does dieting ever end?

Tangerine302

Probably depends on the person too. Some might be able to stick with the changes made in the way they eat to maintain their weight. Others might not be able to have as many cheat days if they are people who gain easily. You probably know what works for you and what doesn't.
How much exercise you get makes a difference. You could sit a lot and have to "diet" or eat less to maintain. Or you could be active and eat more of the foods you like to maintain. Just depends on your lifestyle.

If you completely change the way you eat and it's gets to be a normal way of eating, you probably wouldn't think of it as a "diet".

bloodguilt

We are all on a diet. Forever. Definition of a diet is: The kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.

I think the question might be "How long can we remain on a healthy diet?"

So agree with TheRoadDog, Saruman_w and other posters. "Does dieting ever end?" Yes, it ends when you're already dead. Lol! Though death is a different story but sadly most people die due to their own wrong mentality towards dieting and lifestyle. After all, we are the author of our own wellness and/or decease. We are what we eat and we need to EAT TO LIVE not LIVE TO EAT. So, "How long can we remain on a healthy diet?" As for me, it should be FOREVER.

MikeSEA

Does it ever end?

God, I hope so. If I continue to try and lose 2lbs/week, I'll literally starve myself eventually. At some point the measures I'm taking to lose weight will have to end/be adjusted.

And while I understand what everyone is saying about a lifestyle change, the phrase makes a small part of me want to strangle kittens (and I'm quite fond of cats). Maybe I've just heard it too often.

Of course it's a "lifestyle change," but let's think about it. It's really just a matter of math and science. If what you mean by "does the dieting ever end?" is actually "Can I ever go back to doing exactly what I was doing to gain all that weight while at the same time keeping the weight off?" Uh, no. That you can't do. It's completely irrational.

Acceptance is the first step. Something has to be adjusted to achieve a balanced goal when you're currently unbalanced. Find a system you can live with once you've reached your goal to maintain.

Kochupurayil

Kochupurayil, Sorry to hear that you feel that you are missing out.

I have a different view, though. I look at calorie counting like balancing my checkbook. Perhaps you are trying to get out of debt. But once you paid off everything you owe, you get to keep the interest for yourself and if you continue making mindful expenses you are doing fine. And now and then you can indulge yourself with reasonable moderation.

Once you are debt free, it does not mean that you are entitled to apply for credit cards and max them out. You are much smarter than that!!!

I reached my target weight four years ago and I never felt like I miss out on anything.
-> I can eat anything I like, just not all of it.

awesome keepin off the weight for 4yrs. I guess I need to keep seeing it as a lifestyle change like everyone one who has mentioned it on here. Thanks anyways for your input as well!

Kochupurayil

Thanks everyone.You all are motivating!!!!

Kochupurayil

Does it ever end?

God, I hope so. If I continue to try and lose 2lbs/week, I'll literally starve myself eventually. At some point the measures I'm taking to lose weight will have to end/be adjusted.

And while I understand what everyone is saying about a lifestyle change, the phrase makes a small part of me want to strangle kittens (and I'm quite fond of cats). Maybe I've just heard it too often.

Of course it's a "lifestyle change," but let's think about it. It's really just a matter of math and science. If what you mean by "does the dieting ever end?" is actually "Can I ever go back to doing exactly what I was doing to gain all that weight while at the same time keeping the weight off?" Uh, no. That you can't do. It's completely irrational.

Acceptance is the first step. Something has to be adjusted to achieve a balanced goal when you're currently unbalanced. Find a system you can live with once you've reached your goal to maintain.

Like the way you put it.Thanks!

123456654321

Aww, I can understand your frustrations. Think about it though, even if you DID have to log for the rest of your life to keep control of things.......would it really be that bad? You certainly wont be eating at a deficit forever. I am at maintenance now and logging is a piece of cake. It literally takes about 5 min out of my day. I'm not perfect, I go over my cals 2-3 times a week easily without any damage. I'm not aiming for perfection, I just like that it keeps me accountable and aware. I like that when I'm running low on energy I can look back at what I've eaten over the past few weeks and see that I've been consistently low/high in something. Honestly, I don't see myself ever giving up the logging...and I'm really a-ok with that! Trust me, once you reach your goal and are at maintenance, logging wont be so much of a chore anymore.

PureAndHealthy

I lost 85 pounds 5 years ago with WW, started gaining a few pounds here and there over 3 years, joined MFP at 185 and got back down in the 160s, quit logging and 5 years after hitting 149lbs, I'm back over 200lbs. It's quite tragic. For me it's not the healthy food choices that are a struggle, it's just the logging that I dread.... Not sure if I'll ever get to where I don't have to log to keep weight off. Bleh... :grumble:

chrisdavey

As others said, diet is just what you eat. If you are eating at a calorie deficit to lose weight, then once you reach your goal weight, you can up your cals to maintenance. What you may consider a "bad" day now could actually just be around maintenance cals normally.

If you have a bad day, you can make up for it another day. It is a lifestyle change.

For me, I love the numbers and can't really see myself not counting cals. I like self experimentation. As well as that, losing weight was just the initial step for me. Now it's about gaining good weight and staying lean.

Oh and I definitely indulge in "unhealthy" foods. As long as it fits my macros, it's all good.

Kochupurayil

Thanks everyone!!! your input really helps!

narenn

What's said here is all true. It starts with a "diet", but really it's the beginning of a lifestyle change.

Remember, reaching your goals show you have acquired new self-disciplines and knowledge to better take care of yourself! From there is where maintenance comes into play.

PBJunky

I feel I am always on some kind of diet to keep myself on check with my calories for the day. Like I am restricting something or the other everytime. For example I restrict sweet intake to keep me on check with my weight gain. you just can't eat anything you want and stay fit and healthy. We always have to watch what we eat

I feel even if I reach my goal I still have to count my calories to not go overboard Is that so with all of you?

Welcome to the lifestyle, but you can still have your cheat meal or so as long as you stay within your calorie goal

KayteeBear

Does dieting ever end? No...at least it's shouldn't. It shouldn't be "dieting" though; it's supposed to be a lifestyle change.

That's what I think everything in moderation because there's no way you can cut out something you love forever and not end up overindulging more often then you'd like.

bcattoes

Dieting ends the day you realize and accept that no diet has ever, or will ever, work.

As the previous poster said, it's a change in your mindset. It's evolution not restriction that gets the results.

This is a crock. There are many diets that work. I'm on a diet right now. I've been on a diet for most of my adult life. It's how I never became obese. I restrict things. Whether you eat crap "in moderation" (i.e. restrict it) or eat healthy, it's all about being conscious of what you put in your mouth. Not restricting anything = mindless eating and that usually how people get fat.

CMmrsfloyd

I have been at this for a little over 3 months now - I really don't feel like I'm 'dieting', I feel like I'm learning to make (and enjoy) the better choices that come automatically for a lot of other people. I had no idea how much I was eating before until I started keeping track. So to me this is not a diet, it's a learning process teaching me how the food I chooses impacts my day. I still enjoy things that I want, just in moderation. And yes I do say no to some things (I personally don't need the 900 calorie lunch I used to eat) but at the same time I replacing old bad habits with new things that I find just as enjoyable. The key to not feeling like you're 'dieting' is to find a balance and a way to enjoy it. Anytime someone asks me if I'm 'on a diet' or what my 'dieting secret' is, I tell them I'm not 'on a diet' but rather I'm learning to make better choices. I don't call this 'a diet' b/c to me that sounds like something you're going to do for awhile and then stop. I don't plan to stop. I plan to remain conscious of my choices for the rest of my life. I'm not putting in all this time and effort learning new things just to stop using it and waste all this valuable info.