I was overwhelmed by the comments on the But What if I Can't Lose Weight blog. So many of them expressed many of the same feelings I have had over the years. While having hundreds of people that feel the same way and share the same frustrations can provide reassurances and support, it doesn't provide answers, which is what many of us really want. Last week I was reading an interesting article entitled, Wanted: The Best Diabetes Diet for Optimal Outcomes from Today's Dietitian online. The author reviewed the research related to various dietary practices manipulating macronutrients in order to achieve optimal outcomes for glucose control, weight management and lipid profiles. The title caught my attention and I read with excitement to find "the" answer that could help those with diabetes as well as many others like myself that have glucose intolerance concerns. What did I find? After reviewing recommendations of the American Diabetes Association and various diet protocols that included various macronutrient regimens from high fiber vegetarian eating, to higher fat MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) diets , the author ended with a very bleak conclusion. The bottom line was what many of us already know, "a number of healthy diet patterns may be effective for maintaining good glycemic control" and "no one can truly say which diet is best." Ok, not what I was hoping to read but it did make me think. Many of us are looking and praying for someone to tell us THE answer. To tell us the right diet regimen, correct macronutrient combination and exercise routine that will move us from frustration to success. We try different things that work for other people or that are "suppose" to work and when it doesn't work for us, we quickly move on to something else in hopes that the next thing will. It made me wonder if we are the people that keep all the fad diet companies in business. We are tired of working hard and eating right to see little benefit so we seek something, anything that will provide us with the success others have found. We have become like hamsters in the wheel, running, running, running but going nowhere. Well, there is good news. Living a healthy lifestyle is more than a number on a scale or a body fat percentage and we are much more than a number. There is no perfect diet, secret pill, supplement, routine or regimen. Yes, I know that sounds negative and disappointing but the sooner we stop looking and expecting there to be a "best diet for optimal outcome", the sooner we will learn to listen to our bodies and find what individually works for us. As the old Chinese Proverb so eloquently points out, a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step and for us nothing is instant. It will take time, patience and persistence to make our journey and there is much to learn about ourselves along the way. What is one lesson you have already learned about yourself as a result of having difficulty reaching your weight goals? |
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