Basic Pursuits

One of the most formidable enemies of weight loss and nutrition is the idea of "diet." "Going on a diet;" "diet secret of the stars;" "eat what you want diet;" frankly any diet that is meant to fix a weight problem is a sham. For most it is the entry to a merry-go-round of fools, almost all of whom end up fatter than when they began. And the ride is full of frustration, guilt and shame.

Here's five reasons why diets make you fatter.

1. The very idea of a diet sells the notion that the diet is temporary and once you accomplish the goal, you return to life as normal, which is the life that got you fat in the first place.
2. Almost all diets pitch tricks that make you think there is an easy way out: low carbs, low fat; grapefruit; thermogenics. The truth is that losing weight means eating less energy than you burn. That's the one immutable "trick." There are tips and tricks that can help you achieve that goal, but no one or two is going to carry the load.
3. Diets are associated with hunger and hunger always wins out in the end. In fact it extracts an awesome revenge by causing you to eat like mad after you abandon the diet until you have gained all your weight back and more.
4. Diets are associated with deprivation, which few can take for very long. This deprivation mentality discourages people from finding their own healthy way of eating that is healthy yet not depriving.
5. Diets depend on the tastes of others. Submitting to the taste preferences of others discourages innovation where you figure out what you enjoy that is healthy. When you abandon the diet, you're going back to your old way of eating anyway, and you know that that means. The trick is to devise your own way of eating that will nourish you for the rest of your life.

Avoid diets. Employ technology to log your food and develop nutrition habits that will keep you thin for life.

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