Why are restrictive diets so popular?

I am one whose diet is often called restrictive: I'm a celiac and I eat keto. I don't think of my diet as any more restrictive than any other diet though. If any one wants to regulate their weight, they are going to need to restrict something. I choose to restrict foods that negatively impact my health and focus on protein and fat, whereas other people may restrict a little bit of everything. Moderators restrict a little of everything. Abstainers restrict a few specific things. Restriction is restriction.

I find weight management effortless when I eat this way. My nutrition is top notch so concerns like nutrient deficiency or protein dilution are completely a non-issue. I eat when I am hungry. I eat a variety of foods, although I skip some commonly eaten foods (but that does not make my diet limited). I do not need to count calories or cling to will power in order to maintain or lose, I just focus on what I am eating and it takes care of itself. I rarely worry about what I can eat unless I am traveling and need to be concerned with gluten contamination.

I do find it insulting that so many people seem to think that eating what they see as a restrictive diet is a lack of will power. Technically, if you think my diet is overly restrictive, that would indicate greater will power. Calling my restriction harder than it needs to be, or my need for rules, or a bonding thing or a superiority thing is just a wild guess. And in my case, it's wrong. I eat my way (which is almost a carnivore ketogenic diet) because it greatly improved my health in multiple ways. I'm not miserable either.

When I did try to just moderate my calories without changing my foods - just restricting a little bit of everything - I was miserable. Very hungry. More mood and energy swings. I could do that for a few months but to feel that way for life? Yuck. No way! No thank you. And because I could not maintain that (fad) I would regain my weight. Now? I'm about 4 years into keto, over 3.5 of it on maintenance. I can't see going back to restricting everything.

Honestly...I've tried several fads.. sometimes it easier....I've lost weight just cutting calories and eating what I want within.....but over time, I've found reducing carbs, or at least what I consider Bad carbs (soda, pasta, bread) works for me. I try to cut out the bad stuff (obvious junk) and eat healthier and higher protein, healthy fat, lower carb. It actually is changing my body comp and I can see it, even if the scale doesn't move fast. That's more important to me. To each their own.

seltzermint555 wrote: »

I think it's a bonding experience for a lot of women. I've never understood it. But I have watched it play out in countless offices & other work environments. They go through all of the fad diets and some do have success but most do not. Mostly it's like a group activity for them.

Yes I've experienced the same. Say the word "diet " around some of my coworkers and watch their eyes light up. And the more restrictive it is the more virtuous it seems.

I am guilty of trying a few of the restrictive/fad/trendy diets, and it's so hard to pinpoint WHY I wanted to do them and what convinced me. I don't know if it's the novelty of doing what other people are doing, being in denial about how simplistic CICO actually is, or just wanting to be part of a diet community.

But I CAN say that 99% of the time when I attempted one, it was because I heard about someone I like or a friend doing it. It makes you want to join them and support each other in doing it.

And it took a looooong time to realize those "diets" were making my binge eating disorder MUCH worse and just damaging my body and mind.

hixa30 wrote: »

Aren't all diets restrictive? Anyway, some foods stimulate my appetite. I try to avoid such foods.

Some diets are more or less restrictive than others. I'm a kosher vegetarian. There are some foods I restrict myself from eating because they are not certified kosher and/or used to be animals. But that still leaves me with a wide array of choices. Because I'm trying to lose weight, there are a number of foods I don't eat as often as I used to—or, in practice, don't eat anymore. But that's about having a finite amount of calories and choosing for myself where I want to spend them, knowing what foods will make me feel full longer, and when an indulgence is worth it to me.

What I think most people mean by restrictive diets are diets that eliminate/drastically reduce macros or major food groups (example: something like the military diet, that pretty much has you subsisting on hot dogs, cottage cheese, and ice cream. Or the stereotypical sit-com diet of grapefruit, salad, steamed chicken breast, and steamed brown rice with just about anything else that tastes good being forbidden).

My weight-loss diet restricts calories, but not the foods I eat (being veg and kosher have nothing to do with my weight loss, apart from my being spared the temptation of deep-fried shrimp; I do think it smells amazing...) Within my calories, I can theoretically eat anything. Practically speaking, I'm eating a lot of lower-calorie, filling foods with some room set aside for indulgences. I don't feel deprived, I'm not miserable with this way of eating, and when I have a dessert that I planned for and fits my calories, I don't feel guilty or think, 'there goes the diet'. Because desserts aren't anything forbidden for me.

We know the food industry and how we were brought up to eat is tainted. We all just don't know the answer yet.

beast_kitty89 wrote: »

We know the food industry and how we were brought up to eat is tainted. We all just don't know the answer yet.

Do we??

I don't think the food industry is tainted nor is the way I was brought up to eat.

The way I was brought up to eat was perfectly fine - as I got older, I just ate too much for my activity level.