Do Diets Work for Weight Management?

So, you now have a basic picture of why diets fail. As the saying goes, “slow and steady wins the race.” The way forward is to leave a diet mentality and the resulting yo-yo effects behind. If you're still skeptical, consider this: millions of people try a fad diet of one type or another during any given year. They sign up for a meal plan regimen based on restrictions and deprivals that ultimately fail. If this approach actually worked, there wouldn't be an obesity crisis in the USA.

And so it goes that a “diet” is not actually HOW you eat to lose weight, but the WAY you eat each and every day. This involves resolution toward lifestyle change with weight loss as one of many possible outcomes. A sustained commitment to a healthy diet can just as easily involve a goal toward lowering your cholesterol, improving your sleep, or better fueling your physical activities. Food is life. The purpose and outcomes of better nutrition are practically endless.

Are there practical steps toward sustainable weight loss? Of course. First of all, remember the old saying, “all things in moderation.” Instead of labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” focus on eating mostly nutrient-dense foods. Moderation also means allowing ourselves to eat foods that might not be as nutritious every so often. Shifting our minds away from what we can't have or the thought that a food is “forbidden” can actually help us decrease our cravings for these types of foods, as well as reduce the risk of binging or overeating.

We can and should eat less-than-healthy foods on occasion without feeling guilty. If you do occasionally eat too much of a food that is not considered healthy, remember that the next healthy choice you can make is just a meal or snack away. Combined with even some basic, regular exercise, you can enjoy a healthy lifestyle that doesn't feel like punishment.