Top Ten Reasons You
Should Not Go On A Diet

Part of any good personal growth and personal development plan should include an examination of your nutrition and activity. Or maybe for you it is LACK of activity. A good place to start is by examining why you should should not go on a “diet”.

Diets are nothing more than temporary solutions with many lingering, negative side effects.

Here are the Top 10 Reasons Why you should NOT "go" on a Diet

1. Diets do NOT work.
Diets have a 99% Failure Rate. Have you noticed a pattern yet? Maybe you do lose weight only to quickly regain it. Over time, studies show if you diet you are more likely to be overweight than people who eat normally and make small gradual changes to their lifestyle. No, the Law of Averages does not apply to this faulty system.

2. Dieting can be Dangerous.

Any time you severely restrict the amount or types of foods you eat you put your health and life at risk. Dieting has been related to injuries and sudden deaths from electrolyteimbalance, malnutrition, and heart arrhythmia's. Weight cycling, or yo-yo weight, is associated with higher death rates - especially if some type of pills are being used. At nopoint should you ever place weight loss above your health.

3. Dieting Destroys your Metabolism.

Diets will cause your weight to quickly cycle up and down. Sure, you may lose weight quickly because you are simply not eating enough. In the initial stages, the first seven to nine pounds lost are water, presenting a real danger of dehydration and mineral deficiencies. Even more terrifying ins the break down of lean muscle due to inefficient nutrients and calories. If you are losing more than 3-4 pounds a week, you can be sure this is what is happening - very little fat is lost this state.

Now, any muscle loss will cause your metabolism slow to a crawl. The cumulative effect takes place for you cannot survive very long on very low calories (1200 or less) and you will eventually eat more - on top of a slower metabolism. All those excess calories will be stored as fat - causing rapid weight gain.

4. Dieting is Exhausting.

Diets are just reduced calorie fads disguised by a clever gimmick. "Lose weight while you sleep" "Eat all you want and still lose weight" Not eating enough or cutting out certain foodgroups means your body may not be getting the energy it needs, or may lack certain nutrients. You will feel exhausted, light headed and experience some not-so-fun mood swings.

5. Dieting is Disruptive.

Dieting negatively affects your normal eating patterns. Diets can lead to binge eating, overeating and chaotic eating. When you diet, it is common to override your internal signalstelling you to eat. You end up trying to use willpower or resist hunger signals and may even go as far as taking appetite suppressants. This results in being unable to know when youreally are hungry or worse....when you're full.

6. Dieting can lead to eating disorders.

Experts state that the high rates of eating disorders in the U.S. are due in part to people dieting, losing weight, rebounding, and becoming chronic dieters.

7. Dieting Causes Food Obsessions.

If you spend a large amount of time and energy depriving yourself of food or certain types of food - you will spend more time thinking about food and become obsessed attempts tocontrol your weight by what you choose to eat or not eat. How long do you want to live like this?

8. Dieting Diminishes Women.

There is way too much attention focused on our appearance and an arbitrary number on the scale. In the midst of this focus - we end up avoiding what really matters to us - our dreams and ambitions. Even worse, it erodes our confidence and self-respect.

9. Dieting Intensifies Negativity.

If you diet, you are more judgmental and critical of yourself and others. Once again, wasted time and energy.

10. Diets Put Your Life on Hold.

Does this sound familiar...."I'll be happy when I weigh "x pounds." Guess what? The issues in your life are not related to your weight. Take responsibility( see responsibility article) andtake back control of your life. Decide to be happy now and do what it takes to live a lifestyle that reflects your priorities.

It is time to stand up for yourself, responsibility, and to take control.

So what does or will work for you? Well, first of all keep it simple. It really boils down to calories in versus calories burned. Burn more than you consume and you will lose weight.You can get much more detailed than that in figuring out how much you are now consuming and how much you really should be(you may be surprised!). We will go into more detail on what you should be doing to achieve your weight loss goals without going on a "diet" in other articles, so be sure to return to keep yourself informed. Thanks for reading.

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