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Why Your Diet May Not Be
Working!
by: Nishanth Reddy
Jennifer, a middle-aged single mother with one six-year-old
daughter, has been skipping sweets for a few weeks now. She’s also
become a stickler for portion control. She feels as if she’s eating
less than ever, and she’s been diligently exercising for an hour at
a time at least four days a week. Yet, she hasn’t lost a
 single
pound. The question is, “Why?”
This is a dilemma which affects dieters the world over. They think
they are taking the steps necessary to lose weight, but nothing
seems to be happening. In essence, they are trapped in a dieting rut
and they don’t know how to free themselves. As a result, they become
frustrated and depressed and may then engage in binge eating.
One of the problems with diets is that they are often standardized.
As a result, they don’t take into consideration your individual
physiology and metabolism. They provide a cookie-cutter approach to
weight loss—an approach which may not work in your individual case.
As a result, an increasing number of people are turning to
dieticians to formulate a person weight loss strategy for them. This
process has been made easier through the Internet, where you can
correspond with a dietician any time of the day or night via e-mail.
The dietician can also act as your personal coach, helping you
through your dieting dilemmas.
Another reason that you may be failing at your diet is because of a
lack of support. You may have family members who can eat whatever
they want and seemingly not gain a pound. As a result, they may fill
your refrigerator with junk food, leading you into temptation. Also,
you may feel as if you have no one to turn to in order to discuss
your weight problems. In order to solve this problem, many
individuals look to psychotherapists to help them with their
food-related issues. This can be particularly important if an
individual has turned to purging in an effort to combat their weight
problems. Bulimia is a serious disease which must be treated in
order to ensure the good health of the patient. Thankfully, there
are a number of treatment programs throughout the U.S. specifically
focusing on bulimia.
Yet another reason for diet failure is hidden calories. You may
literally be consuming calories and not even realize it. For
instance, the frappucinos that are so popular today are loaded with
calories—as many as 600 in a single serving! You may also be
indulging in sugary sodas—another source of extra calories. By
taking a few simple steps, such as eliminating the exotic coffee
drinks from your diet and substituting skim milk for whole milk, you
may be able to eliminate the hidden calories that are denying you
dieting success.
Lack of consistency can also be a diet-killer. You might go on a
diet for a while, then quit before you’ve made any measurable
progress. It’s only natural to want to see quick results. The
problem is that healthy weight loss involves losing only a couple of
pounds a week. That means you’ll have to stay on your diet for
months before you see appreciable weight loss. Discouraging? It can
be, but if you keep a positive attitude you can achieve your ideal
weight.
You may also be more successful in your dieting if you consider it
to be a lifestyle change. Therefore, your diet becomes a meal plan
for life. This means that you must change the way you look at food.
It is designed to be fuel for your body, and nothing more. As a
result, you should not turn to food to make you feel better or to
provide you with a sense of comfort. A lifestyle change implies
commitment; it means that you are prepared to follow the plan for
the long haul. If you feel as if you cannot be on your diet for any
appreciable length of time, perhaps it’s time to consider a
different diet. Your aim ultimately should be not simply to lose
weight, but to become healthier. A fad diet will not allow you to
reach that milestone. Therefore, you must choose your diet
carefully.
Imagine
Atkins and South
Beach Diets Compared...
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