get a good enough look. This morning I saw a bright pink bullfinch and twice now I’ve seen a grey wagtail flitting around the beach down by the brook. I may or may not have had a conversation with him… (I totally did!)

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