5 Simple Reasons to go Diet-Free in 2010
This is the time of the year when many people decide to go on yet another strict diet, since the last one, and the one before that, and the one before that didn’t work. Well, I’m like a dog with a muzzle trying to bark here, and I must share with you why you may want to consider going “Diet-Free” in 2010.
1. Diets don’t work
Report after report has shown that diets simply don’t work. Only 5% of dieters keep the weight off. Even worse, those who go on diets usually gain more weight than when they started.
2. Dieting Sucks
In my opinion, there is no other way to put it other than dieting sucks. There is nothing fun about drinking three shakes a day, depriving yourself of foods you enjoy or keeping a detailed analysis of every morsel you put into your mouth.
Personally, I enjoy a glass of wine at night and an occasional piece of chocolate. What about you? Are you really willing to give up those little indulgences for good?
If that’s your thing, then great, but I just can’t go back there.
My grandmother used to say the following about relationships, and I think the same can be applied to our eating patterns: “Start out like you can hold out.” If you don’t intend to eat less than fifty grams of carbs a day forever, then you might want to reconsider trying to lose weight that way. (BTW, there is a better way!)
3. Diets Induce Famine Brain
As someone who has tried every diet under the sun before I finally came to my senses, I know that if I go on a diet, I will inevitably end up engaging in a midnight pantry raid.
The reason that diets backfire is that when we deprive ourselves our brains think that we are experiencing a famine. It has no idea that we are riding around in our SUV’s with unlimited access to food. It just knows that less food is on its way.
So, what does a brain do when it fears a famine? It makes it really, really difficult to sustain deprivation, and before you know it, we are back to our old ways.
4. Diets are External
Human beings don’t like being told what to do. But, when we depend on externalities to control us, we give over our own power. Ultimately, we rebel.
Everything that we need to live at our ideal body weight is within us. Our bodies our the best expert.
Sure, there is great advice on the market. In fact, my bookshelf is full of nutrition books. It’s great stuff if it works for me. If not, then I disregard.
Ultimately, you must decide what is your truth by experimenting with what works for your unique and brilliant body, and low-carb, high protein may not be it.
5. Diets Don’t Deal with the Problem
You can lose fifty pounds, get a six pack and wear a size four, but if you don’t deal with the problem of why you were overweight in the first place, the weight will most likely reappear, OR you will live struggling to keep it off, and as someone who has done that too, it’s no fun.
____________
Please don’t take this blog as a reason to abandon a healthy lifestyle and eat whatever, whenever you choose.
It’s not like that either.
Living consciously and staying connected to your body is THE best way to reach your ideal body weight.
Instead of bandaging over the problem with another strict plan, let 2010 be the year that you take your body back, diet free style.
What do you think? Have diets worked for you long-term?
What do I think? I think you’re RIGHT on all counts. 1-5 above. Live right, eat healthy, cut food intake in half, get plenty of cardio exercise and think young.
Voila!
David,
We could learn a thing or two from you French
! Seriously, spending time in France has taught me more about enjoying life and eating than all experts put together.
Thanks for your input!
I think that eating disorders in general are a way of coping with some pretty serious life stuff. Learning to manage an eating disorder is more realistic than eliminating it altogether.
Hi Bridget,
You are SO right. Weight and eating disorders are simply a symptom of deeper problems, and that’s why diets don’t work. They never address the real issue.
Great post! We couldn’t agree more, diets don’t work! Typically it’s the underlying issues, such as our relationship with food, which are affected negatively due to increased stress that comes along with dieting. Also, diets place value judgments on specific foods (or entire food groups!) and create various food rules which can quickly become obsessions or lead to eating disorders. It is important to listen to our bodies, and certainly go diet-free!
Thx. As someone who has struggled with food and eating issues, I’ve learned that honoring my body’s hunger, listening to its cues and adding pleasure to my life has been the only thing that has brought me long term peace and sustainable weight loss.