Why some (most!) diets fail

It's almost universally accepted that being overweight is bad for your health. Some medical professionals will recommend weight loss as a solution to many health problems. Social media and influencers recommend weight loss as a solution to confidence problems. Weight loss can feel like the panacea to all your problems or the elixir to success and good fortune.

Some estimates from global data show that around 45% of people worldwide are trying to lose weight at any given time!

According to the World Health Organization, worldwide obesity rates are increasing rapidly, with over 1 billion people (1 in 8) now living with obesity, which is more than double the rate in 1990.

Why are all these dieters seemingly unsuccessful? Why is the "problem" getting worse?

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The Diet

Weight loss is often prescribed in terms of a mathematical calculation. You punch into the calculator what you weigh now, what you want to weigh, and when you want to reach your goal weight, and voilà, you are given a calorie target to aim for. The diet might suggest eating 1500 calories or 1200 calories, it makes it seem really straightforward.

The problem is that these calculators don't factor in any of your personal attributes or lifestyle factors. The calorie deficit that might be prescribed could be way too low for your circumstances.

What happens when the calorie target is too low?

If you are trying to restrict your eating and you aim for a calorie deficit that is too big, it will be counterproductive.

1. It will be too difficult to stick to long enough to reach your target weight.

2. You will overeat or even binge eat, and it can feel like eating becomes something that's out of your control.

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What is a 'Binge'?

In the eating disorder world, we define a binge eating episode as:

1. Eating an unusually large amount of food, given the circumstances.

2. Eating taking place in a short period of time (e.g., usually less than 2 hours).

3. A sense of feeling out of control.

A binge eating episode can also include:

• Eating more quickly than normal.

• Eating until feeling uncomfortably full.

• Eating large amounts of food, even if not hungry.

• Eating alone or in secret because of being embarrassed.

• Feeling disgusted or ashamed after eating.

  
  

Many people assume that binge eating only happens if you have an eating disorder. This isn't the case. The binge eating episodes need to happen regularly over a period of 3 months for it to meet the diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder.

Anyone can binge eat, but it most commonly happens in people who aren't eating enough.

Binge eating can become a habit. It can be used as a way to cope with negative emotions or stress.

I find that it usually starts around the same time someone starts a very low-calorie diet.

There are theories that binge eating happens as an evolutionary response to being in starvation as a survival mechanism. There have been diet studies that have shown that even young healthy men can experience binge eating when going through a period of calorie restriction, even when they are highly motivated to follow the rules under laboratory conditions.

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Food for thought?

Most diets do recommend high calorie deficits and so leave people vulnerable to binge eating.

Once binge eating starts, it can become habitual, and habits are hard to break.

CBT-ED is a very effective treatment for binge eating disorder.

I've created a toolkit for suggestions on how to overcome this cycle and to learn to surf the urge. You can download a copy here.

I am passionate about working with people feeling stuck in an eating disorder. I love watching people emerge from despair feeling more confident about themselves. If you would like to work with me, get in touch!

Check out my website for more information on how therapy might work

You are worth so much more than the number on that scale!