After the initial 5 to 10 percent weight loss in the first six months, within a few years nearly two thirds of dieters regain MORE weight than they lost. Instead of helping to regain good health, this type of yoyo weight loss/gain may actually damage one’s health. Studies suggest that these diet fails are linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and altered immune function. In fact, the best predictor of future weight gain is dieting. As a result of dieting, the average long term weight gain is 11 pounds.
The average woman spends 31 years on a diet.
The average woman has tried 61 diets by age 45.
The average American dieter spends $800 every year on weight loss attempts.
Has your diet failed? Find out why.
Most diets fail because they:
- Rely on willpower, we are only human and have weaknesses and cravings for comfort food.
- Don’t allow for satisfying snacks, desserts and “cheats”
- Rely on “macros” and or calorie counting and points making it difficult to track
- Are too restrictive and not sustainable in the long run
If dieting doesn’t work, what does?
Eating in moderation and regular exercise. I know, we’ve heard it all before, but ultimately, it’s the only sustainable solution. Your weight loss journey should include education and lifestyle changes that you can live with the rest of your life.
For initial weight loss, a plan that limits carbohydrates and increases proteins is a proven method to kickstart your diet. A customized plan supervised by a medical practitioner can meet your physical health and lifestyle needs. It also helps to have coaching for encouragement to keep you on track. Foods should be tasty and healthy, easy to obtain and prepare and offer good overall nutrition. Finally, education and long term coaching is necessary to continue to live with the lifestyle changes that will keep the weight off permanently.
What Lifestyle Changes Should You Expect?
Healthy people are just normal people with healthy habits. Habits are the missing link in not only achieving healthy weight loss but maintaining it.
4 Steps to Healthy Habits
- Write it Down – Committing it to paper can help commit the changes in your mind.
- Start Small – For example, eliminating 1 sugary soda a day, can result in a 20 lb. weight loss in 6 months
- Celebrate – Celebrating the wins, large or small can keep you motivated.
- The 21 Day Rule – A new habit can be formed if you can keep doing it daily, for 21 days. 3 weeks is not a big deal!
Beware these Diet Fails:
- Diets that focus on only a few foods or food groups (like the cabbage soup diet, grapefruit diet, strict vegan diets, raw food diets, and many low-carb diets)
- Diets with “miracle” foods, supplements or ingredients
- Fasting and very low-calorie diets (like the “Skinny” vegan diet, Hollywood Diet, and Master Cleanse)
- Diets that sound too good to be true (like The Weight Loss Cure ‘They’ Don’t Want You to Know About.)
In fact, diets don’t need to be diets, we should call it a total lifestyle change that is required for success. To learn more about how Active Health can start you on your journey, click here: https://activehlth.com/weight-loss/
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/Dieting-Does-Not-Work-UCLA-Researchers-7832
https://visual.ly/community/Infographics/health/diet-failure-statistics
https://www.smartnutrition.ca/overeating/dieted-failed-find/
https://www.thediabetescouncil.com/why-do-most-diets-fail/
https://www.smartnutrition.ca/overeating/dieted-failed-find/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/worst-diets-ever-diets-that-dont-work