Why Dieting is not the answer this New Year
“My Goal this year is to lose 5 kilos” – said millions of women around the world at the beginning of each New Year.
I was one of these women. Time and time again. Year after year. With little thought I would make a New Years resolution that I secretly hoped and prayed would come true. Then I would complete my diligent research and find the best approach to losing weight (insert mainstream diet here). I would feel motivated, inspired and ecstatic. I finally had the secret miracle cure!!
Four weeks would pass and during this time I would be restricting certain food groups, killing myself at the gym and feeling like a social outcast. Let’s be honest, when it’s a family members birthday and you offer to make a cake no one is really salivating over the sugar free chocolate avocado cake you’ve brought along for everyone to try (true story). And then the inevitable day comes when you fall off the bandwagon because your too stressed/tired/hungry/unmotivated/weak or some other excuse that leaves you knee deep in guilt, eating everything under the sun and once again blaming yourself for your perceived failures.
If you are silently nodding because you identify with many parts of my story then please know you are a) not alone and b) not a failure in any shape or form. I’ve learnt some hard hitting facts about the dieting industry since I finally gave up dieting for good – some of which can be difficult to swallow –
The commercial weight loss programs segment of the Australian market was worth $2.77 billion in 2016 – Australian Bureau of Statistics
By the time a woman is 45, she will have tried 61 diets – Body of Truth by Harriet Brown.
An average woman spends 31 years of her life dieting. – University of Sydney
Regardless of how much weight you lose, most weight is regained within a two year period and by five years most people are at their pre-diet body weight. – NHMRC
98% individuals experience failed diet attempts. – NHMRC
“Ok Pip – I appreciate the facts and I understand mainstream dieting is not necessarily the answer, but I still want to lose weight is that still ok?” My response to this is yes, of course but I encourage you to get really clear on how it is you want to feel in your body. Because what you are yearning for is not just a new number on the scales – it is the feeling this new physique will give you every day. More energy, confidence, feeling fitter or stronger? And what activities can you plan to help you feel this way. Perhaps a weekly walking group with friends, a new fun dance class or cooking some new recipes? Get creative and excited about these new changes.
If you are aware that your approach to food may be fuelled by a number of emotions – some more difficult to process than others – then my new online group coaching program might be right up your alley. “More than a Weight Loss Program” is designed to help you understand how your emotions and beliefs are playing a role in your relationship with food and your body. Drawing on transformative tools including Hypnotherapy, Coaching and Mindfulness, this program will help you address emotional eating patterns and self sabotaging behaviours so you can create a peaceful and sustainable approach to food, your body and ultimately your life. All the information is here.
Here is to ditching the diets for good and creating a loving and balanced approach to food and our wonderful bodies.
BIG LOVE,
Pip x