You know I love me some makeup!  But there is so much more to “looking (and feeling) Joli good” than just what we put on our faces every day.

What is a diet?  Whether you are consciously on a “weight loss diet”or not, you still have a diet.  A diet can easily be explained as the “set of food rules that you follow for yourself.” Most of us seem to want weight loss at one point or another in our lives.  Is there a magic food formula?  Unfortunately, still NO!  We are not all genetically the same, so what is right for one person is not necessarily best for someone else.

While obesity is a major factor in a lot of diseases,  it is better to focus on health at every size.  Health should not just be a weight goal, but a lifestyle: lots of physical activity, regular meals, good social support.  Instead of just focusing on weight loss, focusing on healthy outcomes such as less cancer, heart disease, and longer life with better quality.

Active obese people tend to live longer than skinny sedentary people.

Losing weight, while it is not easy, isn’t actually the hardest part.  Maintaining that weight loss is trickier.  Overly restrictive diets are hard to maintain.  I am not saying that you have to change everything about your current diet, but sometimes just making small changes here and there make big differenced in the long run.

Studies have shown that something as simple as keeping track of your weight on a consistent basis helps with weight loss.  As well, keeping a food journal can actually double your overall weight loss! I write down everything I eat, whether good or bad to keep myself accountable and aware of what I am actually eating.  I think this is the #1 thing that has helped me to lose weight and I am hoping it will help me to maintain this weight loss in the future.

Think more about what is healthy to eat instead of all of what you should not be eating.

Most of us don’t overeat because we are hungry, we over eat because we are in the habit of overeating.  Some times simple changes like putting the cookies and snacks away in the closet and instead having fruit and veggies easily accessible can make healthy dietary choices easier without being overly conscious of the change.

Moderation: less meat, more veggies, having fruit for dessert and skipping processed foods.

Also, leave room for flexibility!  Make good choices 80% of the time and let yourself have a bit of indulge every once in a while. Healthy is a longterm lifestyle, not a short term quick fix.

Consistency is more important than perfection!

The first time I watched this video by Dr Mike Evens I started taking notes!  I love the way that the vastness and confusion of “healthy eating” and “diets” is broken down into smaller bites (pun totally intended. :-))

 Please take 15 minutes out of your busy day to watch this video!

“Dr. Mike Evans is a staff physician at St. Michael’s Hospital and an Associate Professor of Family Medicine. He is a Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and has an endowed Chair in Patient Engagement and Childhood Nutrition at the University of Toronto. 

Written, Narrated and Produced by Dr. Mike Evans
Illustrations by Liisa Sorsa
Directed, Photographed and Produced by Nick de Pencier
Editor, David Schmidt
Story/Graphic Facilitator, Disa Kauk
Production Assistant, Chris Niesing
Director of Operations, Mike Heinrich”

You can also check out the other interesting health information he has on his website by clicking HERE.

I know I personally feel so much better overall when I eat healthier, not just physically but mentally as well.  What do you think about overall health over weight?

If you would like to read more about my journey from flab to fab click HERE.

I’d love for you to follow me on Instagram Lookingjoligood and on Facebook Lookin Joli Good!