- Diets often fail because people deprive themselves of treats, says a leading nutrition advisor.
- Avoid the cycle of restriction and guilt by allowing yourself to enjoy foods you actually like.
- Consistency, not perfection, is key to achieving results with diet and exercise, according to the advisor.
If you want to lose weight and improve your health, it’s important to relax your diet rules, advised Adam Bornstein, a renowned nutrition writer who has worked with figures like Arnold Schwarzenegger and LeBron James.
Having worked as a fitness editor for Men’s Health and being a bestselling author on nutrition and health, Bornstein emphasizes that being overly strict while trying to lose weight or get healthier can lead to frustration and guilt rather than actual results.
In his book “You Can’t Screw This Up,” Bornstein shares valuable tips on finding an eating plan and exercise routine that can be sustained for a lifetime. Many diet plans fail because they push people to make extreme and unrealistic lifestyle changes, resulting in guilt when they can’t meet these expectations.
“We can’t expect people to do complex and difficult tasks without teaching them first. It’s like throwing someone into the deep end without knowing how to swim,” Bornstein explained.
This advice stems from Bornstein’s extensive research spanning over nine years, which involved interviews with experts in behavior change and his personal experiences in navigating through countless health misconceptions.
“Start by incorporating things that bring you joy, and then build other healthy behaviors around them,” suggested Bornstein. “That’s the secret to a fulfilling life.”
Courtesy of Harper Collins
Your diet should include foods you love, especially treats
According to Bornstein, one of the biggest mistakes people make when dieting is believing that all delicious foods must be off-limits.
Whether it’s cutting out carbs, eliminating sugar, or giving up favorite take-out meals like pizza or burgers, people often think strict eating is necessary to become healthier or lose weight.
However, Bornstein warns that this approach can lead to failure. He likens dieting to pulling back a slingshot – each rule or banned food adds more tension until it eventually snaps. This slingshot effect results in yo-yo dieting, where periods of restriction are followed by bingeing, and then further restrictions to compensate.
To break this cycle, Bornstein advises against depriving yourself and instead making room in your diet for foods you genuinely enjoy, even if they may be considered “unhealthy” by wellness gurus.
For Bornstein, this means occasionally indulging in a bowl of Frosted Flakes. Despite its lack of nutrition, he states that it hasn’t had any negative impact on his health and actually helps him stay committed to other goals.
As a bonus, you might discover that once you stop viewing certain foods as forbidden, it becomes easier to enjoy them in moderation.
“When you break free from the cycle of restriction, you’ll find that many of the cravings you used to have disappear,” Bornstein explained.
Don’t panic if you miss a workout or overeat for a day
Oftentimes, individuals strive for perfection in their eating or exercise routines. When faced with setbacks, they either become more strict or completely give up, as per Bornstein.
For instance, someone following a diet may compensate for a “cheat meal” by depriving themselves the next day or deciding to indulge excessively in junk food.
Instead, Bornstein suggests not allowing small mistakes to derail your entire plan. Get back on track without trying to overcompensate.
“The issue isn’t the mistake itself. Our bodies can tolerate imperfections, but what we can’t handle are extremes,” Bornstein explained.
Aim for consistency rather than perfection. To achieve lasting results from a healthy routine, it should be something you can envision yourself doing and enjoying for years to come.
“Health shouldn’t imprison you; it should enhance your life,” emphasized Bornstein.
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