It’s ubiquitous, particularly in January or right before summer. The quick-fix diet companies are all promising you’ll drop those extra pounds, get a flat stomach, and have a thigh gap if you use their product. They’re feeding on fear and insecurity, betting that since no one can live up to the doctored images we see in the media, that we need to do something about the way we look. Feeling energized, strong, calm, peaceful, and sharp — even when the things around you aren’t — requires a mix of physical and mental health that has nothing to do with the number on a scale.
We’ve been erroneously taught to equate weight with health. Weight is not something that needs to be fixed. Being overweight (or underweight, for that matter) is simply a sign that something is out of balance. Think about why you want to lose weight. Is it because you’ve equated thinness with worthiness? Even if a doctor has mentioned that you should lose weight, the weight itself isn’t the issue. You don’t lose weight to get healthy, you get healthy to lose weight.
Count colors, not calories.
The truth is, there is no quick fix. Not only do diets rarely work (95% of all dieters regain the weight and then some within five years), they can actually be dangerous. Most diets rely on extreme calorie restriction to get results. A restrictive diet forces your body into starvation mode, slowing down your metabolism to conserve resources. Dieters are often low in essential nutrients, leaving them vulnerable to a plethora of health issues. Detox tummy teas are particularly problematic — relying on a caffeine energy boost and laxative effect to claim any results, but they can leave you dehydrated and with permanent digestive issues.
Other negative outcomes of dieting:
Loss of muscular strength and endurance
Thinning hair
Loss of coordination
Eating disorders
Reliance on substances like caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine
Did you know?
Your brain is the biggest consumer of energy — also known as calories — in your body. When it’s not getting the energy it needs, you can experience loss of coordination, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and brain fog.
At the end of the day, dieting simply promotes an unhealthy relationship with food.
Dieting teaches you not to listen to your body. The restriction mentality of dieting creates deprivation that can lead to binging and yo-yo dieting, which is linked to such health issues as long-term impacts on metabolism and heart disease. Indulging in a less-than-healthy food you love becomes “falling off the wagon” instead of a moment to savor life, and leads to feelings of guilt and punishment that are worse for you than the food itself.
Consistency is the way to true health.
The most effective way to get long-term results is to be consistent in listening to your body and understanding what foods work and don’t work for you.
Journaling (or having a page of Notes on your phone) can help you stay in tune with how you’re feeling. Are you bloated? Were you tired today, or extremely productive and energetic? How regular have your bowel movements been?
Get to Know Your Body on a Deeper Level
By trying out our six-day cleanse, or a weekly menu consisting of clean, organic nutrients, you are learning more about your habits and how your body responds.
Test an elimination protocol
Also known as ‘Remove’ in the 4R Principals of Functional Medicine. We recommend removing anything that interferes with a balanced microbiome. In just a few days, you can learn what foods trigger discomfort — from bloating, acne, fatigue, and so on — and therefore, what to eliminate from your daily diet. This is much more effective than going on a restrictive stretch only to have the same pesky problems return once these incompatible foods are reintroduced to your gut.
We like the 80/20 rule.
Fill up on nutrient-dense, thoughtfully-made food 80% of the time. Then that other 20% — when you’re celebrating, or eating out, or stuck on a road trip with less than stellar options — you don’t have to worry. You have a healthy baseline. So when eating your favorite doughnut or fast food, which are literally designed to be overeaten, take a breath and move on. There is no need for punishment.
Eat well out of respect, not restriction.
Eating well is a form of self respect. Provenance makes a point to honor this in every Clean Eating Program. Let’s fill up on the good stuff — luscious vegetables, clean proteins, delicious healthy fats — and crowd out the industrial oils, refined sugars, and processed animal products.
The “What If’s” of Weight LoSS
If emotional eating is part of the reason your body’s out of balance, you may lose weight when you’re stopping to think before you put food in your mouth.
If a gluten intolerance is leading to inflammation when you eat wheat, you may lose weight when you eliminate gluten.
If a reliance on refined sugar to get you through the day is keeping your body out of balance, then a plan that prevents blood sugar spikes and dips may help you lose weight.
If poor sleep is part of the reason your body is out of balance, then food that promotes calm, eliminating or reducing caffeine, and eating dinner early all can contribute to a better night’s sleep, and potentially weight loss as a result.
“One of the most common questions we get is “Will I lose weight on your plan?” The truth is, quite possibly. But any company guaranteeing that you will lose X number of pounds, is simply lying. A myriad of factors go into weight loss, including your activity level, stressors in your life, quality of sleep, hormone balance, and more.”
Note: Many of our clients do lose weight as a result of eating healthier, but not out of restriction or punishment. It is a symptom of a nutrient-dense diet.
Seek progress, not perfection.
It’s time to throw away the scale. Weight is not an indicator of health, or strength, or happiness, or worth. And guess what? You can look and feel great at any weight, which is the main goal.
Focus on health-promoting behaviors: Eating well, moving your body regularly, natural sunshine, good sleep, and radical acceptance.
And when you need a helping hand, Provenance’s Clean Eating Programs provide you with a solid foundation of nutrient-rich meals that will satisfy your body and your taste buds — eating healthy doesn’t have to be a chore, either making it yourself or forcing yourself to eat things you don’t like!
By Sarah Hebbel-Stone, CNE - Head of Client Wellness
Sarah is a certified Culinary Nutrition Expert and yoga instructor with a passion for holistic health and cooking. She is our resident health counselor and assists our chefs in developing the weekly menu. When she's not answering our client's health and wellness questions, she can be found planning her next travel adventure or exploring Brooklyn with her hound dog, Remi.
