One of the hardest things for me to hear is, “I am dieting.“ Dieting means that it is temporary and most the time extreme. This makes it often unsustainable. That’s why I tell patients, you are not dieting, you are making a lifestyle change. The diet goals that you make should be realistic and something that will be long term. It has to be a permanent change.
The biggest misconception for people who decide to go on a diet is feeling like they have to give up a food that they love forever. That is not true! It is all about moderation. When I go grocery shopping, 95% of my list is healthy food. However, I am realistic. Every week, my husband and I each pick out one small splurge item. The problem occurs when people buy more splurge items than healthy items. A treat is a treat, it is not a meal.
