Summer is here, and many of us will be heading to the beach or attending holiday parties. It's also wedding season, and everyone will want to look their best. This is why it's easy to get conned by unscrupulous diet promoters who'll take our money for the promise of "instant weight loss."
I just heard about a woman in her early 20s who spent over $500 on a diet program, just so that she could fit into in her bridesmaid dress. I think that there's a better way to get into shape for the summer!
Here are five simple tips that will help you get into better shape for summer, and for the long run.
1. Forget about dieting.
It's been proven that dieting actually results in rebound weight gain, and that losing and regaining weight, over and over, is far worse for our health than just being overweight. Instead of dieting, we can adopt constructive habits that can be maintained over the course of our lives.
2. Focus on wellness, rather than weight loss.
Putting all our attention on rapid weight loss makes us so obsessed with what we're eating that ultimately, we end up eating more. We should concentrate on creating a healthy lifestyle that's sustainable over the long term.
3. Let go of the myth of the "quick fix."
We all want to look great this summer, but change has to be gradual or we could make ourselves sick. Crash diets and extreme weight loss programs are terrible for our health and could land us in the ER, rather than on the beach. It's better just to eat a balanced diet and get plenty of exercise, rest and sleep.
4. Deal with the real reasons for overeating.
No-one is overweight because they like food too much; they're overweight because of emotional eating. Instead of dieting, which makes us feel more deprived, we can deal with the unresolved emotions behind our urges to overeat. That's only real way to lose the weight and keep it off for good.
5. Getting into shape emotionally will get us into shape physically.
We overeat because of emotional hunger, but it fails to satisfy our real needs, so we keep on overeating. Instead of trying to fill the void with food, we can fill up with self-love, self-healing and happiness, and then watch our food cravings disappear.
We could try to force our body into perfect shape this summer, but it makes more sense to work on the five above tips. That way, we can create greater health and happiness that will continue over the months to come.
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