If you could feel more comfortable in your body (and your clothes) without dieting, would you do it?

Diet has two meanings in the dictionary and I definitely prefer one over the other.

The first definition of diet is "the type of food a person habitually eats" and the other is "a special course of food that a person restricts themselves to, either to lose weight or for medical reasons."

I bet you can guess which one I don't like.

I also don't like the emphasis on weight loss.  We are so much more than what we weigh, and the number on a scale doesn't necessarily tell us a whole lot.

People have different body types, so their healthy weights can be very different and is not necessarily what society is telling us it is.

On one hand, I recognize that we have an obesity epidemic in the United States, with more than one-third of adults being classified as obese.

On the other hand, 10 -15% of adults have some type of eating disorder.  Clearly there is some kind of disconnect and probably more have an unhealthy relationship with food.

A healthy body has more to do with gaining a healthy mindset and less to do with restricting calories.

Extra weight can be a result of poor health and inflammation, so think about adding new, healthy habits, and don't worry about feeling like you have to restrict yourself.

Think how different it feels even to say that you're adding something that will make you feel good rather than taking something away that makes you feel bad.  

The double positive is much better than the double negative!

It's much more important to take inventory on how we're feeling and leave the scale on the sidelines, or throw it aside altogether.  ​

Often, if we're experiencing frequent headaches, if we're feeling sluggish, if our brain doesn't feel like it's firing as fast as it used to, or we're just plain grumpy, there may be something going on with our health that has nothing to do with the number on the scale.

Below are ten healthy mind and body lifestyle habits to add into your life!

1. Drink water.  Sometimes thirst and hunger are confused.  Next time you’re hungry, before you have a snack, have a glass of water.  Even mild dehydration can alter your metabolism.  Drinking a glass of water or two before having a meal often helps you feel full sooner and eat less.  More details here.
2. Eat real carbohydrates.  I’m not talking about refined carbohydrates like bread and pasta.  Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds all contain complex carbohydrates.  The bonus is that they contain vitamins, minerals, micronutrients and fiber, as well.  They’re also packed with anti-oxidants, which reduce inflammation.  Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, which slows digestion and stabilizes blood sugar.
3. Choose healthy fats.  There is a common misconception that fat is bad for you.  The reality is that unhealthy fats are bad for you.  We really need healthy fats for healthy skin, hair, vitamin absorption, and other everyday bodily functions.  For more details click here.
4. Emphasize lean proteins.  We need protein to renew an replenish our cells, stabilize our blood sugar and give us energy.  Many foods contain protein, not just animal products, although those are the richest sources.  You can get plenty of protein in your diet without eating meat, but you do need to be more conscious of your protein sources if you are a vegetarian or vegan.  If you eat meat, be conscious of the way the animal was raised and what it ate.  Grass-fed beef and free-range chickens are healthier and more ethical choices than feedlot meats.  Organic yogurt, cottage cheese and free-range eggs are great for vegetarians, while tofu, tempeh and nut butters can be good vegan protein sources.
5. Eat breakfast.  I bet you’ve heard this one before!  Skipping meals, especially breakfast, doesn’t do you any favors.  By eating a good breakfast, you’ll give your metabolism a jumpstart and be in better control of cravings.  You’re more likely to eat less healthy foods later in the day when you skip breakfast.  If you have a hard time eating breakfast in the morning, it can be easier to drink a protein rich smoothie, than eating a traditional breakfast.
6. Eat more frequently.  It’s important to balance your food intake throughout the day to help maintain normal blood sugar and decrease the chance of binging when you get hungry.  At the same time, its good for healthy digestion to have at least three hours between meals.
7. Exercise your body and mind.  Exercise has benefits for your mind and body.  Exercise decreases your body weight, lowers your resting heart rate and blood pressure, and boosts your mood.  Try to be active at least 30 minutes every day.  Any kind of movement is great, for example, getting off the subway or bus one stop earlier, taking the elevator instead of the stairs, or my favorite going on a daily walk (I go with my dogs!)  Read more here.
8. Get some sleep!  When we don't get enough sleep, we throw off our circadian rhythms, which can lead to inefficient body regulation of metabolism, energy, and appetite.  Not only that we often don't make good choices when we don't sleep enough.  Try to get seven or eight hours a night.  Learn more here!
9. Learn to cook and eat at home.  I've been talking a lot in recent weeks about cooking and eating at home.  When we eat at home, we have control of ingredients, salt and portion sizes.  We get to decide the quality of the ingredients in our food.
10. Keep track of what you put in your body.  I don't really mean writing down everything you eat.  That can get tiresome.  What I mean is try to eat whole foods whenever you can and when you aren't eating whole foods, look at the labels.  Try to avoid sugar, trans-fats, high fructose corn syrup and chemical ingredients you can't pronounce.

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Focus on these ten positive habits, or a just a few of them at a time.  Don't worry about restricting yourself.  At Integrative Nutrition, we called it "crowding out!"  

Add enough positive habits and there's less room for the bad habits!

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New!  21-Day Fall Well-Being Reset
Starting Monday, September 25th
Learn Healthier Habits and Gain a Holistic Perspective on Wellness!

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How many of these habits are part of your life?  
Which one do you feel you need to add in the most?
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Share below!