It’s that time of the year again when we make resolutions to lose some weight and embrace healthier habits. That usually involves some type of “diet.”
Every year it seems there are more choices. Paleo. Ketogenic. Mediterranean. Weight Watchers. The list goes on.
Which one is best?
It’s a question we get all the time from those who have either begun a slimming program or are considering one. They’re looking for confirmation as to which diet is easy and effective.
But virtually every diet has a serious flaw. It’s the diet part.
Name the diet, and if someone follows it, they’ll likely lose some weight. When they reach their goal, they congratulate themselves and return to their original eating and exercise habits. These are the eating and exercise habits that created the need for a diet in the first place!
Not surprisingly, they’re back to where they began. But now, discouraged and disillusioned. This is such a common condition it even has a name. It’s called the Yo-Yo Diet.
When you resolve to lose some weight, think long term. Instead of a diet, plan on forming a new habit. Plan on a new way of eating and moving that you intend to do for the rest of your life.
We see this in our practice. Many people see their chiropractic care as a short-term “diet” of sorts. They come in religiously when they’re hurting. But discontinue their care when they’re feeling better.
Not surprisingly, later, they experience a return of their original problem.
That’s because your body makes lasting spinal changes with continued care after symptoms subside. In fact, in many cases, because of so many years of neglect, a full correction isn’t possible. Instead, some type of ongoing supportive care is needed. Kind of like brushing and flossing for the rest of your life. It’s a lifestyle choice.
So rather than a brief episode, getting and keeping our nervous systems interference-free is a lifestyle choice. That’s why we have more and more patients who opt to see us on a monthly or twice-monthly basis. They’re the ones that tried the chiropractic diet a couple of times and decided to go for the chiropractic lifestyle.
