All diets work, but for how long?
In our studio, we see new clients with the goal of losing weight. During the intake, we always ask what they have already done to reach their target weight. The most unusual diets are mentioned: from Sonja Bakker, Atkinson, Weight Watchers, low-carb, hormone and DNA diets, and you name it. These clients are all specialists in following some kind of diet. When asked if it worked, they always say yes, but the result is always temporary. So, what is the deal with diets, really?
Lost 20 kilos
Perhaps you have experienced it yourself or know someone you know. Thanks to a diet, it is often possible to lose several kilos. Just recently, a client told me that he had lost 20 kilos last year after a strict low-carbohydrate diet. It went well until he stopped. When he started eating normally again, the kilos came right back on. In fact, he was now 3 kilos heavier than when he started his diet last year. After all, relapse is always lurking. That is why diets only work if you can stick to them for life, and that is simply not possible.
Prevent the yo-yo effect
Choosing to eat differently, healthier, and less for a while always yields results. However, sustaining a change is very difficult. That is why dieting is not a wise decision; instead, changing your eating habits and moving more in small steps is. These steps in awareness take time. By taking small steps, the results may be slower, but they are more sustainable. Moreover, your body will adapt to your new weight and lifestyle, making the chance of yo-yoing much smaller. The previously mentioned example of losing 20 kilos in a short time and then relapsing to your old weight is a clear yo-yo effect. This is not good for your skin, your veins, your organs, or your muscles. Your entire body suffers as a result.
Help, my body is in survival mode!
Paying attention to your diet, exercising more, and not losing weight is often referred to as 'survival mode'. The energy balance is always the guiding principle. This means that if less energy enters your body than leaves it, you will always lose weight. In very rare cases, there may be a fluid retention issue or, after frequent and severe body weight gain, a somewhat slower metabolism. However, these are very rare exceptions. It is human nature to think that it is not their fault when they do not lose weight. The burning of energy during exercise is overestimated, and the amount of calories from food as snacks is underestimated.
Not a diet, but working on behavior
Our advice as professional coaches in Training, Nutrition, and Coaching is that it is better not to follow a diet. It results in temporary weight loss. It is more sustainable to work with the triangle of Training, Nutrition, and Coaching so that, in small steps, you reach the weight that suits you for the rest of your life. Taking control is important, and we help you with that.
About Kitty Atsma
Kitty is a passionate nutrition specialist and vitality coach with a broad scientific basis in nutrition and exercise. As a member of the national examination committee of the TCI (Nutrition Specialist & GWC), she monitors the quality of the field at the highest level. As a professional blogger, Kitty combines her in-depth expertise with the possibilities of AI to make complex health topics accessible. She curates and controls the technology to get to the heart of the matter, where her own vision and years of practical experience always determine the course.
Nutrition Specialist Teacher | BGN Weight Consultant | Member TCI Examination Board | Vitality coach
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