Why I Don't Do Diets Anymore
/For 14 years this post has been making the rounds. If swearing offends you skip the post. Bottom line is diet’s do not work.
My struggle with weight loss and weight gain has been constant. When you spend over 15 years of your life trying to lose weight, you learn a lot. You know the proper way to lose weight. I keep up with all the newest research and weight loss trends.
Diets do not work for me unless I starve myself half to death. To lose any weight, I must adhere to a stringent diet of counting calories and fat, measuring portions. Most people cannot live like that forever. After a year I could not anymore.
I resumed my regular diet and the rebound effect kicked in. In the end gained back about 15 pounds. I was okay with my weight but life happens. Back and hip problems caused me gain weight which won’t come off.
I did everything you’re supposed to do. Honestly, I ate right. For, the past two years I trained for half marathons. The weight should come right off. I do not cancel out exercise by over eating.
When I came across the Margaret Cho *uck It diet. I remembered I read about that years ago. I figured I tried everything else why not this? Letting go of all the diet expectations was hard. When you struggle with your weight life can be stressful. The importance of counting calories is ingrained into your brain. You must weigh, measure, and track every bite.
Some people decide for some arbitrary reason during the holidays they must be a certain size. They will pick the latest diet trend or worse crash diet. When they resume old eating habits, they gain the weight back.
Weight loss is about changing your whole life. Weight loss is a forever commitment. Hence why the *uck it diet appeals so much and works for me. The fact I had to measure and count my portions was stressing me out. Which raises my cortisol levels and making weight loss even more difficult. I’m focusing on what matters.
What matters is living my life and not obsessing over food. Did I work out hard enough? Did I eat too much? Life is too short to be miserable.
Guess what this is working. I didn’t let myself eat french fries for almost an entire year. I now occasionally eat french fries and guess what I’m losing weight. During the time I swore off french fries did I lose weight? No, I did not.
The thing about weight loss during the holiday’s food is everything right now. Our Thanksgiving revolves around dinner. Christmas parties are all about food and drinks. When we celebrate food is the focus. Feeling the need to look our best is also a concern.
I’m not telling you if you’re overweight to stop dieting. What I’m saying is letting weight loss stress you out defeats the purpose.
I need to lose more weight, yet I’m not missing out on life in the next two months. I won’t let the most wonderful time of the year become a nightmare because I fear gaining two pounds.
If you eat Thanksgiving dinner and a slice of pie or you drink a cocktail. You will not wake up the next morning weighing 5 pounds more.
If you overate the day before? What can you do? You do your regular exercise routine, and if you can put an extra 10 or 15 minutes. Make better choices if you have a daily latte or a donut skip it.
One bad day will not ruin you as long as you make the rest of your day’s good ones.
This time of year everyone’s obsessed with losing weight.
If you want to lose 30 pounds that’s fine. Do not let a diet control you. That’s the problem with diets your entire life revolves around the diet.
Five small meals a day or hitting the gym six days a week is something most busy moms cannot do that long-term. We hardly have the time to eat or shower. Not that I’m saying that doesn’t work it works for some. Five small meals and six workouts a week is not reasonable for everyone.
We should not expect what works for others to work for ourselves. We need to find what works best for us. For some, that means eating a little less and buying clothes that fit.
Weight loss is not that complicated every day walk for half an hour. Sign up for the ballroom dancing class you’ve wanted to take. Exercise does not have to be a bunch of high-intensity workouts. Exercise is about getting up and moving.
You already have so much going on. The last thing you need to worry about is measuring your portions. Or making sure you get 30 minutes on the elliptical at the gym. It’s not realistic for most people. It doesn’t matter what you are doing about as long as you’re moving.
Do what works for you. If that means being 5 pounds over your goal weight and being able to sleep in in the mornings, then do it. I assure you no one will notice those five pounds give or take.
If hiring a trainer and having healthy meals delivered is what is best for you, then sign up. Do what is most comfortable for you. Live life the way you want.
I realize Margaret Cho went on Dancing With the Stars and lost even more weight. Which does not change the initial message which is saying don’t let this control your life.
Weight loss is only successful when you make a permanent lifestyle change. Live your life. don’t eat in excess. Diets do not work for everyone because diets are restricting what one eats. When you restrict your calories and fat yes, you will lose weight and too much. Then the rebound effect comes into play. Unless you continue on the path of restriction, the weight will come back. What needs to happen is a lifestyle change.
So instead of dieting learn to eat a little less. I will enjoy an eggnog latte and Christmas cookies. You should enjoy some too.
Click here for my free 5k training plan.
