No To Dieting!

 

As far back as I can remember, my mother was always on a diet.  What ever weight she lost, she gained back. She joined groups, went for regular weigh-ins, talked about her weight and when I reached my teens she started asking me about my weight.  I admit, I was a chubby teen and followed in my mothers footsteps because I thought I was fat.  I didn't realize that it was just baby fat because by the time I was 21, I grew up, and ended up so much slimmer.  I finally made peace with my self once I started reading about diets but my mother never, ever, quiet dieting or asking me what I weighed.

The other thing, is that everywhere you turn, there are ads for the miracle diet guaranteed to help you lose weight.  Your favorite star might be promoting one, or the New York Times has a book to follow, or some pretend doctor endorses one.  You see low fat, low carb, keto, paleo, and so many more.  

According to the Harvard Medical School, over one third of adult Americans are dieting but most will gain back the weight they lost within a few months.  Most diets are not successful over time for several reasons. People may not follow the diet as strictly as they should, some quit because the diet is too restrictive or unappealing, or they cut back on exercising since they are consuming fewer calories. They go on to say that even when the diet is followed under controlled circumstances (i.e. in study) people retain most of the weight lost soon after it ends.

In addition, research indicates that most diets do not work for most people in the long run.  More specifically, they do help people lose weight at the beginning but by the end of a year, the benefits disappear.  In fact, the medical school found that there are factors other than diet that have more impact such as amount of exercise, everyday physical activity, and sleep.  

It is suggested that before one starts trying to lose weight, one should talk to their doctor to find out if there are any health issue or one is on medications that might interfere with losing weight. Be sure to talk about the best options for exercise, and include information on previous attempts at dieting. 

 Furthermore, one should never lose more than 1/2 a pound to 2 pounds per week because slow and steady mean you are more likely to lose the weight and keep it off. People also need to commit to a long term lifestyle change in eating, behavior, and exercise for the best results. 

As far as food goes, one should be able to choose from a wide list of foods from all the food groups like vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy, lean protein, nuts, and seeds.  In addition, it is important to eat a good balance of nutrients and calories.  Don't be afraid to eat foods you like and last up your physical activity and exercise so that you use more calories than you consume.  Next time, I'll include tips on changing things in your life so you lose weight without dieting.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

The best advice I've heard is rather than dieting, consider making lifestyle changes that stay with you for longer.