New Years Resolutions Diets: Part One

Hard to believe it, but the 2009 year is nearly over.  Only a few days to go and we will be entering into a new decade.  As with the beginning of all new years, millions of people the world over will set new year resolutions in the coming days in the hopes that the 'magical' first day of the year will bring them willpower and the ability to achieve what they want most.  An overwhelming number of these resolutions will be related to weight loss and a desire to be thinner.

More often than not, I fear these resolutions to lose weight will be fraught with heartache.  The first heartache comes for the simple reason that diets don't work.  Any achieved results are usually short term and unsustainable.  When the diets tried fail, this sees the self esteem of the dieter plummet.  This breeds an ongoing worry and obsession with their body, usually leading into the desire to diet AGAIN to change their weight or shape, despite the fact the first, second, third or tenth diet they have tried did not work.  It is a vicious cycle that grips millions of people worldwide hurting their self worth and their hip pocket with every new diet book, weight loss plan and meal replacement bar purchased.

Why do we keep doing this to ourselves?  I think the answer to that is highly personable and entertwined with someone's self esteem and body image, but there are also wider societal ideals at play here.  The current 'thin culture' we are bombarded with would have us believe that once thin, we will be happier, sexier, more successful and attract the man or woman of our dreams.  It is a powerful construct that sees the dieting and weight loss culture have such a hold over so many, even though this fantasy construct does not necessarily come true.  I should know.  Been there.  Done that.  There is then also the role of marketing with many diets 'disguised' as detoxes, eating management programs, cleanses and the like.  But - let's get this straight - they are all diets and as we undoubtedly know, are bound to bring about the heartache I first spoke of in this post.

In Part Two of this post I hope to empower you with ways to recognise these dangerous fad diets and offer you my perspective on the best way to utilise food and exercise in the process of taking care of our mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health.  So...hold off on those plans for a strict new dieting regime for the 1st and keep enjoying those Chrissy leftovers.  I just may have an alternative for you that doesn't involve a diet or a disguised diet in any way, shape or form.