Am I Too Fat?  The Truth About Dieting

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Living in a health fanatic world, more and more people are concerned about their weight. Now, men are just as concerned about their image as women, and social media is continuously making body image a major issue in our modern culture, especially in the United States.

There is nothing wrong with losing a little weight, but don’t lose weight for the wrong reasons, because taking this apparantly positive action can hinder your personal growth and destroy your health if your motives are not coming from a place of inspiration and self-care. Equally important is being careful about which diet you choose. Some the diets that are listed on the Internet are scams, and over the past thirty years, people have created get skinny quick diet scams to lure people into spending thousands of dollars on their products.

Many of these products exagerrate their claims or don’t work at all. However, marketers have found a way to market unhealthy diet regimens to people who are desperate to lose weight - The next time you watch TV, just count how many time you see a dieting commercial. The person that invented Weight Watchers diet is extremely wealthy, but I believe that they take advantage of your insecurities about yourself to market products that are unnecessary and over-priced.  They use celebrities to endorse their product and make you think that they lost weight by only using their product.  Be aware that the word "diet" also includes the word "die" - Don't do something dangerous with these untested weight-loss systems. If you’re not aware of the side effects of certain diets, you could become very ill because you are obsessed with being a size six when your body is designed to be a size 8 in it's healthiest state.

Do you think people in the early part of the twentieth century were concerned about their body image?  Of course - Just look at the tight-fitting clothing that women used to wear to crush their stomachs and enlarge the size of their chests! Obsession about your weight is a form of potentially dangerous control, and people who feel that they don’t have control over some aspect of their life may tend to find or search from something that they can control, and often they seek to strictly control their bodies to the detriment of their own physical health.  This type of behavior hinders authentic personal growth and self-development. Not everyone is going to be a size or two, despite what social media considers beautiful. You should diet in order to be healthy and not to try to fill a void in your life.

Dieting For the Wrong Reasons

1.    I Can Get a Better Job.  

Your appearance can help you advance in your career, but not because you look like a supermodel. Unfortunately, some male dominated professions like to hire “pretty” women.  

However, looks fade, and you never want to get a job because of your appearance. You want to get the job because you are qualified. Just because you have few extra pounds does not mean you cannot advance in your career. Confidence determines how your employer or employers perceive you, so instead losing unhealthy amounts of weight for the sake of beauty on your journey towards personal growth, replace it with developing confidence and becoming physically fit for the health benefits.

2.    My Mate will Love Me More.

If you believe that, then you are fooling yourself. Everyone has problems in his or relationship. Why do you think Hale Berry can’t keep a man?  Your looks cannot sustain a long lasting relationship. Other factors such as personality, conversation, and compassion make relationship.  Your character determines the dynamics of your relationship, and not what you can do for you mate sexually and financially.

Concentrate on becoming better person and developing confidence or personal growth. When develop confidence you will discover the real reason to go on a diet. Use healthy diets to improve your health. Depending your weight, losing a few pounds is the beginning of improving your health. Consult a doctor to help you decide which diet is best for you.

Best Diets to Improve Your Health

1.    The Diabetic Diet

Don’t dismiss the diabetic diet just because you don’t have diabetes. The diabetic diet is great for portion control and for anyone who is looking for a low carb diet that can help to regulate blood-sugar levels.  Many people think that this type diet doesn’t allow you to eat deserts, but that is a myth. You can have deserts, but only sparingly.

2.    Vegan Diet 

This diet is for people who want a total lifestyle change. A vegan diet consists vegetables and alternative sources or protein, such as beans, nuts, and tofu. Vegans don't eat any meat or animal products (no eggs, milk, cheese, etc.)

3.    Vegetarian Diet

If you are boycotting meat, then you won’t have any trouble sticking to this diet, but be certain that you get enough protein and carbs into you system. Protein and carbs are critical sources of energy, especially if you regularly exercise.

Diet scams have made con-artists wealthy by “feeding” off your insecurities. Dieting is best used if you want to improve your health in conjunction with your physique - Don't sacrifice your health for beauty. Do you think most people diet for the wrong reasons? Does unhealthy dieting have a negative effect on personal growth? What do you think?

- Heather Browning, MBA, BA