I LOVE FOOD.
Dieting isn't working for me because I cannot and will not maintain it. I cannot turn down Taco Tuesday, lava cakes from Chili's, pizza from the local pizzeria, and I will not let down the only men who have stuck with me through the good and the bad; Ben and Jerry. I know what you're thinking, "you're so young, you don't need to diet." Yeah, well tell the person looking in the mirror poking at her tummy that. She doesn't believe you.
The truth behind these diets I keep trying to do is they are unrealistic for someone my age. During these diets I find myself spending ridiculous amounts of money to buy organic, skipping family dinners, eating alone, and not consuming nearly enough calories. My workouts are horrible because I haven't fueled my body enough to make it through. These diets don't work for me because mentally, I don't let them...physically, I work too hard. So what now? Where's the happy medium?
Dieting makes me miserable. It makes me feel like I can't eat anything that makes me happy. And yes, food makes me happy. I also don't eat enough because I'm constantly worried I'll be eating too much and I'll gain weight. The list goes on and on and on. I get hangry, believe me, a hangry human is not someone I'd like to be regularly. Dieting is such a ridiculous term so instead, I'm going to make more healthy choices without depriving myself of every food I adore.
What we all seem to forget when we are blurred by this self-image that we will never be content with is that everything is "good" for you in moderation. No, I shouldn't eat that donut every single morning, but I don't even remember the last time I had a donut because of the negative connotation associated with eating one. However, these same people who make donuts seem so bad are still drinking lots of beer and wine on Friday nights, and news flash, you should check out how many calories are in that beverage...I'll eat the donut if I want.
It just seems crazy to me the guilt I associate with eating. I seriously would step on the scale every single morning to ensure I didn't gain a pound. If I did, I would continue to deprive my body of the nutrients it needed because I was so afraid of the number on the scale. Now, I stopped looking at the scale. I stopped avoiding the foods I love. I make sure I wear things I love. I do things I love. No diet can teach you self-love. Dieting doesn't work for me because no matter what the scale says, I probably still won't be content.
Dieting won't work for me because I have a serious love for Oreo's, cheese, and eating a whole pizza single handed. If you're anything like me, dieting made you cranky because you're stuck eating food that doesn't make your heart happy. It didn't motivate me to go to the gym, it didn't make me excited for dinner and I really found myself eating alone because looking at my family eat that delicious pizza was too much to bare as I drank my smoothie full of healthy, body loving crap. It's okay to splurge sometimes. Don't deprive your body because you're afraid. Open your eyes to realize if you're making unhealthy choices regularly, make sure you aren't hurting yourself by not eating enough, and get active.
The diet might be a good start, but many diets aren't maintainable. They can create bad habits, bad mental health, bad self-image when starting a diet be careful that you are fully aware of how you are treating yourself and your body. Those are the only aspects you have full control of, take it.
