Summer is right around the corner. All the gyms in your area are filling back up after the hiatus since January. Your coworkers, family members, and friends all tell you about the latest diet they are on. They have gone Vegan, Keto, or are have begun a 21-Day Fix, and will not stop bragging about how much weight they have lost. Here you are, trying your best to make smart choices, going to the gym when you find the time, and yet nothing seems to be happening. Your clothes fit the same, your energy levels are the same, and you are frustrated. You begin to think, maybe I need to get on a diet as well.

Believe me when I say this; you are not alone. After being an elite health & fitness coach for years, I have heard and seen it all. I've witnessed every last trend, fad, diet, etc. but most of all, client frustrations. I have seen people go on x or y diet for a month or two, lose a lot of weight, and then gain it all back and some a few months later. Have you seen this before too? Maybe this happened to you as well.

As I said before, you are not alone. Psychologyofeating.com states that 95% of all dieters will regain the weight they lose within one year. Not to mention, an estimated 45 million Americans go on a diet each year, and Americans spend $33 billion each year on weight loss products. Yet, nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, according to the Boston Medical Center. Something is not right, and is not working. 

So what is the answer? For starters, "dieting" is not the answer. To get fit, lose weight, and keep it off for good, a complete lifestyle change must be implemented. This means the way we eat, the way we exercise, and the way we sleep must be harmonious with how we live. We must think of eating healthy foods as a way to have energy. We must think of exercising as a way to keep our bodies strong, functioning at optimal capacity, and improving our heart health…you know, the thing that keeps us alive! Lastly, we must think of our sleeping habits as a way for our body to shut down and undergo all the processes that we want it to, like you guessed it, lose weight! (Seriously, get to bed- it's important). 

If dieting hasn't worked for you yet, or maybe it has, but you'd like a more reasonable approach long-term, start by changing your lifestyle. Implement walks after dinner or on lunch break. Hire a trainer if you have the means to do so. Start clearing the fridge and pantry of any food product that has more than 3 ingredients (you will be shocked). Lastly, start shutting down electronics and getting to bed an hour earlier each night. Small changes lead to big changes over time. Stay consistent and realize this process will take longer than that short-term diet, but will reward you in the long run.