Why most diets fail
By Debi Keys
Research shows that regular dieting is a waste of time and energy. Don’t believe me? Read on to find out why.
Why am I dissing dieting?
We can all deprive ourselves for a period of time. You’ll lose some weight and start to see results, but deprivation and willpower can only take us so far — and then one day it happens. You eat the entire container of ice cream, a bag of potato chips, and a tube of chocolate frosting (why are these things in my house, anyway?).
According to Dr. Mark Hyman, a functional medicine doctor, director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, and New York Times best-selling author of “Ultrametabolism” and Ultrawellness,” most diets predictably fail because of five reasons:
—You try to exercise your willpower to control your appetite instead of understanding that there is a science behind hunger.
—Your focus is too much on counting calories.
—Your diet consists of all low-fat foods.
—Your weight is actually affected by hidden reasons that could require medical attention.
—You lack a solid health and weight-loss plan to guide you on your journey.
Hyman also says that when the average dieter loses weight, he or she loses muscle and fat. But once they regain the weight, they gain back only the fat, which will unlimitedly slow down your metabolism.
Darn! That is just not what we want!
So how can you succeed with your health and weight-loss goals without dieting?
Here are five success tips that will keep you in peak health without dieting:
—Eat enough whole fresh foods to satisfy your appetite. Your body will be less hungry because it is fully nourished.
—Eat protein for breakfast to boost your energy for the day.
—Eat your last meal three hours before bedtime to give your system time to digest before sleep.
—Make low-glycemic foods such as nuts and seeds your diet staples so your blood sugar stays level. Craving something sweet? Choose sweeteners with a low-glycemic impact such as maple syrup, honey, and agave, but be wise — these are still sugar.
—Eat good fats such as avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive or coconut oil at every meal. Healthy fats are your friends, not your enemies.
Let’s give up diets. They are overrated and, as you can see, don’t really work. Let’s choose to eat a healthy whole-food way to experience the best possible version of ourselves.
