Diets don't work

Diets don't work

But we already knew that didn't we?  Somewhere in there, in the deep recesses of our brains?  None of them are sustainable.  We go on one, we do great, we go off it, and we gain it all back.  In fact, we often gain back MORE then we lost.  

We get drawn into the magical combination of just a few things you need to do and you will be thin and you will wear a bikini and you will be sexy...and yet, it's never worked for me.  I know that there are people out there who have had success with diets, but it's not the majority.  Those people are the exception to the rule, and the rule is that diets simply don't work.

So...what's the problem?  The first problem, as I see it, is that there is not one single diet program out there that is NOT designed to make money.   Everyone is either selling a book, a counseling program, a weigh in/meeting fee and nearly every single one of them have their own line of food and / or food supplements for sale.   (Although the baby food diet appears to just have you buying baby food at the supermarket....yes, I said the baby food diet)

The second problem is deprivation.  Ok, so the baby food diet doesn't have you buying their book or club membership, however, there is no bread allowed and let's face it, baby food meat is generally disgusting.  Atkins allows few carbs.  Jenny Craig has you buy your food for the day and when it's gone, it's gone.  Don't EVEN get me started on LA Weight Loss.

Those things said, Weight Watcher's, as I see it, tends to be the best of the bunch.  Your daily caloric intake necessary to lose weight is calculated and based on that you get assigned a daily number of "points" to use on food.  Any food.  As long as you don't go over your points for the day.  Points are calculated using their own formula which is based on calories, fiber, fat, salt and overall healthiness of the food.  However, again, you are PURCHASING the tools necessary to figure out the points of the food, paying for meetings and/or their own internet support program and they sell their own line of food.  It's a big business.  And many people go back over and over and over again, because they think they've got it all figured out and then gain the weight back plus some.  I've belonged to Weight Watchers three times.

The third problem is perhaps the most insidious because it's the one that we don't necessarily recognize.  The word "diet" itself.  It has a negative connotation associated with it that is inescapable.  When we tell ourselves that we need to go on a diet, we are saying that we are fat, we are out of control, we are unappealing and we are incapable of dealing with our own issues.  

Don't look at me all cross eyed and say what do you know.   I know.  I've been on many of the popular diets.  In the last 20 years my weight has fluctuated from a low of 135 to a high of 215. I am now down from 215 and currently reside at 190 and I got there by not going on a diet.  

But, something's still not right.  First, I don't exercise the way I should.  I'm not a walker or a runner or a biker.  I've been doing some yoga which I enjoy and I need to find a class.  But my favorite form of exercise is some sort of manual labor that accomplishes something.   I used to love shoveling snow in the winter, but we've moved to South Carolina so that won't be happening anytime soon, and besides, it wasn't exactly a daily year long kinda thing.  

I have my share of health problems.  I have an autoimmune disease which causes chronic pain.  I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder which is a one two combo of depression and anxiety with a subtle hint of Bipolar for a little extra fun.   I AM in the midst of quitting smoking which is good and I'll keep you posted on that.

But, I've always had this little niggling feeling in the back of my brain that all this low cal, low fat stuff is weird.  And I've been looking and I've been learning.  

And today I was struck dumb by the film "Hungry for Change".  And basically I learned that the more food manufacturer's make something less "fatty" or less "caloric" the more stuff they have to put IN that makes the food even more harmful.  And I fact checked as I watched the film.  As usual with a documentary of this sort, some stuff was easy to find, some wasn't.  Watch it for yourself.  It streams on Netflix and I'm sure it can be found other places.  But the gist of the film is something that has been trying to find it's way to the forefront of my brain for some time now.  If nature made it, it's good.  If man made it, it probably isn't.  

So, my journey now begins to find out what happens to me as I slowly begin to change over my diet to things only nature made.  Will it help reduce the myriad of pills in my medicine cabinet?  I know it will increase my activity level just from the amount of gardening I am going to need to begin doing.  Will I lose weight?  Will I always be hungry or will I be satisfied with nature's bounty.  

It's going to be an interesting ride.  

PS If you are interested in any of the "diets" currently around the marketplace, WebMD has a pretty comprehensive list right here