With almost everything these days I'm waiting till the last minute to order since money matters are tricky but also there are always so many changes that seem to pop up with his stuff that it seems pointless to rush into a preorder anyway. I'm content to just wait and see what happens.
As for "diet" and "lifestyle change" its really a matter of connotation. Traditionally "diet" means some kind of deprivation with the primary goal of losing weight. "Lifestyle change" however is basically a change in how we view and use food. Food is the fuel our body needs and we need to give it the proper kinds of food that will support it rather than harm it. Rather than just eating to fulfill hunger pangs and achieve pleasure we must take the body's needs into consideration, not just the cravings. I've never had a BAD diet but in the last few years I have adjusted a lot. I've reduced carbs significantly though not as much as I'd like since it isn't currently financially viable for me, and eat as many fruits and vegetables and good proteins as I'm able. Sugar is my biggest weakness and I still do consume a fair amount but it is also significantly reduced from a few years ago. I still admit to a kind of sugar addiction which I always struggle with it but I don't deny myself too much or else I am more likely to binge. I do have a family history of diabetes and this was even more motivation for me to make some fundamental changes in my approach to food. So, as I interpret it, a "diet" is inevitably a short term strategy of deprivation, aiming only to reduce wait and which more often than not fails whereas a "lifestyle change" is a new approach to the relationship between food and the body that is taken as a journey with the goal of being general overall health. We all have to find our own best balance with the foods we eat an incorporate that into our overall lifestyle. I am a full supporter of this approach!
Thank you! Yeah, I think of them in pretty much exactly the same way as you do, of course you described it a lot more thoroughly and concisely! XD
Do you think it's easier to maintain a relatively carb-free diet in Japan than in US, or is it the other way around? I know I'll be tempted to eat bread and rice in Japan (because they do taste much better than they do here). :/ I also know that veggies and fruits are so expensive in Japan that I wonder how easy or difficult it is to eat healthy when you're on a budget in Japan.
So, diabetes runs in your family, too. Isn't it amazing what a simple piece of information like that can be a strong motivation to make some changes you need? I think that I might have had a lot more fat on my body and higher glucose levels if I'd never been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and therefore, never made any change.
I also agree that this change in eating habit is only one part of an overall lifestyle change. We tend to keep living without being really conscious of what we put into our body, or how much stress we're putting our own bodies under. In a way, a lifestyle change is a decision you make to start living more consciously.
Ok, finally getting back to you here, I am slow with everything these days ^^;;
Personally, its hard to say where it is more difficult to go carb free. I don't care for the bread and rice available here and the choices are very limited. I prefer whole grain breads, basically nonexistant in Japan, and long grain brown or wild rices, also very very difficult to come by here. Most of what is here is the very starchy white stuff and I avoid it as much as possible. However, if I buy any kind of pre-made meal it is sure to contain and over abundance of carbs. If I want to avoid carbs I must cook for myself but like you said, fresh produce is really expensive, even most meat and fish is pretty pricy. In the US, selection is different and some things are easier to get but others are more difficult. I find that the US has a lot more temptations that threaten to ruin a healthy diet, particularly in the forms of convenience foods and sweets. I think I'd have to conclude that each place has its own unique challenges to eating healthy, I can't clearly say which might be more diffiucult.
Yes, that information CAN be a strong motivator, unfortunately it doesn't work on everyone. A few of my family members really do not take very good care of their bodies and offer up the same excuses most people use despite the shared family history.
"a lifestyle change is a decision you make to start living more consciously." Yes, I think that's a good way to think about it. It does include more than food, it can include many aspects of our "lifestyle" as a whole. In popular use it often includes a change in physical activity as well. This is another thing that I've experimented with a lot over the years but only within the last year have I finally found a program that I can stay committed to and achieved real results. In fact, I'd say I'm in the best shape of my life right now and I look forward to continued improvement. In the end it is really a journey anyway, as our situations change our lifestyle must change accordingly but if we remain conscious about it, we can make those changes to continue benefitting our bodies and our lives.
Oh, thank you for getting back to me, Jai! ^^ You know what, I'd totally forgotten about the lack of varieties in the types of bread and noodles in Japan. @_@;;; You're right, you can't find 'darker' breads in Japan very easily. Hmmm, very interesting. Different challenges await you in different locations indeed.
You're right, some people choose to ignore the warning signs, clear or vague. My late aunts probably chose to ignore it for far too long until it was too late. And some people here in the US abuse their insulin pump and keep pigging out. There's something very grotesque about that, don't you think? You're choosing to completely ignore your own body's screams.
I'm glad you found an exercise program you like! My problem is, I don't like exercise and I tend to get bored fast. I've never been on one thing longer than 6 months or so (which was kickboxing). :/
As for "diet" and "lifestyle change" its really a matter of connotation. Traditionally "diet" means some kind of deprivation with the primary goal of losing weight. "Lifestyle change" however is basically a change in how we view and use food. Food is the fuel our body needs and we need to give it the proper kinds of food that will support it rather than harm it. Rather than just eating to fulfill hunger pangs and achieve pleasure we must take the body's needs into consideration, not just the cravings. I've never had a BAD diet but in the last few years I have adjusted a lot. I've reduced carbs significantly though not as much as I'd like since it isn't currently financially viable for me, and eat as many fruits and vegetables and good proteins as I'm able. Sugar is my biggest weakness and I still do consume a fair amount but it is also significantly reduced from a few years ago. I still admit to a kind of sugar addiction which I always struggle with it but I don't deny myself too much or else I am more likely to binge. I do have a family history of diabetes and this was even more motivation for me to make some fundamental changes in my approach to food.
So, as I interpret it, a "diet" is inevitably a short term strategy of deprivation, aiming only to reduce wait and which more often than not fails whereas a "lifestyle change" is a new approach to the relationship between food and the body that is taken as a journey with the goal of being general overall health. We all have to find our own best balance with the foods we eat an incorporate that into our overall lifestyle. I am a full supporter of this approach!
Reply
Yeah, I think of them in pretty much exactly the same way as you do, of course you described it a lot more thoroughly and concisely! XD
Do you think it's easier to maintain a relatively carb-free diet in Japan than in US, or is it the other way around? I know I'll be tempted to eat bread and rice in Japan (because they do taste much better than they do here). :/ I also know that veggies and fruits are so expensive in Japan that I wonder how easy or difficult it is to eat healthy when you're on a budget in Japan.
So, diabetes runs in your family, too. Isn't it amazing what a simple piece of information like that can be a strong motivation to make some changes you need? I think that I might have had a lot more fat on my body and higher glucose levels if I'd never been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and therefore, never made any change.
I also agree that this change in eating habit is only one part of an overall lifestyle change. We tend to keep living without being really conscious of what we put into our body, or how much stress we're putting our own bodies under. In a way, a lifestyle change is a decision you make to start living more consciously.
Reply
Personally, its hard to say where it is more difficult to go carb free. I don't care for the bread and rice available here and the choices are very limited. I prefer whole grain breads, basically nonexistant in Japan, and long grain brown or wild rices, also very very difficult to come by here. Most of what is here is the very starchy white stuff and I avoid it as much as possible. However, if I buy any kind of pre-made meal it is sure to contain and over abundance of carbs. If I want to avoid carbs I must cook for myself but like you said, fresh produce is really expensive, even most meat and fish is pretty pricy. In the US, selection is different and some things are easier to get but others are more difficult. I find that the US has a lot more temptations that threaten to ruin a healthy diet, particularly in the forms of convenience foods and sweets. I think I'd have to conclude that each place has its own unique challenges to eating healthy, I can't clearly say which might be more diffiucult.
Yes, that information CAN be a strong motivator, unfortunately it doesn't work on everyone. A few of my family members really do not take very good care of their bodies and offer up the same excuses most people use despite the shared family history.
"a lifestyle change is a decision you make to start living more consciously."
Yes, I think that's a good way to think about it. It does include more than food, it can include many aspects of our "lifestyle" as a whole. In popular use it often includes a change in physical activity as well. This is another thing that I've experimented with a lot over the years but only within the last year have I finally found a program that I can stay committed to and achieved real results. In fact, I'd say I'm in the best shape of my life right now and I look forward to continued improvement.
In the end it is really a journey anyway, as our situations change our lifestyle must change accordingly but if we remain conscious about it, we can make those changes to continue benefitting our bodies and our lives.
Reply
You know what, I'd totally forgotten about the lack of varieties in the types of bread and noodles in Japan. @_@;;; You're right, you can't find 'darker' breads in Japan very easily.
Hmmm, very interesting. Different challenges await you in different locations indeed.
You're right, some people choose to ignore the warning signs, clear or vague. My late aunts probably chose to ignore it for far too long until it was too late. And some people here in the US abuse their insulin pump and keep pigging out. There's something very grotesque about that, don't you think? You're choosing to completely ignore your own body's screams.
I'm glad you found an exercise program you like! My problem is, I don't like exercise and I tend to get bored fast. I've never been on one thing longer than 6 months or so (which was kickboxing). :/
Reply
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