Diets Don't Work

Its taken me years to realise that diets don't work, and research pretty much backs this up, 80% who diet end up putting all the weight back on in a short time frame and some.

What's the answer??......don't give up the food you love, change your lifestyle/balance, "don't live to eat, eat to live" , easier said than done.

I am not about to preach as I have been on many yoyo diets. At the end of the day you still need to be happy, and be able to socialise and this always seems include food somewhere along the line.

We eat out at least twice per week, so it can be a real challenge. I have found some simple choices can make a massive difference as most foods are loaded with fat and deceiving, ie salads, I make sure I have the dressing on the side etc.

It seems to be working so far, find a buddy/friend who will go on walks with you etc. I have 2 friends and we do this now/weekly and end up at a café for a skinny coffee, makes it fun. I think you need to do the things that make you happy, no point killing yourself because you will end up giving up, so what is the point.

One important factor I have found is to prepare good healthy food, and I hate cooking but it works if you prepare some delicious meals you feel far more satisfied and feel like you are not missing out.

Your thoughts??

MTR

 

Its a lot like servicing calcs except replace money in v money out with calories in v calories burnt.

It is best to make a decent diet and good quality excersize a part of your routine / lifestyle rather than something you do for 12 weeks or whatever.

Helps you in many other areas of your life as well if it is part of who you are as opposed to something you do!

 

Diets are a load of rubbish which are generally peddled by people who want to make money off them.

@MTR you've hit the nail on the head - a balanced lifestyle is key. You need to have good food and exercise to be healthy. The problem is that most people want the food without exercise and wonder why they don't lose weight.

A positive mindset to improve is also vital.

 

Agree.

But you can make dietary choices that are sustainable.

I read Cliff's recommendation - Always Hungry and agreed with a lot of this - the data is known, but he summed it up in the book - if you go hungry, it won't work.

 

100% agree.

Prescribing to specific diets/exercise regimes can be boring/disappointing/limiting.

People respond differently to different foods too - so there's no one size fits all approach. The science behind nutrition is always changing as well.

Eating reasonably healthy and getting some exercise isn't that difficult and the benefits are tremendous. I wouldn't be too scared of consuming good fats either - much better than reduced fat foods packed with sugar!

To me - sugar and simple carbs are the killer - if you eliminate those you should see/feel improvements straight away.

Cheers

Jamie

 

I went on a cruise and ate like crazy. Heaps of bacon for breakfast. 2 or 3 deserts at night with 2 entres and 1 or 2 mains. Everyone else at my table put on a few kg over the fortnight and they ate half what I did. I slept in every day and watched a few seasons of scrubs. I lost 0.3kg

Life doesn't make any sense.

 

I agree. Diets have not worked for me in the past either. I have lost a heap of weight then gone back to eating "normally" and put it all back on plus some interest. The only strategy is to change "normal eating" to something healthy and sustainable so you can maintain your weight loss.

If I am hungry and there is healthy food on hand, I will eat it. If I have to seek out food, I am a lot less likely to make the healthy choice. Buying or making healthy food when I'm not hungry helps a lot with food choices.

 

Not a diet fan either but I have found some health and diet related apps working for me. I have a great calorie counter app which I use on a daily basis and my fitbit to supplement the level of activities.

Helps a lot at the end of the day to look back at what type of food I am eating. The scary red lines make me eat healthy nutrients

 

My advice is to put exercise as your number 1 priority, the diet will follow.
This is the only thing that has ever worked for me and it works every time.
Kind of a psychological thing.
There's not much motivation to eat well if your body isn't in the right state to receive it.
It's much more motivating to stay on track that way.

 

Every time I heard of the word diet, it reminds me of the following:

 

I think its not realistic to not be able to have a glass of wine over the weekend, life simple would not be worth living...

Seriously though its about balance, probably like everything in life.

 

As someone who had always struggled with their weight and body image I found the best way to lose weight and keep it of was to use a calorie tracker (my fitness pal etc.) for a few months to really see how much I was putting in my gob. It also got me exercising on a regular basis (i now run marathons) as ou could see how much you were burning.

I believe that anything that completely excludes food groups ie. Paleo, LCHF are not sustainable. Like my Chinese Dr says, Everything in moderation....including moderation.

 

Intermittent fasting is working well for plenty of people of all types. Means you can enjoy the finer things in life more regularly but lose the weight.

@MTR... Nice profile change!

 

I've lost 5 kilos using the 5:2 diet. It works. And I wasn't fat or unfit. Just wanted to go from lean-ish to 6 pack. For the 5:2, if you're not feeling ravenous - and finding ways to distract yourself away from food, you're doing it wrong. You have to feel hungry. Not a quality, balanced lifestyle by any stretch but hey, do you want to lose fat or don't you?

The bottom line is anyone can lose weight, but its a matter of technique, consistency and willpower. Personal view here but I think a lot of people who say 'diets don't work' either:

- don't try hard enough
- convince themselves that they are dieting - when they really are not
- aren't really that serious in losing weight.

Wishing/hoping isn't the same as doing - just like everything else in life.

 

I wi

I wish I could apply make savings mindset to my eating mindset

 

You will find the same underlying principals apply. Be diligent, consistent, have a plan and push through when the mind says otherwise. Education also helps.

 

Perhaps join the forum's Biggest Loser Challenge so you can keep on track?

 

It's not the weight loss I have a problem with, it's what happens after. On diets, I have lost 20kg one time, about 15kg another time and 30kg another time. My problem is that every time, years later I have always returned to heavier than my original weight. That's why I say diets don't work.

I am currently lighter than my previous heaviest weight because I made permanent lifestyle changes instead of dieting.

 

I am glad this works for you.

However apparently from what I have researched/read there are studies that state exercise is important but at the end of the day it's more about what you eat. Over eat and will end up over weight/obese. No surprises here

Try burning 2000-3000 calories

 

That is brilliant