If diets worked, how come there are so many of them?”
-Tim Keightley
While most of us at one time or another have tried to go on some type of diet, few can say that they actually stuck with it and achieved long-lasting results. Why? They are too restrictive and hard to stick to. They are too extreme and are centered around a negative perception of eating, i.e. “eating carbs is bad, stay away from them at all costs.” A diet puts nutrition and eating in terms of negatives. However, that is the wrong way to look at them. As humans we do not respond well to negation. We don’t like it when our choices are restricted. And that is why diets are not very successful. They attempt to enforce a regimen that we cannot conform with.
That is the psychological explanation as to why diets do not work. But there is also a physical explanation. They are usually based on extremes. However, our bodies do not like extremes. They demand moderation and consistency. We eat because our bodies require a certain balanced amount of nutrients to function. The nutrients are divided into two groups: macro and micro. Macro are those that we need large quantities of: protein, fat and carbohydrates. Micronutrients are those nutrients that we need a smaller amount of: vitamins and minerals. For our bodies to function properly they need a proper amount of each of the nutriets. Unfortunately, diets are centered on cutting back on the nutrients that we need. Therefore, while there might be some short-term results, diets are hard on the body. By not getting the nutritients that the body needs, it is hard to sustain both the the results of the diet and a healthy life-style. I could go on and critique every diet that exists out there individually, but I have just described the fundamental reason as to why diets do not work.
Clearly, proper nutrition is important. Therefore, there is a distinction between healthy eating and diets. Healthy eating, as opposed to diets, is based on moderation and consistency. It is a positive outlook on eating because it does not place a restriction on what can and cannot be consumed. Rather, it limits the amount of consumpion of different foods. Healthy eating centered around portion-control allows for the body to obtain all of the nutrients that it needs without creating a surplus. This approach is much easier to follow than diets which makes it easier to maintain over a period of time.
What exactly constitutes healthy eating? That I will talk about in my next post.
