Dieting and (Un)Happiness

How to Stop Dieting, and Still...
Lose Weight AND Be Happy

As a society, we are sicker, fatter, and less happy than we were 50 years ago. Even worse are the projections that by the year 2030, over 50% of the U.S. population will be obese and 30% will have diabetes.  And, the rest of the world is not far behind.  There are many reasons for this.  Three important reasons are: (1) our eating habits, (2) incorrect information, and (3) a link between dieting and unhappiness.

Yes, there is a connection between dieting and happiness - but it's not a positive correlation.  Dieting actually relates more to unhappiness, and even depression in some cases, especially over the long-term. 

Since most people fail at dieting, they try it again, and they usually fail again. It becomes frustrating and demotivating, while also doing damage to self-esteem and health.

Next, the whole "obsession" with looking good (i.e., being skinnier) by depriving ourselves of food - especially healthy food - and "starving ourselves" because of the false concept that taking in fewer calories than we expend leads to weight loss just makes people even more miserable.

Although it's much more complicated than this, according to psychologists, all of this leads to more and more unhappiness - and even depression for some people.  It is also very physically unhealthy.

For example, Anne Dinkelspiel, Ph.D. writes, "There are painful psychological consequences to losing and gaining weight repeatedly. I work with people whose experience with yo-yo dieting has left them feeling completely hopeless about their eating and weight."

Experts also agree that the effects of dieting have widespread implications. Darice Doorn, RD, LD explained that, "This vicious cycle erodes a person's belief in their own abilities, suffocates their sense of peace about their character, causes them to question their value as a person, and finally, sadly, diminishes what they believe they deserve in life. This trickle-down effect damages almost every area of their life -- work, home, and relationships."

Essentially, it is a "vicious cycle", causing a "downward spiral" toward poorer health, obesity, and unhappiness - which ultimately leads to more illness and disease, and a shorter life span.  Graphically, it can be represented like this:

The Solution

So, what can be done about this problem?  It's obviously good to be at an ideal weight.  It just doesn't have to be done the way people have been doing it for years (which is wrong). 

And, the answer is certainly not to quit "trying" to lose weight.  Just quit doing it wrong by "dieting" AND don't let the way you look be "the goal". 

The real goal needs to be health, not the size of your clothes or how you look naked.  If health is the goal - your weight will take care of itself.

Much of the problem relates to the wrong information we have been given over the past several decades regarding weight loss. 

So, the first thing to do is get my ebook called A Guide to Healthy Living by clicking on the "Download Now" button in the box to the right.  It will give you the CORRECT information for your health, longevity, and weight management strategy - and make you HAPPY at the same time.

You can also get it FREE (along with 2 other FREE books) just by clicking on the "Order FREE Now!" button in the banner below.  In addition to a free copy of "A Guide to Healthy Living", you'll also get an autographed copy of my best-selling book, "BeHappy!" sent to you by regular mail, and a copy of another of my ebooks - "Be Happy at Work" - all free.

Just click on the "Order FREE Now!" button below...

With this strategy for weight loss, happiness, health, and longevity, the POSITIVE cycle you can create would look more like this:

Essentially, this means that - if you are overweight - by simply eating the proper foods (nutrient-dense, whole, real food) you will lose weight and be happier. 

Some Background

To get some background on weight loss and the link to our happiness, let's explore why so many people are overweight.

Well, there are many fundamental reasons for the global “obesity” problem we are experiencing now – which we can’t get into fully with this brief message. In summary, though, some of the reasons are:

1. The kinds of food we eat, like refined carbohydrates, sweets/sugars, processed foods and “fast foods”
2. The amount of food we eat ... “All-You-Can-Eat” restaurants and huge portions
3. The relative lack of exercise among the general population: we are much too sedentary these days
4. Marketing: studies show the more commercials children watch, the fatter they are - and the fatter they become as adults
   
5. Social influences: the more our peers are overweight, the more we tend to be overweight
6. Too many people are "not happy" - yes, unhappiness is not only a result of dieting, but is also an indirect cause of obesity since it can cause over-eating
   

And there are others.

Lose Weight and Be Happy!

The point of all this is that weight management is actually MUCH simpler than we have been led to believe - and what we have experienced - over the past 30 years.

The key is to focus on HEALTH, not WEIGHT LOSS by eating the proper foods.  This will create a POSITIVE cycle which leads to weight loss and stop the NEGATIVE cycle of dieting to lose weight, failing, losing self-esteem, feeling worse about yourself, then trying even harder to lose weight to "feel better". 

Start by getting the right information, which again, you can start ordering my ebook, A Guild to Healthy Living (just 99 cents) by  clicking on the "Download Now" button here:

Live Longer, Live Healthier, and Be Happier with this new Ebook. Get it now for just $1.99 Learn why the weight loss, disease prevention, and nutritional information we have regarded as "facts" for decades may not be true - and how you can improve your health and your lifespan dramatically with some simple changes.

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