Diet Mode v. Lifestyle Mode

When I was younger, I remember innocently popping in a Richard Simmons workout tape in the family VCR. Aside from the image of him running around in rainbow short-shorts that is still permanently burned into my brain, I distinctly remember one of the affirmations he screamed at the sweaty people struggling to do jumping jacks alongside of him. He enthusiastically yelled something along the lines of, "It's not a diet, it's a LIVEit!"

Although it was laughable at the time, there's a lot of truth behind behind his statement. Many diets, especially crash or fad diets, are far from sustainable. These diets can work for a specific period of time but if you are not willing to make long-term lifestyle changes, the efforts of your diet may disappear.

So what's the difference between a diet and a lifestyle change when it comes to the way you consume food? 

A Diet

Don't get me wrong, there are many benefits to diets. Dieting can be used to achieve a certain goal within a set period of time, such as losing fat, building muscle, or prepping for a big event. And in order for a diet to be successful, you need to make sacrifices. Sure, you can go 30 days without a slice pizza or going out with your friends, but do you really want to spend the rest of your life being a cookie-less hermit? These types of restrictions are not sustainable and in some cases, you are depriving yourself of things that spark joy (because cookies definitely spark joy in my stomach, so does having a social life). Restrictive diets can also have negative effects on your mental health. If you're like me, you can get super down on yourself when you can't adhere to the tight standards of the diet you’ve set for yourself, ultimately feeling like a failure. For others, a diet can quickly lead to obsessing over how much they eat.

A Lifestyle Change

Any progress you make on a diet will disappear if you don't tap into the necessary lifestyle changes to maintain it. This is because a diet is not meant to be a way of life.

A lifestyle change (or a "LIVEit" as good ol' Richie calls it) usually involves an overall mindset shift and habit change.

It incorporates making adjustments to the way you eat that are maintainable for the long term (or even permanent).

When on a diet, food can be viewed as a temptation. When you adjust your lifestyle as a whole, you aren't depriving yourself. You eliminate feelings of guilt by creating balance. You learn to make better decisions surrounding food and find alternative ways to enjoy what you eat, such as treating yourself to cookie every Monday (because Mondays are hard and sometime you want a sweet treat). 

The Habyt gives you tools to check-in with your mind and body and find your food "cruise control."

The coaches will help you meet your specific goals, but they are also going to teach you habits allow you to maintain your process.

As you dive into the world of macros, you'll learn a lot about food, such as which snacks make you feel energized and which treats are so not worth the macros.

The skills you learn will result is a lifelong adjustment. It's all about being aware of your food options and knowing when to indulge (within reason). Because a cookie-less life is no way to live.