Grill. Pan fry. Butter steak. Reverse sear. Slow-cooked. Sous vide. Afterburner. Steak Tartare.
Gordon Ramsay and Wolfgang Puck can prepare the same cut of steak two completely different ways and yet, the end result is still two delicious steak dinners. Everything from how long the steak cooks to how it’s seasoned is subjective. Cooking doesn’t require a recipe. A pinch of that seasoning and a dash of this one gets the job done. One doesn’t even need to be a skilled chef to work with steak for the first time.
This is not how it works with baking.
You can not tell Gordon and Wolfgang to make a chocolate truffle torte they’ve never made, without measuring spoons and cups and the basics of a recipe, and expect it to be a Michelin star-worthy dessert. Baking is scientific. The baker must have an understanding of the exact measurements needed for the dessert, or it will not be successful.
Maintaining weight is a lot like cooking. If overall you have a decent understanding of how to live a healthy life, you can maintain your weight by engaging in healthy habits the majority of the time (consistent sleep, nutrient-filled diet, exercise, etc.). But if you want to lose weight this is not enough.
This is why someone can workout consistently every week and not lose weight. It’s not enough to approach weight loss like cooking. Sweating up a storm isn’t shrinking your waistline if you’re still eating unhealthy foods and drinking sugar and/or alcohol-laden beverages.
To lose weight, your nutrition must be on-point.
Times Magazine published The Weight Loss Trap: Why Your Diet Isn’t Working in May 2017. The article shares three statistics that prove there is a disconnect between the desire to be healthy and achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- The weight-loss industry (diet pills, meal plans, gym memberships, etc.) is worth $66.3 billion.
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) spent $931 million in funding for obesity research.
- Around the world, 2.2 billion people are overweight.
These statistics make it clear: People are paying big bucks to get healthy and yet, they’re not reaching their weight-loss and health goals.
Imagine if those with a desire to increase their health and decrease their waistline approached both their goals like first-time bakers approach a New York-style cheesecake, with a recipe and understanding that every ingredient’s measurement matters.
If someone is honest with themselves and takes the time to step back and evaluate their lifestyle choices, the reason weight loss isn’t happening is clear. Someone may eat healthy the majority of the day, but the sweet tea consumed with their lunch has more sugar than ice cream. Someone may work out five times a week, but the alcohol on the weekends deletes their weekly efforts. On top of this, many do not eat enough protein (chicken, eggs, lean beef, etc.). Others convince themselves the size of their sugary concoction suggests a healthy choice. It’s only a medium chocolate cherry ice cream blizzard, not large. I use 2% milk in the Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino, not whole milk. The rule of thumb is that if you feel the need to defend your food choices, it’s extremely likely your food choices aren’t supporting your overall health goals.
So, preheat the oven (i.e. research nutrition and healthy living and tell yourself that your body and mind deserve to operate at their highest level), follow the recipe (i.e. commit to healthier choices), keep the dessert in the oven until it’s baked (i.e. stay focused until your health goals are accomplished) and then, take the dessert out of the oven and turn the oven off (i.e. shift gears from baking to cooking, and enjoy a balanced life that allows you to maintain your new healthy weight).
Honesty is the best policy, as we all know when dealing with others. But what many people fail to realize is that they also need to be honest with themselves. Step back, evaluate, and ask yourself if you are treating your food and drink choices like you are cooking or baking? Your honest answer may be what catapults you to change your perspective and approach to weight loss and healthy living, which may very well be the puzzle piece that makes all the difference.
Author: Evelyn Lindell
Certified Health & Wellness Coach
If you are in the process of transitioning off of medications to EMPower Plus we do suggest that you reach out to the TrueHope support team before making any decisions to alter your diet or weight.