Have you always wanted a good reason to quit dieting? I’ve got one: It doesn’t work. So, stop it. Stay with me, and I’ll tell you why. And don’t write me off as someone who couldn’t possibly understand the ins and outs of battling weight. It’s true that for the first forty years of my life, I could eat whatever I wanted without gaining an ounce. My mother, who occasionally struggled with her weight, used to tease me. “Your day is coming,” she’d say. “You just wait.” I laughed her off, but not anymore.

    The pounds started sneaking up on me during my mid-forties. As each year passed, my clothes became more and more snug. I accepted the weight gain as normal; it’s common knowledge that as we age, our metabolism slows down. But I did nothing to modify my eating habits to account for this fact. I remained physically active, but I continued to enjoy high-calorie meals and sweets. My weaknesses included pizza, pastas, and lots of bread. My favorite desserts included cookies, cakes and pies. By the time I was 48, I was 22 pounds overweight.

Photo Courtesy @IstockPhoto.com/Zurijeta

    Shortly after Christmas, in 2008, I was lying in bed and noticed my tummy. “You look pregnant.” I thought. I was repulsed by what I saw and soon joined the ranks of dieting Americans. I had great success at first. I truncated processed sugar. Desserts (cookies, cakes and pies) were immediately off limits. If I needed something sweet, I ate fruit. I lost 11 pounds in 30 days! I was so excited!

    I also consulted my nurse practitioner. She recommended Forever Young in Diet and Lifestyle by Dr. O’Keefe, a cardiologist in Kansas, and his wife Joan, a registered dietician. They suggested eating one meal a day of salad and lean protein and as many vegetables as you wanted. I love salads, so this was easy and enjoyable. I also continued to work out regularly and walk every day. After a year, I lost another 21 pounds. I was thrilled! I was 32 pounds lighter, felt great, and my clothes fit comfortably. I thought I was a successful dieter, until the weight started to reappear.

    The next round of weight gain occurred over two years while I was undergoing hormonal changes common to women my age. I was still physically active and eating the right foods, but I gained back 28 pounds. I felt so frustrated. How could I be making good eating choices, exercising, and still gain weight? It was unfair! I didn’t feel rewarded for making the right choices. In my frustration, I began looking for answers. I sought input from my nurse practitioner, I searched WebMD, I went through health books, and I still couldn’t find a satisfying answer. I was scared and wondered, if I was making good eating choices, exercising, and still gaining weight, at what point would the weight gain stop? Or would it?! I felt out of control.

    I was tempted to blame my extra pounds on menopause and conclude that I couldn’t fight it. But I didn’t want to settle for that. I saw women older whose weight seemed healthier than mine, which was all the proof I needed that a healthy weight was achievable at my age.

    While I continued to look for answers on how to reverse my trending weight gain, I started to lose again, even as I indulged in occasional desserts. I was delighted, but I didn’t know what triggered it. I still felt a lack of control and wanted to understand what was happening to my body. The same healthy eating habits that appeared to be ineffective against weight gain were now conducive to weight loss.

    One day when perusing one of my favorite websites, TED.com, I stumbled upon the answer. (If you don’t know about the TED talks, they are a series of live events in which thought leaders communicate big ideas.)  Neuroscientist Sandra Aamodt, argued that most diets do not work, which she backed up with scientific research. Through neuroscience, she helped me understand and appreciate how God created our bodies. The following points helped me accept that God had designed my body and that I could be happy at whatever weight I found myself:

1. Hunger and energy use are controlled by the brain. Our brain senses what we should weigh, regardless of what we think. Everyone has a unique “set point,” which varies ten to fifteen pounds in either direction. The brain functions like a thermostat or fuel gauge, keeping our weight within that range. Successful dieting doesn’t lower this set point. If we lose significant weight, our brain perceives that we are starving. It protects us by slowing down the metabolism to conserve our energy. The natural by-product is weight gain.
2. Diets are not reliable. Five years after dieting, most people gain their weight back. Forty percent will gain even more weight. The common outcome of dieting over the long run is adding more weight.
3. The four variables that matter most in managing weight are eating more fruits and vegetables, exercise, eliminating smoking, and reducing alcohol intake. Implementing just one of these healthy habits significantly reduces our risk of premature death whether we are overweight, obese, or at a normal weight.

    Dr. Aamodt emphasizes that we should listen to our bodies, eating when we feel hungry and stopping when we are full. And while it is advice we’ve heard before, she specifies this habit as “mindful eating,” adding that it took her a year to listen to her body well. You can listen to her 12-minute talk here: http://www.ted.com/talks/sandra_aamodt_why_dieting_doesn_t_usually_work.html

    Dr. Aamodt’s talk freed me, and I believe it can free you. I now embrace the fact that God wired my body to have a certain set point appropriate for my physical frame and that my weight will fluctuate within a ten to fifteen pound range. This is a logical, scientific answer. As a Christian, I understand it is my duty to be a good steward of this body. I understand that I control the food I put in it and how much energy I expend (calories burned) through physical activity.

    Together we can lose pounds and maintain our optimal weight by embracing these facts that will free us to quit “fighting” our weight and enjoy food as our “friend.” Let’s punt the diets that don’t work and accept God’s design for our bodies.

Photo Courtesy @IstockPhoto.com/esolla

  What is your experience with dieting? Do you agree with Dr. Aamodt’s idea that diets don’t work and that we should move to “mindful eating?”  

Blessings,

Lee Ann