Loading ...Why dieting fails
Every year it is the same, we try to eat healthier and lose a few pounds but we eventually get on what psychologists call a forgetting curve and revert back to our old habits. There are many reasons that keeping up with our diets can be extremely challenging. Aside from getting derailed with our busy schedules, diets can make us feel deprived usually starting on the third day resulting in craving foods we are trying to avoid such as high sugar products.
There is little support for the notion that diets lead to lasting weight loss or health benefits. As UCLA researchers pointed out, diets often cause more harm than good, creating disordered eating habits and providing few or no long-term health benefits. One common argument is that diets are short-term fixes to long-term problems because being overweight does not occur overnight. When you have struggled with your weight for some time it is unfair to expect drastic changes in a month of dieting. Extreme calorie counting makes it difficult to sustain those eating habits long-term.
Diets also do not address the emotional factors of overeating. In some cases many people who are significantly overweight are emotional eaters using food for comfort, to deal with stress or boredom.
We also react poorly to any foods being forbidden. Telling ourself that we are not certain foods may lead into a binge. In cases like these, diets are an attempt to fix the symptoms rather than the problem.
Ways To Successful Weight Loss
Individuals who do reach and maintain a healthy weight make sustainable lifestyle changes, rather than going on a quick-fix diet. Some of these changes include
-
- exercising a little bit every day
- resolving the emotional issues of uneasiness or boredom
- spending time outside (Vitamin D, Improves attention span, Release stress, Sense of exploration)
Although it’s possible to lose weight without exercising, it is important to be active in order to get your metabolism going and help burn a few extra calories. Even taking a stroll will help because every extra step you take is one in the right direction. If possible add in thirty minutes of moderate activity five times a week such as cycling or going for a thirty minute jog every weekday morning.
Addressing the emotional factors that affect your behavior is also important step. If you overeat due to stress, unhappiness, boredom or other emotional factors, you need to address these in order to make permanent changes. By introducing new habits such as exercising or eating healthier, it is important to introduce the changes slowly in order to get your body accustomed to the new routine rather than changing everything all at once.
