Wanting to lose a bit of extra weight is a goal for many people; however this is a long and difficult process. With social media being so prominent in society, it is easy to fall into the trap of purchasing quick fix diet products or following a celebrity backed fad scheme.
Unfortunately, miracle solutions almost never work, and many people don’t stick to their diets. Over the years, you may find yourself attempting many different regimes only to eventually give up on them. This creates an endless cycle of starting a new system, eating healthy low carb meals and losing weight initially to only put it all back on again.
This entire process can be disheartening and leave you feeling as though you are failing or doing something wrong. The truth is, you are just stuck in the diet cycle.
The good news is that it is possible to lose weight and keep it off without counting every calorie! Here’s how:
Why diets don’t work
Although you may try and change your eating habits with the best of intentions, almost all fad diets are destined to fail. It is important to stop blaming yourself for this, because it has nothing to do with a lack of willpower or dedication. Health professionals recognise that it is incredibly difficult to stick to a traditional weight loss plan.
But why is dieting so ineffective for most people?
Your body fights weight loss
One of the main reasons why people fail actually has nothing to do with you and your dedication to the regime. In reality, your body fights weight loss.
Your body is composed of a range of different hormones, some of which influence your appetite and metabolism. Leptin is known as the fullness hormone, and tells you when to stop eating. Ghrelin tells you when you need to eat.
Generally, these hormones work together with one dropping as another rises, however losing fat can impact this process. When you get lighter your leptin levels drop, meaning you feel hungrier and want to consume more. This results in you regaining the weight you lost.
Banning foods makes you want them more
Another reason why your diets may be failing is the fact that when foods are forbidden, you naturally end up wanting them more. This is known as the Ironic Process Theory. Essentially, because you are not allowed to eat something, it is all you can think about and you find yourself cheating in order to eat that food.
Break the cycle
Dieting is a frustrating process that often doesn’t lead to you achieving your goals. Instead, you will just find yourself getting stuck in the cycle, losing weight, putting it back on and dieting again.
Change your goals
Although weight loss may be a goal of yours, it should not be your only focus. Instead of putting an emphasis on dropping the kilos, place emphasis on your health. Aim to lead a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle.
This process involves eating when you feel hungry and doing regular exercise. Once you start this process, you will find that you feel more positive and energised which will prevent you from slipping back into unhealthy habits.
Be an intuitive eater
One of the main issues with dieting is that it requires you to eat predetermined meals at set times. The issue is that this is not a natural way of eating, and it can be challenging to stick to it.
Instead of counting calories, try to practice intuitive eating. This encourages you to listen to your body and recognises that only you have an instinctual understanding of what your body needs.
This process not only gives you the freedom to eat what you choose, but it also helps you to gain a better understanding of your body and its needs.
