“If only I could resist A, B, and C, I would lose those 5 kilos.”
If we had a dollar for every time we heard this; we’d be millionaires. However, telling yourself diet culture-fuelled lies, spiralling into a frenzy of guilt and shame, only fuels you to ‘start again on Monday’.
But the solution is not elimination. The answer is variety and abundance.
Rather than obsessing, restricting, depriving and demonising food, we should focus on foods nourishing and optimising our health. Instead of concentrating on what you want to remove from your diet, why not focus on what you wish to add?
When people ask me how to adopt a plant-based ethos or a healthier diet, they fixate on eliminating sugar, highly refined, processed products, and animal products immediately from their diet! However, for the average person, this is incredibly difficult, not sustainable, and is something I necessarily recommend.
Rather than focus on what you’re eliminating, focus on what you can ADD to this meal.
- Add in an extra serving of vegetables with your dinner.
- Swap the wonder white bread for multi-grain seed toast.
- Sprinkle nuts and seeds on your morning oatmeal.
- Swap the 3 pm chocolate bar for fruit and a handful of nuts.
- Add a handful of fresh greens to your lunch.
Health is about small incremental decisions and habits that ultimately shape your lifestyle. There’s no need for a restrictive all-or-nothing approach.