Lose the Dieting Mentality, Just Be Healthy

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If you’re someone who has struggled with yo-yo dieting and/or emotional eating, then keep on reading.

There is so much information out there on different diets that a person can get OVERWHELMED. I just want to keep it simple and give it to you straight.

First, I’m here to tell you, please stop with the dieting mentality. Instead, you should focus more on just being healthy—having a healthy mindset, getting the proper nutrition, exercise, and practicing self-care—which includes loving yourself from the inside out. Yes, that’s right! Love your body and everything about it no matter what and everything else will fall into place. That’s the best part about this whole method as you will be treating yourself well and doing things to take care of YOU first. After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup.

Diets involve restrictions. And, while some people may have success with that it’s not ideal for everyone. Restrictive diets can cause more harm than good for many people. If you restrict something from your diet, in time, it can become increasingly difficult to avoid something particularly during a stressful time of your life. This is where good coping tools come into play. (See previous blog post on stress.)

There are many of us out there who tend to want to eat more, or perhaps we crave unhealthy food when we’re stressed or upset about something (particularly if we’ve been restricting unhealthy food from our diet). Sometimes, it’s just easier to grab junk food. I get that. But, similar to limiting our time with toxic people because it’s unhealthy for us, we should also limit our unhealthy food intake. Everything in moderation.

One thing to keep in mind is that when you do indulge and eat something unhealthy is that you DO NOT feel guilty about it. You do it and move on. Feeling guilty will only intensify things and make you want to keep eating poorly. You’ll start falling into that all or nothing or “I might as well give up” mentality. Nope! You can’t allow that to happen. Just pick up and make your next meal or snack a healthy one.

If you struggle with not knowing what foods are the healthiest and provide you with the most nutrition, then follow @ivytechwellandfit on Facebook and Instagram to get ideas. Or, if you’re an Ivy Tech Evansville student or employee, you can make a health coaching appointment with me to guide you through the process of living a healthier lifestyle and have someone to hold you accountable (which many of us need sometimes.)

If your struggles go way deeper than that and you deal with a lot of pent of anger or depression, then perhaps you should consider seeing a counselor or therapist to help you process everything and get to the root of your problem. Once you do this, then you can learn good coping tools to help you. Until you discover the underlying cause of why you’re not having success in certain aspects of your life, then you’re constantly setting yourself up for failure. Awareness and acceptance are keys to moving forward and having long-term success.

Some of this information may seem overwhelming especially if you’re not ready to make a change in your life. You will know when the time is right and when you’re ready to take better care of YOU. No one can do it for you. It all has to come from within. YOU hold the key!

Doesn’t being happy and healthy in body, mind, and spirit sound wonderful? Wouldn’t it be great to lose the scale and not obsess about your weight every day? Well, it is possible for you, believe it or not. Feel free to comment or ask me any questions on this blog if you’re stuck and needing help on where to go next. I am very passionate about what I do, and as a Health and Wellness Coach, I can say that feeling empowered and making decisions for yourself is a step in the right direction. I have faith in you!

You may also contact me with questions via e-mail at alutzel@ivytech.edu. For more information about the programs we offer at the Ivy Tech Wellness Center, visit our web page at https://www.ivytech.edu/evansville/6630.html.

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Published by alutzel

I developed a passion for wellness after I experienced many years of health issues. Taking care of myself through exercise, healthy eating, and reducing stress, is what led me to a career in wellness. I decided I wanted to help others learn the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. I have been the Wellness Director at Ivy Tech since 2013. I previously worked as a Health Advocate and Personal Trainer at St. Vincent Healthy Lives and prior to that was a Fitness Tech for Ivy Tech and personal trainer and group exercise instructor at the Dunigan YMCA. I also taught classes in senior living centers and conducted private personal training sessions for people of all ages. I have two Bachelor’s degrees from USI in Communications and German. I am a certified Health & Wellness Coach through Wellcoaches and received my personal training certification through the American College of Sports Medicine. I am also Reiki Level II certified and a member of the American College of Sports Medicine® and the International Association for Worksite Health Promotion. I also have a background in mental health and certified in Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid and completed ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) and I'm a QPR Suicide Prevention Instructor. In December 2024, I graduated with a Master of Education in Student Learning and Wellbeing at the University of Missouri. When I'm not exercising, I'm busy volunteering for several organizations including St. Vincent’s No One Dies Alone program. In 2011, I ran in the Marathon for the Cure in Washington, D.C. and raised over $6,200 towards breast cancer research. My mother, who passed away from breast cancer, was my inspiration for doing this. I also competed in several triathlons and love to travel and spend time with my 16-year old daughter, my friends, and my dog and three cats. I love animals and started a pet therapy program at Ivy Tech called Paws ’N Relax to help students manage stress and anxiety during final exams. At Ivy Tech, we are more than just a Fitness Center. We believe in treating the body as a whole and working on body, mind, and spirit. We have programs that focus on the nine area of wellness: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, financial, creative, environmental, and occupational. We offer a Relaxation Lounge and emWavePro Biofeedback program to help manage anxiety. Stress is a contributor to many health issues and we want to make sure you have tools to manage it better. We want to help you live a long, happy, and healthy life. Update: In the Spring of 2023, I was diagnosed with dermatomyositis which is a rare auto-immune disorder that causes rashes and attacks the muscles. I have developed severe muscle atrophy, pain, and weakness. I am still exercising, eating healthy, and managing stress now more than ever. There is no known cause for this condition but it is treated with medication and a healthy lifestyle. I am just taking it one day at a time and continuing to help others learn how to live a healthy lifestyle.

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