The Dieting Addiction
There is a plethora of diet plans and weight loss programs available for people to follow to help them lose weight. Some are sensible, but there are many out there that are just outright bizzare and some that are possibly dangerous.
We live in a society where diets and weight loss plans form a mulit-billion dollar industry. People who want to lose weight generally turn to a specific diet or program to try and set them on the right path. However, more often then not these diets fail. But why?
Many diets/weight loss plans on the market are non-sustainable. People can maintain them for a short period of time, and the diets can even fulfill their promise of weight loss in the short-term through restriction of certain food groups and/or calorie restriction. However these sorts of plans rarely teach you how to establish and maintain healthy habits for life, and once people return to their old habits (which inevitably most people do), the weight they lost quickly returns.
The term ‘diet’ also has a negative connotation. When people see themselves as being on a diet they instantly feel deprived, and the feeling of deprivation is not a good motivator for life long healthy eating habits. Many people on diets will eventually binge eat on food that they have deprived themselves of and then suffer guilt afterwards, only to return to their dieting to try and get back on track… and so the cycle continues.
The best way to lose and maintain weight loss is to shift from a ‘diet’ mindset to a ‘healthy’ mindset. Look to change habits that you can maintain for life.
Some helpful tips to get you on the right path, include:
- Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit.
- Choose water as your drink of choice.
- Limit processed or fatty meats.
- Choose wholegrain cereal products.
- Choose reduced fat/fat free dairy products.
- Watch your portion sizes.
- Try and avoid situations where uncontrolled eating is likely.
- Don’t skip meals – eat when you are hungry. If you don’t, you’ll just binge eat later on.
- Don’t deprive yourself of the things you enjoy. Just enjoy them in moderation!
- Get active – it’s not all about what you eat!
Pete -
This quote nails it: “When people see themselves as being on a diet they instantly feel deprived, and the feeling of deprivation is not a good motivator for life long healthy eating habits”. When you are focused on what you are giving up, rather than what you are taking up, the change is almost always short lived.