15 Reasons Not to Diet

Diet (v): restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight

I think it’s safe to say that since at least the 9th grade I’ve been very aware of every single thing I put in my body.  This ranges from fruit, pizza, beer, cinnamon rolls, you name it.  Every sip and every bite has consciously entered my digestive tract and I find myself secretly hoping my body chooses wisely what to hold on to — that apple — and what to dispose of — that third piece of pizza and that all the green tea I drink really does spike my metabolism!  But when it all comes down to it, you cannot out do a bad diet with magic fixes or exercise. and you can’t undo your bad diet with “dieting”.

Sure food is to be enjoyed and in the 21st century it has very much become an art, but the prime reason for food is to nourish our bodies.  Dieting is not fun.  Restriction and elimination is not fun.  There’s a term I’ve seen more and more lately called flex dieting”.  If you’re going to “diet” (which I hope you will not), at least flex diet.  Food is fun and eating should be a part of your lifestyle–not a demon to battle at every meal.

15 Reasons Not to Diet:

1.  Cookies
Now, you know these had to make the list.  Chocolate Chip.  Peanut Butter.  Snickerdoodle.  Girl Scout.  Do you really want to habitually turn these down?!  No.  No, you don’t.

2.  Guilt
When you start labeling foods as “good”, “bad”, “clean”, “cheating” and “dirty”, you immediately start developing negative connotations toward them.  So when you’re coworker brings bagels to a hungry staff on a Saturday morning, and you’re hungry, then eat a bagel!  Saturdays are made for treats anyway ;)

3.  Diets are Necessary
The noun definition of “diet” is to habitually nourish. You must know that food is fuel.  Habitual healthy eating is necessary to sustain a healthy body.  In fact, when you cut down too much, your body goes into “starvation” mode and clings onto every morsel you put in your body. Food fuels more than just your day to day life.  It fuels your heart, lungs, liver, every single organ.  So when you don’t feed them (and feed them properly) they can shut down.  If that doesn’t scare you, then it certainly should!

4.  Negative Outlook
Being thin is associated with models, celebrities, and elite athletes.  The common misconception is that the skinny life is the good life.  But losing weight and being thin makes all other aspects of life so much better!  No.  You are wrong.  Dead wrong. So stop comparing your body type to their personally and professionally trained bodies.  Just stop.

5.  Cinnamon Rolls. 

6.  Macaroni and Cheese.

7.  Dark Beer.
Specifically: Guinness.

8.  Competition
As women, we are constantly in competition with each other.  Hair, outfits, shoes, success.  But I tell you what really sucks is talking about food and meals with friends and inconspicuously comparing who ate less or who ate the healthiest.  It doesn’t matter.

9.  Hunger
I recently read in an article, “Being hungry sucks.”  And it does!  When your stomach growls an hour and a half before lunch, don’t ignore it!  Snack on a handful of nuts or a few crackers and wash it down with water to tide yourself over.  If not, you may find yourself overeating at lunch time because by then you’re absolutely ravenous!

10.  Inevitable Weight Gain
Raise your hand if you’ve joined in on some sort of new eating plan.  Low carb, low fat?  Gone gluten free?  Now who has gained at least half the weight back for resentment of all the foods you cut out or the dieting time frame was simply over?  Sustainable weight loss is a complete lifestyle change, not a 12-week eating plan.  So instead, commit to smart portions, mindful eating, and a piece of dark chocolate to maintain some peace of mind.

11.  Red Wine.
To have with that dark chocolate.

12.  Boring movie nights
No popcorn, Twizzlers, pizza, or ice cream?  No thank you.  Enjoy your salad.

13. You become a nay-sayer
No, I cant eat that.  I don’t drink that.  Self-control and moderation is one thing, but the more you say no, the less involved you become.  Friends don’t want to invite the ones that are going to gripe about what food is available (or unavailable).  I’ve seen it happen.  It happens.

14.  Mozzarella Sticks.

15.  Food is fun!
I think I said that before, but we live in a great time of innovation!  Food is trendy.  I mean you can buy astronaut food right off the shelf!  Quinoa chocolate cake!  New coffee creamers! Anything fried!  Kale!  Chia Seeds!  And you can make anything from a little Greek yogurt or cauliflower!  Plus, we live in the south.  Everything revolves around a meal!  It’s up to you to decide how to make it fit in, and not control your life!