The Hidden Truth About Dieting: Why Weight Loss Isn’t Always the Answer

She was furious, but deep down, she was heartbroken. For the first time in over 30 years, she realized her dieting attempts were futile.

"I can’t believe no one is talking about this. Of all the health professionals who told me I needed to lose weight for my health over the decades, none ever mentioned that weight loss dieting could leave me heavier in the long run. Dieting always felt like it "worked" because the scales went down. But now, zooming out and looking at the bigger picture of my life, I see that’s not the case. When the scales go back up—and they always do—I assumed there was something wrong with me."

The Weight Loss Myth Exposed

My client learned the harsh truth about the long-term impact of dieting on her body. Years of chasing weight loss didn’t just affect her health; it impacted her weight, metabolism, relationship with food, and self-esteem. But most heartbreaking was the realization that all those years of self-abuse would never lead to the scale results she was promised.

Tracking calories, measuring portions, skipping meals, and cheat days—none of it led to sustainable weight loss. She spent so much time and money on what was promised as "the answer." All of it was a lie.

She shook her head and said, I can’t believe how much brain space I’ve wasted on this fantasy—that if I just worked harder, stayed more consistent, and was disciplined enough, I could reach that goal weight that’s been dangled in front of me for so long.

The Science Behind Weight Loss and Why It’s So Hard to Keep Off

When you learn the truth about weight loss science, it can feel like your world is turned upside down. Dieting triggers your (clever) body to down-regulate or slow your metabolism. Over time, your body holds onto fat and burns muscle, and, eventually, your organs to prevent starvation. This is why after repeated dieting attempts, you still can't seem to lose weight even when you eat less.

In addition to the metabolic slowdown, your body increases hunger hormones and other chemical signallers, driving you to food. This, in part, explains the binge-restrict cycle, where you feel biologically and psychologically driven to eat when you’ve restricted. Our brains particularly enjoy high energy, high sugar, high fat foods and know this is a quick way to fill an empty cup which is why we can feel compulsive or out of control around them. This is one of the (many) reasons why restrictive dieting is linked to weight gain over time.

The Emotional Rollercoaster of Learning the Truth

For some clients, learning the science behind weight loss feels like a revelation. The clouds part, and they finally understand why they’ve never been able to lose weight and keep it off long-term. For others, it feels like a storm has rolled in—anger, confusion, and helplessness come thick and fast.

• What do you mean there’s no way to lose weight and keep it off long-term for most dieters?
• What do you mean the strongest predictor of weight gain is dieting? That doesn’t make sense!
• What do you mean I can support my health without focusing on weight loss?
• What do you mean I don't have to lose weight to feel more confident in my body?

Diet Culture and the $75 Billion Lie

I get it! I lapped it up myself for years in an attempt to fix this body of mine. This body that I had been told and believed for decades was disgusting, unlovable and embarrassing. We’ve been bombarded with messages about food, bodies, health, and weight our entire lives. Diet culture is pervasive, and most of us have never questioned its validity. Yet the global diet industry is now worth $75 billion. If there were a sustainable way to lose weight and keep it off, wouldn’t we have found it by now?

Dieting has always focused on controlling the body, but if we want freedom from the noise, we need to shift that mindset. When I ask my clients how they would care for their bodies if they weren’t dieting, they often say, I have no idea—it’s all I’ve ever known. And it's true many of us start our first diet or certainly our first restrictive mindest before our 10th birthday.

What Does True Self-Care Look Like?

Slowly and carefully we start the non diet adventure. We explore what self-care over self-control means. We look at how non-diet nutrition can be a tool for health, rather than a weapon to keep us small. We examine how movement can support mental and physical health without being punishment for food choices. We tackle self-worth, body image, sleep, stress, and how all these factors shape our relationship with ourselves.

A non-diet, weight-inclusive approach may even feel rebellious when all you’ve known is self-control.

The New Language of Self-Compassion

It’s a whole new language, beautiful human. If learning this new language feels clunky and confusing, you’re doing it right. Think of it like learning other language when you have spoken in native diet culture young for so long.

Learning self-compassion and self-care takes practice. It may not always feel great, but that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.

• Keep practicing being body-kind, however that looks for you today.
• Keep listening to conversations that include all bodies and nourishment beyond counting calories.
• Keep showing up for yourself like you would for someone you love. Practice being a buddy to your body.

Healing Your Relationship with Food and Body

The way you relate to your body has been shaped by a culture that profits from your insecurities. Diet culture sells you the problem and the solution. But we don’t need to fix our bodies—we need to care for them. You can absolutely take great care of your health without focusing on a fantasy goal weight.

If you’re curious about healing your relationship with food and body but feel overwhelmed, you’re not alone. You don’t need to figure it all out right now—just take the next best step.

Book a free session with me here and let’s navigate this together.