Why Diets Fail and What Actually Works

Millions of people in the United States go on some kind of diet in an effort to lose weight every year. Those diets range from the cabbage soup diet to the Mediterranean diet. 

The problem is that most diets fail. 

At Pinnacle Healthcare System, you can expect us to do more than tell you to eat less and exercise more if you need to lose weight in order to improve your overall health. 

Our obesity medicine specialists know that weight loss usually requires a more comprehensive approach, and we’re here to help. Here’s what most people miss about diets. 

The meaning of the word “diet”

First, we should acknowledge that your diet is all of the calories you consume. Your diet may be the standard American diet, or you may follow a nutritionally sound, healthy diet. 

But usually, when someone uses the word “diet,” they are talking about making nutritional changes in order to lose weight or manage a chronic health condition. They may also be talking about adding exercise to their daily routine. 

The usual pattern

When you embark on a diet to lose weight, you may be successful at first. Those first few pounds may seem to go away without too much effort, and that’s encouraging. 

But after a few months, the weight begins to creep back on. You feel frustrated and probably stop trying to follow your dietary plan. Eventually, you gain back all that you’ve lost, plus some. 

Months, or even years, pass and you decide to try again, only to repeat the pattern. 

Reasons diets fail

Diets don’t work for a bunch of different reasons. Some are so restrictive that there’s almost no way to follow them in the long term. Your body may adjust to the restriction or increased exercise, making it difficult to progress. 

Some evidence seems to show that sleep and weight are connected, though researchers don’t fully understand the connection. The same is true for chronic stress. 

Chronic health conditions like diabetes can certainly affect your ability to lose weight and your propensity to gain it back. 

Along with all of those various and highly individual factors, there’s clear evidence that the human body resists weight loss. Your metabolism slows when you lose weight, and your appetite increases, making it harder to maintain weight loss over time. 

How we can help

Working with an obesity medicine specialist can help. At Pinnacle Health System, when you come to us for help losing weight, we start by performing a physical exam and doing bloodwork to make sure there’s not some medical reason you’re struggling. 

Then, we discuss your lifestyle and what small changes might make sense for you. We discuss your concerns and talk about what a healthy diet looks like — and our patients are often surprised. 

Finally, we have a new tool that may help: GLP-1 medications. Drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide have shown remarkable results in helping people lose weight. 

If you’re a candidate for weight loss medications, we can discuss your options, help you manage any side effects you may experience, and answer your questions.  Losing and regaining weight in what feels like a never-ending cycle is frustrating. 

We can help you find the path to weight loss that works best for you, so you can improve your overall health. Schedule an appointment today at our Hollywood or Pembroke Pines, Florida, office.