Frankly, I think the word ‘diet’ should be removed from the English language, if you’re referring to the type that requires you to stop eating.
I’m not sure when this word meant anything more than the types and varieties of food you eat, but now it apparently refers to the amount. This word has caused turmoil- from eating disorders to weight obsession or general low self-esteem. It leads to an obsession, a nit-picky, mental consumption with outwardly appearances. And when used in casual conversation, it’s never welcome, never taken well.
“Hey girl, you need to go on a diet.” Now let’s get real. You’re immediately thinking, “I don’t look as sexy as her” or “My thighs are bigger than hers” or “What does she do to make her stomach look like that?” and the list goes on.
So I need to know. Why did this idea of dieting ever come about?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve always thought “diet” indicated a temporary condition or practice, a necessary evil only endured for a set period of time? But if we’re looking to be healthy and look great on the outside too, then why would we only do it temporarily?
Wait, let me answer this one. It’s because dieting isn’t fun. Who wants to eat like a bird? Not to say every diet requires you to avoid eating, but who really believes those commercials on television that advertise “Eat anything you want and STILL lose weight?”
The more I see my family, friends and relatives diet, the more I see that dieting isn’t conducive to long-term weight loss. The minute you go back to your beloved Ben and Jerry and your Budweiser, the weight comes right back.
My uncle had amazing willpower. He avoided junk food for months on end. We offered him a potato chip and it was a “no thank you.” But he missed his indulgences so much later on, he couldn’t get enough of them. His weight came back to haunt him- twofold.
I can make an example of myself. The summer before my first year of high school, I religiously used Pilates videos every day and denied myself all dessert for about two months. I was almost unrecognizable when I walked into school that day, always known as the chubby kid, but I’m certainly weighing down the scale more than I did then.
At that time in my life, if I wanted a chocolate-covered cherry, for example, I would feel bad about eating the whole thing. So I cut it in half. Can we say obsession?
It doesn’t matter if you’re size two or size 12 or if you’re trying to lose five pounds or fifty; when the body is filled with “regular” food again, it will move toward its original size. In other words, if you lose weight by eating an extremely healthy diet every day and return to occasional frozen meals and fast food, your body isn’t going to respond well.
The fact of the matter is we need to make a lifestyle change. That means a consistent, 365-day awareness of health rather than a summer-length deprivation. Good eating habits are not about denial, but about limiting indulgences. Discipline yourself every day, but only to a point. You can’t eat anything you want all the time; if some muscular bimbo on the television is telling you that, it’s either because she was paid or because she’s taking some type of crazy pill that shouldn’t even be allowed on the market.
You can’t eat solely salad, fruit and vegetables or binge only on bacon, eggs and meat and avoid all carbohydrates. You need the nutrients you get from ALL foods, fat included, except the sugary candies and desserts, of course.
Here are some myth busters, inspired by NetDoctor, about dieting.
Low-fat dieting is healthy
Fat is essential in the diet because it helps repair tissue, provides energy the body needs to function and carries vitamins to tissues. It’s more about the type of fat you’re eating. Just because something is low in fat, doesn’t mean it will make you lose weight. Often, the fat-free items contain more calories, just less from fat. Plus, if something is fat-free, we all know how our brains work: “Oh it’s less of a splurge, so I can have more.” And that defeats the entire purpose of buying the healthier option!
A slow metabolism prevents you from losing weight
Surprisingly, the trend found in studies is that metabolism increases the heavier someone is, so a “slow metabolism” is not the real reason someone can’t lose weight. The reason for this a logical one- the more you weigh, the more calories your body needs to stay moving and the more you’ll obviously burn when you’re at rest.
Fattening foods make for rapid weight gain
Just because you go out for a burger and fries doesn’t mean you gain five pounds, ladies. If you step on a scale and you’re heavier within hours, it’s due to water weight and it will balance out. It takes an extra 3,500 calories to gain a pound of fat, so one day doesn’t do the trick. It’s when the diet is continuously filled with high fat foods that weight increases.
Fasting makes you lose weight
NetDoctor explains losing fat over the short-term instead of the long-term from dieting eats away at muscle tissue, too, and this muscle loss decreases total caloric need. So, when the person stops the diet, it’s easier to gain the weight back. Plus, the body needs nutrients and fuel to function at its best. It’s never good to deprive it of that.
So stop stepping on the scale and obsessing over every little number, but at the same time pay attention to what you’re eating. The important thing is that you love yourself, that you feel comfortable in the body you wake up to every morning.
Kristin Larmore, a recent Journalism graduate, is considering culinary school to become a food expert, splurges with a scoop of ice cream instead of two or three and is highly anxious about trying new recipes after reading Cooking Light. She would love nothing more than to become the next Rachael Ray, but she’ll happily settle with critiquing food or writing restaurant reviews.
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