Why Your Diet May Not Be Working
Why Your Diet May Not Be Working
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.
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