We all know some dirty 4-letter words, I won’t give examples.  When I was a kid I remember out of the blue calling my dad a dirty word, he washed my mouth out with soap of course.  From that point on I had a newfound respect for English as a spoken language.  The diet is a big part of my job and when I hear people use diet as a dirty word, it makes me want to wash their mouths out with soap too. 

Diet is what you are, not what you do.  When people start a typical weight loss program, they “go on a diet”.  Most people make it a physical event where they stop eating cakes, cookies, pizza, and any other so called bad diet food for a period of time.  Some people “on a diet” will turn the other cheek to certain foods they love while deep down inside they are about to die because they want that doughnut so badly!!   Another technique I hear all too often is using “reward food.”  I personally think that is one of the dumbest things you can do to achieve health and fitness.  Seriously, how many times are you really going to jump through a hoop to eat a cupcake??  “Oh, you worked out three times this week?  Good doggie, on Saturday go pig out, you deserve it!”

Webster’s says diet is habitual nourishment, what you eat regularly. That is exactly the point I want to make.  Again, diet is what you are, not what you do.  Instead of thinking about all the things you can’t eat, shift your focus to healthy foods that you can eat.  Think of ways to add more nourishment to your meals instead of taking it away.  Make a point to get the recommended 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.  It sounds like a lot, but it is well worth it, because at the same time you are meeting your fiber goals and feeling more satisfied from the volume of food, you’re less likely to overeat because fruits and vegetables displace fat in the diet. And that’s not to mention the health benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables.   More than 200 studies have documented the disease preventing qualities of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that are found in produce.  So eat it up, it’s good for you. 

My suggestion for getting more – work vegetables into meals instead of just serving them as a side dish on a plate.  I love to take seasonal vegetables and make stir-fries, frittatas, risotto, pilafs, or layer them on sandwiches.  It is so easy to get a variety of vegetables and incorporate them into dishes.  You might have to prepare for a meal in advance, but a wise man once said “failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. 

Your body is an amazing entity.  I always tell my clients, if you ever want to read a good book, read about your body.  Obesity will kill anybody. Being just 10lbs over your body’s ideal weight can significantly increase your risk of premature death.  So, instead of concentrating on taking away bad food from what you eat, try to add more nutrients to your meals and nourish your body for good health and weight.  You are a product of what you do.  If you eat unhealthy, feel unhealthy and look unhealthy, then you probably are unhealthy.    

About the author:  David has made educating people about personal health and fitness his lifelong quest.  He is the owner of a local fitness studio in Bowling Green where he helps motivate people to his cause.  He holds a M.S. in Exercise Science from WKU and has been certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.