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Eating for a Healthier Weight

Eating for a Healthier Weight Tip #1: Don’t diet
Mandy Turton, APD Dietitian

There Are No Secrets
Losing weight and keeping it off is an allusive goal for many people.  There are no secrets to the underlying principles of weight management: “eat less, move more”. Alas, we just don’t seem to be very good at it. This article introduces the possibility that it is not the dieter that is at fault, although we are each responsible for what we put in our mouth, rather the methodology of dieting itself that may be flawed.
 

Ozzi’s Continue to Put It On
The success rate of dieting is alarmingly poor, with around 8 out of 10 people who attempt to reduce weight regaining it and often more. It may come as a surprise, that for the small percentage of dieters who do lose weight, the average loss is 6kg, much less than their intended goal.

These facts are a source of frustration for dieters and a curiosity for researchers. Despite the latest low carb, high protein fad, Australians continue to gain weight  with 1 in 2 men and around 1 in 3 women and children considered to be carrying too much body fat for good health.

The Banting Diet
The first recorded attempt to lose weight through dieting was the “Banting Diet”, a low carb diet presribed in 1864  by an Ear Nose & Throat surgeon to a severely obese under taker, that had become deaf due to his obesity. Since then diet fads come and go with none really making a significant difference to the growing girth of affluent populations.

Calorie Counting
Current research concludes total calories consumed per day counts more to long term success than macronutrient composition such as protein, fat, carbohydrate manipulations. Thankfully, you don’t have to count calories if you have an active lifestyle and use ‘portion control’ at meals and snacks.

It’s Not All Black And White
For many years, researchers have been questioning the main methodology of weight loss – Dieting, and asking if it is part of the problem - a flawed strategy, rather than a solution to fatness.
The dieting mindset is a dilemma, characterized by 2 undesirable choices. Also known as “all or none”, “black & white” or polarized thinking. This inflexible thinking style was called ‘dialectical thinking’ by German Philosopher Georg Hegel in the 19th century, who identified it as a source of significant psychological suffering.

The Question Is:
How to break the yo-yo dieting cycle of under-eating and compensatory overeating? The answer is simple, but not a quick fix. It entails introducing a third choice that includes the benefits of dieting and overeating without the negative side effects including the inevitable swing to the other side. This “third way” is personally relevant, not one size fits all and takes time to identify, test and integrate into your current lifestyle. Keeping it simple and changing the least you have to is the mantra. There are still some basic food facts that need to be understood such as portion control and underlying caloric intentions. Mindful eating and increasing self-knowledge are important too, so you can effectively maintain motivation over the long haul.
To find out more about ‘the third way’ and the Easysteps to a Healthier Weight experience. jump onto www.easysteps.net.au

Top 10 for avoiding the futile cycle of dieting  
1.    Be organized around food and eating, have a routine at home and a plan for work and social eating
2.    Eat regularly to avoid excessive hunger that leads to poor food choices and over-eating (3 meals plus 1 or 2 healthy snacks)
3.    Put food in its place: eat for health and pleasure, not just weight loss
4.    Avoid “diet foods” unless you enjoy them
5.    Only eat when you are hungry, avoid non-hunger eating
6.    Eat foods that you enjoy and that feel good in your body after you eat them
7.    Avoid using food as a treat, reward or to avoid uncomfortable feelings
8.    Pay attention to the sensual pleasure of eating.Avoid distractions: turn off the TV and sit at the table.
9.    Eat slowly: small bites, chew well, notice your body and stop eating at ¾ full
10.    Face the facts, get fit and stay fit. A sedentary lifestyle is a fattening one.