Why I Recommend The Least Restrictive Diet Possible
In the minds of many, the word “diet” is a dirty one. At best, it is synonymous with restriction. At worst, it conjures up feelings of morality over our most basic of instincts - eating, for Pete’s sake. Foods are literally pitted against each other in a battle of good versus evil, the latter being the premise upon which diets were created. It is also the reason why they can become a source of stress and, therefore, a driver of incredibly dysfunctional behaviour. Read on to discover how to successfully walk this tightrope (especially when you are trying to lose weight sustainably) guilt-free.
When it comes to changing body composition via diet, restriction of some kind is inevitable - the kind that restricts caloric intake to a finite number to help you achieve your goals.
Below are just a few important reasons why restrictive dieting is not the best intervention for weight loss, let alone weight loss maintenance.
Isolation: gatherings are so often interwoven with food, that embarking on an elimination diet could potentially hamper one’s social life. The degree to which this may happen tends to be directly proportional to the degree of dietary restriction. Studies show that community and a sense of belonging play a vital role in overall health and these should, therefore, always be encouraged and nurtured.
Stress: not everyone can cope with the removal of a long list of foods from their diet in one fell swoop. Dietary upgrades of any kind can be so emotionally charged that any changes are best made with all aspects of your unique circumstances in mind. Can you change your diet considerably whilst juggling work and family commitments and a weight loss regime - not to mention other important aspects of health? Are you prepared to cook every single meal from scratch? Even those who have the financial, physical and emotional wherewithal to do so may soon find that they have bitten off more than they can chew. Then again, they may not. Stress can be loosely defined as a discrepancy between an expectation and an actual outcome, particularly when the latter is unpleasant. Whether it is experienced as a result of unmet expectations (diet is not the be all and end all, after all) or misguided ambition, stress is a leading cause and perpetuator of any disease state and is, therefore, best avoided deliberately whenever it can be.
Distraction: isolation and stress are more likely to breed an inability to see the bigger picture. Not getting the results you hoped for is a very real possibility - more so once stress becomes part of the picture - and nothing at all to be ashamed of. Stuck in a cycle of trying to make your diet more and more perfect, you lose sight of the reality that food is not the only tool. For food to be truly impactful, it requires other important cofactors, like optimal exercise, mindset and recovery - all of which may receive scant attention when the minutiae of diet take centre stage.
Deficiency: there is also a tendency to lose sight of macronutrient ratios and it is not at all uncommon to eat less protein, carbohydrate or fat than is required for satiety, optimal sleep and energy, thereby decreasing the likelihood of a desirable outcome.
Depletion: over time, willpower diminishes and a strong desire to rebel or “cheat” could emerge.
If in doubt, remember:
Things change. A regimen that could not fit in with your lifestyle, symptom presentation or outlook may well do so in the future. By the same token, what works now may not do so in the future. You can always scale back on unsustainable aspirations or ramp things up as the situation dictates. Keep an open mind. Losing fat/gaining muscle is a lifelong journey, not a destination.
Seek ongoing professional help. It is tempting to go for long stretches without seeking the advice of a nutritionist in an attempt to save money but (as is now, hopefully, apparent) weight loss and its maintenance are complex and best done with some guidance.
Relax. It’s just food. Last time I checked, it can be yummy and fun.