Hello, hello !! Welcome to another Wellness Wednesday post. Today we are going over why diets tend not to work and what you can do instead. Before we jump into the post we just want to start by saying that not all diets are 'bad' or ineffective, on the contrary, some diets are so useful and necessary and for some people diets do work !! We are specifically talking about when diets don't work.
The word 'Diet' just doesn't work -
Usually the term diet refers to a set of eating standards followed by a particular group of people or culture. For decades now, the term diet usually refers to some sort of short-term weight loss plan centered around restrictive eating. Research has shown that it is mostly women that adhere to fad diets and that most people do not stick to them and end up reversing the progress they made.
Lack of knowledge on dieting, nutrition and how bodies work -
Let's face it, it's easier to have someone tell you what to do then to do your own research and find out what's best. Fitness and dieting can be very overwhelming, especially with the surplus of information that is available to us. No wonder why most people would rather just follow what their favorite influencer or celebrity is doing. The problem with following someone else's diet advice, especially when they are not certified to be giving that information, is that they are giving you that advice based on what worked for them. Also, while majority of people do not have any malicious intent behind the advice they give, some people give advice not actually caring about the information they're giving. Some influencers and celebrities get paid to endorse products that might not be healthy for you at all. This is why doing your own research and gaining some knowledge on dieting and nutrition is so helpful. Alternatively, you can always speak to a specialist or your health care practitioner before trying anything.
Many diets are too Restricting -
We have been conditioned to be impatient, we want the quick way for everything including results. This often leads us to take extreme measures such as restrictive dieting to try to get to our goals. Sometimes this works, temporarily, but in most cases it's just not sustainable and old patterns of eating return. In some cases, restrictive diets can lead to hormone imbalances, damaged metabolism or even disordered eating.
You know we love to leave you with some tips and actionable steps so now that we've gone over why diets don't work lets discuss a better way to reach your fitness goals.
It all comes down to making LIFESTYLE changes -
When you switch from dieting and instead focus more on lifestyle you are making longterm changes for your health. Instead of spending 4 weeks on a restrictive diet, work on taking little steps everyday to change your lifestyle. These changes are meant to be for life... hence LIFEstyle. Instead of always referring to some diet you're trying you can make the changes that are just part of your health lifestyle. Remember, life is all about balance and this is no different for your eating habits and fitness journey !!
You have to have patience and give yourself grace -
Life is a journey, it's not about being perfect, it's about trying to become the best version of yourself. It means having patience and enjoying the journey just as much or even more than the end goal, and lastly it means giving yourself grace. It's okay if you fell off, it's okay if you didn't work out for two weeks... what are you in a rush for anyways... time is going to pass just the same so you might as well at least enjoy it and the process.
Fall in love with the process of becoming the best version of you !!
We hope you enjoyed this week's Wellness Wednesday post. If so, we would love it if you leave a comment below :)
xx