Why You Should Give Up Restrictive Dieting and Never Look Back

Why You Should Give Up Restrictive Dieting Once and Never Look Back

If you're similar to a plethora of people looking to change their unhealthy lifestyle quickly, chances are you've followed a restrictive diet in the name of weight loss at some point. It's one thing to follow a particular diet because of an allergy or due to a personal belief such as veganism. But we're talking about the kind of restrictions people subject themselves to lose weight. The kind that leave you feeling guilty every time you have a bite. These diets do not work. Typically, dieters tend to see initial results, but due to the restrictions and lack of sustainability, those same people see themselves gaining the weight they lost back and more.

We all know people who have tried diet after diet, with no long-term success. There's also a good chance you've done the same. Still, so many of us go back time and time again to diets that haven't worked-every time thinking maybe if I did this one thing differently or I know I can stick it out this time, often blaming ourselves.

When Dieting Turns Into Overeating

Limiting certain foods simply heightens your desire for them. Think about it: If you know you shouldn't eat pizza, seeing one will flip your senses on. Restricting food groups or demonizing things like sugar can lead to feelings of deprivation that often reveal itself as overeating.

You’re Guilty!!!

Commonly, people end up placing an incredible amount of pressure on their eating structure that they start to feel guilty when they lay their eyes on a cookie. People are less likely to maintain their weight loss if they beat themselves up over eating a cookie. Remind yourself that no food is either good or bad. Moderation is key to maintaining a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

“Let’s Go Out To Eat”

Have you ever tried to “diet”, and a friend asks you the question “Hey do you want to go out to eat”?  That’s probably the last question you wanted to hear in the world since you have limited a few foods from your diet. When you're not able to go with the flow and make the best decisions you can in social situations, you may close yourself out of situations that can make you uncomfortable such as not attending, or have an miserable time when they go out. Anytime someone sets up rules to their food and eating, it creates anxiety about how they're going to stay within these boundaries. You wonder “how do I avoid that party or restaurant date”' in hopes that you won't need to eat certain things. This can tempt you to avoid social situations altogether which is why it’s unhealthy to completely restrict anything from your diet. It is unsustainable and a balanced died Is all about sustainability.

Why Too Much Protein Is Actually a Bad Thing

Our society hails protein as the key nutrient to establishing a healthy diet. How many of us are guilty for adding protein to our smoothies or salads because we naturally assumed it made our diet healthy? It seems as if food companies are trying to sell us on more protein in almost every aisle of the grocery store. Literally everything has an alternative protein option, and food companies have helped create this obsession with protein. It’s as if protein is the answer to healthy eating.

Protein aids muscle growth, weight loss, satiation (the feeling of being full), cell growth, skin growth, and has plenty of other glorious benefits. Obviously this sounds amazing, but consuming too much can have some serious consequences for your health. According to the DRI, the average adult needs about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight a day, which comes out to roughly 56 grams of protein a day for men and 46 for women. This means it’s unnecessary to consume 2 protein bars, shakes, and an immense amount of poultry in one day.

Protein is important to maintain a balanced diet, more doesn’t mean better. It can lead to serious health complications. Here are three common signs that you are consuming too much protein.

Weight Gain

Over time, too many excess calories, no matter from fat, sugar, or protein, will cause weight gain. If you're eating excess animal protein or consistently consuming protein shakes. Meat often means extra fat and calories, while many protein shakes contain added sugar to alleviate their taste. If your protein intake also originates from poor qualities sources, then it will further derail your body’s progress.  

To stray your meals in a healthier direction, aim for a balanced meal that include lean protein, whole grains, fruit and vegetables. According to the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, as a general rule to abide by, half of your plate should be fruits or vegetables, one quarter should be protein, and one quarter should be starch or whole grains.

Dehydration & Kidney Issues

Too much protein can cause dehydration. Dehydration is caused by your kidneys tirelessly functioning to eliminate the excess protein and the nitrogen waste from metabolizing the protein. In result, it’ll cause you to excessively urinate and eventually that could possibly damage your kidneys. The kidneys take care of filtering waste products made when our bodies digest protein, and diets higher in protein have been thoroughly researched to see a correlation indicating a greater strain on the kidneys with these types of diets. It’s important to be aware of these symptoms if you are on a high-protein diet because it also increases the risk of kidney stones. Therefore it’s important to stay hydrated and be cautious of your protein intake.