Dieting

[Jh]

There are so many ways to lose weight. I don't really recommend dieting, because if not done properly it can cause health issues. You should always ask advice from your dietician or doctor, before starting any diets. Just regular exercising and healthy and balanced eating is good enough, if you don`t have any major health problems. Running is completely free as well. The good feeling you get afterwards is the best.

[Independent]

I think I'm going to have to disagree. "Regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet" just won't cut it for a lot of people. That's because, regular exercise and just a "healthy, balanced" diet, does not leave any room for cheat-days, or any cheating for that matter. And what I've found to be very interesting is that, unless I treat myself with something unhealthy every now and then, I completely lose all my motivation to actually go to the gym. And that's not all, when I have a treat, it actually makes me stronger, wanting to work harder just so that I can burn those extra calories from that treat. 

My point is that, most people need to have an extreme diet, just so that they can eat a couple of donuts on the weekend so that they do not lose the motivation to continue working onto their goals. 

[jenlv2ski]

I personally hate the word “diet”. I always feel extreme pressure when uttering the word. To me, it means counting calories, eating lots of lettuce and omitting chocolate from my life.

I believe you need to commit to a permanent lifestyle change. Eat clean, exercise more and have a positive attitude. Once you get used to that lifestyle the pounds will come off.

[WriterCat]

I find your word choice interesting saying that you would not recommend dieting but then also saying that there are many ways to lose weight. In America, at least, I feel that dieting and losing weight go together. However, sometimes just "eating a balanced diet" doesn't work. I am mainly a vegetarian. I also eat far worse than I did when I ate meat. (I also weigh more--and this is walking five miles a day.) Many people, I imagine, myself included, would benefit greatly from the strictness and formality that comes from a word--diet--if it means that we get back on track for eating healthy.  

[anthonyhurtadox]

There's always risk involved with anything and while you should mitigate unnecessary risk.I think dieting isn't risky enough to not attempt it, I mean think about it people have fasted for religious reasons for centuries without many incidents of problems. In fact there even appears to be many health benefits to going without eating.

[a_quiet_bunny]

I think, a lot if people forget that a diet is just a way of eating.  Everyone has a diet.  What that diet consists of could be healthy or unhealthy.

Personally, I like the 80/20 rule.  That way, you won't freak out over some ice cream.  You can trigger an eating disorder by trying to eat too healthy.  People get obsessive and that's not healthy either, even if the food you're eating is.

[ReaperCat]

I've always found that what works best for me is to focus on foods with high nutritional content, without worrying about fat or calories. From those nutrient-rich foods, I choose the ones that are most filling. The worst part of dieting is feeling hungry! I've found that feeling full and healthy helps you body naturally reset to a more healthy weight.

[ElenaB]

I have been on a weight removal journey for 126 days. I have lost over 15 pounds, and I am not dieting. I am making conscious choices about what I eat and how I exercise. First, I had to learn how lose weight. Next, I tracked my eating and exercise habits. After reviewing my history, I discovered that I was eating one extra meal per day, and the weight came off me only when I exercised. For me, success began when I became educated, developed a weight removal plan, and implemented it.  

[Vagabond]

When we think of the word “diet”, as it involves losing weight, we usually think of it as a temporary solution to achieve our weight loss goal, with the intention that once that goal is achieved, we can go back to our regular eating habits. 

Unfortunately, this usually does not turn out well on a long -term basis. It might work to lose 5-6 lbs and fit in a a nice dress for a special occasion, but once we stop the diet, and go back to overeating, we usually gain that weight back (plus more ! ) before long. 

My thought is that , rather than thinking of something as a temporary diet , to be followed while achieving a set goal, we should look at it as a lifestyle change, and something that we are going to do from now on out. 

There are days that I do better than other days, but I never feel like a failure, just that I need to be more aware of what food I eat and what exercise I do every day, and eventually, I will see the results that I am working towards.