Why Diets Work...And Then Don't

The thing is, any calorie deficit will result in weight loss. No matter the diet, whether it be keto, Atkins, South Beach, Zone, etc., it limits calories in some way or another.

That's it. There's nothing magical about it.

Sure, sometimes, if it is a healthier switch like Paleo, or eating more plant-based, you could be excluding potential problem foods like gluten, dairy, or too much refined sugar that's been causing inflammation or digestive issues and inhibiting weight loss. Or, you've started eating more fruits and vegetables and generally feel better, have more energy, and start exercising. However, a large part of it could still be related to a drop in calories in some way or another (i.e. no gluten also means no baked goods, crackers, pasta, bread, etc., all foods that add up quickly in calories; more fruits and vegetables means they often replace higher calorie foods like replacing cheese and crackers for carrots and hummus, or a serving of pasta for broccoli).

So why then, does it stop working?

Well, it depends:

Sometimes, it doesn't actually stop working, but it stops working quickly.

There is a theory called the set point, which basically means that our bodies generally stay within a certain weight range. So unless we are chronically restricting calories, or overeating, we tend to maintain our weight.

When we achieve a calorie deficit, we lose weight...for a while. Then, typically, we hit a plateau, and weight loss stalls. This is often when we think the diet is no longer working, and quit, go back to our former eating habits, and gain back the weight we lost. I have seen this happen over and over again. It's often what my clients go through, sometimes many times, before eventually seeking advice from a dietitian.

What's really happening, however, is our bodies are working towards a new set point. It has to find a "new normal" before continuing with weight loss. If we maintain this new weight for a number of weeks or months, it's likely that weight would continue to decrease once again.

Sometimes, the weight loss was too quick to begin with.

If the calorie deficit was too restrictive from the start, for example, going from eating 2400 calories per day to 1200 calories and additional exercise (creating even more of a deficit), then our body thinks we're starving. Eventually, willpower isn't enough to deny hunger anymore and we give in to the bacon cheddar cheeseburger, fries, and large slice of cheesecake. The dieting either ends here, or we try again, only harder this time, and the same thing happens: starve, binge, starve, binge, etc. The body no longer trusts that it will survive if it allows for weight loss, so weight becomes harder to lose, and the body holds strong to it's precious fat stores that will help it survive for the impending famine that seems to be happening often.

Sometimes, we get fed up with rules and restrictions.

If it's a very restrictive diet that doesn't just curb calories, but also certain foods or food groups, then often times willpower is our downfall yet again. We can say "no" and "I can't eat that" for only so long before that chocolate cupcake looks too good to resist. Then, we feel guilty for "cheating" and totally give in to all the foods we denied ourselves for the past few weeks or months or even years. I've been here and I seen others go through the same.

All diets work, but only for so long. They aren't sustainable. One of my coworkers said that willpower is the weakest tool in our toolbox, and I could not agree more.

This is why what I teach is not a diet at all, but general healthy eating and a food freedom mindset. It's not glittery and shiny and doesn't promise dropping 20 pounds in 20 days, but I'd rather you lose those 20 pounds in 20 weeks while learning nutrition principles and healthy eating patterns, than simply following a diet plan and gain 30 pounds back in the same time frame. Sustained weight loss is a product of health and habit changes, not short term, restrictive diets.

Are you interested in a course that outlines nutrition principles and mindset shifts to promote health and sustainable weight loss?

This is something I've been working on and have wanted to create for awhile to make nutrition education more accessible, and am trying to gauge interest. If this is something you feel you would benefit from, contact me through my contact page, or via Facebook or Instagram.