It's a week after New Years. By now, many people have probably stepped on the scale and realized five pounds stuck to their frame after indulging in a box of chocolates, a tin full of assorted cookies, holiday lattes, and other holiday treats. As a result, people quickly want to lose the weight and adopt extreme or unhealthy diets. A Statistic Brain study states that 21.4 percent of survey respondents in a recent study said losing weight or eating healthier was their top New Years' resolution. Popular magazines like Women's Health and Fitness Magazine have addressed this increasing trend and already published articles about dieting and weight loss. U.S. News states that around 80 percent of people who make health resolutions like these quickly abandon them.

Expectations vs. outcomes

If people really want to become healthier, why is it so difficult? It is because habits truly die hard. Someone who frequently eats processed, high-sugar, or other unhealthy foods will continue craving them. The word dieting itself brings a negative connotation. Brian J. Sharkey and Steven E. Gaskill's book "Fitness and Health" states that the word carries feelings of deprivation, avoidance, and punishment. It also causes people to develop false hope, dissatisfaction.

The more people diet and fail to achieve their goals, the more they punish themselves, restrict their eating, or go the completely opposite direction and fall back into their old habits because they've lost hope. Failure to meet dieting goals and intense fixation on weight can also cause eating disorders like binge eating, bulimia, compulsive exercise, and muscle dsymorphia to develop.

Dieters also may believe certain myths and develop unhealthy practices. According to MedlinePlus, one common myth is that low- fat foods are healthier than full-fat. However, this is not the case. The food's flavor has to come from somewhere, so they have additional starch or sugars to compensate for fat.

People who desire to lose weight may also become discontent if they do not shed pounds quickly enough. Weight loss involves several factors, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, including homeostatic processes (mainly performed by the hypothalymus), hormone levels, environmental and physiological factors, energy balance, nutrient metabolism, and appetite.

A new lifestyle

In simpler terms, losing weight correlates with lifestyle changes. A person cannot expect to lose weight if they skip meals for a couple days then immediately return to overeating. They also cannot jump right into two hour workouts, radically change their diet, or build lots of muscle in a week. Everything takes time and gradual change.

The key to successful weight loss is taking the word diet literally.

"A) food or drink regularly consumed, B) Habitual nourishment, C) the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason, and D) a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight ." Diet originally referred to what someone ate, not restrictive eating.

- Merriam Webster definition of diet.

A change in diet can be a positive thing. For example,I had to change my diet last summer when I found out that I developed an autoimmune condition. As a result, my body reacted to foods containing gluten, so I cut any gluten products out of my diet. The result? I felt a lot better. Don't get me wrong — it was very difficult to give up pizza, muffins, bagels, and other college food staples. However, I realized my body required a change in eating habits.

In order for this to work, I had to change my mindset. I originally was sad I could not eat some of my favorite foods, but then I reminded myself about the migraines or stomach aches I received after eating gluten. My body no longer craved these things and I have remained gluten-free for a half year.

Change in small amounts

Changing diet is not an overnight fix or something someone can do cold turkey, which is why many give up their diets after only a couple days. Poor eating is like any other bad habit — smoking, watching too much TV, using too many swear words, etc;. A person has to gradually change their behavior and acclimate to a new routine.

For example, anyone trying to cut back on sugar cannot focus on the idea that they are depriving themselves of sweets. All things are okay in moderation. Designate a couple days of the week to indulge, whether that's on the weekends alone or one weekday and one weekend.

Introduce change bit by bit because a sudden diet change can also shock the body and cause indigestion or new food intolerances, Livestrong states. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center states that many diets are "fad" diets like liquid, grapefruit, high-protein, and cabbage diets that all promise extreme weight loss. UPMC also describes how these fads create more harm than good and can lead to poor weight control, increased risk of various chronic diseases, reduced athletic performance, kidney stones and gout, and ketosis due to nutrient imbalances.

In addition, those who do not eat many fresh foods may develop constipation or gastrointestinal issues because their body cannot process high amounts of fiber, according to an article from the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

For those who want to change their eating habits, try taking things day-by-day. Going vegetarian? Start with meatless Mondays for two weeks, then try meatless lunch or dinner, and then add a new meatless day each week until you eliminate meat. Trying to eat less junk? Allow a small treat every other day and then limit yourself to one or two days a week. This idea translates to other diets — low-fat, low-carb, etc;.

Keep portion sizes in check as well. Try the three-bites rule, where you take a couple bites of something and save the rest for later or give it to someone else. I've tried this and found I often just want to taste a cake instead of eating a whole slice. This way, you can satisfy cravings without over indulging. At parties, try sampling little bits of each item so you still eat a reasonable amount and don't have to say "no" to everything.

A balanced diet

It is possible to develop a healthier dietary plan, as long as the new diet is balanced. A balanced diet includes fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, professor Mike Lean from University of Glasgow explains on his pizza company website, Eat Balanced. This website provides clickable buttons that users can click and to learn about each nutrient's role. Healthline states that a balanced diet ensures that organs and tissues function properly and prevents health complications.

Even though the majority of diets are fad diets, there are some that actually work because they focus on lifestyle changes and long-term goals — I would actually call these "lifestyles" instead of "diets." They also fixate on lowering things like unhealthy carbohydrates instead of removing them and replacing them with less-starchy, lower-glycemic options like sweet potato and squash.

As a result, people can still eat healthier and lose weight with a balanced diet. These lifestyles all bear similarities and include Paleo (Paleolithic), Keto (Ketogenic), and Whole 30.

Paleo

The Paleo Diet website states that Paleo diet mimics a hunter-gatherer society. It focuses on higher protein intake, lower carb and glycemic foods, higher fiber, higher potassium and lower sodium, higher healthy fat intake, and higher vitamin intake. It's gluten-free and generally dairy and grain-free. However, I personally eat dairy in small amounts and often eat yogurt with probiotics for breakfast, yet I do not generally consume dairy milk and drink almond or coconut instead.

Many people who eat Paleo also opt for healthier grains like quinoa or flax. I typically eat a protein like a chicken breast or egg, partner it with a carbohydrate like sweet potato or spaghetti squash (keep the serving size reasonable), and finish my plate with a fruit like blueberries or a vegetable like grilled asparagus.

Keto

The second diet, Keto, focuses on high-fat and lower-carbohydrate foods like Paleo. The difference is that it also includes low-glycemic options for people who need to manage glucose levels and focuses more on healthy fat intake, according to the Ketogenic Diet Plan. . It was also developed to help combat health issues like epilepsy, autism, and Alzheimer's disease. The diet includes high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate foods.

The third, Whole 30, consists of foods you'd typically find at a Whole Foods Market or similar health store. This option cuts out any inflammatory, hormone-imbalancing, and "fake" healthy foods. This includes eliminating dairy, legumes, grains, alcohol, added sugars, grains, foods with additives, and processed options. The goal is as close to fresh and natural as possible.

Personal experience

I recently adopted mixtures of all these lifestyles since I cannot eat gluten or many white starches due to digestive issues from my autoimmune condition and low blood sugar. I personally eat low-dairy, minimal grains, healthy fats, lean proteins (no beef), minimal legumes, minimal added sugars (which usually come from my coffee creamer), lots of steamed vegetables, small amounts of fresh vegetables and fruit. I do not typically eat or drink anything with soy.

After changing my diet, I've had more energy, decreased digestive issues (my gut is still sensitive and has not healed completely yet), less brain fog, and less migraines. I have also noticed that I feel better after swimming — my preferred exercise method — and feel healthier overall sticking to fresher, less-processed foods.

Try these healthier lifestyles and see which works best for you — they are customization it is okay to pick and choose aspects of each of them. Listen to your body, eat a balanced, nutritious diet, and discover what works best for you and your specific health needs. If you would like specific advice, consult a nutritionist or dietitian.