This is confusing for those looking to be more healthy or lose weight. While fad diets often create a caloric deficit that causes participants to shed pounds quickly, they’re not sustainable. Here are five things you can do to break up with fad dieting.
Stop Labeling Foods as Black and White
To let go of the fad dieting mindset, it’s important to stop labeling foods as good and bad. This creates a sense of restriction and turns a “bad” food into a forbidden fruit. While activities like cutting back on fast food and stopping sugar cravings are important aspects of becoming healthier, it’s important to eliminate the guilt associated with either.
When people connect certain foods with feelings of guilt, they set themselves up for failure. For example, giving in to a sugar craving will be followed by a feeling of failure that triggers an emotional response. That emotional response often results in more sugar cravings for that temporary feeling of satisfaction. Rather than viewing certain foods as bad, learn to view them as unnecessary, but enjoyable in moderation.
Focus on Adding Rather than Subtracting
Fad diets have one significant thing in common: they focus on taking away certain foods. Whether they’re asking you to take away carbohydrates or cut your portion sizes in half, the focus is always on less. This creates a sense of loss and deprivation.
Instead of focusing on taking away from your diet, focus on adding to it. Set goals to add more vegetables to your plate, drink more water daily, move a little more than you did yesterday, etc. By focusing on adding more healthy proteins and foods that are contingent with your goals, you start to eat less of the unhealthier options by default without even realizing it.
Take a Habit-Based Approach
Another challenge with fad diets is that they often promote making all of your dietary changes overnight, rather than a sustainable lifestyle change over time. It can take weeks to turn an action into a habit, which doesn’t appeal to people next to the idea of an overnight miracle fix– despite the fact that the last seven versions of the quick fixes they tried have failed.
Choose one thing to do better today. Keep focusing on that task until it becomes second nature. Then, add another habit. In doing so, you change your mindset and your routine to fit your goals. Remember, it wasn’t a quick path to where you are now; it won’t be a quick path to make a permanent change.
Work with a Coach
Find a certified coach from a reputable institution to assist with reaching your goals. Look for someone who promotes sustainable habit building, rather than someone who is going to take your money to guide you through a quick diet that will yield a temporary sense of success.
Learn to Think Critically
Anyone can post a meme on the internet making great claims about the next great thing. It’s important to educate yourself and learn to think critically before taking something as gospel. For example, many people don’t know that the term “superfood” is just a marketing term; it has no regulation or association with any governing health bodies.
Ask yourself if a claim makes sense. Who is saying it? Are they trying to sell you something? Does it seem too good to be true? Are the studies being evaluated and reviewed by reliable sources?
By thinking critically and dedicating yourself to the long haul, you can leave the yo-yo dieting behind and start to create a healthy, holistic life for yourself.