Dieting Failure Plagues America
Are you an example of Dieting Failure?
I was for a long period of my life.
Are you obsessed with getting thinner, fitter, leaner, stronger, sexier, healthier?
Or, even mildly interested in losing a few pounds?
The Problem…
The Centers for Disease Control report that about two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese.
About nine million children and teenagers are likewise overweight or obese.
As a group, Americans are more overweight, obese, and unhealthy than ever before in our history.
We’re also more obsessed with diets, dieting, and weight loss than ever before in our history.
About 45 to 50 Million of us are trying to lose weight by dieting right now.
“Up to 50 percent of women are on a diet at any given time, according to Judy Mahle Lutter in her book “The Bodywise Woman.” Up to 90 percent of teenagers diet regularly, and up to 50 percent of younger kids have tried a diet at some point.” (Living Strong – Facts & Statistics About Dieting – by Tammy Dray, July 18, 2017)
We’re bombarded with all things “diet” and “dieting.”
- TV commercials touting all sorts of diets;
- Obnoxious, unavoidable tabloid and magazine covers at the grocery checkout line extol thin models and fat celebrities:
- Those ridiculous “lose 30 pounds in 30 days miracle diets;” and,
- Exercise machines, gyms, personal trainers, online exercise systems, weight loss programs, and all manner of “gurus.”
It’s no wonder we’re obsessed with thinking we should be supermodel thin and Superman or Superwoman strong.
Dieting, Weight Loss, And The Circle Of Stress
This constant societal obsession puts a lot of pressure on you.
There’s pressure to lose weight fast and easy.
There’s pressure to look ridiculously fit, healthy, and thin.
It all causes stress.
That stress is on top of the stress in your ordinary life.
- Your job is hanging by a thread – or the thread’s already broken.
- Your 13 year old thinks it’s time she started dating – an 18-year-old.
- There’s a tsunami, earthquake, tornado, hurricane, snowstorm, heat wave, or blizzard right around the corner.
- Gangs are taking over your neighborhood.
- The economy is in the dumper.
- There’s a war going on or breaking out somewhere.
- It never ends.
Plus, if you do go on a diet, you stress yourself out even more obsessing over your diet.
I’ve been working with people on this for 30 years.
In my personal, informal, and unscientific study/poll I learned something that’s really important.
People “on diets” rate the difficulty level of dieting at an average of around 8 on a scale of 10 scale. (“10” is “extremely difficult or impossible.” )
No one in my informal poll rated the difficulty less than 5. And, many people had it at a full 10. Lots of people even said “12.”
Also, most people who are dieting allow their diet to consume their lives. They think about it, plan around it, and yes, stress over it, 24/7.
The diet controls you. You don’t control the diet.
You stress because of life in general.
Then you add to it because you’re overweight, feel pressured to lose weight, and stress about that.
Then, you finally go on your diet and stress yourself out over that, too.
You live and diet in a painful, debilitating “Circle Of Stress.”
Stress Leads To Weight Gain
Ironically, The Circle Of Stress causes …….ta da……..
WEIGHT GAIN.
According to Elissa Epel, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco,
“While the immediate response to acute stress can be a temporary loss of appetite, more and more we are coming to recognize that for some people, chronic stress can be tied to an increase in appetite — and stress-induced weight gain.” (From an Article Published on WebMD, “Can Stress Cause Weight Gain?” by Colette Bouchez, March 27, 2011.)
Stress and weight gain are related to cortisol.
Cortisol is one of the hormones released as a result of stress that can cause you to eat more.
Cortisol is sometimes called the “stress hormone.” Excess cortisol is produced during times of physical or psychological stress.
Excess cortisol causes weight gain.
Worse, it tends to cause abdominal fat.
It’s also directly related to the development of cardiovascular disease including heart attacks, strokes, and even cancer.
Dieting Failure And The Circle Of Stress Are Complicated
This Circle of Stress business can get complicated.
But, here’s the bottom line.
You want to live the longest healthiest life you can.
To do that, you need to maintain a healthy weight.
To do that, you may need to make some changes in your diet. You can do that either formally or informally.
Make sure you stay focused on eating good, healthy food.
And, never starve yourself in the process.
Stress is a fact of life. There are many causes that are part of normal “Life Challenges & Problems” and out of your control. You can’t avoid them.
Being overweight, obese, unhealthy and not feeling strong, confident, and filled with pride and self-esteem, can cause you plenty of additional stress.
Then, going on a “diet” can cause you even more stress on top of everything else.
The Bottom Line How To End Dieting Failure And The Circle Of Stress Forever
You can avoid the stress of dieting and losing weight.
You can end dieting failure forever.
The result you’re looking for is to:
- Lose the weight;
- Look your best;
- Feel your best; and,
- Be your healthiest.
To do it once and for all, you need to learn how to diet/lose weight with the least amount of stress and the most amount of success.
You can’t rely on willpower. It’s not enough.
You have to learn how to do it in ways that keep you from fighting your diet day-in and day-out.
You want to make sure your whole life does not become consumed by your diet 24/7. That’s one of the biggest causes of dieting stress and, by the way, ultimate dieting failure.
How do you diet with the least amount of stress?
One of the main reasons for all the stress of dieting is that you “fight” with your diet.
What do I mean by “fight” with your diet? And, why do you “fight” with your diet?
You fight with your diet by trying to diet in ways that are contrary to your unique Temperament.
Your Temperament is your innate nature. It’s hardwired into you. You can’t change it. It’s part of your DNA.
Your Temperament contains your “Natural Dieting Strengths™” and personal “Dieting Compatibility Style™.”
For example, if you don’t like change and are slower paced by nature, you can’t expect to do well on a diet that requires radical changes and expects fast action.
And, vice versa if you’re fast paced and aggressive and try to diet in a slow and cautious way you’re also doomed to failure.
A good way to increase your chance of success and end the stress of dieting is to get a good handle on your unique Temperament, Natural Dieting Strengths™, and personal Dieting Compatibility Style™.
When you learn how to use them, you can alter your approach to your diet to suit your Temperament Type.
It will work for you on any diet of your choice. That means any legitimate commercial diet plan or program. Or any new, healthier choice eating plan that you devise for yourself.
It always works.
It’s a safe, sane, and sensible approach.
You can maximize your weight loss success and end your weight loss Circle Of Stress by approaching your weight loss and diet in ways that are consistent with:
- Your Temperament;
- Your Natural Dieting Strengths; and,
- Your Dieting Compatibility Style
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PS – Stayed tuned. I’ll be giving you the details on just how to do that in future Articles on this subject.
I’m also going to release a comprehensive online training system on this subject soon. I don’t know the exact date yet. I hope to make it available in the next couple of weeks.
If you have any questions or need help right away (and just before the Holidays is a great time for this), just drop me a note at Dexter@BeTheNakedYou.com.