People who diet are generally trying to lose weight. Unfortunately, they are often lured by promises of great results by diets that can actually cause them to gain weight, instead of lose it. Yo-yo dieting is dangerous, and can lead to other serious health problems, and should be avoided. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is the best choice.

Diets that demand you to cut out huge amounts of calories can cause your body to think it might be starving, and this can cause your metabolism to slow dramatically. As a result, you will burn fewer calories, so even though you are taking less in, you can eventually begin to gain weight because of the stress you are putting on your body. Cutting out huge numbers of calories might give you quick results, but they won’t last long.

When you try to stick to a strict diet, you are more likely to cheat, binge, and overeat as a result, which can cause you to feel like you have failed to stick to a diet. In fact, these diets are not only difficult to stick to, but can be unhealthy, as well. Your body will lose its ability to tell when it is full because you have disrupted your hunger signals so significantly by starving yourself.

Those who are used to trying different diets are also notorious for labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” which can also lead to problems. When you eat according to a healthy lifestyle, you can feel good. When you make nutritional mistakes, or indulge in something that is not on your “diet,” you may feel very bad, and feel like your diet can’t possibly work. This is a vicious cycle, and one that you want to avoid if you are hoping to lose weight.

Many people have emotional issues with food, and this is one of the main reasons. When you are depriving your body of the things that it wants, you will become more irritable, depressed, anxious or bored, and this can lead to indulging in foods that you think will make you feel better, or comfort foods. Many comfort foods are high in sugar, fat and calories, and are not part of a healthy diet. Establishing a healthy relationship with food, and with yourself, can help you maintain healthier eating patterns.

These are only a few of the reasons why dieting, and certain diets in particular, can lead to weight gain. Here are some tips that can help you develop healthy eating habits that will lead to losing weight, and being able to keep it off for the long term.

1. Learn your body’s signals for hunger and fullness.

Your brain sends cues that help you know when you are hungry and when you are full. There is often a delay in those cues. Eating more slowly can help your brain catch up with the calories you have ingested. Learn to pay attention to the cues, and don’t eat when you are full. Trust that your body knows the difference!

2. Avoid the dieting mentality.

When you are always thinking that you are “on a diet,” you are constantly in the mindset that you cannot enjoy the things you really like. This is the type of thinking that classifies foods and eating behaviours as being “good” or “bad,” and can lead to problems when you are trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Instead of thinking you are on a diet, think of it as learning healthy eating patterns that you will follow.

3. Know that your body is different from other people’s.

We are all different, and there is no one magic solution when it comes to weight loss that works for everyone. Learn how to eat the foods that you enjoy, and the foods that are healthy for you and provide the nutrients that you need. Listen to your body, and pay attention to the cues and to how you feel with regard to energy levels, fitness, and satisfaction.

If you are not careful, you might find yourself eternally on a “diet,” and it might not even help you truly lose weight. Learn why this happens and how to avoid it, and you will be in good shape!