Nutrition and diet: why is it so important? With emotional and physical health sighted as the two most important things necessary to keep up with today's fast-paced lifestyle, why is it so hard to find a nutrition or diet plan that works for you? The large number of "cookie cutter" diet and nutrition plans contributes to many of our failed attempts at healthier living. When searching for self-improvement methods, whether it's a weight-loss plan or simply a better way to feed yourself and your family, the most important thing is to find a program that works with your lifestyle.
Most diet and nutrition plans are designed for the masses without taking the individual into consideration; this includes the way one lives, works and plays. Seeking a qualified nutritionist who can design a program that suits your lifestyle is key in achieving successful and sustained change. Paying money to a mass-marketed weight-loss program is fine, but only if their staff is made up of qualified nutritionists; in most cases, they are not.
Personal growth and self-improvement through nutrition can be a very easy thing to do when you have the right person guiding you on your journey.
So how does it work? Let me give you an example of what I do in my practice. First, I meet with the individual. We discuss all aspects of lifestyle including food likes and dislikes. I stated earlier that the most important thing about a nutrition or weight loss plan is that it must fit your lifestyle. One of the biggest mistakes people make is changing their lifestyle in order to accommodate the new plan. What will happen eventually is that you will go back to your old ways and blow the whole thing. It must be a plan that is complimentary, not only to the way you live, but the foods you enjoy. Any diet that takes away foods you love is bound to fail. All foods are good foods if eaten properly. It's the balance of proteins, carbohydrates (or carbs) and fats that works for your body that is important.
Each person has a "formula" that works for him or her and a qualified professional can help you find that balance. It's amazing how much better you'll feel once you find what does and doesn't work for your body. Not only will you have more energy, but most likely you'll lose weight effortlessly and quickly. Metabolism is the main issue - not really changing it (you are born with and keep the metabolism you have for life), but rather modifying your behavior to make your body work to its full potential. In other words, finding the correct balance of foods that will allow your body to process and USE all the foods you take in daily.
Most bodies are so over-carbed or over-proteined that there is nothing left for the body to do but store what is left over. What food is stored turns into body fat. When the right balance is found, your body will accept what you give it, then use it and dispose of it. Most people have no clue how many carb grams or protein grams they should eat in a day.
When your body is out of food balance, a number of health issues can manifest including: moodiness, irritability, depression, anxiety and digestive disorders such as heartburn and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Since the balance of the food we eat is directly linked to how our bodies work, it makes sense that it will effect how we feel emotionally, as well. As previously stated, when there is an excess of food storage in your system, especially carbohydrates, your body will store the food as body fat, but excess carbs can also affect your moods. Too many carbs make your body experience a false sense of being "high," which is also only temporary. When you come down from that "carb high," you' ll crash. For some people, that crash can trigger a bout of depression or anxiety.
To summarize, the key to preserving good mental and physical health is maintaining the correct balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fat in your body. Once you have accomplished this, you'll be amazed at how much better you'll feel in both mind and body!
About Toni Gerbino
Toni Gerbino is a certified Nutritionist and also has a background in Psychology. In the past she has worked for several Major Weight Loss centers before opening her own private practice in 1989. She specializes in designing individualized lifetime weight loss and basic nutrition programs for each client. Her treatment philosophy is based on her own success at losing 110 pounds and keeping it off for 21 years! Her practice is located at 2337 Lemoine Avenue, Suite 116, Fort Lee, NJ, and can be reached by phone at: 201-224-5973.