It seems every other ad on television offers some miracle diet for rapid weight loss. While these methods may yield results, they only work if one remains on the specific meal plan. Unfortunately, studies show that most people who subscribe to extreme dieting for weight loss regain the weight lost and more.
One of the reasons diets fail is due to our personal relationship with food. Emotional eating is a real problem for many and can lead to food addiction and obesity. Another reason diets are unsuccessful is because many who diet consider it an unpleasant experience. Here are a few tips to help you break free of dieting’s vicious cycle:
- Perception is everything. Nutrition is a lifestyle not a life fad. Self-assess your perception of nutrition and dieting. Permanent weight loss is not achieved and sustained through temporary measures. You must be committed to the changes you are making and that requires consistency throughout.
- Food is fuel. Drastically restricting your calories is like attempting to drive cross-country on fumes. Understand that your body requires sufficient energy to function properly. Even at rest, your body requires calories for basic tasks (nervous system, brain function, etc.). Restricting too many calories lowers your metabolism and can lead to other issues like fatigue. Make sure you are consuming sufficient calories to support your efforts.
- Commit to consistency. Rome was not built in a day and you did not pack on added pounds in a day either. Commit to your new way of eating, remain consistent, and most importantly, do not allow setbacks to derail your entire effort. If you consume something at breakfast that you should not have, do not let that be your excuse to order a pizza for lunch. Pick up where you left off and keep going.