Because the diet industry (remember the multi billion dollar a year industry with a miserable success record?) knows that you may be thinking about dieting more intensely at this time of the year, there will be a media blitz promoting diets and diet products. Don't be swayed by their shiny print ads and flashy TV commercials promising quick weight loss accompanied by exciting changes in everything from your job to your sex life. Resolve to not go on a diet this year!
Here are my top 10 reasons for encouraging you to not go on a diet in 2010:
- You have experienced the mind numbing obsession with food and eating that follows outlawing certain foods.
- Evaluating your self worth according to whether the numbers on the hunk of metal we call a scale go up or down is an emotionally draining experience.
- When you have driven your weight down by following diet rules and constraints that are unrealistic in real life, the weight will be regained.
- Fixating on weight loss can distract you from more important life matters like family, friends, school, job, and spiritual pursuits.
- The people around you get tired of hearing the dreary details of what is allowed or not allowed on your diet, how many "points" cheese cake is worth, or how "bad" you were at the restaurant last night.
- Dieting can be a boring, monotonous and tedious effort that leads to binge eating.
- Food is not the enemy and therefore should not be the focus of any "war on obesity".
- Sharing meals is part of socializing. Dieting can be isolating.
- You have taste buds for a reason.
- Diets don't work!
This year make resolutions that will enhance your emotional and physical life. Make resolutions that are challenging, yet reasonable. Here are some examples to consider:
- Increase the fiber in your diet.
- Add more veggies to your meals.
- Try new foods and recipes to add variety to your dietary intake.
- Eat breakfast each morning.
- Find a physical activity that you enjoy and can do regularly,
- Enjoy your food more. Taste and savor you meals.
- Decrease dependency on eating out.
- Love the body you have!
- If your body needs to lose weight, allow the weight loss to happen as a result of gradual, healthful changes you are making in relationship to eating and activity.
Be patient with yourself. Progress not perfection. No guilt!
What are your reasons for not dieting in 2010? Please share!
Diets don't work. It's so true. I would be on a diet one day and off the next. I always thought it was my fault, I must not have any will power at all! Guess what, I've lost weight without being on a diet. I don't count calories, I don't count "points". I try to exercise everyday -BUT I have learned that if I miss a day, it's not the end of the world-NO GUILT! I try to balance my proteins and carbs like Reba taught me and I allow myself to eat anything I want. When it's not "off limits" or "BAD" it really isn't as appealing as it once was. At Christmas time I used to eat every Christy Cookie in sight because I told myself that they were bad and I shouldn't eat them. This year, because I know I can eat whatever I want, I've had maybe 4 or 5. The freedom is amazing.
ReplyDeleteMy reason not to go on a diet is because I have severe and chronic Anorexia which I am battling everyday to overcome. Its so easy to get sucked in at this time of the year, to almost go into competition with freinds and family around who are engaged in dieting but this year I will prove to myself that I am stronger than that, that I am not going to listen to the media, the diet industry and rediculous celebrities advocating fasting and detoxing. I am choosing life, and that means being strong enough to turn the other way and say no to the temptation of the ready-made excuse to lose weight (as if i needed one!). I am going to make a resolution of an ANTI-diet, to go against the machine and feed myself what popular culture and the voice in my head tells me I should be denying.
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