Eating real food: August 2007 Archives

Are you wondering if maybe you're the type who can't help being overweight? Perhaps you heard the news recently that obesity can be caused by a virus. In a CNN interview, a leading expert says "We're not saying that a virus is the only cause of obesity, but this study provides stronger evidence that some obesity cases may involve viral infections." And what about the genetic component?

You may be wondering if you've been doing all this work for nothing. But suppose it's true. Suppose you're prone to obesity. Should you go back on a restrictive diet?

Let's look at it from a practical standpoint. You're probably reading this blog because you've heard about normal eating and maybe you're already trying it. Maybe you belong to the Diet Survivors message board, or some other similar group to help you find hunger and fullness, and learn to eat intuitively. Perhaps you've read some Geneen Roth books or Karen R. Koenig's book The Rules of Normal Eating.

But it's feeling like you're not getting anywhere.

My guess is that you were somewhere else before you tried normal eating. Were you dieting? Restricting? Purging? Yo-yo-ing? Anorexic? Bulimic? Miserable?

You get my point. You weren't happy, so now you're trying something else. If you go back to chowing down on tasteless cardboard, will you do any better?

Many people lose weight when they finally ditch the diet and try normal eating. But some don't. If you accept that you might not lose weight, will you be any worse off than you were before?

For those of you who may be starting to think your chances of losing weight are limited, maybe it's time to think in a new way. Dare to consider this possibility: maybe you can find happiness nonetheless.

By ditching the diet life, and feeding yourself properly again with delicious food, you do have a shot at happiness. It will still take some mental and psychological work, though. Defying the critical judgment of outsiders isn't easy. No joy in life comes without some work, so accept that you'll have to hunker down a bit. It's still better than your old life, right? And as you learn to follow your hunger and fullness signals, you'll begin to really feel good about yourself.

There's hope, too. With more research, the world will soon begin to bend to this idea that maybe, just maybe, it's not your fault. Meanwhile, find others who understand. Join the free Yahoo! Diet Survivors message board.

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