If you scan the magazine racks these days, you’ll see the word DIET a lot more than you’ll see the word EXERCISE, and that’s not because we’re consonant-rationing. Our society is currently in a diet restriction mentality, rather than a physical challenge mentality, something a number of sociologists have tied to cultures experiencing simultaneous affluence and insecurity.
A healthy diet is important to overall well-being, but calorie restriction and focusing on food exclusively isn’t the answer to health. All other factors being equal, exercise has more beneficial effects than diet, including weight control.
If you’re going to be incorporating one change at a time into your life (a healthy way to ensure consistent progress) and prioritizing which should come first, I’d urge you to think about the following quote, which I read in a long-lost magazine article probably twenty years ago.
Would you rather be a person who pushes yourself or one who deprives yourself?
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raincoaster media 
azahar
May 1, 2007
Deprivation is, by definition, a negative concept … doing more in terms of getting out and exercising is a positive and self-affirming activity.
But it’s often hard to make the ‘leap’ from feeling low in the ol’ self-esteem department and doing things that actually make you feel good. It can sometimes feel more familiar, and thereby almost more ‘comforting’, to do things that ‘fit’ with how you are feeling about yourself. Like depriving yourself of food you enjoy, because somehow you feel like you deserve to be punished for having let things slide. But this only continues the vicious circle thing.
I think the thing we often forget when we have allowed ourselves to become ‘unfit and unhealthy’ (for some this also means getting fat, but not always) is that it actually took a really long time to get that way. And it’s always easier going downhill.
As so many have suggested on this blog, if you can’t make that ‘leap’ then just take it one step at a time. Be patient with yourself. Love your body just as it is now and, because you love it, help it to feel better and look better. And accept that it will take time to get to where you want to be.
Food intake actually has very little to do with weight gain and feeling unhealthy (well, unless you have very extreme chronic over-eating habits). For most it’s a question of just getting out there and doing more. I know that sounds simplistic but ‘simple’ usually works. And since it’s rather simple, well, why not try it? One step at a time.
‘Diets’ only screw up your own natural metabolism. Many studies have shown that the more you put yourself on extreme calorie-restricted diets, the more your body will rebel and you may well end up never being able to eat in a normal healthy way again without putting on weight.
As a resource tool I would suggest reading Susie Orbach’s very short but also very wise book called On Eating, which I have talked about on my azahar blog. It’s one of the most intelligent things I’ve ever read about why and how we eat, and about how to re-learn healthy personal eating habits that will mean you’ll never have to diet again.
That’s a rather scary pic of Keira up there – I actually looked like that when I was 19 and still thought I was fat. Go figure.
raincoaster
May 1, 2007
I know Suze Orbach’s financial advice is sound. I’ll take a look at your post. Thanks for this, great points. I really do need to do a post on behaviorism, as it really helps people with the whole chicken or egg motivation thing.
Kiera is a lovely woman, but she was lovelier twenty five pounds heavier, when she was still skinny.
mcgheetraining
May 1, 2007
I like the way you think. That’s a great point you bring up.
raincoaster
May 1, 2007
Glad you enjoyed it.
prlinkbiz
May 5, 2007
I was picking up my little guy from preschool yesterday, and I overheard some of the ladies talking about their new diets, diet pills, etc. Sure they could lose a few pounds. However, their methods aren’t working. Whereas I really started getting serious about working out this last year- I go bust my bootie three days a week with a trainer now- and I have seen amazing results. But it takes effort- and it is well worth it!
raincoaster
May 5, 2007
Congratulations on your achievement. Also, welcome to the blogroll: I stole a quote from your site that will go live on Tuesday I think.
Where you’re coming from you can see the reward for taking your fate into your own hands; if only more people could see how real and how empowering that is BEFORE they start on these self-destructive diets or quack medicines. People still pine for fen-phen, even thought it actually killed a significant number of people. There IS a simple cure for overweight syndrome: exercise and eating healthy.
Doug
May 8, 2007
Unfortunately, “simple” doesn’t necessarily equate to “easy”…
raincoaster
May 8, 2007
That is very true. Hell, if it weren’t, there’d be no need for any of this blog. All we can do is try to reinforce the positive choices we each make, and recognize and avoid the negative ones. Baby steps. Every Marathon champion started with baby steps; they’ll take you where you need to go if you make enough of them in the right direction.