;)
In this article/video I'm not going to touch upon whether being on a diet or eating whatever you want to is more healthy for you , I’m pretty sure we all know that eating healthy is going to be better for just about everyone!
;)
Food Selection:
Being on a diet will limit your food options which means you will have to plan out your meals more in terms of what you are going to eat, where you are going to eat it and when you are going to eat. Diet food can often be more pricey since much of it is higher quality and less processed.
Eating whatever you want means you can eat what, where, and whenever you want so I guess in this situation Whatever may be better :)
;)
Hunger versus Overindulging:
When on a diet there are times when you may feel hungry or have the urge to walk to the fridge and grab something to eat that may not be on your diet list or regulated time to eat it. This could simply be a habit that you have formed from not having previous restraint when it comes to eating. I find if you plan out your meals and snacks with the times you are most hungry then you can usually limit the amount of hunger you feel during the day.
On a non-diet, we often eat for the sake of eating, sometime out of boredom or habit, we may not even feel hungry, this can lead to being overfull and bloated which is a very uncomfortable feeling that effects our mood and energy level negatively.
I actually think that a diet versus a non-diet will give you a better overall feeling or contentment when it comes to the balance between feeling hungry or overfull.
;)
Enjoyment of Food:
You may think when not on a diet that because you can eat anything you want, including that donut, the bag of chips or that steak dinner, that your enjoyment of food is going to be that much better! But in reality being on a diet keeps you in more of an open state of mind to truly enjoy your foods since every meal feels like you won the lottery! Over time your body learns to really like the taste of the more nutritious and healthy foods you are giving it. Fatty, salty, starchy foods start to taste way to rich and over processed. I like to incorporate a cheat day into my diet plan where I can eat some of the foods within reason that I have been craving. Boy do cheat day meals taste good!
I am sure you have heard the saying, “too much of a good thing”? This totally applies to food, after a while the easy access to any food you want decreases the enjoyment of that food so whether you are having a simple meal at home or a grand night out fine dinning, your desensitization to food will suppress the enjoyment of it to some degree.
In this department I feel that when I am on a diet I truly enjoy my food much more.
;)
Overall Mood or Mindset:
How you feel as a result from the foods you are eating is a big reason to make better food choices and will also determine how hard or easy being on a diet really is.
Yes being on a diet takes work and determination and there are times when a little bit of hunger between meals can get you on edge, but you will feel better overall for so many reasons:
Your body will have the proper nutrients and vitamins to sustain good overall health so your immune system will be improved meaning less time being sick and feeling down and out of commission.
As you lose weight on your diet your energy level will increase and your bodies hormones will return to a more youthful and healthier state. Many diabetics and people with other illnesses actually find they can either reduce or eliminate some of their medications when they get back down to a healthy body weight.
The simple fact that you made a decision to improve your health through proper diet and you are now seeing positive results will make you feel much better about yourself.
Compare the positive benefits of being on a healthy diet to non-dieting where poor eating can lead to even more added body weight, stomach problems, feeling of lethargy and your bodies natural hormones and systems not functioning as they should. You will not feel good about yourself and your body will not allow you to do many of the things you want to do.
So it may seem that being on a restrictive diet is going to limit your life and yes there are times especially in social situations where it can be challenging. But the truth of the matter is that being on a healthy diet will free your life! Your mood will improve, you will feel more energetic, your body will transform into a better version of yourself, food will become more enjoyable, you will spend less time being sick and if you are on medication for your health you may be able to reduce or even eliminate them. Heck throw some fitness into the equation and it only gets better!