5 Reasons Diets are a DRAG!
By Do you feel like this on a diet? It’s so stressful, frustrating, exasperating – aaaahhhhhhh!!!! To the point that you say, I give up! And with good reason. Here’s why they don’t go so well (but stay tuned because I tell you how to achieve health and the body you want in a much easier way):
1. Too Rigid, Too Many Rules
Imagine trying to drive your car at an exact distance from the center yellow dotted or solid line. Exact. Any wavering and you would be given a ticket, automatically. No wiggle room at all. It would be like white-knuckling our way through dense fog, just trying to stay in check. That’s how a diet, with lots of rules, can feel – STRESSFUL! While part of us feels safe being told exactly what to do, there’s not a lot of room to breathe. We end up blowing it and then throwing in the towel (aka eating everything in sight) or feeling defeated thinking that we just don’t have the willpower. We want to feel guided, not strictly controlled.
2. Scheduling Cheat Days
Having a specific cheat day is another rule, isn’t it? It’s meant to help people stay on track the rest of the week, but it doesn’t account for situations that come up during the week and how you might feel. It’s highly likely that you might feel deprived on several different occasions throughout the week and because of that go even crazier than you normally might when the blessed cheat day finally arrives! Entire cheat days have the potential to undo any progress during the week. Think about it this way: one brownie, tho not on the diet plan, is far less than say, waffles with ice cream for breakfast, a donut for a snack, a corn dog and fries for lunch, candy and popcorn in the afternoon at the Saturday matinee, pasta and lots of bread sticks for dinner, and an ice cream sundae for dessert!!! Little slips are better than one big slip day.
3. Temporary Thinking
Going into a diet as something you are eventually going to go off and stop doing is a total set up. If it’s something you couldn’t stand long term, that’s your red flag that it’s going to be a bit painful. So painful that you’re only going to do it for a limited time. This again brings up the sensation of white knuckling it for a certain period of time, promoting the feeling of freedom and caution to the wind regarding health when you’ve finished. Making small changes, and making them more and more each day will have a much longer impact.
4. Allowing Unlimited Amounts
Let’s say you go on a diet that eliminates sugar, but that’s the only limited food. If you had an obscene amount of sugar before, it’s possible that only doing that will yield results. However, some people tend to think because something is healthy, it doesn’t matter how much we have. In fact, because we’re feeling a little down about what we’re missing, we feel completely justified have 2nd or 3rd helpings of brown rice, or fruit, or grilled chicken or quinoa, or…the list goes on. Portions matter and it’s better not to upset your psyche with making things off limits.
5. Weight Focused
Learning a new way of doing things, especially eating, can be challenging. Not everyone loses weight quickly and someone can be making significant, positive changes in their behavior before the weight changes. Does that mean if the weight doesn’t change in 5-7 days they should abandon the positive changes? There are many measures of success and ability that will ultimately lead you to the health and body you want.
It’s possible to have the body you want and the health you enjoy without going on a diet. It’s possible to enjoy the food you love, eat with your friends and family, not feel deprived, and still achieve health without feeling like you have to white-knuckle your way through. THE ONE-TWO PUNCH can work for you!
