Weight Loss Survey

Weight Loss Survey: Why Dieters Fail To Lose Weight – by Anne
Collins

Current levels of overweight and obesity, together with
weight-related disease, have made weight control a major health
priority throughout America. Yet statistics indicate that
average weight reduction on conventional diets adds up to a mere
5-8 pounds per year. So why do we find dieting so difficult?
According to a new survey(1), the answer seems to be: because we
make 3 crucial mistakes. We don’t have a good enough incentive;
we allow ourselves to go hungry; and we can’t cope with “bad
days”.

The weight loss survey conducted by annecollins.com asked
dieters to select the three biggest problems they faced when
dieting. The most common problems reported were: “Inadequate
incentive to lose weight” (76%); “Hunger” (72%); and “Bad days”
(70%). Although these results will come as no surprise to most
dieters, they highlight the importance of motivation in the
dieting process. We examine how these problems occur, and what
steps can be taken to overcome them.

Why Do We Need an Incentive?

We gain weight because we take in more energy than we use.
Either because we eat too many calories, or burn too few, or
both. So if we want to reduce weight, we need to improve our
eating and exercise habits. And this is not easy, because let’s
face it – old habits are not easily discarded, especially if
they involve cutting out our favorite treats. We need a powerful
incentive to help us change. Specifically, we need an answer to
the question: “How exactly will I benefit from losing weight?”

When faced with this question, many dieters have no answer.
Those who do, typically reply: “I’ll feel better” or “my health
will improve”. Others explain they are trying to lose weight to
please their doctor, or their partner, or simply because they
are “overweight”. Unfortunately, none of these reasons are
strong enough to help us succeed. So when temptation strikes, we
are unable to resist.

What Type of Incentive is Best?

Our motivation to lose weight must be based on a selfish,
specific benefit. A good example might be an upcoming beach
holiday, or a family occasion, or the achievement of a specific
mobility or fitness goal. It must be as specific as possible
(general benefits are useless) and ideally related to a fixed
date. In addition, it must be selfish. Losing weight to please
others rarely works. The advice I give to my clients is very
simple. Do not bother dieting unless you have a good incentive.
Because no matter how good the diet, no matter how valuable the
exercise plan, unless you have a powerful reason to change your
habits you won’t succeed.

Hunger Kills Diets

Most dieters are still convinced that calories are their enemy.
So the less they eat, the faster they are likely to lose weight.
This is not true. In reality, the less we eat, the more hungry
we get and the easier it is to fall into temptation. The human
body is trained to eat when hungry and no amount of willpower
will neutralize this basic urge. This is why binge eating is
such a common response to low calorie diets.

How to Avoid Hunger

No rocket science here. Avoiding hunger simply means eating
regularly throughout the day, and keeping your calorie intake
above 1000-1200 per day. This prevents hunger, thus reducing the
urge to overeat, and in addition helps to maintain a regular
high level of calorie-burning.

Eat Too Much Rather Than Too Little

We all have days when we feel extra hungry, even when we are
dieting. This is no problem – simply eat more! It is always
better to eat a little too much than not enough. Might this
delay your weight loss? Yes. But so what? Taking a few extra
days to achieve your goal is not a problem. The real danger is
not eating enough and ending up hungry and depressed. This is a
recipe for a binge.

Bad Days and The Problem of Perfection

No dieter is perfect. The truth is, all dieters experience “bad
days” or fall into occasional temptation. Sadly, most dieters
insist on “being perfect”. They cannot tolerate these lapses. So
if (say) they visit a friend and end up eating 2 containers of
ice cream and a box of cookies, they go to pieces. “I’m
useless!” they cry. “I’m a failure!” Overwhelmed by guilt at not
being perfect, they then quit their diet in disgust.

It’s the Guilt That Does the Damage

In this situation, the actual binge is typically fairly
harmless. I mean, we need to eat a huge quantity of food (3500+
calories) to gain even one pound of weight. The real damage is
caused by the ensuing guilt. And this is what we need to address.

Guilt Comes From Trying to Be Perfect

All dieters make mistakes and this is perfectly normal. Having
an occasional binge is no cause for alarm, far less guilt. Even
my most successful clients – those who have lost 100+ pounds -
had regular lapses. The difference is, they didn’t see
themselves as “perfect” individuals. So they felt “entitled” to
make occasional mistakes, and so should you. Once you accept
this, you will find dieting a whole lot easier.

We Need Support to Make These Changes

In order to overcome the 3 problems described above, an
essential first step is to find proper support. This is just as
important as choosing the right diet plan, because no matter how
good the diet, it can’t motivate you to stay on track – only
people can do this. Dieting is ten times easier when you receive
encouragement from others. So when choosing an online weight
loss program, choose one with an active forum. Because at the
end of the day, it’s all about people. When we are alone and
isolated, the smallest obstacle can seem like a mountain. But
when we have people behind us, anything is possible.

Notes:

1. Weight Loss Survey (Oct 2005) by annecollins.com. A total of
17,403 subjects replied to the survey. They were asked to choose
3 from a list of 10 diet-problems. The results were as follows:
(1) Inadequate Incentive (76%).

(2) Hunger (72%).

(3) Bad Days (70%). (4) Boredom (69%).

(5) Stress (60%).

(6) Interference From Others (51%).

(7) Too Much Eating Out (32%).

(8) Eating on The Run (28%). (9) Ill-health (5%).

(10) Lack of Sleep (1%).

Copyright Anne Collins 2005.

Anne Collins Web Site

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