It’s Not a Diet: 5 Lifestyle Changes for a Better Body (And Life!)

Let’s, for a moment, forget the diet. Leave behind thoughts that an intense cold-turkey regimen of fitness and restrictive eating leads to a life of self-satisfaction. Studies prove time and time again that dieting has adverse effects—dieters are more likely to gain weight (and to become obese in the next 1 to 15 years) than their non-dieting counterparts. Experts have discovered that your body is wired to reject major weight loss. And, on top of it all, dieting is stressful, and stress can be detrimental to your head, weight, and health. There’s a better, calmer, and much easier way.

According to Manhattan-based celebrity nutritionist Marissa Lippert, making small, long-term lifestyle adjustments is the not-so-secret fail-proof route to a life of health and happiness. Though perhaps less glamorous than a fad gimmick and instant majorly transformative reveal, these five small changes can lead to big improvements.

Focus on Sleep
“Really try to get a minimum of six hours of sleep [per night],” says Lippert, because tired bodies crave energy boosts, often in the form of refined carbohydrates and sugar. This is when you’re more likely to reach for that 4:00 p.m. cupcake rather than a healthier, more nourishing snack. Aside from robbing your body time to perform many essential recovery processes, she adds, “Over time, if you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re prone to weight gain.”
 
Plan Ahead
Scheduling healthy activities into your week the way you might a doctor’s appointment or a work meeting will help you stick to them, says Lippert. “It can be blocking out these three to four [mornings] for exercise classes, or this day I’ll get out early from work so I’ll grocery shop for the week.” Getting there becomes easier because it’s already on the calendar.

Get in the Kitchen
“I really encourage people in Manhattan to cook something at least once a week; for the general public, two to three times a week.” Preparing food yourself, says Lippert, even if it’s just eggs, encourages you to connect with what you’re eating more. “It makes you more aware of what you put on your plate, and what’s going into your body.” Less healthy ingredients like salt and butter are easier to quantify at home, while fruits and vegetables can be added with more control. “Try to make vegetables or salads the focus of your lunch and dinner and, potentially, breakfast. Fruits and vegetables should comprise 50 percent or more of what you’re putting in your mouth every day,” says Lippert, who recommends that, above all things, her clients focus on the following every day: getting enough fruits and vegetables, portion sizes, and drinking enough water. “I don’t care if you eat nothing but bread and cheese on vacation in Paris; come back to these three pillars.”

Fit in Fitness
A key component of any healthy lifestyle is fitness, which Lippert recommends fitting in at least three times per week. Going to the gym, getting on the cult class circuit, or merely walking to pick up coffee in the morning can count. And the more you do it, the more your body will crave it. “Your body gets used to [the movement] and the adrenaline and endorphin release.” Fitness sensitizes your metabolism, stimulates blood flow, and “makes your body work more efficiently as a machine. That, in the end, helps with weight management.”

Quiet Your Mind
“If you can work in 10 minutes of meditation every day, whether that’s just an app or sitting still and being more aware of your own body and how your actions are toward other people and yourself, that helps you manage stress better,” says Lippert. “All of that impacts eating and lifestyle.” She also recommends that, at least for a few weeks, her clients keep a food diary, writing down what they eat, when, and paying attention to how they feel afterward. “Let’s say you have yogurt and fruit for breakfast. If your stomach doesn’t feel well afterward, you’re bloated, or it screws up your digestion, it’s best to limit whatever you had and see if that’s helpful.”

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