Diss Your Diet

Diets come in all shapes and sizes—fasting, low-carb, no-carb, vegan, paleo, keto, you name it. Well, if you've done them all and still haven't seen results, it might surprise you to learn the solution may start with dropping the diet altogether. 

Consider the three ways your body may resist dieting:

Neurologically: Our brains may become more aware of food when we're consciously trying to avoid certain things—the result could mean a craving to “cheat” and eat less-than-healthy cuisines.

Hormonally: An imbalance of hormones that affect your body’s ability to burn fat—like the stress hormone cortisol—could be offsetting your weight-loss attempts.  

Biologically: Reducing portion size and caloric intake alone will not necessarily result in long-term weight loss. The body needs exercise and essential nutrients from food to stay healthy. 

Remember, a balanced diet should be one component of overall wellness, not a limitation you put on yourself to look a certain way. If you’re looking to lose weight, start by mindfully mapping out a whole-body plan that includes exercise and eating a balanced diet with nutrient-dense foods. 

This article appears in the Fall 2016 issue of The Beacon.