You tried the diet. Maybe you even tried many of them.
You couldn’t stick to it for more than a few days or weeks. You lost some weight, but you just got so hungry that you needed to eat. Your hands were shaking, and you couldn’t focus on work. You became forgetful and lived for the next time you were allowed to eat a snack or meal. Eventually, you broke. You had to eat anything you could get your hands on because you were just so hungry. And as soon as the diet stopped, the weight came back.
This is a common cycle that many people go through when they engage in diets for the purpose of weight loss. And many people who’ve experienced this have one thing in common: they feel like a failure for not sticking with the diet.
But what if it’s not your fault, but the diet’s fault?
The research
Research has shown that dieting does not lead to long-term weight loss. Multiple studies have found that the majority of people who lose a significant amount of weight while dieting gain the weight back, and sometimes gain even more weight than when they started. It’s also common for people to be more hungry after a period of dieting — it’s a natural phenomenon that occurs in the body because it’s trying to get more nutrition in.
There is also recent research that indicates that repeated dieting and weight cycling (losing weight and gaining it back) can lead to feeling more depressed or anxious, developing a strained relationship with food, negative body image, and developing eating disorders.
The vicious cycle of dieting
The nature of diets sets people up for failure. This is called “the vicious cycle of dieting” and is very common in people who engage in dieting for weight loss.
The vicious cycle of dieting goes as follows:
Feeling bad about your body
You don’t like the skin you’re in and wish you were a little thinner. You look in the mirror or see yourself in photos and think “I’m ugly” or “I need to change.” You decide to make a change.
Starting a diet
You choose a diet. You’re excited because you think this will be the one. You already feel better just thinking about the weight you’ll lose and how good you’ll feel. Restricting your calories and food intake, making lists of what you’ve eaten, and following the diet’s rules is giving you a sense of control over your life and body. You feel excited!
Deprivation
You haven’t eaten enough. Your stomach is rumbling through class or meetings, and all you can think about is food. You only had a few crackers or a cup of coffee for breakfast. You can’t follow your coworker’s presentation because all you think about is the small lunch you’re allowed to have in an hour. Your body is being deprived of food. Biologically, this preoccupation with food is a very normal reaction and your body’s way of trying to convince you to nourish yourself.
Breaking point
Something happens, and you snap. Maybe you got too hungry and grabbed whichever food was easiest to access. Maybe the children were cranky or your coworker said something that made you angry. You start eating the “forbidden” foods. Maybe you eat a kind of food you’re not meant to eat according to the diet, or maybe you ate too much. You feel out of control again. You’re uncomfortable. Maybe you’re thinking “well, I already messed up the diet so I might as well keep going” and eat more forbidden foods.
Shame and guilt
You’re angry with yourself. You’re disappointed and beat yourself up. Yet another diet you couldn’t stick to! You feel like a failure and blame yourself. If other people can do this, why can’t I? You feel like things will never change and negative feelings are overwhelming you. So you go back to feeling bad about your body, and the cycle starts again.
If this sounds familiar, then know that this is a very common pattern. Being stuck in the vicious cycle of dieting isn’t your fault. Together, we can look at what is keeping you in this cycle and how you can break the cycle.
Ready to reach out?
I’m a body image counsellor and therapist who works with people who are experiencing disordered eating, body image difficulties, and body dysmorphia. If the above sounds familiar to you and you’re looking for support in ending this vicious cycle, I am here to support you.
Book your first session now via this link or email me at yasmine@outofthewoodscounselling.net to organise a free 15-minute discovery call.
