3 REAONS WHY DIETS DON'T WORK AND 3 THINGS THAT DO

Diets come up everywhere.  FaceBook.  Instagram.  Conversations.  Commercials.  It's all over the place and it's what a lot of us talk about on a regular basis.  We want to look and feel our best and we have a mental picture of what we think that looks like.  The only problem is that diets don't work!  Why?  Here are the top three things that I see happen when someone I know goes on a diet:

Juices and smoothies are my favorite!

1.  DIETS LEAVE YOU HUNGRY.  Many diets have you eating less food, restricting certain foods and even counting calories (which seems almost impossible).  This means you'll most likely be confused and hungry (and end up making poor choices when in a rush), which means you'll be thinking about food even more than you normally would.  Which brings us to the 2nd reason...

2.  DIETS MAKE YOU MEAN.  When you deprive yourself of all the foods you love and enjoy, you're naturally going to be unhappy for a while.  Plus, if you need to detox from sugar or caffeine, it's going to be even worse.  You might even feel terrible.  And during your diet, you're going to be dreaming of the future days when you can eat all that food your missing.  Which takes us to the 3rd reason...

3.  DIETS ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE.  Once you've reached your goal, you're probably going to go right back to eating how you were before.  So, after time, you're going to backtrack and lose all that progress.  Not only will you be discouraged, but you'll most likely feel even more out of control than when you started.  You'll feel like a failure and might be afraid to try again, leaving you stuck in a rutt.

Dieting doesn't seem to turn out too well for most people.  Experiencing hunger pains makes people anxious and going without certain beloved foods makes people unhappy.  It's just bad all around, especially if you can't keep it up.  Yo-yo dieting is not the way to go for long-term health.

My favorite work out buddy :)

But the real problem is with our attitude about food.  We shouldn't choose short-term dieting to quickly meet goals.  What we should be doing is choosing a lifestyle that promotes long-term health.  so, what does that look like?

1.  EAT WHEN WE ARE HUNGRY.  Instead of focusing on eating 3 meals a day or 6 small meals a day or not eating after 7, etc., what if we just ate when we felt hungry?  And I don't mean a craving that comes and passes after 20 minutes.  I mean truly hungry.  Give yourself time to be hungry for a while, let your stomach be empty and allow yourself to experience some hunger pains!  I promise it won't kill you.

2.  EAT UNTIL WE ARE SATISFIED.  Once you begin eating, only eat until you are satisfied, not full.  It takes about 20 minutes for your body to register what you have eaten, so take your time to eat slow, chew your food and listen to your body's signals.  You'll feel much better after a meal if you didn't over-do it.  No matter how good the food was, no one likes that stuffed feeling when you get up from the table.

3.  EAT FOODS THAT LEAVE US FEELING WELL.  Chances are that huge burger and fries at lunch didn't leave you feeling well.  And I bet that late night bowl of ice cream and bottle of wine didn't help either, right?  Don't just eat to eat.  Think about what you are putting into your body, how you feel as you are eating, how you feel an hour after that meal, how you'll feel tomorrow and how the food will effect your long-term goals of life-long health.

Love when I travel and find healthy options!

Ironman and I eat plant-based because we feel better eating that way.  Sure, I'd love to binge on Krispy Kreme Donuts or a burger and fries or drink red wine every night.  When Ironman met me, I was basically surviving on Cinnamon Sugar Pop-Tars and loving every minute of it.  But, when I eat that way I feel terrible.  My stomach is a mess, I'm uncomfortable in my clothes, I'm sluggish and I gain weight.  It's not "just food", but it truly affects the rest of my day and life.

Don't go on another diet.  Instead, spend time educating yourself on food and exercise and make small changes that you can sustain.  Your body will thank you in the long run!  It doesn't matter if it takes you years.  What matters is that you will be able to look back and see how far you've come over time.

What is one small change that you can make today and keep it up?

Walking is my favorite exercise :)

Need some ideas?  Here are some things that I've changed over the past year and a half and I can definitely tell I'm feeling much better!

-get moving daily: this can be a simple 10 minute walk around the neighborhood, a bike ride with your kids, a class you enjoy at the gym.  It doesn't have to be anything crazy.  The best exercise is the one that you are going to do!

-clean up your diet: cut out packaged and processed foods, sweets, alcohol and anything that doesn't leave you feeling your best after a meal.  It doesn't have to be all at once.  Just chose one small change to implement this week.  Then, next week, add one more thing.

-live a balanced life: get outside for some vitamin D, spend time with friends and family you enjoy, go to bed earlier, stick to a budget, incorporate essential oils into your day, take a vacation.  Create a life that you love and cut out the things that aren't doing you any good.

You don't have to go cold turkey.  One thing at a time works.  Change one thing today.  When you are ready, change one more thing.  Before you know it, a year will pass and you will be a totally different person!  It isn't a diet that makes you healthy.  It's consistently making good choices.  Do that and see how you feel.  It may get worse before it gets better, but I guarantee you it will get better with time!