NotDieting.com: Not dieting for one year...

01 March 2008

Not dieting for one year...

I have been dieting for most of my life, despite the fact I have never had a weight problem. My dieting started out of adolescent insecurity and then became habit. Like most women, dieting has become such a natural part of my life that I feel completely crazed if I am not following a specific meal plan. I've reached a point in my life where I'm over it. If I'm going to gain 10 lbs. from eating an extra cookie after dinner, then so be it. I'm sick of dieting!

1 comments:

mintspy said...: good luck with it all - i started about a month after you but haven't really written about it, but keep up the good work, both with the self love and the sharing it with people who need your inspirational stories to not go back to that nasty diet!; 21 May, 2008

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Need A Reason?

1. Diets Don't Work
The problem with most diets is they're too specific to fit our lives. They tell you what to eat and how much, but don't take into account individual preferences, lifestyle, time constraints and likes and dislikes. Plus, they throw so much change at us that they're nearly impossible to follow for a long period of time. Remember that weight loss is a lifetime thing.

2. Diets Are Ridiculous
Fad diets, such as the Cabbage Diet or the Hollywood Diet, use semi-starvation methods to promote weight loss which, if you didn't already know, is completely ridiculous. And it's bad for you too. Diets that restrict one or more of the food groups should top your list of diets to avoid since you'll be missing out on important nutrients and your weight loss will be temporary. Why waste your time?

3. Some Diets Are Unhealthy
Okay, not all diets are unhealthy but some of the most popular diets out there, such as low-carb diets, urge us to cut out some important components. Scientists love to confuse us with conflicting studies about whether these diets are safe, but you don't need an expert to figure out that you need carbs, protein AND fat to be healthy. Plus, if a diet is too restrictive, you won't follow it.

4. Diets Require Lots of Work

Most of us are busy and don't have time for the careful shopping, cooking and calorie-counting many diets require. If a diet calls for all kinds of things you don't have time for, how long do you think you'll be able to follow it?

5. Diets Make You Feel Like a Failure
Many diets are so restrictive and complicated, you're almost guaranteed to fail. It helps to understand that tackling everything at once and changing your eating habits overnight will not work. In fact, you're sure to fail if that's the approach you take and it's not because you're a loser, either.

6. Diets Zap Your Pocketbook
Diets are big business. Remember, the people who sell diet books have an agenda--to take your money and buy themselves a million=dollar mansion in Beverly Hills. Is anyone more interested in your health and happiness than you? No. So be skeptical of the infomercials and diet books out there. The 'diet gurus' don't always have your best interests at heart.

7. Diets Are Temporary
Lifetime health and fitness ain't an option with dieting. As mentioned above, even if you DO manage to follow a diet, you'll almost always give up on it when those cravings hit (and they will if you're restricting your food too much). This means you'll end up losing weight and gaining it right back which is a complete waste of your time. Don't you have better things to do?

8. Diets Sap Your Energy
The reason you lose weight on diets is because you drastically reduce your calorie intake. You may think this is good, but too little food means fatigue, low energy and it can even stall weight loss. Your body needs fuel for weight loss and if you don't get enough, your body will hoard every fat cell it can. Eat several small meals a day to stay satisfied and energetic.

9. Diets Give Food a Bad Rap
Diets usually restrict the foods you love to eat. When told you can't eat something, you become obsessed with not eating it-and that makes you crave it even more. Remember, foods aren't good or bad and you can eat what you love. Eating is one of the great pleasures in life and you can enjoy it without guilt when you allow yourself treats now and then.

10. Diets Aren't the Answer
I've said it before and it bears repeating: Making small changes in your diet every day is the easiest way to successfully change bad eating habits. Focusing on one thing at a time, one day at a time, will ease the pressure and allow you to ease your way into a new healthy lifestyle.

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