Why Diets Don’t Work

I bet within seconds of reading this first sentence you can think of how many times you’ve dieted in your lifetime.  Now I want you to ask yourself did they work?  I’m sure some can answer ‘yes’ and others ‘no’. Here’s the last question for ya:  Did the weight stay off or did you gain it back and then some? (Ok, so that was two questions.)  I recently had a weight loss client tell me that she’s probably lost about 3000 pounds by dieting.  😉

You see, that’s the thing with ‘diets’.  Typically they are short term, not the best way to lose weight, fad-following and I’m doing it because everybody else is doing it way to lose weight.  And before you know it, the weight is back on, you feel worse than you did when you started and you feel like a failure.  Does this sound familiar?!

Problems with Dieting

• You’re more focused on what the scales tell you instead of what your body tells you.
• You cheat.  When it’s a lifestyle there is no such thing as cheating.
• You crave what you ‘can’t’ have followed by overindulgences.
• There’s a list of rules to follow, dos and don’ts and cans and can’ts.
• We eat less which causes our metabolism to slow down which causes it much harder to lose weight, easier to gain weight and a plummet in your energy.
• Dieting doesn’t teach you about food.  Instead, you’re typically following the latest trend without education on the why.
• We may increase our risk of eating disorders.

Dieting is more psychological than physical.  We must educate ourselves and change the way we actually think about food.

Let me tell you something else about diets.  Just because you’re dieting, doesn’t mean your healthy!  Gasp! Yes, I said it and that’s a ginormous truth I want you to hear.

I’m one to know that skinny people can be just as unhealthy as the obese.  You can bet when I was 29 and 120 pounds I never considered myself  ‘unhealthy’.  But all I ate was fast food, junk, sugary snacks, orange sodas and Lord knows I didn’t exercise.  But being diagnosed with colon cancer at such a young age, I realized very quickly just how unhealthy I really was.  And it was life-changing.

I want you to learn from my mistakes.  I’m desperate for you to learn from my mistakes.  I’m desperate for you to be your healthiest.

Take a look at these numbers.  According to the American Cancer Society, these are the “estimated numbers of new cancer cases for 2014….”

Oh my goodness!  Does that freak you out like it does me!?  And what does all this cancer information have to do with dieting?  One word:  Everything!  Our driving force should be these powerful statistics creating a tenacious desire to be healthy.  When we become our healthiest, we’ll also be at our best weight.

It’s not about the numbers on the scale, nor the dreaded and somewhat inaccurate BMI (Body Mass Index).  It’s about disease.  It’s about common, everyday health challenges.  It’s about energy.  It’s about Diabetes and Cancer and Heart Disease.  You get where I’m going with this?

It’s about your health, not your weight.  It’s about your life, not your latest diet plan.

Create a new lifestyle.

Create better, healthier habits.

Make simple changes every day.

Enjoy your splurges in moderation.

It’s about balance.

It’s about YOU, not the food!  Stop the love affair, break up with your unhealthy food habits and take control of your life!  

You are worth it!