May 2002
Lifestyle, not Diet
Spring is a time when many people recognize the need to do something about poor eating habits that gained momentum during the lengthy holiday season. The thought of shorts, sleeveless tops, and bathing suits can be just short of traumatic, if you know you've neglected to take care of your body and have perhaps gained some weight. RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO GO ON A DIET! Diets don't work because they are usually extreme and temporary "quick fixes" whose benefits end when the diet ends.
If you want to look and feel better and know you need to make adjustments to your eating style, consider what you already know about healthy eating. Return to or incorporate wise eating habits with the intention of sticking with it for the long term. Most of us stray from the path at one time or another, but rather than pick up the latest magazine which touts "Lose 20 pounds in just 15 days!", do what you know to do and keep on doing it. When you make a blunder, stop and pick up where you left off. Proper body size, physical energy, and mental alertness are natural bi-products of a healthy lifestyle.