clean living// why dieting doesn’t work
a note from lo//
WHY DIETING DOESN’T WORK
did you know that diet is one of the most googled words right now? while many of us are setting goals and dreaming of all that could be in this next year, let’s be honest; there is a large majority of us who are just trying to get back on track.
but somehow with all the excitement and motivation that the new year brings, i sometimes can’t help but feel discouraged about how many people are trying to get their lives back in order, trying to eat clean, exercise, and be healthy–and yet missing the entire point.
how many of you have tried the all too good-to-be-true diet before? you know what i mean if you’ve gone anywhere near the whole 30, paleo, or the keto eat what you want and still get skinny diets. the ones that stick around for a couple weeks, maybe even a month, and then when you’re finally tired of not eating what you want, you quit and go back to your regular routine – feeling more discouraged than before, with a distorted view of food, being healthy, and what’s worse, even yourself.
we’ve all been there, and i see it time and time again...the january goals that simply just aren’t realistic and the diet that leads you to think it will get you there.
if you are feeling restricted, it’s because you are. if what you are eating doesn’t feel realistic, it’s because it isn’t. and if you are wondering if you can keep up with this forever, you can’t.
the reason dieting doesn’t work is because it isn’t a lifestyle of clean eating, good habits, and helpful practices, but rather it is a give me what i want with the quickest results method of restriction that teaches your body and your mind a perverse point of view of one of the most wholesome and life-giving gifts we have: food.
can i tell you a secret? it isn’t about what you can’t eat but what you can. and better yet, what you should. that is what clean eating is all about. it’s stripping down what you know of food, and especially what you know of diets, and leaving it as simple as can be. it’s teaching you not to be afraid of food and restoring your perspective, in order to find what’s true and best for your own body.
have you ever been told on a diet you can’t have dairy? would it be crazy to tell you that with clean eating, you actually can? have you ever been told you can’t eat pasta, enjoy protein, consume starches, have a snack, eat bread? honestly, with clean eating you can do all these things–and even make room to indulge in your favorite dish every once in a while without the guilt trip, shame, or excessive feelings of regret.
it’s about discovering a lifestyle, rooted in balance.
it’s about being better connected to your body and what you put it in it, while never facing fear when it comes to eating again. it’s about not having to calculate calories or carbs or order special “diet approved” snacks online. it’s about listening to what your body is telling you you can eat and can’t eat, rather than a stiff outline of one-size fits all rules. it’s about learning to understand food and enjoy it rather than restrict it–and knowing what it’s like to freely eat, freely live, and freely enjoy the body god gave you at it’s best and fullest potential.
and it’s about never having to google the word diet again.
this year, let’s discover a lifestyle rooted in balance. let’s leave behind the binging, restricting, food distorting diets and discover what wholesome, clean living can be. a practice that is sure to stick with you past january, and become not only a part of your year, but a part of your life as it continues to change and evolve just as you do. together, we can do this. and i’ll be here every step of the way.
you’re never alone. i’m rooting for you.
xo lo
