The media often portrays diet and exercise as polar opposites, yet these strategies in healthy living are actually quite similar! Here at Mayo Clinic we find two key differences between a diet and a lifestyle change that can help you reach your health goals.
A diet is the specific food choices made when you eat in moderation or even no matter what you eat. A lifestyle, on the other hand, is more of a long term plan with specific actions taken to improve overall health within a group. One could be more prone to certain diseases than another, so it’s important to understand which will work best for your individual needs and goals.
Diet vs Lifestyle Change: What You Need to Know
Diet and lifestyle changes are very similar and can often be combined. When changing your habits, you may want to start small by choosing one thing at first, such as cutting back on sweets or getting rid of high fat foods. Once that step has been accomplished, you will want to create a schedule with meals and exercise to help you maintain improved results. Both diet and lifestyle changes can increase weight loss, body composition, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, blood pressure, bone density and heart rate. They also decrease inflammation and may lower blood glucose and triglycerides. If lifestyle changes aren’t successful, a combination of the two steps is often necessary, like the “diets” of myriads of people trying to lose weight.
When deciding whether to embark on a diet or lifestyle change, it’s always essential to determine the type of person you are and the reasons why you want to change. For instance, if your goal is to keep your diabetes under control, but you want all the benefits of maintaining a healthier eating pattern without having to make drastic diet changes, maybe go the route of an anti-diabetic diet instead of focusing solely on diet and exercise. This allows you to focus on what you need in a balanced way while still giving yourself the chance to see your doctor regularly at least twice a year, depending on the cause of your disease.
If you feel motivated by your friends’ stories about diets and losing weight through food restrictions, then you might have better luck using lifestyle changes to bring your own health goals into fruition. In this case, it can be helpful to enlist the assistance of someone who understands this part of the approach! Many gyms and nutritionists know just how important a consistent approach is when addressing chronic conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Being mindful of how you use this information will allow you to adjust your plans depending on where you are right now, and you may end up being much happier overall as a result of your efforts! With careful planning in place, implementing the following tips may prove beneficial for both you and those around you:
Set realistic expectations: Don’t expect to get lean fast or have instant results from any of these tactics! Having realistic expectations will allow you to not set unrealistic expectations for yourself or others! Be flexible through changes in eating and activity patterns: Try to see a diet or lifestyle change as something that takes time to learn and develop. That includes making sure that you’re adjusting your caloric intake, eating enough nutrients (from both plants and animal sources), and exercising at a moderate level when beginning. Get support: Find support in other people who understand your situation and are willing to accept your new habits as well! It’s natural to feel hesitant and afraid to try new things, especially when we don’t know the outcome other than we’re unhappy with our current situation. Ask family or friends who have been doing this for a while for advice about how they stay motivated, healthy and on their journey! Keep moving forward: Keep moving forward and remember that everyone can change with time, and you will too! Learn along the way about the pros and cons of a lifestyle change and make adjustments that fit your lifestyle. Remember to think ahead and prepare for the roadblocks that may occur once you’ve started implementing some of these strategies! Have fun: Make the most of the newfound freedom to participate in recreational activities that help you stay active instead of sitting at home drinking wine! Also, don’t forget that it’s okay to relax and unwind when you need to!
Diet and lifestyle changes are important things you can do to improve your health. However, there are certain aspects of each strategy that can hinder your progress. Knowing your goals can help you decide which method will work best for you—so take your time and look for ways to incorporate the ones that will promote healthy eating and physical activity into your life. Do whatever works for you, because that is what makes healthy living fun!
