The truth is that most of the time, pursuing weight loss doesn\u2019t actually work in the long run, and weight loss doesn\u2019t always result in a person becoming healthier.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Take a moment to read some of the reasons why diets don\u2019t work and why they can have negative consequences. Next week we\u2019ll cover what you can do instead.<\/p>\n
Reason #1: Dieting can lead to disordered eating patterns or a bad relationship with food.<\/strong><\/h3>\nRestricting and counting things like macros and calories can lead to obsessive and disordered behaviors such as skipping meals, ignoring hunger cues, extreme exercise, and worry and concern overeating.\u00a0 Many diets teach deprivation rather than nourishment.<\/p>\n
Plus, most dieters are obsessed with the number on the scale, allowing that number to dictate their mood that day, what they eat, and sometimes even their value in the world.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy to become constantly dissatisfied with your body, obsessed with the number on the scale, and worried about eating the \u201cright\u201d food. Overall, diets can reshape and damage your relationship with food and eating.<\/p>\n
Reason #2: Dieting is associated with weight gain, not weight loss.<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe irony, amiright? But it\u2019s true! The pursuit of weight loss is actually associated with weight gain! There\u2019s typically weight loss at first, but then almost every dieter ends up gaining the weight back that they lose.<\/p>\n
Even those who maintain the changes for a few years will regain weight within 5 years because the body is designed to resist starvation and therefore will push back against any efforts to change weight using a cascade of hormones and neurotransmitters.<\/p>\n
Basically, restrictive eating slows down metabolism to try to preserve body weight. Plus, depriving yourself of food can lead to a binge-eating cycle, where you\u2019re trying to \u201cbe good\u201d one second and then stuffing your face the next second.<\/p>\n
I won\u2019t bore you with all the science, but suffice it to say, our body won’t go down without a fight if it thinks it\u2019s being starved.<\/p>\n
Reason #3: People trying to lose weight will get stuck in the \u201cdieting cycle\u201d.<\/strong><\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/174\/UCAN-Cycle-of-Dieting-scaled-e1636431446860-464x348.jpg\")
The dieting cycle shows the negative effects of dieting that can lead to harmful behaviors.<\/p>\n
\n- The cycle starts with the temptation to diet. You might have thoughts such as \u201cmy eating patterns are out of control,\u201d or \u201cI need to do better with my diet.\u201d<\/li>\n
- This leads to restriction where you might have thoughts along the lines of \u201cI shouldn\u2019t be eating this food, food group, or macronutrient,\u201d or \u201cThis food is not healthy and I am on a diet.\u201d<\/li>\n
- These thought patterns may lead to obsessive thoughts and cravings. You might find yourself thinking \u201cI wish I could eat this certain food,\u201d or \u201cI\u2019ve really been craving this food but I should not be eating it.\u201d<\/li>\n
- This leads to binging and overeating. You might think \u201cI\u2019m just going to eat this food and eat as much as I want of it. I will do better tomorrow\u201d.<\/li>\n
- The binging and overeating can lead to guilt and shame. You might find yourself having thoughts of \u201cI have no control.\u201d or \u201cI can\u2019t believe I ate that.\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m a bad person.\u201d<\/li>\n
- From here the cycle continues and spirals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Reason #4: Diets only focus on food, not overall health.<\/strong><\/h3>\nThere are so many aspects of health, and what you eat is just one of them. Living a healthy lifestyle has to do with a lot more than diet alone. There are actually 7 other dimensions of wellness aside from the physical aspect. These include emotional, social, intellectual, occupational, environmental, spiritual, and financial health. Check out the link<\/a> to further explore these topics.<\/p>\nReason #5: Diets aren\u2019t one-size-fits-all.<\/strong><\/h3>\nEveryone\u2019s body is very different and therefore, everyone\u2019s needs vary. Underlying conditions, weight, height, personal lifestyle goals, genetics, and allergies can all affect what the body needs.<\/p>\n
For example, a person with diabetes could be seriously harmed by the ketogenic diet, as it cuts out a majority of carbs. People with diabetes need carbs to stabilize their blood sugar.<\/p>\n
Or, consider the fact that often foods recommended for certain diets are really expensive and they just may not be affordable for some people.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In sum, diets suck. Pursuing weight loss isn\u2019t the answer. The answer is to find sustainable and enjoyable patterns that fit your lifestyle. Let go of the scale and embrace the body you\u2019re in. More details to come in next week\u2019s blog!<\/p>\n\n
The irony, amiright? But it\u2019s true! The pursuit of weight loss is actually associated with weight gain! There\u2019s typically weight loss at first, but then almost every dieter ends up gaining the weight back that they lose.<\/p>\n
Even those who maintain the changes for a few years will regain weight within 5 years because the body is designed to resist starvation and therefore will push back against any efforts to change weight using a cascade of hormones and neurotransmitters.<\/p>\n
Basically, restrictive eating slows down metabolism to try to preserve body weight. Plus, depriving yourself of food can lead to a binge-eating cycle, where you\u2019re trying to \u201cbe good\u201d one second and then stuffing your face the next second.<\/p>\n
I won\u2019t bore you with all the science, but suffice it to say, our body won’t go down without a fight if it thinks it\u2019s being starved.<\/p>\n
Reason #3: People trying to lose weight will get stuck in the \u201cdieting cycle\u201d.<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe dieting cycle shows the negative effects of dieting that can lead to harmful behaviors.<\/p>\n
\n- The cycle starts with the temptation to diet. You might have thoughts such as \u201cmy eating patterns are out of control,\u201d or \u201cI need to do better with my diet.\u201d<\/li>\n
- This leads to restriction where you might have thoughts along the lines of \u201cI shouldn\u2019t be eating this food, food group, or macronutrient,\u201d or \u201cThis food is not healthy and I am on a diet.\u201d<\/li>\n
- These thought patterns may lead to obsessive thoughts and cravings. You might find yourself thinking \u201cI wish I could eat this certain food,\u201d or \u201cI\u2019ve really been craving this food but I should not be eating it.\u201d<\/li>\n
- This leads to binging and overeating. You might think \u201cI\u2019m just going to eat this food and eat as much as I want of it. I will do better tomorrow\u201d.<\/li>\n
- The binging and overeating can lead to guilt and shame. You might find yourself having thoughts of \u201cI have no control.\u201d or \u201cI can\u2019t believe I ate that.\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m a bad person.\u201d<\/li>\n
- From here the cycle continues and spirals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Reason #4: Diets only focus on food, not overall health.<\/strong><\/h3>\nThere are so many aspects of health, and what you eat is just one of them. Living a healthy lifestyle has to do with a lot more than diet alone. There are actually 7 other dimensions of wellness aside from the physical aspect. These include emotional, social, intellectual, occupational, environmental, spiritual, and financial health. Check out the link<\/a> to further explore these topics.<\/p>\nReason #5: Diets aren\u2019t one-size-fits-all.<\/strong><\/h3>\nEveryone\u2019s body is very different and therefore, everyone\u2019s needs vary. Underlying conditions, weight, height, personal lifestyle goals, genetics, and allergies can all affect what the body needs.<\/p>\n
For example, a person with diabetes could be seriously harmed by the ketogenic diet, as it cuts out a majority of carbs. People with diabetes need carbs to stabilize their blood sugar.<\/p>\n
Or, consider the fact that often foods recommended for certain diets are really expensive and they just may not be affordable for some people.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In sum, diets suck. Pursuing weight loss isn\u2019t the answer. The answer is to find sustainable and enjoyable patterns that fit your lifestyle. Let go of the scale and embrace the body you\u2019re in. More details to come in next week\u2019s blog!<\/p>\n\n
The dieting cycle shows the negative effects of dieting that can lead to harmful behaviors.<\/p>\n