Follow us on Twitter!
Addicted to dieting?
Is it possible to be addicted to dieting? I always thought if we had an addiction, it was to the food, not to the dieting. And then I ran into an old friend, someone I hadn’t seen in a while, and got into a fascinating conversation, which lead me to today’s topic.
I’ve known this friend for about 7 years now, and during that time, I’ve seen his weight go up and down many times. And on this recent encounter, I noticed that he had shed a few pounds since I’d last seen him. I complimented him on this, and he beamingly replied “Yup, 21 pounds lost, 35 to go!”
This got us into a discussion about what he was doing to shed the weight “this time”. Turns out he is going to a very strict weight-loss centre, that has put him on a 800 calorie a day diet, basically consisting of (and I am not kidding here) boiled chicken and leafy greens. No carbs, no alcohol, no fruit, no anything except boiled chicken and leafy greens. (All for the “low” cost of $160 per week!)
I asked him a few questions about sustainability, did he think he could eat like that forever, and here’s where I had the big revelation! He answered quite emphatically that yes, he was going to continue this routine long-term, even after the weight had been shed. (This from a guy who loves food, socializing, the occasional beer or drink etc) He mentioned loving the feeling of “being in control” again, which he hadn’t felt in a long time.
This brought back memories of my own diets over the years, and that often the greatest thing to come out of a diet wasn’t even the pounds shed, but that wonderful feeling of being in control. But this is a facade, because it is not the dieter who is in control, but rather the diet itself.
The dieter doesn’t control what foods to eat, the diet does. The dieter doesn’t control the portions, the diet does. The dieter doesn’t control the frequency of weigh-ins, the diet program does. The dieter actually gives up control when on a diet, and this is what I think dieters get addicted to!
They get addicted to the feeling of not having to be in control!
This can feel sooooo good after having been out of control for so long. And as we all know, being out of control feels pretty bad most of the time.
I liken this to what a drug addict goes through when they enter rehab. Although drug withdrawal causes many uncomfortable physical symptoms, many addicts report a sense of emotional relief at being in rehab. They feel they are finally in control over their addiction, just as an active dieter feels in control over their food choices. But this is a false illusion! You know this is true by how many drug addicts end up back in rehab and how many dieters end up back on a diet again, after they’ve been released back into the real world. If the person were truly the one in control, there’d be no need for further diets or rehab.
In order to truly get a handle on your weight, YOU must take control permanently. This means no more relying on dieting for control. Because once you go off the diet, it can become a slippery slope into losing control yet again.
Controlling (also called mastering) yourself is the greatest gift you can give to you. This is true empowerment! This is true relief! And because this new found control is internal, it is also eternal, because you don’t have to rely on anything or anyone to keep you on your path.
And that’s what Why Are You Weighting? is here to help you do. To learn to master yourself so that YOU are in control, you are the master of your own ship, the architect of your own life! The life you were meant to live, at your ideal weight, without feeling deprived or disempowered. Why Are You Weighting? was written just for you.
Because the feeling of being truly in control yourself, is a feeling unmatched by any feeling a diet can ever give you!
Make it a great week!
Stacey
PS: To learn more about the book, read testimonials, and get a feel for what Why Are You Weighting? is all about, please visit www.WhyAreYouWeighting.com and click on the icon for Buy Book Now. This will take you to another site full of info about the book itself. Pre-sales are still happening, so to reserve your autographed copy at a 20% discount from the full price, please visit www.WhyAreYouWeighting.com and click on the icon for Buy Book Now. (Pre-sales will be ending within the next few weeks, so don’t delay…why pay full price later if you can get a savings now?)
Contact Us
This is very interesting, I hadn’t thought of dieting this way before….am I addicted to it? I’m going to have to think about this.
yoiu’re rite at every thing you’ve said..
thes is from a girl who is trying so many diffrent diets sense i was 10 years old and know i’m 17 and still no result i steel fail when i go to the real warld but finely i got it
the diet is not the key its the problem
if im convinsed of what i want and what i need i don’t need a diet i just need to learn whow to control my self..it takes time and lots ofd well power but ican and every body can do it
yuou can start at small steps small things you cut it out of your life and then you move haier and haier to get yopur gool
i hope i can keep trying to get m,y gool…and you try it too…
i’m sorry becouse thers alots of mistakes ..but i’m in a hurry..:)
Hey, I agree…the ‘diet’ is controlling me. And I always thought I was in control. What a revelation.
I thought Weight Watchers was great because of all the options one had on Flexpoints, but now that you mention it, it is very controlling eg. weigh ins, meetings etc. It would be nice to just ‘do it yourself’ . Then the kudos all go to you. (I just need to find more willpower.)
Thanks for the insight.
Hi there,
Thank you! I would now go on this blog every day!
Thank you
Elcoj
Hi,
Thanks for article. Everytime like to read you.
Have a nice day
Tania
An interesting read and although I like many have tried several of the latest diets I have not been able to stick with them for various reasons. My last attempt is scheduled for next month and researchng the latest diets I have heard some good things about the Fat Burning Furnace. Has anyone here tried it and is it any good?
Nice post,now I have found a few things and I want to add it to my brains! Thanks you!
Finding websites with as much information as this one is always a pleasure I wll be sure to come back and visit again real soon, keep up the good work.
Thanks for sharing