Why don't diets work, and what does.

The following is an article I wrote that is soon to be published in Golfer's Digest:

By Heather Rudalavage RD LDN
Heather is a registered dietitian and owner of Intuitive Nutrition. She uses a non-diet approach to teach her clients to become their own nutrition expert so they can achieve their optimal weight.

America’s alarming rate of obesity has been well-documented in the popular press. Here in Pennsylvania, more than 25% of the adult population is considered obese, which is defined as having a BMI >30. Simultaneously, Americans spent over $40 billion on diet books and programs last year. How can a nation that is obsessed with dieting continue to have increased obesity levels? It seems the more we spend on dieting the larger our waistlines grow. But, are diets really the answer? Increasingly we are seeing research studies that show not only is dieting not an answer, it may actually be contributing to our weight gain.

For example, a team of UCLA scientists reviewed 31 long-term studies on dieting and concluded that: 1) dieting is a consistent predictor of weight gain; 2) up to two-thirds of the people regained more weight than they lost; and 3) diets do not lead to sustained weight loss or health benefits for the majority of people. [1]

Most, if not all, diets are deprivation diets, forcing us to give up a certain type of food or even an entire food group. Through the years, fat, protein and carbohydrates have all been on the “bad” list. There are three main reasons why deprivation diets tend to fail. First, our brain fights against them. If we consciously deny ourselves something again and again, we are likely to end up craving it more and more. Secondly, our body fights against them. Millions of years of evolution have made our bodies smart. If we drastically cut back our calories, our metabolism slows down and our body becomes more efficient. Thirdly, our environment fights against diets. We are a society built upon instant gratification. There’s a Starbucks on every corner. Remember the “Hot Light” at Krispy Kreme donut shops? Fast food restaurants continually tell us that we can have it “our way” without the wait. Not to mention the constant advertisements on every television, magazine and billboard showing us the warm connection between food and feeling.

What to do? If diets are not the answer, than what does work? In recent years, a non-diet approach to weight control has slowly been gaining popularity. Research shows that allowing ourselves to eat what we want, while tuning into our hunger and satiety cues, which is the basis of a non-diet approach, can lead to success. I know what you are thinking, but keep reading. Most people believe that if they were “allowed” to eat whatever they wanted they would never be able to stop eating; if they take one bite of chocolate they won’t be able to stop. This may be true, in the beginning, but more often than not, just permitting yourself to have a forbidden food (unconditionally), can cause it to lose some of its appeal. In addition, while no food is forbidden (unless it causes you bodily discomfort) you have to be hungry to eat it. This means tuning in to your body and determining if you are hungry before you start eating, and throughout the meal, asking yourself, “Am I still hungry? Does the food still taste good?” You may be surprised, the more you practice this, the better you become at tuning in.

If you have the goal of losing weight in the New Year, don’t just fall into another fad diet trap, and let a book or a program tell you what and when to eat. Start tuning into your own inner wisdom and discover the no willpower way to lose weight. Just like Dorothy from Oz, you had it in you the whole time, you just didn’t realize it.

[1] Mann, T. Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: Diets are not the answer. Am. Psychologist, 2007; 62(3): 220-233.