You've struggled for years with your weight. You've grappled with losing it, only to find it creeping back, escalating higher each time. Weight loss and enacting change can feel incredibly isolating, but rest assured, you're not alone in the challenges of dieting. Although it feels like you've tried every weight loss program, there's another way to see lasting change.
Research indicates that the diet industry rakes in over $33 billion annually from individuals striving for weight loss. However, a mere 5% of those embarking on restrictive diets, such as low carb, one meal a day, keto, or meal replacement shakes, manage to sustain their weight loss beyond a few weeks. For many women, this cycle repeats four times a year. Think about how many years you've been trying to lose weight, has it been 5 years, 10 years, more?
This pattern can feel like a waste of time, energy, and money, all for an elusive goal. Nourished with Emily is committed to altering these statistics, offering support and strategies for achievable, lasting weight loss. Our mission is to educate individuals on sustainable eating habits for the next 90 years, not just the next 90 days.
In this blog, we'll explore what sustainable lifestyle changes entail and why they represent a superior, enduring approach to weight loss that doesn't necessitate starting anew.
The diet industry has consistently failed us, fostering a cycle of short-lived success followed by regression, preying on our vulnerabilities and insecurities, and demanding even more with each attempt. What do all major diets have in common? They deprive us of joy-inducing foods and treats, labeling items like bread, pretzels, and fruit as off-limits, creating a sense of guilt if consumed. However, this approach is fundamentally flawed.
So, if deprivation isn't the key to lasting change, what is?
This is the crux of our Signature Nutrition Coaching Program at Nourished with Emily. Rather than focusing on what to eliminate, we emphasize additions to diets, routines, and lives to foster enjoyment and balance for sustained success. Restriction breeds resistance; we dislike being dictated to or living under harsh rules. While the concept of restriction may seem logical, it ultimately undermines our efforts. By concentrating on enrichment instead, adherence to our ideal lifestyle becomes far more manageable.
What might this entail?
Initiating changes to our diet and routines should always commence modestly. This mirrors the approach we adopt with our Signature Nutrition Coaching Clients. We start with the simplest adjustments likely to yield significant results. Often, this involves increasing water intake throughout the day or swapping a third cup of coffee for a brief outdoor walk or snack. For some, it may mean establishing a consistent bedtime or incorporating more colorful foods onto their plates, a significant adjustment for many of our clients.
Consider Karen, a client who recently moved states and started a new job, disrupting her morning routine. Prior to the move, she routinely stayed up until midnight or later, chatting with friends and watching TV. These late nights led to morning struggles and inadequate food intake, hindering her weight loss goals. Karen's energy levels plummeted, and she battled exhaustion throughout the day.
During our initial consultation, we established achievable goals for Karen: a midnight bedtime and ensuring she ate breakfast each morning, regardless of perfection. By our second session, Karen reported remarkable improvements: increased energy, reduced bloating, and enhanced overall vitality.
Simple lifestyle changes sparked significant transformations in Karen's life, and we hadn't even delved into building balanced meals or determining optimal nutrient intake. Had she embarked on another diet, she would have likely faced heightened cravings for forbidden foods and a 95% chance of failure. Embracing lifestyle changes and partnering with Nourished with Emily paves the way for lasting health, vitality, and a smoother life journey.
In a landscape dominated by dieting and restriction, where saying no to favorite foods has become exhausting, consider reframing your approach to health and weight loss. Ask yourself: how can I enrich my life and routines?