Oh great, it’s that time of year again. Spring has sprung, the weather is beautiful, cuffing season is over, and it’s time to show some skin. But there is a voice in your head that is telling you that ‘”you’re not good enough, you’re not beautiful enough, you’re not “thin” enough.”’ I get it. Seriously I do.
First and foremost, fu*k that voice.
I’m 100% about this fitness life, getting in shape, and throwing weights in the gym but I cannot accept negative reinforcements. Whatever the reason you choose to diet for, I hope to God that your motivation is not tied to feeling less inferior to your counterparts. Your weight and body shape should never be the #1 motivation unless it is life-threatening or health related.
Get fit because you want to. Fu*k the haters. But I digress.
I want to let you all know a secret. Listen closely because you don’t want to miss this part.
I….absolutely…. hate diets and dieting.
Yes, me Kingsley the Fittest blogger hates it with a passion. (Ha am I really speaking in 3rd person?)
Furthermore, chances are, you have been dieting all wrong anyhow. Let’s break this shit down.
You’re doing it wrong
The general consensus for dieting in America lately has been no Carbs, no Fat, eat less, and exercise more. This is where the huge misconception about dieting begins.First thing we should all understand is that dieting is like a test. If you dont take the time to study and practice for the final exam, then chances are you will probably fail. Just like dieting, if you dont take the time to study and properly prep for success, then you will also fail
Second thing we should all understand is that “low fat” and “low sugar” lie has always been just brilliant marketing strategy created by the food industry pre the Reagan administration. The “no carb” myth that soon followed decades later.
The food industry execs are evil marketing geniuses
Pre and during the Reagan administration, the food industry went rampant making all types of claims of food such as their product will help “you lose fat without losing muscle” or the infamous “ Milk will make your bones stronger” or my favorite “eating Campbell soup can prevent heart disease.”The advertising of these claims were embedded in baby boomers over decades which they would later pass on to their children.
Fortunately, one of the Bush administrations and Congress did something right and passed the “Nutrition Labeling and Education Act” in 1992 which created stricter laws about advertising and preventing illegitimate claims.
This act prevented companies liked Frosted Flakes from not disclosing that their cereal was actually 40 percent sugar and that a large proportion of its calories have no nutritional value.
Anyhow, fast forward to 2017.
Food is still being packaged as low fat, and people still think that if they don’t eat fat, then they won’t store it either. Welp, that’s just not true. Fat is a vital macro-nutrient that we all need and even more so for women who need it to remain chemically balanced.
And don’t think I forgot about the “no carb” myth. Too many times, I have heard people talk about how they are on a no carb diet. Yet they only lost five pounds in two months…
You need carbs dummy! They are your body’s quickest source of energy.
If you choose to restrict your carb intake, then that is fine but no carbs can increase your chances of going into a catabolic state in which your body will break down your muscle molecules in an effort to provide energy for the body.
The Ultimate killer of all diets
One of my favorite lies of all time is “Diet” soda. Yes, diet mothaf*ckin soda.I think the worst part about diet soda is that the people who drink it still don’t realize that it’s not helping them lose weight.
Think about it for a second, the people who drink diet sodas are typically overweight or obese, yet they let themselves be fooled into thinking they’re doing something.
And let’s not forget the “zero calorie” options. Yes there may be zero calories or “no sugar” but the sweeteners yall, the sweeteners!!!
Sweeteners and sugar are the biggest culprits to why a diet fails. Sugars is pretty much in everything. Diet soda, regular soda, beer, processed foods, juices, McDonalds, and even in your zero calories Pepsi. Yet there is not a big enough group of people telling the public that sugar is worse than Carbs or fat.
And just to be clear, were not talking about your typical table sugar. I am referring to the many different kinds of sugar found in food such sweeteners, glucose, corn syrup, and fructose.
Sugar not burned as energy or excreted from the body WILL turn into triglycerides. Otherwise known as fat. For those who are dieting but decide to not reduce sugar intake will quickly become accustomed to blaming their diet for miserable results.
Diet the right way
The first step is to realize that diets are not meant to be forever. In the weightlifting and bodybuilding world, you will often hear people talking about the bulking and cutting phase. Cutting phase my friends is probably the purest form of dieting.You create well written plan on how, what, and when to eat each week. This plan has an end date. It’s not meant for you to diet when you feel like it one week, then do eat whatever you want the next week.
The second step is to figure out if it’s not actually a diet you need to get on but a lifestyle that you will need to change. No one is going to sit there and tell you how to live your life. But if you want to be able to eat whatever you want, then you got to focus.
Take a week and really examine how you nourish your body. Shit, even take notes if you have to about the things you eat. Be eccentric and always try to find out how much sugar is in the food you’re eating.
Tip: Look at the labels. The ingredients are listed in the order of what’s in it the most. So if you see a label like this;
Then throw that shit in the bushes and run!
Be cognizant of what you put in your body and make a few lifestyle change. That include working out regularly and eating whole foods that you make yourself.
Key takeaways
• Diets are meant to be short term. If you been on a diet for the last year and it’s not working, then you my friend have to step back and analyze what you’ve been doing wrong. If you plan to cut down, cut down the correct way.
• For the best results, you should come to a point in life where what you eat will be have to be a lifestyle shift. If you want to live a more prosperous, healthy, and fulfilling life, changing the way you live your life in the kitchen is a step you don’t want to skip.
• Low fat and no calorie labels can often deceive you. If you’re counting your macros, the low fat products are good options but never let your self be deceived about no calorie drinks.
• Be wary of “The no-carb myth” – people think carbs are the biggest factor since they essentially are broken down into sugar (glycogen) that is used by the body for energy. My suggestion is if you’re cutting is to know restrict your carb, don’t get rid of them.
• Sugar is your enemy.
One last thing I want to say that I didn’t mention before is to never compare yourself to others. If you have a “goals” picture of someone that’s not you posted somewhere in your house, then I want to go grab that picture and burn it. Because that person is not you. There is only one you. And the fact that you’re sitting wherever reading this post means you’re serious about making a change. You’re on your way. So what if some people can eat whatever they want and have a great body. That’s just the hand dealt by God. Don’t let it deter you from your goals. If you’re focused on building muscles or losing weight, then you have to not ever give AF about what other people are doing. Do you. Happy Lifting!
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