• Home
  • Categories
  • Blog
    • Simply Living
      • Meal Planning and Prep
      • Budgeting
      • Decluttering
    • Simply Planning
      • Bullet Journal
      • Goal Setting
    • Simply Wellness
      • Healthy Eating
      • Self Care
      • Fitness
  • Resource Library
    • Get the password
    • Enter the Library
  • Shop
  • About Me

Planning Calm From Chaos

Creating time for a Life You Love

  • Simply Living
    • Budgeting
    • Decluttering
    • Meal Planning and Prep
  • Simply Planning
    • Bullet Journal
    • Goal Setting
    • Habits and Routines
  • Simply Wellness
    • Fitness
    • Healthy Eating
    • Self Care

Blog, Healthy Eating, Simply Wellness · January 28, 2020

Why Do Diets Usually Fail?

why do diets usually fail

Why do diets usually fail?

I’ve spent most of my life on a diet.

Ever since I was a teenager at school, I’ve been trying to lose weight, or at least thinking about trying to lose weight.

I’ve managed to lose a couple of stone a few times and felt so good about myself when I did, but the weight has always found a way to pile back on.

Now it’s a new year and a new decade and I’m determined to beat this diet trap once and for all.

Why do diets usually fail?

Why is it that such a high percentage of diets fail? Statistics all over the internet suggest around 95% of dieters either fail on their diets or regain the weight they lost within 3 years. That seems a bit of a depressing statistic and a totally negative mindset in which to approach a new, enthusiatic weight loss campaign.

How can I make my diet succeed?

So, how can I give myself the best chance to be in that 5% of dieters who actually seem to achieve their goals? What are the common reasons that diets fail and how can I overcome them?

10 Reasons diets usually fail and how to overcome them

why do diets usually fail

1 You think you have to starve yourself

Going on a crash diet or eating too little can make the weight fall off quickly initially. However, once you’ve reached your target you are likely to revert back to your old eating habits and the weight will go straight back on. And likely more too. Crash dieting can cause you to lose muscle as well as fat. And less muscle means your body will be less efficient at burning calories.

You don’t have to starve yourself to lose weight. Follow a healthy diet that allows you to eat enough to satisfy you and permits you the odd treat. One that you can see yourself adapting to for the long term. That way the weight should come off at a steady rate and you will have created healthier eating habits to keep it off too.

2 You don’t create new long term habits

It takes at least 3 weeks to change a habit. I think you need to accept it is going to be a little bit difficult at first. So make plans and distract yourself so you don’t just give up in the early stages. Try to anticipate your common stumbling blocks and preplan ways to beat them.

If you can’t stop thinking about chocolate mid morning, go for a short walk. It will make you feel virtuous and you might find the urge has gone by the time you return.

If you find evenings are your weak time of day, change your routine up a bit. Find a hobby that will help distract you from eating, or play a game with the family.

Anybody should be able to stick at something for 3 weeks if they put their mind to it. And after that your new, healthy habits should start to become easier.

For tips on creating habits that stick check out my post 10 ways to biuld a new habit and make it stick.

3 Healthy meal prep is too time consuming

Meal prep doesn’t have to be time consuming. It’s meant to save you time in the long run right?

If you can’t face the idea of spending all day preparing meals for the whole week maybe consider making bigger portions of your evening meals. Freeze the extra portions for an easy meal or pack them to take to work for lunch the next day.

Plan easy, healthy snacks that you can grab and eat that you know will hit the spot for you. Think eggs, cheese, meat, fruit and small portions of nuts and seeds.

why do diets usualy fail

Devise a plan that works with your lifestyle. If you can’t prep food at work so end up making unhealthy choices, make yourself up 2 or 3 quick salad pots to take in with you a couple of evenings a week. Do you find yourself in too much of a rush to make a healthy breakfast each morning? Portion out and freeze fruit for smoothie mixes to chuck straight in your blender. Whizz them up and that’s a healthy, nutritious breakfast in no time at all.

For more ideas on meal prep check out My Beginner’s Guide to Meal Prep

4 Lack of willpower

It takes discipline and effort not to reach for that chocolate bar that you can’t stop thinking about. Try saying no and listen to how it makes you feel to actually beat that urge. Maybe that feeling will motivate you for the next time you feel the craving too.

Consider the 15 minute rule. Tell yourself that if you still want to eat in 15 minutes you can have something healthy. Often the feeling will pass.

5 Lack of support

You might have colleagues or friends who you fear will laugh at your latest attempt to get the weight off. Or will try to lead you astray, telling you that you don’t need to lose weight.

If this is a problem keep it quiet, at least at first. Maybe plan activities to do with friends rather than going out for food or drinks.

Does it make you feel miserable when your family are tucking into puddings you know you shouldn’t have if you want to lose weight. Find a yummy low-cal alternative just for you. Just make sure your family know that they are yours and don’t scoff them all.

6 Unrealistic expectations

Don’t obsess about the big end goal. Or try to lose 20lb in 2 weeks, or expect to achieve a 6 pack etc.

If your goals are unachievable you’ll soon feel like a failure and give up. Set small goals and celebrate each one.

7 A lack of clear goals

While we are talking about goals, don’t just say you want to lose “some weight”.

Decide how much you can realistically lose and make a step by step plan. Tick off each stage as you reach it and enjoy seeing the end goal getting closer and closer.

Have a clear plan of what you are going to be eating and of any exercise you are going to include. It will give you a greater sense of control and achievement.

8 Giving up if you miss a goal

If you lapse and eat something you know you shouldn’t, just accept it and get back on track as soon as possible. Don’t throw in the towel at the first slip up.

One take away is not going to stop you reaching your targets. Writing off whole days, or telling yourself you might as well wait until next Monday to start again will though.

9 Ignoring hidden calories

Drinks, dressings, leftovers and little treats all add up.

If you think you are following your diet correctly but still not losing any weight, consider keeping a food diary. Log everything you eat for a week and make sure you include any little extras that can tend to sneak in.

10 Not doing enough exercise

If you are not active it will be much harder to lose weight.

Start small and build up. Try strength training exercises to build muscle and improve your metabolism. Do aerobic exercise to burn more calories. Generally be more active throughout the day too as this really helps.

Find something you enjoy doing and make it part of your new healthy lifestyle. It will help keep the weight off when you have reached your target too.

What am I going to do differently this time?

A lot of these reasons why diets fail have applied to me in the past.

For me, planning is the key to success. I know I am more likely to lose weight if I log what I’m eating and even more so if I plan my meals beforehand. All too often I get to lunch, don’t know what to have so go for something comforting and naughty, ruining the rest of my day. If I have already decided on, and, even better, pre-made my meals it keeps me on the straight and narrow.

The same goes for exercise. If I don’t make a plan, I don’t do any. If I write down at the beginning of the week what I’m going to do and when, I’m much more likely to make the effort.

Posted In: Blog, Healthy Eating, Simply Wellness · Tagged: diet

You’ll Also Love

mt bullet journal weight loss set upBullet Journal Weight Loss Set Up
how not to gain weight over christmasHow Not to Gain Weight Over Christmas
habits for your slow morning routine9 Habits For Your Slow Morning Routine

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Next Post >

What are the Benefits of Protein?

Search

Categories

Reader Favorites

  • free printable recipe cards and pages Free Printable Recipe Cards and Pages
  • free step challenge tracker Free Printable Step Tracker – 28 Day Step Challenge
  • 9 benefits of drinking water 9 Benefits of Drinking Water

Tags

books bullet journal christmas decluttering desk diet fitness free printables goals habits health healthy eating meal prep morning journal morning routine nutrition organising pandemic advice reading routines self care slow morning walking water

Archives

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Disclaimer

Copyright © 2023 Planning Calm From Chaos · Theme by 17th Avenue

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT