Roller coaster dieting (sometimes called yo-yo dieting) is a nasty cycle to get caught up in. This is a cycle where a person tries a weight loss diet for a while, loses weight, then goes off the diet. This is the down part of the roller coaster and it can feel pretty good, but it doesn’t stop there. Once off the diet, the person not only goes back to their original weight, but adds on a few extra pounds. This can wreak havoc on the mind and body, and is not healthy. So, why does this happen? There are a lot of specific answers, but they all come back to one thing: the diets themselves are to blame, not the dieters.
But you want to lose weight, right? There must be something you can do. Some of those diets sound so appealing, and a few celebrities swear by them (forget the fact that they also can afford an army of private chefs and personal trainers), so they must work. The truth is that some of them do work, but what doesn’t get mentioned is that they only work for so long…then the weight loss roller coaster starts going up, up and up again.
What you need is a way to break the cycle. What you need are healthy eating plans for weight loss. Forget all of the hype of the latest and greatest miracle diet cures, they don’t work as a long term solution.
The good news is that you can still eat all of the foods you love and don’t have to eliminate whole categories of food to lose weight. The key is to make better choices. You always have a choice, either about the food you eat, or how much of it you eat. Therefore, the first step of a healthy plan for weight loss is to take total responsibility for yourself. Nobody can force you to eat something against your will. To be blunt, you need to grow up and take a stand for your health.
If there are fattening foods that you absolutely must have, then try to eat half of your normal serving and take twice as long to do it. This way you will be able to enjoy your favorite foods. You will also learn to savor each bite, instead of just gulping it down without any thought. Doing it this way not only gives you more enjoyment form your food, it also gives your brain time to realize you’re full.
The other part of healthy eating plans for weight loss is to eat foods that are better for you. In general, you should avoid refined sugar and flour, opting for whole grains instead. Other foods to add include fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats (in moderation). The closer foods are to their natural state, the better. For example, a bowl of regular oatmeal is healthier than an oatmeal cookie.
Weight loss doesn’t have to be hard, though those who sell fad diets would like you to think differently. You can safely ignore them and follow your own healthy eating plan instead.