We’re just one week into 2020, and you’ve likely already Googled the best diet for 2020. Or maybe, how to stick to your weight loss resolution in the new decade.
But here’s the thing. You’re not going to stick to any one of those “new” diets that pops up in your search bar. It sounds harsh, but you secretly know it’s true.
Why?
Because for one, you’ve tried it before. You’ve done the restricting. You’ve done the eliminating. You’re really good for the first few weeks, and then things start slipping.
You have a late holiday party that makes it hard to stick to your diet 100%. You tell yourself you’ll be better next week and stick to the plan all the way.
But things continue to come up and get in your way. You get discouraged and beat yourself up for not being strong-willed enough. For wondering why it seems so easy for everyone else, but you continue to struggle.
You’re not alone.
Because it’s not you, it’s your diet.
Why Your Diet isn’t Working
The reason most traditional diets don’t work is because they restrict too much. They often don’t fit into your lifestyle outside of eating solely at home.
If you’re unable to go on vacation without feeling a sense of dread that you’re going to blow your diet, it’s not working.
What about going out to eat with friends? Whether that’s at someone’s house or out to dinner. If you worry that the restaurant you’re going to won’t have anything that will fit into your diet, it’s not working.
All of those things would stress me out when I was following a traditional diet. I would plan my entire week around eating out for one night. Carefully measuring everything during the week to make sure I could indulge in a glass of wine, or a burger {always without the bun though}.
When I was on a diet, I didn’t eat things like avocados, peanut butter, almonds or salmon {and a lot more} because they were just too caloric. While these are all healthy fats and good for me, I simply by-passed them because they didn’t fit into my diet.
If your diet is requiring your to eliminate {any} food group, or any food or beverage at all, then it’s not working.
For all of these reasons, it’s not you, it’s your diet.
The Best “Diet” for 2020
I put diet in quotes here because what I’m about to share is not a diet at all, it’s kind of the anti-diet.
It’s called intuitive eating.
You may have heard of it before. Whether from me, or from others who are starting to give this way of eating a try.
In the very simplest of terms, intuitive eating means listening to your cravings, hunger and fullness cues.
But there is sooo much more to it than that!
Many people think that intuitive eating gives you the right to binge on anything and everything. To not workout or move your body. That you can easily ditch your diet and make the switch to intuitive eating.
So I want to break down some of these misconceptions before you start practicing intuitive eating yourself.
Binge Eating
Intuitive eating actually works really hard to break this cycle.
The diet you’re on {or currently trying to break up with} practically encourages an eat, repent, repeat cycle. Meaning that you eat {obviously}, but eventually find yourself eating something that’s not on the plan. Then you find yourself binging on ALL the food because if you couldn’t stick to it one day, it’s just blown for the day.
This leads to repenting. Saying you’ll do better the next day, the next week, or the next month. And you find yourself repeating it all each day, week or month. {FYI, this is not healthy: for your body or mind}.
Intuitive eating works on listening to your cravings {and you will have cravings for nutritious foods just as much as you will for those non-nutritious foods}. Of enjoying the foods you’re eating, and not binging on them.
You’re not binging because you’re no longer telling yourself you can’t have something. Just like when you were a little kid, the more you were told no, the more you wanted that thing.
It’s the same way with food. Your diet tells you that you can’t have that food, making you want it more. Making you likely to binge on that food when you can have it on a cheat day.
Well, if that food was no longer restricted, do you think you’d crave it, or binge on it as much? The answer here is no {and I know this from first hand experience}.
Not working out
Let’s face it, moving your body is good for you. Whether you’re a runner, dancer, yogi, walker, biker, whatever you like to do, doing those things is good for you.
The main difference between working out while on a diet and while practicing intuitive eating is that you’re doing it because it feels good to you.
When I was on a diet I worked out because it gave me extra points to use towards more food. I worked out because I felt bad for eating poorly the night before. Or because I knew I had a special dinner coming up.
Working out while you eat intuitively means that you’re doing it because it blesses your body. Because it feels good to you and is something you enjoy.
It’s easy to make the switch
Here’s the thing. It can be hard to make the switch.
Mainly because it’s so mental.
Intuitive eating means that you’re finally getting rid of ALL the diet feelings you’ve had over the past how many years.
You’ve had it so ingrained in your head that certain foods are good or bad. That the only way to lose weight is to follow a specific diet plan. Or you need to justify to yourself why you’re eating something.
But with intuitive eating, you’re not only working on listening more to your body {easier said than done}, but you’re breaking away from all of the above.
You’re taking the time to unlearn everything your diet once told you. There’s no good or bad food when you eat intuitively. You can definitely lose weight without following a specific plan {I’ve done this before}. And you no longer find yourself saying “I can eat this pizza because I ran three miles this morning.”
Ready to give this best diet a try?
If you’re still struggling with the thought of ditching your diet and trying intuitive eating, there are a few things you can do.
- Pick up my free intuitive eating guide that helps you learn how to eat intuitively in three simple steps.
- Check out this article on the 5 common mistakes made with eating intuitively.
- Or join Piece of Mind Squad: a membership experience that combines the “how-to” with individualized coaching to work through the mental side of ditching your diet.
