Someone just asked me which diet I recommend for weight loss.
I spend so much time writing about and helping people with emotional eating and the underlying variables related to weight struggles, that I forget how many people are still looking for the “miracle diet” that will change their weight for good. If there was one, trust me, we’d all know about it. The reality is, weight struggles usually include a huge component that’s not about food but about feelings.
It’s not all about what we eat. A huge chunk of the weight loss battle involves why and when we eat. A diet may provide structured instructions about the what and the when, but if we don’t do something to address why we are turning to food and overeating in the first place, the plan won’t last long.
I also tell my clients that there is no one way of eating that will work for everyone. The key to weight loss success—and weight loss success that LASTS—is learning what will work for you and your life. I strongly believe that one of the most important parts of embarking on a weight loss plan is learning to listen to yourself.
We get so many messages about what we “should” and “shouldn’t” eat that we can grow out of touch with our own real needs, cravings and sense of hunger and fullness. I spend a lot of time with my clients helping them learn to identify what it is they are feeling in their bodies—both physically and emotionally—and fine tuning the specific tools and strategies that they are going to need to maximize long term success. No one I know wants to lose weight only to regain it again in a few months. Unfortunately, that happens much too frequently.
Emotional eating/overeating is one of the major causes of weight gain. Too many diet programs point out emotional eating and then tell dieters simply “not to do it.” In order to really be successful with a weight loss plan, it’s important to spend the time learning what to do instead.
Those are my thoughts–I’d love to hear yours.
Take good care,
Melissa
