The ‘No-Diet' Diet

Ditch the D word – you CAN lose weight without it...

- Eleanor Vousden

When was the last time you enjoyed a slice of chocolate cake or your favourite pasta dish? Yesterday? Last week? Just now? OK, now how about the last time you indulged in these and enjoyed them, without a wave of guilt? If you’re consumed by fad diets and counting kilojoules, it's time for a rethink.

“The recent onslaught of restrictive, faddy diets disguised as ‘healthy lifestyles’ has unfortunately promoted the notion that a daily portion of chia seeds washed down with a blended green concoction will catapult you to superhero levels of health,” say Eve Simmons and Laura Dennison, authors of anti-diet book, Eat it Anyway. Or, that cutting out all carbs, sugar and dairy will help you drop a dress size. Sound familiar? Read on for their tips that will have you eating what you want and laughing in the face of kale chips.

The diet dilemma

So why do diets fail? “Most diets help you lose weight because they are based on restricting kilojoules, but diets don’t work long-term; cutting out food groups for a sustained period isn’t realistic,” says Laura. At best, diets can be boring and socially limiting, but at worst, they can damage your health.

“The majority of people who embark on diets actually put on more weight in the long-term,” says Laura. “When we binge-eat, restrict, or yo-yo diet for years, our levels of leptin (a hunger hormone) can become off-balance, so it becomes difficult to decipher when you are hungry – a great example of why diets aren’t worth it.” She also recommends you ask yourself if you need to lose weight. Has your doctor advised you to, or do you feel societal pressure to look slimmer? It's all about what makes you feel healthy and happy.

Eat what you want