People opt for diets for various reasons. Some want to lose weight, others want a detox while others hope to eliminate inflammation. Whatever the reason, if you’ve ever dieted; you would agree that diets rarely work.
Of course, you can lose weight fast using crash diets. But what happens after the dieting period is up? If you are tired of the dieting cycle, here are reasons why diets fail and diet tips for sustainable weight loss.
Reasons Why Diets Fail and What You Can Try Instead of Diet Tips
Diets Cause Temporary Weight Loss
The biggest shortcoming of dieting is that it is an unsustainable solution. Although you may lose weight following a 30-day challenge, you will not keep it off after the challenge is over.
Unfortunately, after resuming the normal eating routine, the weight is regained back and even more. Why? During dieting, the body goes into starvation mode because of diet restrictions. Thus, after resuming normal eating, the body automatically stocks up fat reserves in case you starve it again.
A 2007 study by UCLA found that people who dieted lost 5-10 percent of their weight only to gain it back after the diet. Conclusively, the diets did not lead to sustainable weight loss for the majority.¹
Diets Vilify Food in Harmful Ways
Foods not only nourish the body but also add joy and fun to life. Who doesn’t enjoy savoring a delicious meal? Or preparing meals and eating together on social occasions?
Unfortunately, diets ignore these facts. They make food seem responsible for your weight issues. Cooking suddenly becomes a chore where you have to follow strict recipes and measure everything.
In addition, diets have been found to fuel eating disorders. The National Eating Disorder Association linked dieting to orthorexia; an eating disorder where dieters become obsessed with healthful eating. Dieters become so engrossed that they damage their own health.
Diets Cause Stress Which Can Trigger Overeating
Dieting restricts calorie intake leading to nutrient deficiency. In turn, depriving yourself of foods you’d wish to eat triggers cortisol— a stress hormone. In response to stress, the body craves more food. According to the Appetite Journal study, increased cortisol levels lead to overeating. Furthermore, they can heighten insulin levels while lowering blood sugar; causing cravings for sugary and fatty meals.
Diets Slow Down Metabolism
In order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. Sadly, dieting restricts your calorie intake to an extent of messing with your metabolism.
The Environmental and Health and Preventive Medicine studied dieters on extremely low-calorie intake versus those on moderate calories. The findings showed slower metabolic rates for the low-calorie diet group.
Ultimately, the body compensates for the insufficient calories by slowing down metabolism. In turn, the body will lose weight slowly.
Better Diet Tips Instead of Dieting
As we have seen, diets are not only hurtful, but they also don’t work. Giving up a habit without a suitable replacement creates a void that will keep you dieting. Here is what you can do to gain health and stop dieting.
Practice Mindful Eating
Mindless eating is a leading cause of weight gain. Picture someone gobbling a gigantic plateful of fries and a soda while watching television. Before they realize it, the plateful is cleared. Purpose to eliminate distractions and eat mindfully.
Be in the moment and eat slowly, savoring every bite. By doing so, you will improve digestion and know when to stop eating.
Hydrate Throughout the Day
Drinking water consistently is easy and keeps your organs functioning well. Hydrating helps the skin get rid of toxins while boosting your energy levels. Additionally, drinking water boosts your metabolism. According to a 2010 study by NCBI, drinking water makes you full thus preventing overeating. ²
Drink Selectively
Although sweetened liquids are packed with calories, they do not satisfy hunger. If you feel thirsty, opt for water or pure fruit juice. On the same note, alcohol is full of hidden calories. Reduce your alcohol intake or ditch it altogether if possible.
Opt for Grains
Choose whole grains instead of refined ones such as white bread, cookies, and cakes. Whole grains are packed with fiber which will help you fill up faster and curb overeating. Oats, brown rice, and whole-wheat bread are good starters.
About Diet Tips and Dieting Alternatives
Although dieting is a popular weight-loss method, its results are temporary. And in most cases, dieting contradicts the primary goal of dieting by forming eating disorders. Fortunately, you can avoid dieting and stay healthy by staying hydrated, eating mindfully, and choosing whole grain foods.
In addition to the diet tips, you can incorporate body rejuvenation methods such as cryotherapy and facial relaxation into your health routine.
- UCLA Study – Why diets fail https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/Dieting-Does-Not-Work-UCLA-Researchers-7832
- Drinking water helps with weight issues https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2859815/
