You should never go on a diet, there’s an easier way to lose weight, expert says
Whenever people discuss how to lose weight, people tend to end up saying, ‘Eat less food, do more exercise,’ like a mantra.
But this approach isn’t helping, with obesity rates still soaring, says Megan Lee, Academic Tutor and Lecturer, Southern Cross University.
Lee says that fad diets and food restriction can actually contribute to weight gain and our bodies storing fat.
She points out that obesity rates rose sharply in the Eighties – alongside the rise of convenience food, and fat diets.
Instead, she argues in an essay for The Conversation, ‘non-dieting’ eating styles such as ‘mindful eating’ leave people feeling happier – and thus less likely to binge.
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Lee said, ‘Non-dieting eating styles shift the focus from weight management to health promotion. This encourages body acceptance in contrast to the common body dissatisfaction aspect of restrictive dieting.
‘These eating styles also focus on exercise as moving the body for enjoyment, instead of concentrating on calories burned. Rather than focusing on trying to lose weight, we should think of exercise as helping to make us feel energised.
‘A review of 24 research papers on non-dieting eating styles supported these findings.
‘It found an association between intuitive eating and a decrease in disordered eating, a more positive body image, and greater emotional functioning.’
