You look in the mirror and you do not like what you see, you have continued to put off your own health and appearance to the point your clothes don’t fit and you are unhappy. Just like millions of other people, you decide to “DIET”. Fast forward a few days, weeks or maybe months and all of the sudden you find yourself in the “then some” area. That is, you have gained any weight that you have lost …and then some. Do you know why?
Dieting is adjusting your food intake. This could be to decrease fat, sodium, carbs, or even to increase protein in your eating. The fact is, if you are dieting, you are going to take away things. No one likes to lose and I mean… NO ONE. Even if something is bad for you. I have heard many stories of people who became depressed because they lost weight (by losing fat). While losing fat is good for you, it is still a loss that could affect the psyche. There is also a loss in certain foods one may like, if they are unhealthy. It can lead to a loss of hanging out with friends (an effort to avoid your weakness of eating outside of your diet). In the end, one ends up binge eating and gaining more weight than they started with. Often times, this happens without you even knowing it.
Lets face it, you want to diet because it’s the quickest way to see results and most of the time, much more concise on what to eat and what to dump. I mean, everyone else sees results, it must work! Right?!?
Research clearly shows that we should not diet.
So what should you do?
- Start with your mindset – Research shows that those who are dissatisfied with their body are less successful at losing weight. You can feel good about your body regardless to how you look. point out things you do like about your body. A positive mindset will present positive results
- Moderation is key! Instead of using a diet to cut things out immediately, find a way to slowly take things out. If you drink 3 cokes a day, drop down to 2 for a week or two. At this point, work towards 1 and then to 0. This is not as fast as other options however research is clear, if you want to lose weight and keep it off. Do it slowly. Anything that is quick to provide results often goes the other way just as fast. Be patient, you will receive dividends for it.
Do’s and Don’ts
DON'T deprive yourself – For starters, when we deprive ourselves by eating fewer meals, our body recognizes we don’t eat often and stores food as fat in fear of starving. Eating very little is hard to sustain, and when you slip up, studies show you will probably massively overeat as a rebound effect.
DON'T count calories – The mental effort required to count calories soon leads to burnout, fatigue and resentment, according to research
DON'T cut out entire groups of food – When we avoid something, we end up wanting it more and create desire. Dieters who try this end up eating even more of the taboo treats.
DO Find a few healthy means that you like and cycle through them – Creating an enjoyable routine that does not require much thought is a crucial first step on the road to long term changes.
DO make small changes, one at a time. – By waiting until a healthy choice feels like a habit before adding another, you can avoid the mental fatigue that dooms most dieters.
DO focus on what you like about your body – Research shows that people with a positive body image are more successful at getting and stay fit.
DON’T specify weight you want to lose in lb. - Instead of saying “ I want to lose 20 pounds”, say “I want to be 120 pounds”