REASONS WHY MY DIET IS NOT WORKING

The Diet Approach

There it is, the proverbial four-letter word. The word ‘diet’ has gained a bad reputation of sorts, not because of its meaning, but rather it is people’s interpretation. How many times do you hear friends or colleagues say, ‘I can’t have that, I’m on a diet’ It is often seen as deprivation of favorite foods?

The Diet approach resembles a food strike and is often associated with punishment. Many of us stumble upon crash diets that promise quick and effective results in a short period of time. So, we begin the program depleting themselves of their favorite foods and sticking to strict even extreme rules. It is not fun; it is frustrating and most of the time people can’t wait to get back to normal. The problem with the diet approach is that it is a quick fix. It does not work long term, because you can’t solve a chronic problem with a ‘quick solution.’

What is a better approach? The meaning of the word diet is simply a compilation of food and drink that a person or an animal consumes. For a diet to be successful it must be not only a little challenging, but also very enjoyable.

The Appearance Over Health Approach

Why is the gym always packed right before summer hits? And all the good produce is gone for about

two months out of the year, usually in the spring/summer months. Because everyone is trying to get the beach body they always wanted within a month or two.

Perhaps their motivation is a big wedding, a cruise, or the vacation of a lifetime. Suddenly they start working out and eating healthy and

following a great routine, but it only lasts until the event. As soon as that is over, most go back to their old habits and are okay with the luv handles until the following summer when they begin the same battle, now with even more weight on their backs. The yo-yo effect was only good enough for a few pictures. When the camera is off, they don’t need to suck in the belly anymore. Eventually, the ‘lean and mean’ turns into ‘round and fluffy.’’

What is a better approach?

Instead of focusing on the short-term reward that is only worth a few beach pictures or a wedding event, we should really focus on the big picture. Instead of asking yourself ‘How bad do I want to fit into this dress?’ or ‘How am I going to look in these cruise pictures?’ we really should be asking ourselves questions like ``How long do I plan to stick around for my kids and grandkids?’ ‘Would I rather spend my money on good food or on medication and doctor’s appointments?’

The All or Nothing Approach

Typically, when one is attempting to lose weight quickly, they begin vested 100%. They establish a routine with a structure that is too strict, too rigid, and unrealistic to follow in the long term. You would hear them say ‘Ice-cream is bad for me, and it will make me fat, so I must never eat it.’ or ‘When I go out to eat, I will only order salads.’ This would last a couple of weeks until the dieter gives up, because the rules were too difficult to obey, and the plan can’t be applied long term. Having given up so early in the process, they never see the fruit of their efforts. A better approach would be to follow a more realistic diet plan that allows scheduled splurges and that is as close as possible to the likes of the dieter. It isn’t easy to make drastic changes in multiple areas of your life all at the same time. Often a dieter with the ‘all or nothing’ approach would experience physical and psychological shock, which may lead to depression, resentment, and relapse. And then the same vicious cycle would begin again.

The Relapse Approach

The problem many of us have with dieting comes from our inability to distinguish between a ‘slip’ and a ‘relapse.’ When we have slipped and cheated on our diet, we would often treat it as a ‘relapse’ we would go through shameful self-talk. We may punish ourselves for the ‘transgression’, we may lose faith in our own abilities, we may lose our motivation, and we may overall relapse into the same old habits that make us so unhappy. It is important to treat a slip as a slip and not as a relapse. How do we do that? We recognize the ‘unwanted behavior,’ we perceive it as wrong; we see it as a moment of weakness; we forgive ourselves; we encourage ourselves, and we firmly believe that next time we can be stronger. It is important to remind ourselves of the goals and the reasons we have taken this journey. Every time we sit down to eat is an opportunity to make better choices.

The Race Approach

Whether you are carrying a little weight or trying to kick an unhealthy habit, the race approach will stand between you and your goal. Just because you have decided to run fast, doesn’t mean you would get there more quickly. You could be sprinting in one spot. It is important to recognize that you worked hard on perfecting the unhealthy habit you are trying to get rid of. Perhaps you are trying to quit soda, but you have been drinking two or three sodas per day over the last 20 years. It took you a very long time to perfect that habit and become a soda drinker. It would take time and effort to become a non-soda drinker. The tip here would be to take it one step at a time and to be patient with yourself. For most people it isn’t easy to quit cold turkey, so be patient and remember that this is not a race, it is a journey to a better you.