From Your Health Journal…..”I found a great article from U~T San Diego written by Ursula Ridens entitled Healthy is the new skinny for 2013. We discussed here how the most common New Year’s resolution each year is losing weight, whether going on a diet, exercising more…..or both. After time, and after spending a lot of money on a diet, or time on an exercise regimen, individuals slowly get back to their regular patterns – and weight. The author of today’s article review makes such a valuable point, then possibly our New Year’s resolution should not so much be about losing weight, but about being healthy. One major problem many people have is they try to lose too much too soon. It may not be the best thing for many people, especially if they have a history of gaining weight back quickly. Rather, people should set realistic goals, and set a weight loss goal for a longer period of time, not trying to do too much too soon. For many of us with the hustle and bustle routines, stress, work, and families – this may be a better path to not only lose weight, but to also be healthy. Please visit the U~T San Diego web site (link provided below) to read the complete article. It was well written and informative.”
From the article…..
Year after year, weight loss ranks as one of the top New Year’s resolutions for many people hoping to turn a new leaf and improve their self image. However, many of those resolving to shed the extra pounds by dieting end up unsuccessful – sometimes in a matter of a few weeks – and fall back to their old habits.
Young women, including teenage girls, are more likely to fixate on their weight, as they are exposed to messages and images in the media that idealize being skinny. In turn, these women develop unrealistic perceptions and expectations about body image, blurring the line between being skinny and being healthy.
As we hear more about the “obesity epidemic” in America, it’s important to understand why weight loss resolutions can often be misguided. Instead, shifting focus to overall health – not necessarily on losing weight – is a more attainable and approachable way to start the new year.
The downfall of focusing on losing a certain number of pounds or reaching a certain weight fuels the yo-yo dieting cycle and can harm your mental and physical health. It can perpetuate a cycle of weight loss and weight gain and place emphasis on external appearance rather than internal health.
Dieting implies restriction and deprivation, with pitfalls such as increased hunger, cravings and a sense of loss. This usually means only temporary change and a return to the previous eating patterns. The term diet often implies that there is a start and an end.
A non-diet approach focuses on adopting lifestyle changes that leads to long-term health improvements. Knowing these three tips are helpful in establishing a more realistic approach to making positive changes to your health:
To read the complete article…..Click here