What Is The Difference Between A Diet And A Lifestyle Change?

Are you looking for an eating pattern that helps you to lose weight quickly, say in a month or two (at least a few pounds)?

Would you not prefer a way out that will sustain the weight loss for a longer period, although would show slower results in the beginning but weight loss is consistent and there to stay?

Would you support a pattern that follows less stringent rules and leaves room for delightful variations from daily eating routines?

If your answer to the first question is 'yes', then you are looking for a strict diet which could be any, say Milk diet, Keto diet, South Beach diet, Vegan diet and a lot more. You would have to get an appointment fixed for consultation with the professional dietician. S/he would suggest the type of diet to be should be following, to get the desired results.

But if you agree to the last two options then you probably are looking for a lifestyle change which is quite different from dieting, conceptually and practically.

An Overview

A diet program user may not bring a change in the overall lifestyle as dieting is concentrated towards eating habits, its schedule, and composition.

However, a change in lifestyle has a wider impact on the follower's life. Lifestyle change is permanent by nature and hence its results are successful.

Let us have a quick look at some of the difference between dieting and lifestyle change:

1. Lifestyle Changes Are There To Stay

Opting for a lifestyle change includes incorporating changes forever in the way you lead life. There is never falling back to your old habits. Like planning regarding your meal timings and composition of meals is roping change in the lifestyle. On the other hand following a certain kind of a diet that is a current fad for a few months and then falling back to your normal eating habits has short term impacts.

2. Bringing the Balance with the Change

Changing the lifestyle is all about balancing life, which is the key to persistence. Change in lifestyle can easily accommodate little changes in the eating, sleeping or drinking pattern, occasionally, as the follower tends to fall back towards changes which are now the habits.

On the contrary, people on dieting often develop the feeling of being deprived, defeated or sometimes overwhelmed due to quick results.

Dieting hardily has room for changes from the prescribed schedules of the professional dietitians.

3. Becomes Part of the Daily Routine

However hard you may try but dieting can never become part of your daily routine, as sometimes you will give up this practice. A change in lifestyle becomes the natural habitat of the follower because the focus is on maintaining the changed routine/habits rather than following a particular eating pattern.

For example, taking up stairs regularly or bicycling for at least half an hour daily, instead of going on milk or a water diet for a day in a week, would prove to be healthier in the long run.

4. No Need for Repeated Consultation

Unlike dieting that requires weekly or a monthly consultation with a dietitian, a lifestyle change once incorporated, doesn't require repeated consultation from professionals. For instance, you can plan healthy meals of your own rather than fixing a temporary pattern for your meal which is difficult to follow for a lifetime.

Towards the End

Planning healthy eating anytime, anywhere and every time is a lifestyle change whereas following a particular kind of recipe comes under the dieting categories. Incorporating healthy eating habits such as lessen the sugar-sweetened beverages intake, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, choosing nutritious foods over junk food coupled with soothing music has wider impact on your body and soul.

Now the choice is yours, see if you want a better tomorrow or just the perfect temporary bodily look?