“Diet – Don’t Try It”
- The case against “dieting”
- * Why the brain loves bad habits…
Weekends are notoriously difficult for keeping nutrition on track.
It’s not always just poor choices either: one day of poor eating becomes 3 without too much thought.
It’s the number one reason why food diaries go askew.
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t enjoy our food (because balance is the key) but when it goes drastically wrong there is a problem.
I started reading a book that’s been sitting on my “to read” list a while. It’s called “the Idiot Brain” and it’s about how our brain can hold us back.
The opening section discusses nutrition and the fundamental ambiguities of human nature.
There are numerous valid points including reviewing why we always have “room for dessert”. To summarise, it’s the brain overriding signals from the body that we are full and sending contradictory messages.
How often have you felt like you could eat more when you’re full?
Furthermore, the power of routine is discussed. Who decides that lunch is 12 or 1?
It’s what we’ve been told and we feel compelled to eat even when not hungry. So it’s more the time of day telling us to eat rather than hungry itself. In addition, we all seem to have lunch at similar times regardless of how active out work is!
A frequent theme of my blogs is the power of habit and it’s not something that changes easily. Habit and routine are ingrained into us despite our best intentions.
By having a perceived lack of routine at weekends, it then becomes very easy to deviate. Isn’t it easier to call for a pizza than make food at weekends?
Behaviour change is not something that happens overnight. It takes a concerted effort to get out of the mindset that weekends are a free for all.
This is why diets will always fail – education.
By not encouraging a long term change, you WILL lapse into ha it’s regardless of how well intentioned you are. You are better taking smaller, well-intentioned steps than revolutionising your nutrition.
At RYPT, I don’t prescribe diet plans rather I review and we come to a mutual conclusion.
As I’ve mentioned before, stress is created by change being too fast, too slow or with unclear intent.
There is enough stress in most people’s lives without adding a heap of new uncertainties to changing nutrition as well.
Particularly with “diets”, going cold turkey with treats never works. Trying to repress our temptations with “healthier” can lead to completely falling off course. Obviously some “diets” recently have tried to provide leeway for treats but using a points system for this is completely illogical.
When you start attributing points to foods, it develops a negative attitude towards food.
Remember there is no such thing as “bad” food just poor choices.
If we can educate rather than provide you with a short term solution then you’ll have a greater chance of succeeding.
“Dieting” is just like having the answer sheet to an exam. You’ll pass but you won’t learn anything and you’ll be back to square one when you remove the crutch.
As you can see o disagree with “diets”, meal plans and telling people what to eat.
At the end of the day, we know WHAT we should be eating but it’s a case of making it sustainable and enjoyable as part of a ROUTINE!
See more about how RYPT is different with a free trial today.
Final week of Fitness Tip of the Day.
Like and share one FTOTD post to win a prize of at least £30 every week. Well done to the three winners so far!
Outdoor Fitness resumes tonight and Wednesday. Express book in is still available for these.
Ross
www.RYPT.info
