The Problem with Dieting and What to do About It
We began our careers putting people on diets, as we were taught to do. It did not take long to realize that there was no magic in food restriction. In fact, it became painfully obvious that dieting is fraught with failure, heartache, and deprivation. Simply put, we learned that diets literally cause problems, including:
intense preoccupation with food
powerful food cravings
deprivation-driven eating
compulsive eating
eating disorders
Research dates back to the 1960s showing how diets ultimately don’t work, and often cause the very problems they are supposed to be fixing.
Many, many studies show that restricting food intake does not cause long-term weight loss 95 to 98% of the time. More recent research shows the failure rate to be 99%.
If you don’t believe me, try to find just ONE weight loss study that shows long-term weight loss for the majority of participants. I’ve never been able to find one, and I have looked!
Research also shows that over 1/3 of those cutting back on food to manage weight will actually gain extra weight. and end up heavier than when they started. Does this sound familiar?
Are you larger today than when you first tried to lose weight?
Diets cause weight gain. When 95 to 99% of people who try a treatment can’t succeed, perhaps there is something wrong with the treatment!
“If a doctor prescribed a new drug with a 95 to 99% failure rate, then blamed you when it did not work, how would you feel?”
Most people blame themselves for the weight regain, and for the extra pounds. And professionals jump on board to blame those who are not taking weight off.
We will not do that, nor will we promote food restriction. We believe doing so is unethical.
Using “External” Mechanisms to Regulate Food Intake
Dieting, counting calories or points, excluding certain foods or food groups and putting limits on when one can and cannot eat are external mechanisms which try to control the body’s weight, size and/or shape. People who use these techniques to manage their food intake are called “externally-regulated” eaters.
Research shows that externally-regulated eaters are more prone to “disinhibition.” This means that they are more likely to lose control of their eating, are more likely to overeat!
Woops! The opposite of what you were trying to do.
Fortunately, there is a solution.
Our bodies are inherently wise - our bodies know when they need energy (calories) and when they've had enough.
We Are Born With The Ability To Regulate Food Intake
Our bodies know how to regulate food intake. We were all born with this innate ability. Infants and toddlers know when they are hungry and when they are satisfied, and respond accordingly.
Have you ever fed an infant? She will cry when hungry to let you know she needs to eat. When she has had enough, she will begin to play with the food, or push it away. Even if it is chocolate cake!
She is able to eat exactly how much she needs to successfully manage her weight.
She will always have this ability--unless someone interferes with it.
For instance, as we go through life there are many external influences that tell us when, how much and what to eat, including:
someone telling us we need to eat less
someone telling us to eat more
someone telling us to eat differently
being forced into the Clean Plate Club
our own attempt to change food because we feel ashamed of our bodies
a professional who tells us we will die if we don't lose weight
Over time, we lose trust in our ability to regulate food intake and come to rely on these outside external cues. We eat based on portions, calories, healthy eating principles, etc.
Relying On An Outside Authority
With so many diets and information from books, the media, magazines, friends and family, it is easy to be convinced that we need follow a plan or formula to be healthy and to successfully manage our weight.
We try to follow these external authorities, yet they are not able to account for changes in metabolism, sleep patterns, hormonal fluctuations, stress and activity levels. It is unreasonable to think that our bodies need the same amount of energy every day. Each day is different - movement, stress levels, sleep, etc. - so it makes sense that our energy needs will be constantly changing.
These external plans also cannot address our changing psychology--our needs, personalities, lifestyles, etc.
No external plan can predict what we need each day.
However, if we re-learn to trust ourselves, we will realize that we do not need some plan, or some other person to tell us how to eat. We each have a body that accurately tells us how much and when we need to eat, a body that does not want to overeat!
That’s right, you are much more likely to NOT overeat if you follow your body’s guidance, your body’s unique eating wisdom.
The nondiet / intuitive eating approach will guide you back to this eating wisdom, so that you can easily manage food and weight.
"Nondiet" / Intuitive Eating Is Not A “Free For All”
Incorporating a nondiet / intuitive eating approach to eating does not mean you eat whatever whenever. Far from that. By paying attention to what your body needs, you have access to your internal guidance system. Rather than external structure, you have internal structure.
When you get hungry, you become uncomfortable. You eat and that eases the discomfort.
Satisfaction is comfortable. Getting too full becomes uncomfortable. To avoid this discomfort, you quit eating as you sense you may become uncomfortable.
Like a baby.
However … if you’ve spent any time using external mechanisms to guide your eating, hunger may be confusing, and satisfaction/fullness will be distorted, or even obliterated. You can relearn to connect with these amazing signals. There are books, and we can help guide you. We even have an online course that will take you step by step through the process.
The Challenge Is To Listen
Your body has an inner wisdom, and knows how much fuel it needs. Your challenge is know and trust how to hear what your body is telling you.
As you practice intuitive eating, you will be better able to listen to your body, and can trust that this perfect eating guidance system with always be there for you. As you realize you can trust your body, you will also become more comfortable with yourself and will discover your natural, healthy weight.
