Keto, Atkin’s, Paleo, Carnivore. The list goes on.
In fact, this list is so long that, even if you tried each diet for no longer than a week, you would still be able to spend over a year dieting.
Indeed, the dieting culture has never been more popular, and new diets are popping up all of the time.
Each diet promises the world, and each is seemingly better than the last.
But, as with most things in life, the old saying applies fully:
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Dieting Is Never Going To Be The Answer
That’s right. I said it. Yes, it’s a bold statement, so hear me out:
Dieting is nothing more than a temporary plan you go on, which imposes all sorts of restrictions on your food choices, quantities, and meal frequency.
The idea that folks fail to diet effectively due to a lack of willpower or discipline is misguided and, quite frankly, plain wrong in most cases.
We are creatures of habit, and making vast and sudden changes can’t work in the long run. Sure, we can all stick to a restrictive diet for a time, while it’s still new and we’re still motivated. But, eventually, there comes the point where going further becomes impossible – hunger and cravings shoot through the roof, and all we can think about is food.
And this is what it all boils down to: sustainability.
Long-Term Results Are Predicated On Long-Term Efforts
I’m sure you can agree that you can’t realistically expect to follow any diet for the rest of your life. Most (if not all) of them have an expiration date. But what happens after the diet is finished?
You go back to your old way of eating, and you re-gain all the weight that you had managed to lose – the well known yo-yo dieting effect.
So, rather than scour Google for the next best diet, fix your diet. In other words, focus on building better habits, rather than looking for quick fix ideas.
Start Fixing Your Diet Today
There are many great habits you can choose to build. But, it’s essential to start small and slowly build up over time. If you introduce too many positive behaviors at once, there is a good chance that you’ll become overwhelmed and give up soon after.
So, you can start with simple things like:
- Eat fewer packaged foods, and instead, choose whole alternatives.
- Start with one healthy meal per day – for example, a nutritious breakfast.
- Drink more water and less of everything else, including sodas, fruit juices, sports drinks, and alcohol.
- Begin using smaller plates and bowls, which makes it more challenging to over serve yourself, and makes you more likely to start appreciating each meal.
- Chew more slowly.
- Be mindful while eating, and don’t watch TV during that time. Research suggests that we tend to eat more when we’re distracted by the TV.
- Out of sight, out of mind. Work to rid your home of junk foods and instead replace them with healthy alternatives.
