What You Need To Know Before Starting A New Diet
Starting a new diet can be intimidating. Whatever be your reason, getting onto a new diet can be an entire lifestyle change. We understand that it can be a change that is overwhelming and no matter how much research you do on the new diet that you are taking up, there are some crucial factors that you must consider, factors that are common to all diets.
There are a lot of lifestyle changes that can be made instead of trying on a fad diet program, but we understand that there are cases in which you might need to adopt a certain diet because of health concerns and other fitness goals — as long as these are being done under an expert’s supervision.
So what is it that you need to know before you get on to a new diet? Read on to know more.
Dieting does not mean eating less
Dieting refers to a wide range of eating habits, and is focused on nutrition, and not on eating less. When someone says they are following a new diet based on their goal, it would be incorrect to assume that they are not eating enough. A diet change can be something as simple as increasing the protein content and decreasing carbs to something as radical as the keto diet, under expert supervision of course.
Diet will affect your mental health
Food has a direct connection with our mental health, and certain diets might end up harming you. You might be seeing results in terms of aesthetics but an innocent attempt to look a certain way can become an obsessive disorder too. Engaging in dieting behaviour can increase the risk of binging or purging in the long run.
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You need to check in with your doctor and set small goals
It is important for you to realise why you are following a certain diet. Your nutritionist or your doctor may be able to provide essential information that can help you choose the correct diet. What is important is for you to be specific about your goals too. Having goals will allow you to follow a direction, and you will slowly be able to adapt to a healthy and sustainable lifestyle that will also enable you to have a healthy relationship with food.
You need to follow a healthy eating plan
No diet will tell you that it’s OK to meet your calorie requirement by skipping lunch and eating pizza for dinner. A healthy eating plan should include foods that you enjoy along with plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Certain diets don’t allow you to have grains — in this case ensure that you have a healthier gluten-free alternative.
Things will not change overnight
It’s important to remember that you have to take baby steps when starting a new diet. You cannot stop yourself with junk food on one night just because you are starting a new diet tomorrow. Start small — your ultimate goal is to establish new eating habits that can be sustained for an entire lifetime.
These are just some of the basic things that you need to keep in mind when starting a new diet. Is there anything that you would like to like to this list? Tell us in the comments below.
