Why a Diet Fails — and How to Win at Weight Loss

Some people find dieting difficult. Others find combining dieting with exercise even harder. And a few find maintaining their weight loss the toughest challenge of all.

Here are 4 big reasons why a diet may not work, no matter how strong your willpower is.

1. The diet you chose is too restrictive

A lot of people end up giving up on their diets because they choose diet plans that don’t fit their lifestyles. If you find your diet to be too difficult to follow, chances are, you won’t be able to follow it. Instead of going on a restrictive diet, you should follow a balanced one that you can live with every single day, and it should allow you to enjoy small portions of your favorite foods.

2. You have unrealistic expectations

A lot of dieters become quickly discouraged and give up if they aren’t losing weight fast enough. So it’s important to have realistic expectations and weight loss goals. Weight loss often takes a long time, and you should aim to lose between one and two pounds a week, which is safe and healthy. Also remember that you will hit plateaus every once in a while, so it’s crucial to stay optimistic and work through those plateaus.

3. You’re not exercising

It’s crucial that you diet and exercise. A lot of dieters make the mistake of not exercising while dieting, which can impede their weight loss success. Remember that you don’t have to go to the gym to exercise. Even taking a brisk walk for an hour, swimming in a lake, or playing soccer with your friends all constitute exercise. If you’re new to exercising, you’ll want to start slow and gradually increase your intensity. But incorporating exercise can definitely help you to reach your fitness and weight loss goals faster. Plus, you get to eat more calories!

4. Your environment is not diet-friendly

You’ve got to create a diet-friendly environment if you want to successfully lose weight. This means getting rid of all temptations like alcohol and unhealthy foods. Seek out support from your family, friends, and co-workers, and stock your kitchen with healthy snacks like hummus and carrots, peanut butter and apples, and yogurt.

Proven weight-loss pro tips

If you’re serious about losing weight, here’s additional dieting tips that can help you become more successful and help you reach your goals:

• Track your progress

It’s very important to self-monitor your progress, which includes tracking your calories and exercise and weighing in once a week. This will help you to see if you’re encountering any diet pitfalls.

• Make small changes

You’ll want to ease into your new healthy diet gradually by trying a new change each week. This will ensure that you’ll be successful in your weight loss efforts.

• Reward yourself

Whenever you lose five or 10 pounds, you should reward yourself for all your hard weight loss efforts!

• Don’t get discouraged

If you slip up and gain a little bit of weight, don’t beat yourself up about it! Remember that no one is perfect; there will be times you’ll go overboard. Instead of giving up, just get right back on track.

Win the body you want to be in

Most people last a mere six months on a diet. If the diet is unusually restrictive, the end comes sooner for most. But don’t worry, weight loss doesn’t have to be difficult. With a sound approach and a realistic attitude you can win the battle of the bulge with flair.

References

1. “The Science Behind Why Diets Just Don’t Work, and What To Do Instead,” Life Hacker, January 29, 2014.
2. “Why Diets Don’t Actually Work, According to a Researcher Who Has Studied Them for Decades,” The Washington Post, May 4, 2015.
3. “Why Diets Don’t Work … And What Does,” Psychology Today, October 21, 2010.
4. “Why You Can’t Lose Weight on a Diet,” The New York Times, May 6, 2016.