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As I'm sure you are aware, evidence shows that most weight loss diets are largely ineffective in the long term, and the cycle of yo-yo dieting that often ensues inevitably leaves people feeling disempowered and hopeless. I believe that one of the main problems with weight loss diets is that they don't take account of the underlying causes of overeating. The focus of many diets is solely on the weight, and the only measure of success is the number on the scales. What I call the 'food police' is usually out in force - externally imposed rules are given regarding what to eat/not to eat and the number of calories allowed, and feelings of humiliation, shame or guilt are rife when the rules are broken or when people fail to lose weight. The food police eventually becomes internalised so that after a while all food is viewed in terms of calories/sins/rewards etc., and the enjoyment of food is lost.
For a while, the excitement of the initial weight loss keeps people on track, but sooner or later their inner rebel inevitably rears its head and rages against the restriction/deprivation. This is often the point at which diets are abandoned and the binge cycle starts again leading to regain of any weight lost - and often more...."I've blown it, I might as well carry on eating" is the typical thought process. Yo-yo dieting is often set in motion - the next diet is always on the horizon, and this time it really will work..! On a physiological level the body is likely to go into starvation mode when food is restricted, and tends to slow down its metabolic rate (the rate at which food is burned for energy). It is more likely to hold onto its store of fat, which can make weight loss even more difficult in the long run. The diet industry is big business worth billions of pounds every year - at any one time it is thought that 1 in 3 women are on a diet. But as recent t.v. documentaries have exposed, the diet industry is built on the failure of its customers - after all, if diets were successful the industry would undoubtedly collapse. The alternative approach, where no food is forbidden, where the focus is on looking at why, where, when and how you eat rather than what you eat, and where obsessive weighing is discouraged, is healthy, safe, unpressurised and sustainable in the long-term. The overall aim is to improve your relationship with food, feel more positive about yourself and your body, and achieve a sense of freedom around eating. These outcomes, and being more in tune with your needs - both physical and emotional - are likely to lead to natural and sustained weight loss. Either 1-1 or in a group you will learn how to:
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My first experience with Jan was in a class called ‘The Non-Diet Diet’. Since then I have gone on to experience a wider knowledge of the ‘Mindful Eating’ experience. In total I have lost 2 ½ stone and I have drastically changed my diet and the way I look at food. |