What Does Your Dieting History Look Like?

 I talk a lot on my blog, and in my programme, books and courses, about why dieting doesn't work. 

For some people, exploring Intuitive Eating and Body Acceptance for the first time, there will still be the temptation to look for 'a better diet' or the 'one that fits'. Here is an exercise I do with my coaching group, where I ask people to look at their own evidence gathered over the years, for why diets don't work!

Here's an exercise for you: 

Take a sheet of paper, draw out a table with 8 columns and write the following headings: 

• Age / Year

• Why did you start the diet? Where did you learn about the diet?

• Type of diet and/or any specific food rules

• How long did you stay on the diet?

• Did you lose weight? How much?

• How long did you keep the weight off for? (If applicable)

• Did you regain the weight? If so, how long did it take to regain it?

• Did you regain more weight than you lost?

Now go back as far as you can remember to your first ever diet, and begin to complete the table with a full dieting history. 

You may experience some challenging feelings or thoughts during this exercise, make a note of these too, or even share them over in the Facebook group. 

When I did this for myself, I felt anger, over all the time I had wasted counting calories, doing hours of cardio to 'burn off' or 'earn' my next 'treat', skipping social events because I was 'over on calories, already', pre-planning meals out and denying myself foods I liked. 

Maybe you can relate? Let me know in the group!