A few weeks ago I was doing a fitness assessment on a potential client. As we discussed her goals, I noticed that they were not set very high.
The more she talked, the more I realized that she had a fear of failing.
Her numerous yo-yo dieting experiences had caused her to lose hope in her ability to attain her dream body.
She had been telling herself myths like “I am just big-boned” or “I wasn’t born to be fit.”
I could relate to this young girl because years ago that was me. I had a strong desire to be skinny without considering the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and having a balanced, nutrient-dense diet.
I tried many calorie-constricting diets, which only made me gain weight as soon as I began to eat more calories again.
My body adapted to this low-calorie, low-carbohydrate diet, and I stopped seeing results, even though I was consuming minimal calories.
It wasn’t until I decided to become healthy that my body started to change. Rather than counting calories, I focused on eating to live, rather than living to eat.
I made sure to eat whole, nutritious foods that gave me energy rather than depleted it.
Rather than cutting carbohydrates out of my diet, I learned the importance of nutrient timing, the best types of carbohydrates to consume, and the best time to eat them.
Do not be discouraged because you have tried every diet in the book and nothing seems to work for you.
Nutrition is very simple, and eating well should not be a burden. When you restrict your body from an adequate amount of calories, you slow your metabolism, which results in an increase in stored fat, since your body cannot process higher amounts of food.
If you are exercising, your body will need an increased amount of calories and carbohydrates in order to restore your depleted glycogen stores in your muscles.
With the help of a nutrition coach, you can have the body you have always dreamed of without starving yourself and taking your body through a fat-loss, fat-gain rollercoaster. Complex carbohydrates (healthy carbs) can be introduced back into your diet, you can speed up your metabolism, and you can get where you want to be.
Yo-yo dieting does not have to ruin your chance of being fit.
Do not be discouraged and do not lose hope. You are closer to your dream body than you think.