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Starting Out
When I began investigating how to create a healthy lifestyle, I began by surfing the Internet, a bit like what you are probably doing now.
I discovered a variety of articles from dietitians, scientists, fitness gurus and health coaches that gave me a bunch of information and some tips.
All of them were very good, as you might have seen.
The thing with reading articles is that you tend to read. You think ‘that’s interesting’ (or not) and then move on. They have a short shelf-life in your brain. You might pick one or two, and decide to follow though and have a go at implementing them.
However, after 6 months of working at creating a healthy lifestyle…er…’wait a minute’, you said, ‘six months? Really?’
Well, yes, I needed time to discover how to make sense of the conflicting food stories in the media, I wanted to read up a bit on some key nutrition points, I needed to learn what some of the main diets were all about and decide which one was for me. I needed to explore the superfoods to see if it was worth eating 40 kilos of grapefruit to lose some pounds.
What’s more, having learnt a bit and decided what to change, I then started changing some habits. The what and the why of health change is often seen as easier than the how, but the how is often where people fail.
There is a bit of a myth on the Internet that after 21 days of repeating a certain behaviour then it becomes a habit. That’s why so many diets and body-reboots you see on the Internet are 21 days long – it’s no coincidence.
The trouble is that research by Health Behaviour Research Centre at University College London tells us, habit formation can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days. Everyone is different. In reality, 66 days was discovered to be the average time needed for habits to form.
Taking it up to a whole new level
Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, after 6 months, I came to the following conclusion.
The most important thing I did to create a healthy lifestyle was to start learning.
Originally, I was tempted to take a full 3-month nutrition diploma, but I was working full time, had a few projects running and so didn’t have time. We are all busy people, right?
So I learnt in small bursts. I learnt by writing a blog. I learnt by following Registered Dietitians (RDs) on Twitter. I learnt by doing some short courses. I learnt by consulting with diet and nutrition experts.
I wasn’t ready to go back to school, so I learnt in a different way. I took a fun, structured approach.
Let me tell you why I think learning is the most important step to take.
1. Learning means you can make informed decisions
By learning just enough, I could understand how to evaluate media stories. I could see why scientists may disagree with nutritionists and journalists, why food activists may disagree with the food industry. I could look at different diets with a slightly more critical eye. I could make sense of research.
All of that meant, I didn’t rely on the man down the pub or Cosmopolitan magazine to tell me the best diet for me.
I could make informed decisions by myself, for me and my family.
2. Everyone is different and needs a different solution
When it comes to nutrition, we are all very different. Different genes, different metabolism, different gut microbiomes and so on. Inevitably then, what works for one person may not work for another.
One of the reasons why some people lose weight, whilst others gain weight (when following the same diet during research) is that we are all different.
So, we all may need a different solution.
3. You are the only one who has your best interests at heart
It may come as no surprise, but we often forget this, that not everyone has your best interests at heart. The restaurants, food suppliers, supermarkets, pharmaceutical companies, diet gurus and many others have their own agendas, and your health may not be at the forefront of their mind.
Ultimately, the one person who really cares about you, apart from your family and friends of course, is you. Make no mistake, despite what they may say, if you rely on others, you end up following their agendas before you own.
However, you are best placed to understand you and to listen to your own body. By learning, you can tailor what you learn to what you know about yourself and what you need.
(Caveat: I am just talking about general healthy eating here. If you have any medical condition, you need to consult with a doctor or dietitian before making decisions on changing your diet).
4. With learning comes confidence, and with confidence comes success
It’s amazing what you can learn in just 20 minutes a day, if you persist over time. As you learn more, your identity changes and you grow in confidence.
Suddenly, you know what the press is talking about, you know what the health gurus are talking about. You can enjoy a nutrition podcast. You can watch the BBC food programmes with a critical eye and an opinion.
Confidence is not essential to success, but it helps. In my opinion, it enables you to push beyond your comfort zone, and access whole new worlds to enjoy.
5. When you have learnt, you can then guide your family to better health
In addition to deciding what might make you healthier, you can also learn what might be beneficial for your family.
You can learn how to motivate kids, how to get them involved in cooking and eating well, how to make them independent learners, even make them food activists, if they want to!
Summary
Creating a healthy lifestyle is not hugely difficult, but when you dedicate time to learning the what, the why and the how, you and your family can reap great rewards…for a lifetime!
If the time is right for you, you could try a short course in basic healthy eating, right here. Click on the button below to register for the digital library and get access to our healthy eating course.
Postscript:
I must emphasise that I totally get the idea that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. The advice offered in this article is not medical advice. It simply suggests an approach for anyone who wants to create a healthy lifestyle.
However, If you have any illness, allergy or are taking any medication, one of the most important things a little learning will tell you, is to go and consult a doctor. Don’t think you know enough to self-diagnose and start diagnosing others. Only qualified professionals such as doctors and registered dietitians can do that.
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You are welcome