The Psychology of Weight Loss: Yo Yo Dieting

whey proteinThe current mainstream model of weight gain states that it occurs through a positive energy balance which is caused by too little physical activity and too much food. In other words, body fat accumulation is a direct result of greed and lethargy. This model is provable false, because consumption of food and physical activity are not the only avenues for altering the energy balance of the body, and in addition complex regulatory pathways use hormonal and neuronal signals to regulate activity and food intake to the needs of the body. However, despite the weaknesses in this model it is used as the basis for nearly all weight loss plans. The failure rate of these mainstream plans reflects this fact. Most people know individuals who have attempted to lose weight throughout their lives, going through cycles of losing weight and then regaining it. Such yo yo dieting in unfortunately the norm, and it has made weight loss companies huge profits, as failure is built into the system, so this ensures repeat custom.

weight loss

The diet industry has the ear of both government advisors through lobbying and the mainstream media through advertising. The diet hoax that they have created allows them to convince the unsuspecting public that they are greedy and lazy and this detracts attention from their low quality and dangerous foods.

It has been stated that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Those who learn from their mistakes are those that make progress in life, adapting their behaviour based on previous failures. Yo yo dieting could therefore be defined as insanity because those who pass through these continual cycles never alter their approach, but instead enter a new cycle of dieting under the misguided belief that if they simply try harder they will succeed. However, the problem is not the amount of effort they expend but the fact that the type of dieting they are performing is flawed scientifically, because it is based on a false model that is also flawed. Altering their behaviour is the only way these individuals can break this cycle and succeed in long term fat loss. This means accepting a new approach and forgetting everything that has been learnt about ‘diets’ and how they are meant to work. No long term success can be obtained until belief in the ‘diet’ fairy is disbanded.

weight loss

Insanity is performing the same task over and over again but expecting a different result. This is a common mistake with mainstream ‘diets’ as the diets simply do not work.

However, this is often the most difficult of tasks as the belief in diets and the diet industry is strong in most. Few in life are aware of the propaganda and brainwashing that occurs from outlets such as the mainstream media and government agencies, with the ‘why would they lie’ meme being particularly common. The crux of the matter is that the selling of processed and junk foods is worth huge sums of money and as a result the food industry is hugely powerful politically. They are able to buy the mainstream media and government advisors in order to be able to ensure that their agenda is maintained. This means that at all costs, the dangers of the low quality foods they peddle to the public must never be disseminated. Therefore the creation of a hoax story, that laziness and greed are the cause of weight gain, is a useful tool in their arsenal of propaganda. Seeing through these lies is a first step in taking back control of your health and your waistline, and being able to break the yo yo cycle forever.

RdB

About Robert Barrington

Robert Barrington is a writer, nutritionist, lecturer and philosopher.
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