Managing your weight is about so much more than grasping on to the next “diet” that floats your way. Sure, you want to shed those pounds as quickly and as seamlessly as possible. Will that work? Maybe. For a while. But what comes next is a different story.

The Trouble with Diets

Case in point, diets are short-lived. They aren’t intended to be followed for weeks, months or even years. In fact, according to Health.com, most diets fail within the first seven days!

The #1 thing most diets have in common is lack of sustainability. Just how long can you go on eating a banana for breakfast and grilled chicken and broccoli every single evening?

Well, you can’t. And you shouldn’t. The majority of diets are built on the premise of restriction — restriction of calories and the restriction of certain nutrients, like carbs or sugars.

The end result? severe hunger, temptation and feelings of “missing out.” And if we know anything about willpower, it’s that it’s extremely limited. Moderation is definitely the way to go.

Post-diet Weight Regain

Ever notice that post-dieters (including you?) often regain all the weight they lost, and possibly even more? There’s a few scientific reasons as to why this phenomenon happens:

• Appetite usually surges while metabolism slows
• Food and exercise patterns are unrealistic
• The body protects its energy stores by storing fat

All of these factors combined make a recipe for weight gain. Add a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, unbalanced diet and lots of stress? The number on the scale creeps back up.

So what can you do? Lose weight slowly and be mindful of the following:

• Even 5-10 percent weight-loss improves health drastically
• Lifestyle changes vs diets help you stay on track for good
• Moderate your fav foods rather than eliminating them
• Improve other areas of your life beyond diet and exercise

For additional information on the risk of crash diets, please CLICK HERE.