By Urooj Fatima
Weight management is a lifelong journey. People usually go for a short-term weight loss method i.e. dieting. However, this weight loss strategy does not work in the long run and the majority of people get back the weight once they resume normal eating patterns. On the other hand, one may choose to lose weight by changing lifestyle. This can be done by adopting better habits and healthier life patterns. As its name suggests, lifestyle change is for life and makes the weight loss journey more comfortable and agreeable as compared to dieting which sometimes may seem like a punishment and unpleasant experience. But, the fact is, diet vs lifestyle change is the key to long-term success.
“It’s all about creating healthy habits rather than restrictions.”
Diet is temporary and usually aims at short-term weight loss for some upcoming event or vacation. Once the targeted weight is achieved, people quickly revert back to old habits of not eating a well-balanced diet. During the diet they see food as temptation, so once the diet is over, they start satisfying their cravings for those food items which they were restricted to eat during the diet e.g. junk food, desserts, and snacks, etc. Therefore, they not only get their weight back but also get disappointed that their efforts of bearing hunger and tiredness are wasted.
On the other hand, lifestyle change is not directed to achieve a temporary target, rather it looks at the bigger picture of staying healthy and happy with the goal to take care of yourself throughout life. The lifestyle change does not restrict the intake of food, rather it just moderates the eating patterns by incorporating well-balanced and healthy food into the routine life. Lifestyle change also requires to do exercise and physical activity consistently on a regular basis. It does not require you to measure the weight loss on a scale rather the progress is measured beyond numbers over a long period of time. It also includes proper sleep patterns, stress management, and productive hobbies.
The idea behind weight management is to have a healthy body rather than leaving the body in starvation and weakness. When you are on a diet, you often skip essential nutrients which may cause certain deficiencies in your body. Moreover, dieting can also cause negative effects on the body’s metabolism rate which is also harmful to overall health. It also leads to a weak mind causing stress and exhaustion. Thus, it is very important to be kind to your body by providing it with all the nutrients and not exert pressure to lose weight in a short time.
Diet and lifestyle change both go hand in hand together. When you adopt a lifestyle change, a healthy and balanced diet is already included in it. If you are on a weight loss journey, choose wisely. Focus on managing weight and staying healthy for life long by adopting lifestyle changes rather than just doing an excessive diet to lose weight for a short time period.