What do You have to Gain by switching to a Plant Based Diet?

A question answered by Dr. Pam Popper, Naturopathic Doctor and Founder of the Wellness Forum.  It is true that many people think in terms of what they are giving up rather than focusing on what the real gains are for long term health.

Dear Dr. Pam: I am really struggling right now. I understand the science behind what you are telling people to do about diet. I do want to be healthy. But I really feel like I am giving things up in order to do this and this feels like a loss to me. I am battling with myself every day to stay on track.

I am clearly not a psychologist, but will try to address your very valid concerns based on my own personal experience, as well as the experience we’ve gained from helping many people to change their diets and lifestyles over the years.

I recently had the opportunity to hear Dr. Dean Ornish speak at a CME conference in California. One of the issues he addressed is how to motivate people to want to make change. Fear can be a great motivator; some of the most compliant clients we have are those who are faced with life-threatening illnesses. However, even for those people, fear cannot be the permanent motivator. Instead, Dr. Ornish suggests that we focus on the great benefits that come from practicing dietary excellence – such as the joy of living a healthful, energetic life; feeling great; and looking great. In your case, it might be helpful to focus on what you are gaining, not on what you are giving up.

Thinking differently about an issue can be important in making many aspects of life less difficult. You have probably observed two people having the exact same experience and interpreting it two different ways. The perceptions of the people determine their responses. In your case, look at how you’re talking to yourself about this issue. In the case of dietary change, one person might think about the things they can’t eat anymore, while the other is thinking about how fun it is to try new foods and recipes, plotting how to serve healthy food without family and friends knowing about it, and looking for new restaurants to visit. Both people are doing the same thing, but with a totally different approach based on their attitudes.

I have found that people do better in business, in life, and with health improvement when their daily activities are part of a bigger plan that outlines their goals and value systems. Having an overriding philosophy that governs your decisions on a daily basis is easier than facing each decision as an isolated event.

So, for example, my life’s goals include making a big impact on healthcare worldwide. Accomplishing my goals requires me to be alive and productive for many more decades. In order to have credibility, I need to be healthy and look like the picture of health. Making decisions every day to exercise and eat well is easier when motivated by those goals than it would be to just grit my teeth and not eat something I think I want, or suck it up and go to the gym one more time.

A little time to figure out how dietary excellence and optimal habits fits into the overall scheme of your life may help you to feel more enthusiastic about the changes you are making. Referring to your process as dietary improvement instead of referencing the things you are giving up may also help. Also, remember that change is difficult. If it were not, everyone would get rid of their bad habits and do the right thing all of the time. Be patient with yourself and don’t quit. The only people who don’t succeed are the ones who quit.