We've all been there. Scrolling through social media or watching TV, bombarded with promises of quick weight loss, instant muscle definition, and more miracle transformations. A new "miracle diet" pops up, promising rapid results. You jump in, full of enthusiasm, only to find yourself back where you started a few weeks or months later, often feeling defeated and frustrated. Sound familiar?
The problem isn't you; it's the diet.
Why Isn’t My Diet Working?
Fad diets, by their very nature, are unsustainable. They often involve extreme restrictions, eliminating entire food groups or focusing on a very limited selection of foods. You might see results in the first month or so, but it’s only a matter of time before you backslide. Why? Because life happens! Restrictive diets are hard to stick to when you're faced with social outings, cravings, busy schedules, or the basic human desire to enjoy what you’re eating. Eventually, the restrictions become too much, and you find yourself slipping back into old habits.
Deconstructing the Dieting Mindset
Diet culture has deceived us. We are often sold on the idea that with enough willpower and a drastic change to our diet, we can rapidly transform our bodies and create lasting change. This is framed as a temporary sacrifice for your long-term happiness – but that just isn’t reality. A crash diet might deliver some fast results, but unless you're willing to eat like that for the rest of your life, those changes won't last long.
The truth is, there's no quick fix when it comes to healthy eating. To make a meaningful change that you can sustain in the long run, we need to deconstruct the dieting mindset and embrace a more flexible approach that allows you to be human.
“Fast Results” are a Red Flag
It's normal to gravitate towards diets that offer fast results – we want to see immediate confirmation that our efforts are worthwhile. But this approach makes quitting all too easy, whether it's because we’re not seeing the changes we want, or because the means of achieving those changes are exhausting.
Fast results are tempting, we know, but imagine reaching your goals without ever having to go on another restrictive diet again! Let’s break the cycle of jumping from one restrictive diet to another and start building an outlook that supports your long-term goals and health over “fast” but fleeting results.
Food is Not the Enemy
One of the most harmful parts of restrictive diets is the way they tend to paint entire food groups as the enemy. This creates an unhelpful mindset where we begin to resent how limited our options are and feel overcome with guilt for enjoying the foods we love.
Maintaining a healthy diet in the long term shouldn’t feel like punishment. That’s where food diversity comes in! Instead of focusing on restricting foods, we want to expand our eating options, incorporating a wide array of nutrient-rich foods. By diversifying our diet, we give ourselves an abundance of options that are satisfying, healthy, and actually taste good.
Why Food Diversity Matters:
· Nutrient Density: Different foods offer different nutritional profiles. Eating a variety ensures you're getting a full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
· Gut Health: A diverse diet supports a healthy gut microbiome, which plays a crucial role in digestion, immunity, and overall health.
· Sustainability: A diet with lots of options is simply easier to maintain in the long run. You're less likely to feel deprived, and more likely to keep at it.
· Enjoyment: Food should be enjoyed! A diverse diet allows you to savor a wide range of cuisines, flavors, and textures, making healthy eating easy and exciting.
It’s Not “All or Nothing”
The “all or nothing” mentality that diet culture often promotes is setting you up for failure. The idea that you have to make huge changes all at once and never miss a day is an impossible task for most people. While it’s easy to get swept up in a wave of enthusiasm and go all-in, it’s often better to make small, incremental changes. This allows time for habits to form, making it easier for you to maintain change in the long run.
For example, rather than overhauling your whole diet, try focusing on one piece you want to improve most. That could look like drinking one more cup of water a day, prioritizing a high-protein breakfast, or adding a serving of vegetables to your dinners. As the little changes become a habit, it will free up energy to focus on tackling your next goal without getting overwhelmed.
Another piece of that “all or nothing” mentality is the pressure to perfectly adhere to the diet rules. Indulging in a pastry or a pizza night should not feel like game over. The changes you make to your diet should be ones that you can keep up most of the time, not ones you have to do all of the time. A sustainable diet is flexible and works in harmony with your lifestyle and goals.
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
It’s crucial to remember that everyone's nutritional needs are unique. Your age, activity level, health conditions, and fitness goals all play a role in determining the best dietary approach for you. Think about what your personal health goals are and be mindful of how your dietary changes are affecting those goals. Pay attention to the things that impact you most, such as pain levels, inflammation, athletic stamina, cholesterol, or your energy levels throughout the day.
From Diet Struggles to Eating Well with Ease
Here are our key takeaways for leaving behind the dieting mindset:
1. Fast results are fleeting – be patient with yourself as you work to form new habits.
2. Don’t restrict, diversify! – choose a wide variety of foods to keep your diet both filling and fulfilling.
3. Allow yourself room to be imperfect – start with small, realistic changes that you can stick to most of the time, and don’t sweat the days when it doesn’t work.
4. Listen to your body – notice how the foods you eat are affecting your health and make adjustments as needed.
It’s time to leave behind the dieting cycle and embrace a balanced and flexible approach to eating. It's not about quick fixes; it's about creating sustainable habits that will nourish your body and support your health for years to come.
Ready to Break Up with Dieting?
FS Nutrition is here to set you up for success!
Our nutritionists are here to help you discover the best way to eat for your unique needs and goals! You'll have all the support you need, including weekly online check-ins with your coach and direct messaging for any other questions you have throughout your program. Your coach will guide you to make better nutritional choices and form new habits that work for your lifestyle.
Written By: Emily McGuire is a Health and Wellness Writer for Fit Societe. She is a California native with a passion for writing, holistic wellness, and mental and physical health. She has earned a Bachelor's degree in International Business from UC San Diego.
Reviewed By: Scott Ryan, CSCS, RSCC*D, CF-L1, CF-W, BFRC, PNC, Director- Fit Societe
Scott Ryan is a Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach and Precision Nutrition Coach who specializes in Applied Functional Science, CrossFit L1, and Olympic Lifting. He attended New England College in New Hampshire obtaining a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis on Biomechanics. He has a passion for injury prevention and coaching, as he was a collegiate athlete who suffered sports injuries. His goal is to get athletes back to optimal shape as well as prevent future injuries.
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