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Before You Start Your Diet ...
Ask yourself exactly why you want to lose weight.
Re-published with permission from NAAFA, the National Association to
Advance Fat Acceptance.
MOST FREQUENT REASONS GIVEN FOR DIETING:
1. TO IMPROVE LOOKS
Many people assume that if they lose weight, their looks will improve.
Yet most "before and after" shots show such strong contrast
because of many other reasons. The "after" photos include
a fashionable new outfit, improved posture, stylish hairdo, professional
make-up job, and a big self-confident smile. The actual weight lost
is insignificant compared to the change in attitude. Improving your
wardrobe, your grooming, and your self-image are all quite possible
without dieting.
In addition, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Not everyone shares
the same aesthetic tastes espoused by the media and advertising. Some
men and women prefer to date and marry those who are darker, older,
shorter, or larger than the average fashion model model. Many others
place a higher priority on inner beauty than outward appearance.
2. FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION
If you're trying to get down to a certain size for a special occasion
such as your wedding or class reunion, you will probably succeed if
you time your diet just right. But are you willing to risk the weight
gain that is likely to follow the special event? Over 90% of all dieters
regain some or all of the weight originally lost and at least one-third
gain more. Who are you trying to impress anyway? You were probably at
your current weight when your fiancee proposed. and all brides are beautiful
- no matter what the dress size. Your former classmates will be more
impressed by your loving family, charitable works, or job promotion
than by your weight.
3. TO IMPROVE HEALTH
Many specific medical conditions require a change of eating habits,
such as lowering salt, sugar, or fat intake. Such changes, especially
combined with a moderate exercise program, can improve health. However,
judge the success of your eating program by the improvement or alleviation
of your specific symptoms, not by number of pounds lost. For fat people,
any weight loss which accompanies such dietary changes may be slight
and may only be temporary. Also ask your doctor what additional treatment
they recommend to thin patients with your medical problem, and follow
that advice.
4. IMPROVED GENERAL WELL-BEING
Many people say they just feel better at a lower weight. This attitude
is primarily a result of internalized oppression against fatness. A healthy
dose of self-esteem, an active social life, and a moderate exercise program
will make a person of size feel better.
5. IMPROVED TREATMENT BY OTHERS
If you're fat, you've probably experienced size discrimination of some
sort: teasing, unsolicited advice, or trouble finding fashionable clothing,
comfortable seats, or a new job. You probably will receive better treatment
if you get thinner, but this is an individual personal solution to a general
societal problem. Where would the civil rights movement be today if African
Americans were still searching for the perfect skin lightening cream or
hair straightener Instead of changing your l-body, why not change other
people's attitudes or challenge a few laws? Join NAAFA in fighting size
discrimination at all levels - from social to political.
BEFORE YOU START YOUR NEXT DIET...
YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS:
· ARE YOU NATURALLY FAT?
If you've been fat for most of your life and several other family members
are also fat, the odds are that your natural body size is larger than
average. Children with one large parent have a 40% chance of being large,
and children of two fat parents have an 80% chance of being that size
also. Current setpoint theory states that everyone has a natural weight
which their body will automatically protect. Diets are nothing but voluntary
starvation. The body protects itself from perceived famine by increasing
energy efficiency and raising its set-point even higher. This theory
explains why diets more frequently result in weight gain than in permanent
weight loss.
· DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE AN EATING PROBLEM?
Not all binge eaters are fat, and not all fat people are binge eaters.
On the average, fat people eat the same amounts and types of food as
thin or average size people. Instead of being a cure for binge eating,
dieting can actually cause binge eating. Bingeing or "overeating"
is a natural reaction to food deprivation. The dieting process itself
often starts a vicious "binge/purge" cycle which can lead
to serious eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia nervosa. If
you suspect that you have an eating disorder, contact your doctor, counselor,
or a support group.
· DO YOU ENJOY HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES?
You have about as much chance of winning the lottery as you do of permanently
losing weight by dieting. Over a five-year period, only 2-5% of dieters
succeed in keeping their weight off. and over one-third of all diets
result in long-term weight gain. Would you accept a treatment for any
other medical condition that had those "success" rates? If
you've dieted frequently in the past, what makes you think this time
will be any different? You may be wasting time, money, and energy, and
risking your health if you go on another diet. Are the odds worth it?
· WILL THIS BE YOUR FIRST DIET?
If you're planning to go on your first diet, make sure that you also
plan to make it your last. Many of the 2-5% of successful dieters are
those who have never dieted before. If you have a particular medical
incentive for dieting, this may be just what you personally need to
beat the odds. But if you've never dieted before, also be forewarned
of some of the possible side effects: tiredness, irritability, mood
swings, obsessing about food, and inability to concentrate.
BEFORE YOU START YOUR NEXT DIET...
IF YOU'VE READ THIS FAR AND STILL WANT TO DIET, PLEASE CONSIDER THESE
ADDITIONAL POINTS:
· DEMAND RESULTS AND GUARANTEES
Before spending a cent on any diet program, insist on seeing their five-year
follow-up study and their specific claims about weight loss results.
Be sure to ask how they handle drop outs. Also ask for a money back
guarantee. If you find a diet program will willing to make such a guarantee,
please notify NAAFA, because we don't know of any. Don't be misled by
"guarantees" which only let you spend more money by allowing
you to continue having their special foods. Ask for a concrete definition
of "success." Be a good consumer when buying any diet plan
or product. Better yet, don't spend any money at all on dieting.
· THE MYTH OF A SENSIBLE WEIGHT-LOSS DIET
Many articles claim that diets don't work, so you should eat less and
exercise more. (What exactly do they think a "diet" is?) Do
not believe that "sensible" eating plans or diets work any
better than "quack" or 'fad" diets. There is no evidence
to support this claim. Weight is usually regained at about the same
rate as it is lost. "Sensible" weight loss programs might
possibly be slightly less hazardous to your health and may result in
slower weight regain, but the 5-year success rate is no better than
any other method.
· ABOUT THE ADVICE TO "SEE YOUR DOCTOR"
The common advice to "see your doctor first before starting any
diet" is given primarily for the legal protection of the multi-billion
dollar diet industry. By all means, see your physician, but remember
that most doctors have had little or no training in nutrition and some
push a particular diet for their own monetary gain. Medical supervision
is no guarantee of safety, since hospitalized fasts are among the more
hazardous weight loss procedures used. Nutritionists and dietitians
often have more medical information on dieting than general physicians
and they may be more understanding about the realities of weight loss
attempts.
· BLAME THE DIETING PROCESS, NOT YOURSELF!
If you do go on another diet and the lost weight does reappear, don't
just blame yourself or your lack of willpower. The dieting process just
does not work for the vast majority of dieters. Relax. Reread this brochure.
and consider joining NAAFA. Accept yourself at your current size. And
get on with your life!
BEFORE YOU START YOUR NEXT DIET...
CONSIDER THE SELF-ACCEPTANCE ALTERNATIVE.
· STOP PUTTING YOUR LIFE ON HOLD
Don't wait until you're down to a certain size to lead a full productive
life. Accept yourself the way you are and get on with enjoying your
life today and every day. Surround yourself with friends and loved ones
who also accept you.
· LEARN MORE ABOUT SIZE ACCEPTANCE
NAAFA, Inc. has other free or low-cost educational material and runs
a book service that includes most of the prominent books on size acceptance.
Two especially good books which provide more information on the dieting
process are Bennett Gurin's Dieter's Dilemma and Atrens' Don't Diet.
Both summarize the numerous medical studies upon which the information
in this brochure is based. Contact NAAFA for a current book list.
· JOIN NAAFA FOR SUPPORT
NAAFA has local chapters in most major U.S. cities, national special
interest groups, an annual national convention, and regional conferences.
NAAFA provides personal emotional support for many fat people and their
loved ones.
BEFORE YOU START YOUR NEXT DIET...
PLEASE WEIGH THE ODDS CAREFULLY.
Louise Wolfe
MS Rehabilitation Counseling
©NAAFA
PO Box 22510, Oakland, CA 94609
Phone:(916) 558-6880 Fax:(415) 863-8596
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