How to Stop Diets

The general consensus among health care providers and health authorities like the American Heart Association is that diets don't work. They set you up for failure. Most people start off with good intentions, lose a few pounds, then ultimately backslide into bad eating habits. There are several theories as to why this happens, but one belief, held by registered dietitians Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole, is that diets put you in a mental trap. They set up strict food rules which trigger cravings and feelings of deprivation. If you'd like to lose weight, your best option is to stop dieting altogether and focus on choices than benefit your whole body.

Step 1

Make a commitment to yourself to give up dieting, recommend Resch and Tribole. Write this promise to yourself down and keep it in a place where you can see it.

Step 2

Wean yourself off of any diet you might currently be on. Gradually increase your caloric intake to what you were eating before you started dieting. Slowly add restricted foods back into your meals. Stop policing what and when you eat in ways your current diet recommends.

Step 3

Abandon all food rules and make no food completely off-limits. Your overall diet is what's important, not each individual meal and snack. Even if you eat unhealthy foods every once in a while, if you're eating healthy foods most of the time, your choices will even each other out.

Step 4

Set healthy, realistic goals. Don't make your goal to lose 100 lbs in three months or to fit into a size that's too small for your body type. Aim to lose no more than 1 to 2 lbs per week and focus on health instead of weight.

Step 5

Recognize your body's cues for hunger and satiety, recommends Linda W. Craighead, author of "The Appetite Awareness Workbook." Craighead urges people trying to overcome obesity to let their bodies guide them as to when they're hungry and to stop eating when they're satisfied but not full. Practice this method by checking in with your body before each meal to assess your hunger level.

Step 6

Focus your meals around vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean meats. Eat fewer processed foods and more fresh foods.

Step 7

Exercise because you like it and because it makes you feel good. Choose activities that you actually want to do, like swimming, skating or hiking, to get your 150 minutes per week that the American College of Sports Medicine recommends.

Step 8

Practice new healthy lifestyle as something you can't mess up, go on or get off of. You're not on a diet; you're simply eating and living. If you eat a high-fat or high-calorie lunch, offset it with a healthier dinner choice. Take your new lifestyle approach one meal at a time.