The word ‘diet’ in the nutrition industry can mean a lot of things – it can be broadened to an individuals daily nutrition intake, it can be associated with the well-known diet plans that already exist that are well known such as paleo, keto and the 5:2 diet, or it can be the nutritional plan someone has put in place. In general society the world diet is associated with a planned food intake and often has negative connotations such as a restriction
of certain food groups, cutting out certain foods
or getting rid of food altogether.
Most diets all have a common goal – reducing overall calorie intake to result in a loss of fat – they all just have different methods of doing it. That’s why it is very important to consider what method works for you and what doesn’t. It’s a process of trial and error. What works for someone might not work for you and if adherence to it is difficult then that is also something to weight up in the long run.
3 reasons why your diet isn't working
1. They’re not tailored for you
The mainstream diets we tend to know are cookie cutter style nutrition programming – meaning they are not designed to the individual but rather are a generalised format of methods. This means that it may not work for every person the same way and these individual factors have not been taken into account.
2. Not actually sticking to it
Many diets require strict adherence to see results and if changes are made then results can be impacted. For example, the ketogenic diet requires you to eat predominantly fat based foods with only a certain level of carbohydrates allowed. If someone decides to have a carbohydrate dense meal then
their body is no longer in a ketogenic state hence impacting their results. This can all form into a cycle where you try to stick with a diet, you fall off track resulting in negative feelings and emotions which then usually result in trying a new diet or forcing yourself to keep going with the one you’re already chosen.
3. You’re not enjoying it
If you’re not enjoying the food you’re putting into your body then more than likely you are not going to stick with it. There is a common misconception that in order to eat healthy that you can enjoy it which couldn’t be further from the truth and that is a key factor when identifying if a diet isn’t working for you.
How to find a diet to work for you
Finding nutrition plan can take time so first and foremost be aware that there may be some trial and error and that it takes time to from habits and make behaviour changes
First determine if you want to body fat as this will determine whether you need to go into a calorie deficit or not – once again all weight loss diets revolve around creating a calorie deficit. Once you have found your baseline calories determine if you want to adjust portions of all your meals/snacks you are eating now or if you want to change the foods you want to eat.
It is recommended to try one or the other and not both at the same time as this can be overwhelming! Small changes over time will be more successful than lots of changes!
If changing portion sizes, continue eating the same foods you normally do whilst making them all a bit smaller. It is suggested you also track this in My Fitness Pal to accurately see if you are reaching your calorie target.
If you want to change the food you are eating once again start small! Look at your breakfast and identify what you want to change it to, if you’re struggling look at our Instagram page for a range of healthy recipes! Alternatively reach out and we can help you out! After a couple of weeks look at your lunch and dinner and see what you can change!
Key thing is after 3 months reflect on your nutrition plan or your personalised ‘diet’ and determine whether you enjoy it, if its sustainable and if its meeting your goals!
Summary
The don’ts of dieting
- Don’t choose a cookie cutter diet just because a celebrity is or you friend is
- Don’t follow a diet if you’re not enjoying it
- Don’t loosely follow a plan then get frustrated for not seeing results
The do's of dieting
- Be honest with yourself about what you are putting in your mouth
- Find out what works for you
- Take small steps at a time
- Always reflect
Trying to understand what works for you? Please reach out to the Fitmiss team to create the perfect nutrition plan for you!
