Written by: Dr. Bunmi Aboaba, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
In terms of nutrition, the word ‘diet’ means the kinds of food and drink that a person, animal, or community eats habitually. However, the culturally-driven use of the word diet implies “an eating plan in which someone eats less food, or only particular types of food, because they want to become thinner or for medical reasons.” [1]
Diets can gain weight, maintain weight, lose weight, or overall optimum health benefits. Recent research shows that 48% of us have tried to lose weight in the past year. This figure rises to 57% if only women are taken into account. What’s more, almost two-thirds of British people, 64%, are on a diet with the goal of losing weight ‘most of the time.’[2]
The UK diet industry is worth an estimated £2bn[3] a year, and the myth maintains revenue that a fad diet or superfood will solve all your weight-loss issues or health problems. However, the fact is that many diets cause serious health complications, perpetuate disordered eating habits, and exacerbate weight issues.
In this article, I want to share my findings as a Food Addiction Coach[4] about why there is no such thing as a ‘magic diet’ and why diets tend to fail.
1. No Behavioral Change
All too often, we go on a diet as a snap decision. This is frequently out of frustration or resentment due to a loss of control over our eating habits and weight. We have perhaps heard of a new diet trend, or a friend of ours is trying the latest fad, and we want to join in. The problem is that these diets are short-term focused and provide little long-term value. For a diet to work, it needs to be sustainable, integrated into your daily life, and require a total mental commitment to seeing it through. Unfortunately, a diet is too often something that we must endure to get results rather than as part of a new healthy lifestyle.
Unfortunately, when a person loses weight with no behavioral or metabolic change, the weight ends up at the same level as before the diet or increases! This is because diets tend to only treat the symptoms of someone’s food-related issues rather than addressing the underlying causes.
2. Too Restrictive
As most diets are focused on short-term results, they are usually overly restrictive in both food groups and the amount of food consumed. As a result, feeling hungry, resentful, and drained is a common side effect of most diets and so understandably causes the dieter to stop participating.
Restricted intake also causes obsessive thoughts and behaviors around food. Diets are invariably focused on food purchasing, preparation, and consumption, and this level of attention and feeling hungry can cause the individual to become more likely to binge.
What’s more, the restriction of foods - often entire food groups - can cause nutrient deficiency and an inability for the body to function at optimum levels.
This cycle of bingeing-dieting-restricting can be tough to break.
3. It’s Just not Fun
Who finds diets fun? They are typically dull, restrictive, complicated, unpleasurable, and hard work. We know that they are a temporary measure for our issues, and so from the onset, we start diets with the resignation and dread that we may ultimately fail anyway. It doesn’t feel easy, and we push ourselves through with gritted teeth and pure determination.
All too often, it feels like we are ‘missing out. Going out for dinner with friends becomes a complicated chore, and others will frequently tempt us with a slice of cake to go with our coffee or a sugary cocktail on a night out as ‘a little won’t hurt, so why not give yourself a break?’. But a little becomes a lot, and eventually, the ‘cheating’ becomes more frequent, and the diet falls to the wayside!
4. Unidentified Trigger Foods
Trigger foods are vital when considering food addiction. Food Addiction is the compulsive pursuit of changing one’s mood by frequently and repeatedly engaging in episodes of binge eating.[5] Without clinical, therapeutic help, it is unlikely that you will know what foods are trigger foods for you. It could be an ingredient in a food or a group of foods that a person is addicted to.
By inadvertently consuming these trigger foods, a diet will fail through no fault of the dieter. This can lead to depression, low self-esteem, and feelings of failure, which will likely encourage them to turn towards their comfort foods and ‘fall off the diet wagon.’
5. Temporary Fix
Many of us suffer from food addiction and combat it by an endless cycle of dieting. Unfortunately, our bodies evolve and adapt, meaning it is common for a dieting method to work to no longer have the same effect. These diets are not devised to be long-term healthy living strategies that feed your body, mind, and spirit.
The key, therefore, is to understand the root causes of disordered eating habits and take appropriate action.
You cannot think your way out of an unhealthy relationship with food or think yourself towards wellness.
A support network is vital to making any long-term lifestyle changes; however, if a support network only focuses on food consumption and management, there will be no effective behavioral change. Having a group of positive, like-minded friends, family members, and a Food Addiction Coach will enable you to make the changes needed to be free from dieting and free from food addiction. Join the Food Addiction Coach Facebook Group to find an inspiring, motivated group of people to keep you on track.
Conclusion
For a diet to work, an integrated long-term, the sustainable approach must be taken. Additionally, a person needs to accept that they are powerless over their food addiction tendencies. This does not mean evading responsibility but rather becoming accountable for one’s actions and choices.
To achieve freedom from the world of dieting, a holistic approach must be taken. One that encompasses your physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Dr. Bunmi Aboaba, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Dr Bunmi Aboaba is a Recovery Coach specialising in Food Addiction, helping clients to achieve a healthy relationship with food to meet long-term health goals.
Dr Bunmi’s work covers the full spectrum of disordered eating, including overeating, compulsive eating, emotional eating, addicted eating and other associated patterns.
Dr Bunmi is also creator of the first Certified Food Addiction Certification to support nutritionists, personal trainers, dieticians and clinicians to help their clients achieve long-lasting results.
References: [1] "Diet". Dictionary.Cambridge.Org, 2021, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/diet. [2] Team, Mintel. "Brits Lose Count Of Their Calories: Over A Third Of Brits Don’t Know How Many Calories They Consume On A Typical Day." Mintel, 2021, https://www.mintel.com/press-centre/food-and-drink/brits-lose-count-of-their-calories-over-a-third-of-brits-dont-know-how-many-calories-they-consume-on-a-typical-day. [3] "4 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Follow The Latest Diet". Bhf.Org.Uk, 2021, https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/food-trends-2016/do-not-follow-food-trends. [4] "About | The Food Addiction Coach." The Food Addiction Coach, 2021, https://thefoodaddictioncoach.co.uk/about/. [5] About | The Food Addiction Coach". The Food Addiction Coach, 2021, https://thefoodaddictioncoach.co.uk/about/.
