Total Therapy Blog

Matrimonial – Diet or Not? May 13, 2011 (0) Comments in Healthy Tips by Total Therapy

Spring is in the air, and wedding season is gearing up for many soon-to-be wed couples. Getting married is a momentous, happy occasion, but it can also equal a lot of stress. The next few articles, we’ll help you navigate the rollercoaster that is wedding planning. We’ll cover everything from staying fit and healthy, to maintaining your mental sanity, so you can enjoy the process and more importantly, your wedding day. This week we invited our Nutritional Consultant, Liliana Tosic to talk about dieting do’s and don’ts.

Diet and weight-loss are two words you often hear thrown around during the wedding season. Look great in that dress! Lose 20 lbs of belly fat! – you’ve seen probably seen these headlines on magazines waiting in the grocery store line. There are thousands of diets out there, each claiming to be better than the last. Wading through the volume of literature on diet can be daunting and frustrating. So…what’s a girl to do?

First off, it’s important to recognize that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. “Dieting” is a dirty word in the nutrition sector, simply because it implies fast, temporary changes to your food habits. If you are looking to lose weight, keep in mind that this isn’t just about changing what you eat – it’s about changing your relationship with food. In order to do that successfully, you need a plan that looks at food in a holistic way. Think of this as the “what” and “why” of eating – what you eat, and why you eat it.

What

In terms of changing what you eat, a raw food and plant-based plan is a great tool for both achieving a healthy weight, and doing it in a sustainable fashion. This doesn’t mean you’ll eat an exclusively raw food diet – it means incorporating a raw, whole-food diet into your current eating habits, while allowing for the fact that life doesn’t always follow a strictly regimented plan. Use the 80-20 rule – 80% of the time, stick to a raw food, plant-based diet, but give yourself 20% to enjoy little treats once in a while (note: this is not a license for binge-eating – more on that later). That way, you’ll be able to stick to your plan, without feeling guilty for eating a piece of pie at a family dinner. Keep in mind that everyone’s digestive system is a little bit different – some people may be able to handle large quantities of raw vegetables and nuts, while others may not. For a more customized plan, seek out the help of a nutritional coach or group. Check out this recipe for apple carrot salad: http://www.heartrightfood.com/fast.html.

Why

Just as important as changing what you eat, a successful plan addresses why you eat. Do you eat when you’re happy? When you’re bored? When you’re upset? Do you feel angry at yourself when you “fall off the wagon”? Beware these behaviours – they can sabotage even the best of intentions. A good plan focuses on promoting self-acceptance as much as it does healthy eating habits. Love who you are now – not the size 4 you want to become. Identify entrenched patterns and sabotaging behaviours that are obstacles to your long-term success. If you’ve tried dieting before with limited success, consider working with a nutritional coach to help you address any underlying issues around your relationship with food.

Healthy on the Inside = Radiant on the Outside

By following this general approach, you’ll feel great and achieve sustainable, long-term changes in your body composition. This is health from the inside-out – so take care of yourself, and remember – you are what (and how) you eat!

What raw food recipes have you tried? Got any favourites? Share it in our comment section below!