According to Time and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), 49% of American adults surveyed between 2013 and 2016 reported trying to lose weight at some point during the prior 12 months. Of those surveyed, 56.4% of who reported wanting to lose weight were women, while men made up 41.7% (Ducharme, 2018). If you feel as though you are alone on the weight loss journey, then look again. Since 49% of Americans want to lose weight, it almost one in every two people that are on a journey of their own. A major part of the weight loss journey is through one’s diet, as in the food consumed. I’m not discussing ‘diet’ as in restricting certain food intakes. Rather diet, as in what foods are consumed. There are many different types of diets out there, including common ones such as carnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. There are fad 'diets' as well, such as Keto, Paleo, Caveman, and so on. The reason these fad 'diets' do not work, is because it is too restrictive on the body. While there may be noticeable change at the beginning, after some time, it either becomes too hard to maintain, or the body hits a plateau. Many dietitians will advise against severe diet changes, it's shocking to the body and there are required nutrients in all kinds of food in order for a body needs to function well.
Those who try fad ‘diets’ and restrict the amount or types of foods they can consume, often time gain the weight back plus more within the next few years after returning to a sustainable diet. Dieting by definition is meant to be temporary, not a long term food consumption plan. It has been studied and researched time and time again that many individuals who partake in 'diets' often overeat on 'cheat' days or go on diet-binge cycles. Due to the restriction of many diets, the body oftentimes goes into starvation mode, which in turn slows down the metabolism rate making it harder to lose weight (Selig, 2010). Part of the reason the body goes into starvation mode is that with these diets, the body is not getting the nutrients it needs to function. Even if a person does reach their desired weight or look, once they return back to their previous diets, they gain back the weight they originally had. This is due to the fact the body is being reintroduced to things it did not have before. Diets as mentioned earlier, are unsustainable and not meant to be implemented long term.
Another reason why diets often do not work for most people is that there is no enjoyment in what they eat, leading to the end of the diet. If an individual wants to make a conscious effort to lose weight, then they have to have a balance in the diet. There is no reason to completely eliminate all sweets from consumption. Believe it or not, the body needs sugar to function, but eating it in proportion is the key. Consuming all types of food in proportion will help to curve cravings that may lead to over indulgement later. Additionally, diets are one of the leading causes of eating disorders, according to a sources' study, those who partake in diets, are eight times more likely to develop an eating disorder (Selig, 2010). While what an individual consumes is the leading factor to weight loss, so is working out. There is no magic diet or pill that will cause fat and weight to just 'melt away' as many companies say. The fine print includes the need for balanced diets and exercise along with the ‘magic’ pills. SECRET: it is not the pill that is working, it is the healthy eating and exercise.
If you are among the 49% of Americans who want to lose weight and get into better shape, then start with the foods you consume. Knowing your own body and figuring out what works for you is going to be the difference between seeing results or not. For example, for some, they need to eat multiple times a day through smaller meals and healthy snacks in order to help curve the hunger. Others stick to three main meals and do not eat after certain times. Figuring out what works for you, will help limit the feeling of being overly hungry, which for most people when overly hungry leads them to make poor food choices. Additionally getting exercise regular helps as well. It does not need to be extremely rigorous or daily, but it does need to be constant. Healthy and sustainable weight loss is not instantaneous, be patient with yourself. Enjoy the journey, be easy on yourself when life gets busy, and keep going you will get there. There are two mentality types, it either is ‘one day’ or ‘day one’, keep striving for your goals.
