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The diet cycle is a challenging pattern that many individuals find themselves in after multiple attempts at dieting or limiting food intake to achieve weight loss.
This article aims to help individuals overcome the harmful cycle of dieting by encouraging self-acceptance, body respect, and mindful eating for a healthier relationship with food and themselves.
At the start of a new diet, things often feel great. Following the plan may seem easy because the physical and mental effects of restriction have not kicked in yet. Individuals might be losing weight and getting compliments, which can feel rewarding. It is also common to feel an early thrill of dieting fueled by excitement and high hopes for how the diet will improve life. Over time, whether it is days, weeks, or months feeling deprived makes the diet harder to follow.
At least 75% of individuals who begin a diet eventually regain the weight they initially lost. In other words, over-restricting food can lead to overeating or binge eating because the body naturally reacts to starvation by driving a strong urge to eat.
Shame and guilt are emotions that often arise from a sense of wrongdoing or failure, but they differ in how they affect individuals. Shame might manifest as feeling unworthy or inadequate after eating something perceived as “unhealthy” or “bad.” Guilt might surface as regret after overeating or breaking a diet rule, such as thinking, “I shouldn’t have eaten that extra slice of pizza.”
Both shame and guilt can reinforce an unhealthy relationship with food, leading to cycles of restriction, overeating, and emotional distress.
IMPORTANCE OF SELF-COMPASSION IN OVERCOMING THE DIET CYCLE:
Self-compassion is linked to healthy eating habits, like intuitive eating, and fewer harmful eating behaviours, like emotional eating. People with higher self-compassion are less likely to crave unhealthy foods. Additionally, daily changes in self-compassion may influence the quality of food choices.
Mindful eating techniques help individuals become more aware of hunger and fullness signals, allowing them to respond appropriately rather than eating too little or overeating. Self-compassion allows individuals to treat themselves kindly instead of criticizing their eating choices. This reduces the guilt and shame that fuel the diet cycle.
Instead of turning to food for comfort, self-compassion helps address emotions like stress, anxiety, or loneliness in healthier ways. It encourages individuals to respect their bodies and make food choices based on care and self-respect, rather than external pressures.
Incorporating self-compassion into one’s life can lead to sustainable, healthy habits and a more positive relationship with food and self.
HOW TO HALT THE DIET CYCLE?
Focus on nourishing your body rather than aiming for weight loss: Avoid doing diet with the severe restrictive patterns and starvation which often does not work. Instead choose foods that nourish your body, taste good, and make you feel your best. You do not need to be perfect all the time but what matters is your discipline and stability towards the diet.
Respect your body: Treat your body with the kindness and care by choosing foods that fuel your body and make you feel good and avoiding overly restrictive diets that leave you hungry or exhausted. Respecting your body is about balance and compassion. Instead of treating dieting as a punishment, think of it as an opportunity to care for yourself in a healthier way.
Build a positive connection with food: Avoid categorizing foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ as it can create a sense of guilt or shame. By making a few changes to your diet, you can reduce the pressure to eat and enjoy your meals mindfully with complete satisfaction.
Tackle and regulate negative emotions without relying on food as a coping mechanism: Everyone experiences emotions like anxiety, boredom, anger, or loneliness, but turning to food will not solve these feelings. While it may offer temporary comfort but emotional eating practices can make things worse over time. Instead, choose more constructive ways to calm or divert yourself.
Reconnect with your body’s natural hunger and fullness cues: Pay attention to your body’s signals that indicate when you are comfortably full. Take your time during meals to savour the taste of your food and notice how your stomach feels as you eat. Pause halfway through and assess how full you are. If you feel satisfied, stop eating, even if there’s still food left on your plate.
Engage in physical activity and experience the transformation: Instead of exercising to lose weight, focus on how good it feels to stay active and how energized; this can be more motivating than just aiming to lose weight.
CONCLUSION
Breaking free from the diet cycle is essential for achieving long-term physical, emotional, and mental well-being. It helps to cultivate a balanced approach to eating, where food is seen as nourishment and enjoyment, rather than a source of stress. The diet cycle can create emotional distress with constant fluctuations between restriction and overeating. Moving beyond this cycle can reduce stress and improve overall emotional well-being of the individuals. By freeing oneself from the pressure of dieting, individuals can boost their self-esteem and mental health.
Ultimately, breaking free from the diet cycle helps individuals develop a healthier and more positive relationship with food, their bodies, and themselves, leading to improved well-being.
REFERENCES
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0030/154983/wtmgt_dietingcycle.pdf
Adams, C. E., & Leary, M. R. (2007). Promoting self-compassionate attitudes toward eating among restrictive and guilty eaters. Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology, 26(10), 1120–1144.
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2007.26.10.1120
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