Focus on lifestyle, not calories
Monday 31 July 2023
The weight-watching and dietary industries are huge. Most people, at some time in their lives, worry about their health, what they eat, and whether they should exercise more. There is every kind of fad, supplement, diet plan and workout regime waiting in the wings to capture you and exploit your concerns. It is similar to the travelling quacks and snake-oil salesmen of the 19th century, with their magic potions and cure-alls. Which is not to say that there isn't some good advice around. But how do you sort the good from the not-so-good? How do you separate genuine healthcare from their desire to take your money? It's a minefield.
Crash diets. Putting you on a restrictive regime for a period of time, whether it's protein diets, meal size, non-dairy, fruit-only, any number of diet plans, on-off fasting, may or may not show results. It depends what results you're aiming for. Most times it's to do with weight loss, and in tandem a degree of shape-changing. Generally, restrictions of any sort are likely to effect a physical change. But at what cost? Who's to tell you that you've improved your health as a result? What's more, and this is the most common after-effect, what happens when you come off the restrictive regime? Like as not, you creep back to where you were. And frequently, more than where you were.
Pills and potions. If they're drugs, remember that drugs don't cure anything. They're not medicines. They deceive the brain. This can be useful, of course, when you have a headache - an aspirin will relieve it, but won't address the cause. And like all drugs, even if they're not classified as addictive, they can become a habit. Which means there are likely to be side-effects. And they certainly don't contribute to your health. Taking a pill may reduce your appetite. So, you eat less. Bingo, weight loss! But what about sustenance for your body? What about nutrition? It's unlikely a pill will discriminate between healthy and unhealthy food. It will simply reduce your overall intake.
Diet doesn't mean dieting. The origin of the word 'diet' is Greek, 'diaita'. It means way of life, or lifestyle. And lifestyle relates to your approach to your health and wellbeing, not what you weigh or how you look.
There's an important thing to say about age, too. When you're young, it appears you can get away with all kinds of bodily abuse - too much booze, late-night curries after an evening in the pub, stuffing your face with junk food, deliberately starving yourself for a thinner selfie, smoking instead of eating, most of us have been there. As we get older, we find we can't do those things with the same abandon - we suffer for our sins. But here's the thing - when we're young, we only think we're getting away with it - in truth, we're stacking it up against ourselves for the future - the man will come to call - there will be a price to pay later on.
Now, we're not qualified to give medical advice. But after decades of experience in physical and mental fitness, health and wellbeing in the Dojo, we can certainly share what we have learned.
Eat fresh. How can you do better? Fresh meat. Fresh fish. Fresh vegetables. Fresh fruit. Fresh bread. Throw away those tins. Throw away those packets. Throw away those jars. Throw away those processed foods. And remember, fresh food is more likely to be devoid of additives, which are deliberately addictive.
Avoid eating late. If you go to bed with a freshly-filled stomach, you're making your upper digestive system work through the night instead of resting. As you get older, this is likely to disturb your sleep patterns. It is not for nothing that breakfast means breaking your fast. Ideally, avoid eating after 8pm, and look forward to a full, hearty breakfast in the morning.
Every meal is a celebration. Food is to be enjoyed, it is a celebration of life, never to be taken for granted. The worst meals are consumed 'on the hoof', i.e., snatching a sandwich when you're on the move and gulping it down while guzzling a fizzy drink. Eating is a time to relax, chill out, and enjoy the company of others. If you're on your own, use your meal time to meditate quietly, and enjoy every mouthful. The French and Italians are particularly good at long lunch and dinner breaks, mixing good company with the joy of eating.
Keep active. Other than mealtimes, which should be your relaxation periods, make an effort to stay active constantly through the day. This doesn't necessarily mean physically active, or intensively exercising and training (if you get everything else right, the amount of sport exercise you do or want to do will fall naturally into place - it's an individual thing). Remember, sluggishness starts in the brain - the body simply follows. So, staying active can include reading a book, doing a crossword, writing a plan, strolling round to visit friends and family.