Mataupu
It is no coincidence that diets do not work as long as we would like — there are reasons for this. Instead of looking for the next magic recipes, we suggest focusing on the three basic principles of smart nutrition.
I just finished talking on the phone with my friend and almost burst into tears. I remember well with what joy and hope she entered the fight against excess weight: the diet promised her salvation. She firmly believed that this time everything would work out. And life will magically change. The new mode seemed so good, convenient, especially at the very beginning.
But everything collapsed, and old habits returned, and with them — a familiar feeling of shame, failure, disappointment and hopelessness.
Most of us are well aware that diets don’t work. By diet, I mean any special diet that we set up with the goal of losing weight as quickly as possible. This regime is not designed for the long term.
Recent weight loss research suggests that rapid weight loss—contrary to previous beliefs—may be a good strategy, reducing the health risks associated with obesity and poor eating habits. However, you must have another, more realistic strategy for an indefinitely long time, or you will return to the old way of life and, perhaps, gain even more weight than you lost.
O laʻu uo, e pei o le tele o isi, sa taumafai i meaʻai uma, ma o le paʻu o le mamafa ma le faʻateleina o le mamafa i le tele o tausaga na fausia ai ia te ia se talitonuga malosi i lona lava le manaʻo. Ua lava a tatou mafuaaga e faitioina ai i tatou lava, o lea o le lagona e le mafai ona tatou tausia se olaga soifua maloloina i isi mea uma e matua faʻavaivaia. E foliga mai, e lē o sa tatou ea ea le lē mafai ona pulea o tatou tuʻinanaʻi ma pipii i meaʻai? Leai. E le o so tatou sese, o ia faaletonu e le maalofia.
Any diet food is extreme enough if it allows you to achieve quick results.
And we often perceive the transition to it as a serious sacrifice on our part. We spend hours preparing special meals and buying special, expensive foods. But at the same time, we do not feel satisfied after such a meal. A determined attitude and a high level of self-discipline can be maintained for a certain time, but all of us, in all honesty, can not wait until this diet is over and we can finally relax.
Ua leva ona ou manumalo i lenei suiga o taumafa. Ou te iloa mautinoa o lena manumalo e manaʻomia ai se suiga i le mafaufau: o le fausiaina o se uiga fou i meaʻai ma le tagata lava ia. Fa'alauiloa o latou lava mana'oga tulaga ese mo mea'ai, ma le le mulimulita'ia o se fa'atonuga e tasi mo tagata uma.
I’m not going to underestimate the real difficulties associated with losing weight. At the slightest weight loss, the body’s defense reaction turns on, which activates the accumulation mode, and appetite increases, as our body tries to restore balance. This is really a problem. Still, I believe that changing your relationship with food is the only strategy that works to achieve and maintain a healthy weight throughout your life.
Principles of healthy and sustainable weight loss
1. Stop going from extreme to extreme
Soo se taimi lava e te faia ai se suiga tele o le olaga, o loʻo i ai se aafiaga o le boomerang.. E te lagona le faʻatapulaʻaina i le amio pulea, le maua o le fiafia, e i ai se taimi o loʻo i ai se malepelepe, ma e te tuʻua le taumafataga ma faʻalagolago i meaʻai gaʻo, suamalie ma maualuga-kalori ma le tuʻinanau faapitoa. O nisi tagata ua le toe talitonu ia i latou lava ina ua mavae tausaga o le "toilalo" e oo lava i suiga aupito sili ona tauagafau (ma sili ona manuia!) e malepe.
Ou te fai atu ia i latou e aua le soona faitio: o nei ituaiga o mea e tutupu ma e tatau lava ona e toe amata i mausa lelei ua uma ona latou atiina ae. Mo nisi tagata fa'atau, e foliga mai o se fa'aaliga. Ae o le mea moni, afai e te paʻu i luga o le auala, e te le nofo ai iina. E te tu i luga, efuefu oe ma agai i luma. Aisea, laa i tua mai masaniga maloloina, ona tatau lea ona e 'ai tele mo masina? Aua le faitio pe faasala oe lava. Toe amata. E matua leai lava se mea e sese i lenei mea.
If the breakdown repeats, it is also not scary. Start again. Selfishness and insults are not allowed. Instead, tell yourself, “I’m fine, that’s how it was meant to be. It happens to almost everyone, and it’s normal.»
2. Fiafia i mea e te 'ai
It is impossible to stick to a diet that you do not like for the rest of your life. Plus, life is too short to eat foods you hate. Trying to replace your favorite cheeseburger with a salad only makes sense if you really love salads.
What healthier (but equally beloved) meal would you replace a cheeseburger with? Whether it’s baked potatoes with cream cheese or hummus and avocado cereal, it’s important to find healthy alternatives that make you happy.
But it will take time for your taste buds and habits to adapt.
If you cannot live without sweets and are trying to give up sugar, replace it with a natural source of sweetness like honey. This is already progress. I went to this for a long time, but now I can confidently say that I no longer crave sweets. And I don’t miss them at all. «Don’t miss» sounds a lot better than «deprived,» doesn’t it?
3. Fa'amautu suiga e mafai ona e lagolagoina.
My client recently regained her great shape due to the fact that she thought out the regime perfectly and organized herself a balanced healthy diet. She spared no time to grill vegetables and chicken, prepare healthy sauces and other healthy delicacies. “I made colorful arrangements out of them on a plate and published them on social networks,” she said. What is the problem then?
Ae pau le mea, ona o le tele o ana galuega i pisinisi, ua le mafai ai ona ia ola tumau faapea. O le taimi lava na maeʻa ai le polokalame o le soifua maloloina, lea sa i lalo o le vaavaaiga a se fomaʻi taumafa, na ia le toe saunia nei meaʻai.
If something doesn’t fit into your daily life, don’t take it on.
Of course, it is helpful and important to form new eating and eating habits — this process will be part of your journey. But only take on those transformations that are realistic for you and that you can maintain indefinitely.
A e mafaufau e faʻaopoopo se mea fou ma maloloina i au meaʻai, e pei o se meaʻai lanumeamata lanumeamata, fesili muamua ia te oe lava i fesili nei: E faigofie ona fai? Pe ou te fiafia ea i lona tofo? E mafai ona ou vaai faalemafaufau ia te a'u lava e faia e le aunoa e aunoa ma ni faafitauli? Afai o tali e tele lava e lelei, o lona uiga o le masani atonu e saʻo mo oe. Atonu o le mea tonu lea o lo'o e su'eina.
Use this principle in any other situation involving a change in lifestyle, diet, exercise — this will increase your chances of success.
About the Author: Susan Biali is a physician, wellness coach, lecturer, and author of Live the Life You Love: 7 Steps to a Healthier, Happier, More Passionate Version of Yourself.