By Kirstin Chock
The definition of dieting has evolved. Dieting means to go on an all liquid diet, be a vegetarian, and/or skip breakfast, when the exact definition, according to the dictionary, is that dieting is managing food and drink consumption.
People need to stick to the exact, literal meaning of the definition of dieting in order to see lasting results. The problem is that the media does not portray this method or educate people about this and that the media has such a strong influence over the actions people take. Yet, realistically, since the media cannot be abolished, the one thing that people do have control over is educating themselves to take the real steps to improving their quality of life.
The popular way is the wrong way
If you are contemplating if you should do a popular, “fad” diet, do not do it. Many studies have proven this to be true. According to a study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health reported that that over a ten-year time frame, dieters were more likely to gain weight than the non-dieters.
Research says dieting does not work
Dieting in this era means extremely reducing calorie intake to the point that you feel miserable, moody, hungry, and lack energy. The modern ways of dieting do not work and actually result in weight gain rather than weight loss.
Dr. Mann, a UCLA researcher whose dieting report was published in the Journal of the American Psychological Association, found that dieters initially lost anywhere between 5 to 10 percent of body weight, but soon after the conclusion of dieting, they regained all the weight back, plus more. Through careful analysis of thousands of dieting studies, the report concluded that the people who decided to diet would have been better off not dieting at all.
Why is dieting ineffective
The calorie deprivation from dieting leads to neurological and physiological changes that make it difficult to keep the weight off. When people diet, the calorie deprivation causes the body to go through some changes that cause eventual weight gain.
Dieting causes the body to produce higher levels of ghrelin, which is the hormone that controls your hunger. So, dieting causes more of a hunger response and the result is people splurging on foods and drinks high in sugar, salt, and/or fats.
The calorie deprivation from dieting lowers the body’s metabolism. A lower metabolism means more of a challenge to lose weight. This leads to an emotional effect because people get frustrated, moody, and have lower energy.
There is also a neurological effect. Dieting causes people to have less of an attention span because the main subject on their mind is food. Studies have shown that dieters brain scans were very different from non-dieters and the dieters had lower focusing capabilities compared to non-dieters.
The Real Solution
The most effective way to keep the weight off for good is through cutting back on calories from food and drinks instead of partaking in restrictive dieting or elimination dieting. By cutting back and partaking in moderation dieting, you have the best chance of keeping the weight off. Consumption of all foods and drinks accounts for 80% of your weight, body fat, and overall health, which is why it is vital to make monitoring your consumption a priority. Remember, that there is no quick fix. You did not gain all the weight in one week, so you will not lose all the weight in one week. It takes time to reboot the body and reboot your entire system. But, if you cut back on sugar, salt, and fats from foods and drinks, you will see weight loss results in one week.
Remember, that weight loss results will vary. The more fat a person has, the more weight that person can lose in a shorter time frame. Do not compare your results to the results of someone else. Whether you lose one pound a week or start feeling better and less sluggish, that is progress and that is you improving your overall health and quality of life.
Leave a Reply