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Home » Diet » Stop the diet mentality and succeed with weight loss for good! – La Crosse Tribune

Its spring (finally!) and a sense of renewal is in the air. The birds are chirping away, the snow is slowly melting and the thought of getting out the spring clothes is rejuvenating. Or is it? This may not be the most exciting time of year, especially if your New Years resolution was weight loss and you havent achieved it. But lets take a step back: its not that you havent achieved your goal, its that diets are designed to fail.

Heres how the typical diet pattern goes. You start a diet. The first couple of days or weeks are exciting. You feel completely in control and the structured plan makes you feel energetic. The diet high begins. You are hopeful that this diet will be the last time youll have to lose weight. But then, somewhere along the way, the rigid plan makes you feel deprived. Or maybe you just cant follow the plan after a bout of illness or an exercise injury. The downward spiral begins.

Weeks later, you start every morning with the resolution to get back on track. Anxiety and disbelief are building. You may be thinking, Why is it so hard? If only I just had the willpower to stick to the plan. And with these overwhelming thoughts bringing you down, your self-confidence erodes and self-efficacy to lose weight plummets. Your resolve to lose weight has been sabotaged by diet mentality.

So what is diet mentality?

Labeling specific nutrients or foods as good or bad (example: carbs are bad, protein is good).

Exercising only to burn calories or lose weight when there are so many other important reasons to exercise.

Not eating cake at a birthday party because it isnt healthy or will make you fat.

Trying to exert your willpower by ignoring physical hunger and not eating because you want to lose weight.

Refusing to buy well-fitting clothing until you reach a certain size thinking this will motivate you to lose weight even though its making you feel uncomfortable, depressed and self-loathing.

Determining self-worth by the number on the scale or the clothing size you wear. If youve lost weight, you seem extra happy that day; if youve gained, its the worse day ever.

With these examples, your actions are like a light switch you are either on (and making progress) or you are off (and failing). But heres the thing: weight loss is not an all-or-nothing experience. Its complicated and requires many changes. So its unrealistic to think that making one change will make you lose weight and one slip or setback will make you gain weight. What makes someone successful with weight loss is learning to love themselves and their body before its perfect and to reject the diet mentality.

How can you stop the diet mentality?

1. Stop dieting. Dieting has been correlated with a higher BMI (body mass index) and higher body weight.

2. Learn to fuel your body properly. Start by practicing intuitive eating which is focusing on structure, balance, hydration, daily movement and hunger-based eating.

3. Respect yourself. Buy well-fitting clothing and take care of yourself.

4. Seek the help of a registered dietitian. Intuitive eating focuses on a more balanced thought process and lifelong changes.

With that said, its not easy and you will need support to help you make these lifelong changes. The dietitians at Gundersen Health System can help you make the transition to honoring your body with healthy eating in a non-threatening, natural way.

8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti, cooked according to instructions on package

2 cups of edamame, shelled (fresh or frozen and thawed)

Drain the cooked pasta and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the pesto, fresh spinach (some will wilt from the heat of the cook pastathats ok), edamame, lemon juice and almonds. Give it a good toss and enjoy!

*Test recipe used Classico pesto

Nutrition information per serving: 550 calories, 26 g fat, 25 g protein, 57 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 490 mg sodium

CHOCOLATE BLACK BEAN PROTEIN MUFFINS

1 cups (15 oz. can) black beans, drained and rinsed well

4 Tbsp. Dutch or regular unsweetened cocoa powder

cup unflavored protein powder*

3 Tbsp. coconut or vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract

Optional: cup chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Combine all ingredients except chips in a high-quality food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased muffin tin. Bake for about 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Store in an airtight container.

*Test recipe used Bobs Red Mill primer whey protein powder

Nutrition information per serving: 130 calories, 6 g fat, 6 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 200 mg sodium

Rebecca Cripe is a Gundersen Health System registered dietitian.

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Stop the diet mentality and succeed with weight loss for good! - La Crosse Tribune

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Home » Diet » Stop the diet mentality and succeed with weight loss for good! – La Crosse Tribune