A recent Doxa survey take a picture of the goals that push villagers to go on a diet. In the first place there is the health (58%), then self-esteem (38%), the desire to re-enter the size of the previous year (28%), the desire to adapt to aesthetic canons prevailing (26%), an important event (6%) and, finally, the desire to win a person's interest (5%). But let's see which are really the best "springs" to maintain a correct eating style over time. And which ones, on the other hand, are of little use.
The "fast" objectives
Who goes on a diet to get in shape to the important events (holidays, ceremonies) it reaches its goal only the first few times. It doesn't learn to eat better and it doesn't keep up a reasoned diet. We delude ourselves into being able to lose weight at will and after a while we tend to let ourselves go. After all, you think, a few weeks on the spot and you lose weight how and when you want. Instead over time, the body tends to get used to consuming fewer calories, and the mind refuses to follow any restrictive regime, which has now become intolerable. With the result of triggering a vicious circle: you can no longer lose weight, we get discouraged and let go of the extra pounds.
The mirage of a perfect body
Among the most popular goals is that of adapt to the beauty models of the moment. The aesthetic canons are ephemeral, variable, iridescent. But their essence is lasting. In fact, they represent an ideal, a model of perfection, an absolute reference, even if in continuous evolution. So this motivation, already dangerous in itself, because it links the idea of ​​losing weight to something external, fake, also becomes exaggeratedly punitive. Failure is assured. If you lose the kilos, the tonicity goes away, if you work on the muscles, goodbye wispy legs. And in the meantime, life goes on, while we find ourselves victims of an eternal moment of dissatisfaction. Instead of conforming to a predetermined aesthetic canon, we should work out our own model of beauty. From this point of view, more than just a diet, it also becomes important to know how to dress, make up, have fun ...
The desire to strengthen self-esteem
For some categories of people self-esteem is measured in kilos. According to the data collected, women are the intended victims of this mentality. You go on a diet to prove your worth, to show that you have courage and tenacity. Men are much less fragile in this area. For them, self-esteem is measured by success at work, in relationships, in hobbies.
Following a diet as a measure of one's worth not only re-proposes an old way of thinking, but it also exposes you to the risk of falling into a mental trap: “Any mistake is a failure. To feel good I have to eat little. And the little must become less and less. Otherwise I risk gaining weight ". Actually follow an appropriate diet, understand that diet does not mean weight loss, but correct and varied nutrition, it can be a really good boost to self-esteem. In this case, however, the goal is not weight, but nutrition, felt as a choice of life. Just as ours teaches Free Diet. Where the goal is not to reach an impossible weight, but take care of yourself, learning to recognize and manage excesses and mistakes.
Lhealth care
Those who choose to lose weight to protect their health should have understood that diet is not a path to take in relation to particular moments. This awareness, however, is not always so strong. Many see having to "get in line" as a sacrifice to be faced in the face of this or that problem. Diet, on the other hand, is a way of life, taking care of one's well-being. In this sense there is no single "winning" motivation, but all those related to liking oneself, to feel good. With ourselves, first of all.
AKeep feeling good
> Taste the "tangible" benefits
"More than the great speeches on the prevention of the ills of the century (heart attack, cancer, diabetes), the motivation to follow a diet is fueled by the finding that eating in a balanced way and maintaining a normal weight makes you feel good. You digest better, you suffer less from back pain, your mood is more stable, you have fewer drops in energy », warns the dietician Carla Lertola.
> Accept the changes
“Don't set unattainable goals. If at twenty you were beautiful with size 38, at 50 you can be beautiful with a few extra pounds»Advises Carla Lertola.
