My Diet Disaster of 2017
Okay, let’s talk about diets. I’m gonna be honest here, I’ve tried alot of them. And by alot, I mean like, 214 different ones over the past 20 years. (Don’t ask me how I kept track.)
But look, I gotta tell you about this one time in 2017. I was living in Austin, Texas, and I had just started dating this guy, let’s call him Marcus. Marcus was into fitness, like really into it. He was one of those guys who could talk about macros at 11:30pm over tacos. (Which, by the way, is a terrible time and place to discuss protein synthesis.)
So Marcus gets me into this whole calorie counting thing. I’m tracking every single thing that goes into my mouth. I’m using an app, I’m weighing my food, I’m even measuring my water intake. It’s completley insane. And honestly, it’s not even working. I’m hungry all the time, I’m cranky, and I’m spending more time staring at my phone than actually living my life.
Then one day, I’m at this conference in Austin, and I meet this nutritionist named Dr. Linda Chen. She takes one look at me and says, “You look exhausted.” I told her about my diet, and she just laughs. “Honey,” she says, “you’re not living, you’re just counting.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
Dr. Chen tells me to ditch the app, to stop counting, and to start listening to my body. She says, “Your body knows what it needs. You just gotta pay attention.” So I do. I stop counting calories, I start eating when I’m hungry, and I stop when I’m full. And you know what? It works. I’m happier, I have more energy, and I’m not obsessing over every little thing I eat.
But Here’s the Thing About Fad Diets
Look, I get it. Fad diets are tempting. They promise quick results, and they’re often really restrictive, which can make you feel like you’re “doing something” about your health. But here’s the truth: most fad diets are not sustainable. They’re not designed to be. They’re designed to sell books, sell supplements, and sell the next big thing.
And honestly, they’re not even based on good science. I talked to a colleague named Dave about this, and he told me about a study he read. It was a meta-analysis of like, 36 different diet studies, and it found that most diets result in similar weight loss after a year. The key factor wasn’t the diet itself, it was adherence. The people who stuck with their diet, whatever it was, were the ones who saw results.
So if you’re gonna diet, make sure it’s something you can stick with long-term. And frankly, I think it’s better to focus on overall health than on weight loss. Eat a variety of foods, get enough sleep, stay hydrated, and move your body. That’s it. That’s the secret.
But What About Intermittent Fasting?
Oh, I’m glad you asked. So intermittent fasting is this thing where you only eat during a certain window of time each day. Like, you might fast for 16 hours and eat for 8, or something like that. It’s kinda popular right now, and honestly, I think it’s kinda dumb.
I mean, think about it. Our bodies are designed to eat throughout the day. We’re not bears, we don’t need to gorge ourselves and then sleep for six months. And honestly, I think intermittent fasting is just another fad diet in disguise. It’s restrictive, it’s not based on great science, and it’s not something most people can stick with long-term.
But hey, if you like it, go for it. I’m not here to tell you what to do. I’m just here to tell you what I think. And frankly, I think it’s a lot of nonsense.
Oh, and One More Thing
So I was gonna talk about something else, but I forgot what it was. Oh well. Moving on.
Look, the point is, diets are not the answer. They’re not the key to health and happiness. They’re just a distraction, a way to sell us stuff we don’t need. So do yourself a favor: ditch the diet, listen to your body, and for the love of god, stop counting calories.
And if you’re gonna try something new, check out this product reviews recommendation guide first. It’s got some great info on all sorts of health stuff, and it’s a lot more reliable than most of the nonsense out there.
About the Author: I’m Sarah, a senior magazine editor with more than 20 years of experience. I’ve written for major publications, and I’ve made alot of mistakes along the way. I’m not perfect, I’m not balanced, and I’m definitely not neutral. But I’m honest, I’m passionate, and I’m here to tell you the truth about health and wellness. Even if it’s not pretty.