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Why Your Diet May
Not Be Working!
by:
Nishanth Reddy
Jennifer, a middle-aged single
mother with one six-year-old daughter, has been
skipping sweets for a few weeks now. She’s also
become a stickler for portion control. She feels as
if she’s eating less than ever, and she’s been
diligently exercising for an hour at a time at least
four days a week. Yet, she hasn’t lost a single
pound. The question is, “Why?”
This is a dilemma which affects
dieters the world over. They think they are taking
the steps necessary to lose weight, but nothing
seems to be happening. In essence, they are trapped
in a dieting rut and they don’t know how to free
themselves. As a result, they become frustrated and
depressed and may then engage in binge eating.
One of the problems with diets is
that they are often standardized. As a result, they
don’t take into consideration your individual
physiology and metabolism. They provide a
cookie-cutter approach to weight loss—an approach
which may not work in your individual case. As a
result, an increasing number of people are turning
to dieticians to formulate a person weight loss
strategy for them. This process has been made easier
through the Internet, where you can correspond with
a dietician any time of the day or night via e-mail.
The dietician can also act as your personal coach,
helping you through your dieting dilemmas.
Another reason that you may be
failing at your diet is because of a lack of
support. You may have family members who can eat
whatever they want and seemingly not gain a pound.
As a result, they may fill your refrigerator with
junk food, leading you into temptation. Also, you
may feel as if you have no one to turn to in order
to discuss your weight problems. In order to solve
this problem, many individuals look to
psychotherapists to help them with their
food-related issues. This can be particularly
important if an individual has turned to purging in
an effort to combat their weight problems. Bulimia
is a serious disease which must be treated in order
to ensure the good health of the patient.
Thankfully, there are a number of treatment programs
throughout the U.S. specifically focusing on
bulimia.
Yet another reason for diet failure
is hidden calories. You may literally be consuming
calories and not even realize it. For instance, the
frappucinos that are so popular today are loaded
with calories—as many as 600 in a single serving!
You may also be indulging in sugary sodas—another
source of extra calories. By taking a few simple
steps, such as eliminating the exotic coffee drinks
from your diet and substituting skim milk for whole
milk, you may be able to eliminate the hidden
calories that are denying you dieting success.
Lack of consistency can also be a
diet-killer. You might go on a diet for a while,
then quit before you’ve made any measurable
progress. It’s only natural to want to see quick
results. The problem is that healthy weight loss
involves losing only a couple of pounds a week. That
means you’ll have to stay on your diet for months
before you see appreciable weight loss.
Discouraging? It can be, but if you keep a positive
attitude you can achieve your ideal weight.
You may also be more successful in
your dieting if you consider it to be a lifestyle
change. Therefore, your diet becomes a meal plan for
life. This means that you must change the way you
look at food. It is designed to be fuel for your
body, and nothing more. As a result, you should not
turn to food to make you feel better or to provide
you with a sense of comfort. A lifestyle change
implies commitment; it means that you are prepared
to follow the plan for the long haul. If you feel as
if you cannot be on your diet for any appreciable
length of time, perhaps it’s time to consider a
different diet. Your aim ultimately should be not
simply to lose weight, but to become healthier. A
fad diet will not allow you to reach that milestone.
Therefore, you must choose your diet carefully. |
