administrative center Why the way we approach diet is all wrong By Dr. Sharon Stills, NMD Many of my patients struggle with their diets. They think they have to give up all the foods they love like pizza, fries and sweets — and they just can t face it. That leaves them stuck in a bad place. So we re going to talk now about how to get un-stuck! The problem really is severe. A recent scientific report looked at women who d had a heart attack or stroke, and the choices they made to recover. The women were offered several options: dietary changes, exercise, stress reduction, life coaching or prescription drugs. Guess what? Women chose taking a prescription drug over making dietary changes at a rate of 10 to 1! And they did it even after the side effects of the drugs were fully disclosed. Why is it so hard to make dietary changes? We all have to eat but some of us have real trouble leaving behind the tempting foods that are making us fat and unhealthy. So, how can you change your mind to be more successful at really changing your diet for good? Janet Nelson, a professor at the University of Southern Maine, has the right advice: “You need to frame the change mentally and emotionally if you want it to be lasting. It makes sense to go back to the beginning if you truly want to change your eating habits. If you don t change your way of thinking first, you won t be able to change your diet, or anything else. I tell my patients to start by writing about it. Envision what your world will be like after you make the change. If you don t like writing, simply list words or even draw or doodle little pictures that represent the change. Not into drawing either? Then dialogue with yourself in the car or have a conversation with the bathroom mirror. The point is, make sure you discuss the change with yourself in detail before even trying to take action. Now that you have a hint at what the future might look like, it s time to experiment with a few small changes — nothing serious. You could start by temporarily substituting nuts for chips. Or seltzer with lime for soda. Or berries for cake at dessert time. Don t commit to making the changes permanent at this point. Simply try them out and then evaluate how you feel about each one. I keep a list of the changes I have tried to make in my life. I ll make a star next to the ones that I like, and cross out the ones that I don t. After I zero in on two or three changes that fit me, I agree to stick with those little shifts for one week. Rewarding yourself no matter what — you deserve it Before my “change week starts, I plan a reward for myself. It doesn t matter if I succeed or fail in making the changes during the week: I still give myself the reward for trying. And then I write or dialogue with myself about what I liked and disliked about the week. I might take a few days off and then try again another week. One of the biggest mistakes women make when they want to change their diet is trying to change too much at the same time. Turning your entire diet upside down all at once is an approach that doesn t work for most women (or men), so don t get caught in that trap when you want to alter the way you eat. Once you ve identified some changes that you are comfortable with, try them out while you re with your friends. My advice is simply to make the change without making a big deal about it. For example, have your two besties over for pizza night but serve nuts instead of chips and dip. Make the pizza yourself instead of ordering it so you can control what s on it. Turn it into a pizza-making party! Skip dessert (or eat those berries) and take a short walk together after you eat. Better yet, rent your favorite movie and gather around to watch it after dinner. That s a pretty sweet way to spend an evening. Change is a process that must begin in the mind. If you can change your mind first, changing your diet might not be so darn hard after all. Want more ideas for a diet that works with your life? Read our blog Don't let your diet ruin your social life . can most likely
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