"d" is for DIET

DIET. I hate this word. DIET. After all, it starts with the word DIE! And, I have dieted so many times in my life... and I've succeeded a bunch of times... over and over again... That's the problem with diets; they are inherently flawed. The concept of a diet is this:

I'm going to change my eating habits so that I can lose weight. I'm going to work very hard at this because I really want to lose weight. And, when I am finally successful, having lost however much weight I set out to lose (for me sometimes 65 pounds), THEN I can go back to eating like I want to!

Do you see the problem here? Dieting is a "temporary" measure to get myself to a "healthy" weight, and then I don't have to diet any more!

This is just ridiculous. I don't know how we can fall for this over and over again. It doesn't work. Depriving ourselves of nutritious food to lose weight may work for a short while (sometimes very short) or a long while (if we are very motivated and have a bunch of willpower), but it is doomed to fail because it's only a temporary solution.

I don't know what a better word is, but just this past year I've attempted to eat like I think a "normal, healthy person" eats. I'm eating foods that make me feel better, that make my body work better, that make sense to me logically (meets the "my great-grandma would eat this" criteria). And, in the process, I've now lost 28 pounds.

Of course I'm thrilled at having lost 28 pounds. I'm exhilarated when my friends can actually notice a difference and take the time to compliment me. I'm excited to go through my closet and get rid of clothes that are too big. BUT, far more important, I am mostly grateful to be eating like a "normal" person. I intend to eat this way for my whole life. I MUST eat this way for my whole life. But, it's not too difficult. I'm having "indulgences" along the way, and not feeling guilty for "falling off the wagon." Because I don't want to live in a world where I can't have a piece of chocolate cake. So, instead, I do what I think "normal" people do - on the day when I have chocolate cake, I eat less. And, I probably eat less the day after. I certainly don't polish off the cake on the day after! (But, even if I do, I just go back to my new "normal" way of eating and try not to beat myself up over it.)

I hope that none of us will ever diet again. I hope that each of us can find a way to a new "normal" way of eating that will help our bodies, minds, and souls feel better. Give it a try!