by Steve Robinson

Created on: December 14, 2009

Imagine how easy it would all be if there was a bacon diet? Or, if you didn’t have to diet at all because the newest t.v. burned fat according to how much you watched it. The reason that fad exercise and diets fail every time, yes even the doctor endorsed variety, is that they are programs people can’t live with.  Setting realistic diet and fitness goals are the only ways to better health.

Goal Setting

Goals should be thought about, even dreamed about and then forgotten. Most goals are unreasonable and the simple act of wanting them often sets us up for failure. Fad diets are the worst and so are crash fitness courses.  You start out all gung ho and then somewhere focus is lost. The only realistic goal is the one you can live with.

Realistic Fitness

The surest way to lose weight is to eat minimally and train for a marathon. Now there are those who enjoy that, in fact there are probably those who run so much and so often that they don’t have enough time to eat. Hey, it works for them. If it doesn’t work for you, then you don’t need a new pair of $200 running shoes. What you do need however, is a passion; an active passion. Why? Because if you are doing an activity you like then you will keep doing it. Choose dancing, learn a martial art, take up hiking; enjoy your activity and forget about fitness and it will come all on its own.

Realistic Dieting

Long ago there were two general classes of people; those that ruled and those that did not. The king ate the huge servings of the best foods of the day, while the peasant had to get by on grains and beans. The diet fit for a king gets you a king’s physique. The problem is most of us having the ability to eat like kings; and we do!

You don’t have to get crazy and drop what you like; you only need to eat with reason. Most people are well aware that 3500 calories is equal to a pound of bodyweight and that cutting out 500 a day equals a pound loss per week. Who cares! Aim to eat things that are good for your health most of the time and, like having a passion for an activity, your weight will be controlled without much thought at all.  Here is healthy eating in a nutshell.

1) Never get hungry. When you get hungry you splurge so eat 5-6 smaller meals instead of 3 large ones.

2) Eat wholesome foods first so that you are full or nearly full before eating “fun” foods.

3) Cut out drinks that have little or no nutritional value including soda, fruit “drinks” (100% juice is ok), and sports drinks (except after sweaty activity). Drink water and plenty of it.

4) Invest in yourself by finding healthy ways to enjoy the foods you like. For example if you can’t live without French fries, cut your potatoes and mix them in a bowl with olive oil, and bake; not quite the same but close.  There are healthy alternatives out there for virtually any craving.

Realistic fitness goals are arrived at by enjoying life to the fullest. By eating and engaging in things you enjoy any goal can be reached, without ever really trying.

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