Diets don’t work, but we don’t get that message from the world around us. Our entire western society is on a diet fueled by the twin myths that slim and thin equal health - and that there is only one perfect body shape. (One at a time, that is. The fashion gurus change it every decade, just to keep us on our toes.)

Don’t buy into this thinking. Be part of a strong, new anti-diet focus on health. We need to take charge of our own life-styles by making our own choices about food, activity and attitude.
Here are six steps to get started.

1. Understand Why Diets Don’t Work
Diets make us fatter. Each time we cut back on calories, our bodies protect themselves by slowing down our metabolism - as much as 15 to 30 percent! Diets actually make us work against our bodies as we try to avoid those natural hunger signals. Then we get strong food cravings as our bodies activate our protective system in reaction to the diminished food supply.

It is natural to assume that the less we eat, the better. And then, when the inevitable binge occurs, society terms it a lack of willpower. It’s not. It is a normal, self-preservation mechanism, because the body is reacting to a deprivation of essential fuel. Then the binge food is stored as body fat to provide protection from the next diet – just like the squirrel who stores food for the winter.

Ninety-five to 98 percent of people can’t stay on diets for the rest of their lives - and so gain the weight back.
There is a 98 percent chance that we will be heavier in 10 years than we are are today if we continue to diet. But when this happens, remember that…
We haven’t failed.
Diets have failed us.

2. Stop Dieting
Move away from the shoulds and should nots of dieting - it can help us get back in touch with our bodies.
We usually experience an initial binge from a rebellion to the dieting process, but our weight will stabilize as we learn to tune into our bodies for hunger and fullness signals.

Many of us claim to be on a health balanced diet of 1200 caloris a day. Well, stop the press! Even balanced diets set us up to gain the weight back – and more. Oh sure, we lose the weight and usually feel that diets work - providing that we can stay on them for the rest of our lives.

3. Get Accurate Information
We all need to track accurate, up-to-date information about how food affects our weight, our energy and our mood.
When we stop eating, we lose carbohydrates which are stored with water - and so we end up losing water. As carbohydrates are our main energy source, we begin to feel tired. Then, unbearable cravings begin - our bodies’ natural response to hunger. Our bodies are telling us to eat.

Protein, carbohydrate and fluids play important roles in keeping our bodies properly fueled. If we are clear about their connections, we will have the flexibility to eat for our own needs.

4. Throw Away The Scales
What a false measure of success! Eating very little and then running to the scale to watch the needle go down is a common obsession. We’re not losing weight; frequent trips to the bathroom should tell us that it is water that is being lost.

5. Accept Yourself
We are all unique. But self-acceptance is easier said than done when society tells us that it’s normal to be on a diet and desirable to be model sized.We must constanlty affirm our own strong characteristics, positive relationships and accomplishments. Body sizes and shapes are individual – just like personalities. Stepping off the treadmill can be scary - but it also can be freeing. We must share our feelings with others so we know we are not alone in our yearning to have our own personal appearance accepted.

6. Purchase Something That Fits
A fashion purchase makes a tremendous difference – it lifts our energy and helps us to feel better about ourselves. If we’re not ready to face a fitting room mirror, perhaps dramatic new earrings can be an energizing purchase. As we begin to feel confident about a perked up appearance, it doesn’t matter as much what others say (or what we think others are saying) about our appearance. A sense of humour and fun is vital as we discover how much the world around us is so controlled by diets. The bonus for us is the realization that slower changes in our bodies will be permanent and, over time, we will even develop new taste preferences as we make new food choices.