With every weight-loss journey the inevitable questions from people around you will arise: What are you doing to lose weight?
They expect to hear of some magical new formula or some highly strategic approach to weight-loss that is 100% reproducable with every other person, if only they’re not weak and follow the program to the T. And since it is a proven to work program, why doesn’t it work for you?
I’ve been through more than one of them. I have experienced why they work and why they eventually fail. Even though they work for some, they can’t work for everyone. But why can’t they?
The simple answer is: Almost all of them are designed to restrict. Even the ones that have a cheat day, even the ones that have a point system. At the end of the day, they restrict. They restrict your calorie intake without addressing any of the issues that got you to the weight you are now.
- Keto restricts carbs,
- Low carb restricts carbs,
- A weight-loss oriented vegan diet restricts all animal-based products (This is in no way meant as a critique of a vegan diet, simply on the only weight-loss oriented branch of it).
- Low sugar restricts sugar,
- Low fat restricts fat,
- Paleo restricts everything that wasn’t available to our ancient ancestors (without factoring the biodiversity in plants and animals that our ancestors had available that we no longer do),
- Protein fasting restricts protein (don’t confuse that with a new diet system emerging in Germany at the moment: More Protein fasting. They’re doing the exact opposite: They increase protein intake and restrict calories based on time restricted eating.
- Weight Watchers restrict calories based on a point system,
- Calorie counting restricts calories,
- Portion control restricts calories based on portion sizes.
- Intermittent fasting restricts calories based on time-restricted eating.
They all have restrictions in common. And while restriction to a certain degree solves weight-loss, most of these diet systems aren’t sustainable. They don’t address the root of your weight issues, nor do they address the long-term requirements to keep your weight where it is.
Because eventually, we stop dieting. What happens then? We eat as we did before – in the best cast. We regain the weight. And we return to yet another frustrating diet.
It happened to me. This is not the first diet for me. But I am determined for it to be my last.
Why? Because I am going into this with my eyes wide open, knowing that my issues aren’t just the calories I take in today. My issues are also based in my past and my psyche. If I don’t address these food-related beliefs, the diet culture behind them and their significance in my life, I will never achieve long-lasting weight loss.
My approach is going back. Looking at where my issues came from and healing whatever trauma and wounds were caused that I am still nursing by eating.
I hope you continue this journey with me.
Week 2
Weight: 206 lbs
Motivation: High