27 Jan How Not to Diet
Einstein was believed to have said ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.’ he was right, however, it seems, we still continue to do exactly that – crazy isn’t it?
Take the diet industry for instance and look at how the above statement plays out there. The fact that the global diet industry is worth billions and yet globally people are getting larger only proves how little impact it is having. In fact, it is having a negative effect and this is why……
Get Off the Dieting Treadmill
The food and diet industry knows exactly how to hook us in, they find our weak spots, they create emotion around them, then they offer a solution, and voila we are a captive audience, money paid, books bought, videos downloaded, and we are off.
Some people will go from one new or fad diet to the next, and in all fairness, they all sound exciting and doable at the outset. Many people get off to a really good start until the momentum dwindles. Some may even achieve positive results, but then as soon as they go back to their ‘normal’ eating, they quickly put the weight back on, and some. That is because historically diets do not work, although historically this does not seem to have stopped us from trying and also does not stop the diet industry from making billions every year with each new idea.
(Oh and the ‘and some’ has been proven to be true – research suggests you will gain around 3lbs more on top of your original weight, making it harder every time.)
Emotion Sells
These well thought through emotional tactics are used constantly by the food industry, sometimes for seemingly good things – weight loss, fitness, well-being etc – but more often for bad things, such as persuading us to buy their unhealthy products. Emotive ads, amongst other things, will have you queuing outside McDonalds, swigging Coca Cola, or popping open a tube of Pringles in a flash, without you even realising what you have done.
Sustainable Weight Loss
Simply put, most diets are not sustainable, I mean who wants – or will commit to a life of counting calories? A life of ingesting large amounts of protein? A life of replacement meal shakes? A life of not eating what you want?
It is not sustainable because it is far too easy to fall off the wagon, to say ‘Just this once’ more times than we should, and to get totally fed up with having to think and plan every meal and snack without being able to enjoy the food we are eating because it isn’t what we really want. We feel we have very little freedom around it, except maybe for an occasional syn – courtesy of Slimming World.
A Way of Life
The thing is we don’t need diets, we have never needed diets, what we need is a new ‘way of life,’ which incidentally is the Greek translation of the word diet!
A ‘way of life’ that allows us to eat the things we want as long as we are also including the right things. A way of life that allows us to be free to eat the things we crave as long as we have given our body what it really needs first. And a way of life that allows us to lose weight without even noticing. There should be no doctrines, rules, or deprivation, just a shift in how we see our bodies and how we fuel them on a day-to-day basis. Doesn’t that sound better?
No Willpower Required
What diets try to do is create a quick fix, which might work if you have a special occasion coming up and you want to fit into a particular outfit, but dieting is not a way of life, it is torture and requires incredible willpower which waxes and wanes like the moon so can never be relied upon.
I believe the answer to sustained weight loss is getting to the root cause of the problem, by gaining a greater understanding of the mind and body, exploring hunger and what drives us to eat. Recognising how the food industry works, and how we can avoid its pitfalls. To learn to see the direct link between what we eat and how we feel, and to slowly reset some of our bad habits so new, healthier ones can be introduced. Then, and only then, will you be able to achieve your weight and health goals.
Follow me on social media, read my regular blogs here, and/or buy my book Feeding Good Habits on Amazon – it could change your life.
Feed Good Habits
Kathy Mac
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Kathy Mac – author Feeding Good Habits – 12 weeks to rewire your mind, reset your habits and renew your relationship with food for improved health and sustained weight loss.