If Diets Don't Work, What Does?

Unless you live under a rock, you have already heard the revelation and maybe have seen studies about diets… they just do not work. Or do they? 

Let’s explore it a bit and see if we could make some sense of it…

I did a google search for a word ”diet” and it turns out that they do work exactly 50% of the time. “How is that?”- you might ask.  Well, I am glad you asked…

Here is what Google search came up with:

Verb:

Restrict oneself
    to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight.

So, if you go on a noun (definition of) diet, it will always
work.  It consists of the food that you habitually eat, whether it's good and healthy food or processed, sugary treats, it's your diet, and it works just fine.

However, we all run into problems once we start using the verb angle of the diet. Restricting yourself of any particular food or reducing the amount of food or calories usually seems to work for a bit, but eventually comes back and takes a bite. And the scale goes up in the long run.

If you, like me, have been on various “verb” diets,  this will resonate with you.  As soon as we decide that you are starting a particular verb diet, the mind immediately goes into the mode of “ Oh, I want this ( the forbidden food), but I can’t have it”.  We exercise strong will power, and we deny ourselves and we will go hungry and cranky, all in the name of losing a few pounds. 

The pounds that we lose though, always will want to be found again, and like a very good dog, they will travel far if they have to, but almost always they will find their way home. They go right back to the belly or the hips, sometimes they even bring some extra friend pounds they met while they were out.

Well, if the verb diets do not work, what can we do?

For starters, let’s just accept ourselves exactly as we are with all the imperfections and issues. You are already perfect and perfectly lovable just the way you are.

 If you step on the scale frequently and the number on it determines your mood for the day, I have one important piece of advice – Stop it. Just stop. Instead, write your goal weight on a piece of paper and tape it on top of the scale. Now, every time you step on the scale, you are already at perfect weight  and you can navigate through your day with ease and joy.

But most importantly, never, ever, ever go on another verbdiet.  Instead get enlightened about health and healthy foods. Once we start eating for health and longevity, the weight issues take care of themselves without any struggle.  When eating for health becomes habitual, we find ourselves on the noun (definition of) diet and that one always work.

Learning about foods that promote health and add great healthy years to our lives, make us feel empowered and in charge of our health.  We switch our food struggles from:” I want this ( particular food), but I can’t have it”,  to “ I can have this, I just don’t want it”.  

Are you ready to explore and learn more on this and other related topics?

Please join me for a 6 week series of nutritional education in a very relaxed, welcoming atmosphere starting next week.  It will be filled with great information, discussions and short videos on variety of topics all related to health and nutrition.

Classes are offered at Breathe More yoga studio in Tolland and start on Oct 2^nd at 7.30 pm for evening session and Oct 4^th at 9:30 am for morning session.  

For more info, please visit www.breathemorellc.com  or www.loveandpeashealth.com.

Iwona Leger, RN, MSN, Health Coach, owns Love and Peas Health Coaching and runs individual and group coaching sessions. She is very passionate about disease prevention, lifestyle and diet modifications, as well as stress reduction techniques.

For more info visit www.loveandpeashealth.com