.png)
Many people think that dieting, counting calories or following a strict workout routine will improve their health and well-being. But they often struggle to find long-lasting results that are not only effective but also life changing.
Even if you lose weight with dieting and workout, you are not addressing the root cause, you are just finding a quick fix. Once you stop following a strict routine, which you will, the weight will come back.
And to achieve lasting and meaningful results, you need to make a lifestyle change.
So, what is a lifestyle change?
A lifestyle change is a holistic, sustainable, and rewarding modification of your daily habits and routines. It’s a long-term commitment to living better.
Our lifestyle score will help you do just that. It takes your nutrition, sleep, energy, activity and your mental health into account. It then gives you a rating, which you can track daily and start seeing the bigger picture with the attention to the smallest details in your life.
And just filling your lifestyle score will be fruitful, both in the short run as well as the long run.
Our lifestyle score tool allows you to not worry about tracking multiple numbers. So what exactly does this tool analyse? Read below:
Nutrition
Always go with a balanced and diverse diet. It should provide the nutrients necessary. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes in your diet. They provide antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that protect our cells from damage.
Protein should be mainstay in all three meals, because it builds muscles, improves mobility and metabolism. Eating more healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids from fish, nuts, and seeds, can support our brain health, mood, and memory.
Activity
While gym is the first thing that comes to mind (and it is a good place to start), neither is it easy to follow through, nor is it your goal. Your goal is to train your body not only for strength, but also for functionality and mobility.
Don’t hesitate to check out our lifestyle workout programs for a structured and functional program for a transformation.
Another suggestion would be to add recreational activities, sports, or hobbies that keep you active.
Sleep
Well, in a hustle culture where you are reinforced to work longer hours, jumping from one project to the next, we often forget sleep is an essential part of our life. To rest and recharge your body and mind we need sleep.
Sleep is recovery for your body as well as your mind. And creating a comfortable and relaxing sleep environment should be the top priority.
But one of the most important aspects of getting quality sleep is a rhythm. This involves taking sleep as a conscious step for recovery rather than getting passive rest.
Stress management
Finding healthy ways to cope with stress and reduce its negative impact on your health. In stress, your body is primed for fight and flight. And that means using important body resources, i.e., food, cognition and physical strength. So how do we manage stress properly?
Physical activity and socialisation play an important role, while giving your mind rest will help you deal with frustration (which leads to stress).
Practising meditation, praying, yoga or breathing exercises, seeking social support, expressing your emotions, and engaging in hobbies that make you happy are some ways of doing so.
Mental health
Taking care of your mental health is of utmost importance. How will one take care of the body if the mind is not in perfect shape?
Designating a “me time” in the day goes a long way in improving your mental health. Include mediations, prayers, journaling and any activity that gives you enough time to relax your mind.
Get started on your Lifestyle goal
Starting a lifestyle change may seem intimidating at first, but it is not like that. How about we start with one thing at a time?
Lifestyle change is easy
Well, most of all, it is not as hard as you make it out to be. First step is picking an area where you want to change. It can be your sleep cycle, it can be your physical activity levels, it can be any of the areas we mentioned above. If you try to do it all at once, it will become daunting.
Lifestyle Change is fun
Make it fun as it is an opportunity to explore, experiment, and enjoy. It is neither a chore nor a routine. Most of all, it is a rewarding process, where you can try new recipes, join a fitness class, and do things that you like for a holistic approach.
For example, the gym does not have to be the one and only source of physical activity. How about a hike up the mountain you find a challenge? Or picking a tennis racket for a sweat-breaking session? It does not have to be something set in stone. You can push yourself in many ways.
Lifestyle change takes time (But not a lot)
Although YouTube might recommend ‘insane six-week transformation’, they are unrealistic. Yes, even the Hollywood actors’ transformation. So don’t be too hard on yourself if you are not seeing instant results. I mean, it is a change of "lifestyle". Lifestyle change is a journey, not a destination.
You will encounter obstacles, setbacks, or temptations along the way. But you can always learn from your mistakes, adjust your plan, and get back on track.
One thing that can help you be patient with your lifestyle change is to track it. It makes the process easier on the mindset with a number to achieve.
At Back2Basics, we use our Lifestyle Score tool to measure how well you eat, sleep, relax, live, and move. It helps you beat lifestyle conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid, PCOD, and endometriosis. Try it out for free.
Conclusion
Lifestyle change is a three-dimensional approach (more than just dieting or exercising). It can help you improve your health and well-being in various aspects, such as nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, and mental health.
To start a lifestyle change, you can start small, make it fun, and stay patient. So yes, you can lose weight for good with lifestyle change, but it gives you so much more than that.
Do you think there is another way of losing weight for good? Feel free to comment.
Comments