Have you been lying to yourself when on a diet
When a person makes the mammoth decision to embark on a weight loss journey, the subtle art of self-deception can often become a stumbling block. One poignant question always lingers: ‘Have you been lying to yourself when on a diet?’ This subtle dance between commitment and compromise can be challenging when trying to lose weight. This is often the experience, challenging many Slimming World Consultants every week. There is a tendency for members to deceive themselves and the consultant when the scales are not moving in the right direction.
Are you really telling the truth or lying to yourself when on a diet?
As many of you who follow this blog regularly know, my best friend is a Slimming World Consultant, and I help her with her group. This week, we had a member come in and weigh. They were confident that they would have a loss this week and happily stepped on the scales. This is when the results of their deception to themselves are discovered. They were so disappointed at the results on the scales and talked about leaving Slimming World, as it wasn’t working for them. They were adamant that they stuck to plan 110% when discussing how their week went. There should be no reason why they have not lost weight. There weren’t tears, but they were about to chastise themselves and Slimming World.
After some brilliant questions from my friend about how their week went and what they ate, they saw where they had gone wrong. It’s not that this person was lying to their consultant, but they were lying to themselves and didn’t realise what they were doing.
This is what I had, honest.
For example, when asked what they have for breakfast, they replied that most mornings they had porridge (their healthy B option). When asked if they weighed out the porridge, they said no. They just did it by eye, and what they thought was about 40 grams. When asked how they made the porridge, they said it was with water and milk.
Asked if the milk was part of their ‘Healthy A’ allowance, the answer came back as No. It was just how they made their porridge. This was just one meal out of 21 in the week. They are absolutely convinced that they have followed the plan when, in actual fact, they have been lying to themselves about the amount of food they consumed that week.
Well, maybe not, but no one saw me.
Lying to yourself when on a diet is a subtle art, often veiled by the best intentions. This is all about the psychology of weight loss. The missteps are not grand betrayals but rather the whispered compromises—the splash of Olive Oil when frying onions, the extra dash of milk in the coffee, or omitting a few syns. These small, seemingly inconspicuous lies form the psychological labyrinth of weight loss, where the concept of “Fear of Missing Out” (FOMO) takes centre stage. Lying to yourself when on a diet is so easy to do. To a certain extent, I think that we all do it. A bit of cheese has slipped off the knife when cutting some for a sandwich. No one will see me eat that extra piece of bread, but it’s outside the day’s allowance. All of these slip-ups come under the title of lying to yourself when on a diet.
The psychological battle is encapsulated in the whispers of that inner voice, resistant to change and protesting against the newfound food limitations. The struggle arises from the perceived unfairness of reduced portions and the perception that habits should remain unchanged. This internal turmoil can undermine the most steadfast commitment to a weight loss journey. And there it is, the crux of failure when on a diet. That little voice at the back of your head that is having a tantrum because you can’t suddenly have something. You need to restrict your food intake and be mindful of what you eat.
I want, I want it now.
If you want to lose weight, you will have to make some changes to your eating habits. Some are going to be pleasant changes, others are changes that are going to be difficult, and the remaining ones are just painful. The most significant change you will have to make is to stop lying to yourself when you are on a diet; it won’t help you get to your end result. It won’t help you lose weight and be on target.
- Why can’t I have,
- I always have had it before.
- It’s unfair that I have to have smaller portions than anyone else.
The most significant shift in this journey is in dietary choices and the commitment to honesty with yourself. You have to stop the self-deception, as it won’t help you achieve your end goal. It won’t give you the weight loss you desire or bring you closer to your target. The journey to successful weight management begins with authenticity in actions and self-reflection. Embrace the changes, be truthful with yourself, and witness the transformative power of an honest approach to your weight loss endeavours.
Lying to yourself when on a diet
This member has now resolved to reread the books, write down everything she eats and weighs, and measure where appropriate. I wish her luck in the week ahead, as it’s hard. Changing those habits. It’s even harder when you know and accept that your weight loss this week was hindered by you. This week, you were lying to yourself when on a diet.
What about me?
Current Weight: 13 stone 6 Pounds (It’s out there)
This week, I have found a new passion for weight loss. I have been sticking to my plan and enjoying what I am eating. It’s a bit strange, as I don’t know where the passion has come from. I woke up on day one of the new week and made the decision. I am trying to lose 3 pounds this week. That will push my weight loss along very nicely.
On this journey, I have removed all weight as I wanted to keep my weight to myself. However, putting on my big girl pants, here it is. My current weight is 13 stone, 6 pounds. By Christmas, I would like to be 12 stone 7 pounds. It’s a bit of a leap, and I am trying very hard. I have a few Christmas meals to navigate and a drinks party that has already been planned. My focus is to move forward and not damage my weight loss.
I am looking forward to getting the maintenance book.
What I think it is, I am fed up with being on a diet. I want to be on the maintenance plan as I believe that will be much easier than the restrictions I have lived with and have done for most of my adult life. It’s a whole different story once I lose the pounds and get to Target. Fingers crossed. I will let you know how much I lost next week.
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