By James King III, CSCS, ACE Weight Management Specialist

Only 5% of people who lose significant weight keep it off ten years later. Most gain all the weight back within one year and over 50% of those who deliberately lose weight, weigh even more than their original pre diet weight 3-5 years later. This is due to the “diet culture”. It’s very simple, diets do not work for the majority of people.
Why diets don’t work?
When people decide to change they often decide to go all out in hopes of getting quick results. This need for immediate results is called the “microwave mentality” We live in a society where everything is fast and easy to get. Since most of the things we have or get on a daily basis is so easily acquirable we develop this misguided view of how quickly we can achieve our goals. We must remember, anything that is worth achieving takes time. This microwave mentality sets us up for failure when we try to make any true meaningful change like weight loss. It’s been shown in studies time and time again that those who lose dramatic amounts of weight in a short period of time rarely keep the weight off vs those who gradually lose weight over time.
First Cobwebs, then Cables
Various experts have different views on how long it takes to build a habit. One of the most common opinions is that it takes around 21 days. So it would make sense to try a new hardcore diet and think it would stick for 21 days. Wrong. For a habit to stick, it takes focus and daily practice. There's an old saying, “Habits are first cobwebs, then cables.” Habits are fragile in the beginning stages, but with consistency habits are solidified.
Going on a diet isn’t one habit – A diet requires various new habits. It may require you to begin shopping in a different way, planning your meals, cooking more often, meal prepping, going to different restaurants. These are all new habits that require your focus. But when you make all of these changes at once, it spreads your focus which then reduces your chance for success.
There is apprehension when I tell a client to focus on one thing. It seems too simple to make a difference. But what if I told you in 12 months, you can build 17 new healthy habits. Do you think your physique will be drastically different? Yes, of course! Well, if you only focus on one new habit for 3 weeks then in one year, you will build those 17 habits.
How to Start
Start with “anchor habits”: Eating Slowly and Eating just enough. These are anchor habits because these habits go wherever we go. No matter where we are, what we are served, or who is present; it’s there. When we decide to eat healthier, we often only focus on what we eat, which in some situations we have no control over. We do however, always have control over how we eat. This makes these two the most important habits of all.
But why eat slowly? It takes about 15-20 minutes for our brain to register that we’re full. So if you eat quickly, you’re likely to eat far too much in the 20-minute time period before your brain finally says: “We’re good, you can stop eating now.” Start small, if you’re wolfing down meals in 3 minutes or less, aiming for 20 minutes will seem like an eternity. Initially begin by adding just 2 minutes to your time and gradually improve. You can also accomplish this by using the rule of 10. Chew your food at least 10 times before swallowing.
Eating just enough means eating until you’re satisfied, not until you’re stuffed. This will take time but this is a valuable habit to learn. You can accomplish this by eating off of smaller plates or by eating 80% of what you would normally eat and waiting 15 minutes to see you’re satisfied. Check in with how your body feels after each meal.
First, focus on eating slowly for 2-3 weeks then begin to focus on eating just enough. These two habits will help you control your food amount without ever having to count a calorie.
Remember, focus on just one habit at a time.
For more individualized tips and strategies, schedule a free coaching call with me at jameskingiiifit.com I can also be reached at (714) 312-6309.
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