In this blog, I am going to be sharing why your diet is not working for you. To put it bluntly, diets don’t work, they normally consist of over-restriction and unrealistic expectations.

So why is your diet not working and what can you do about it?

1. The ‘All or nothing mentality. You have signed up for the latest diet craze, you are ‘all in’, nothing is going to stop you from achieving your goals, and you are ready to sacrifice everything. But what happens when 'life happens and your mindset changes? All of a sudden it feels too hard and you are now in ‘f**k it mode’. Our bodies do not like restriction, as humans, we are made to live in balanced ‘homeostasis’ so there is no wonder you cannot keep up with this all-or-nothing mentality. This mentality will only trigger bad habits. As a mother life is very busy, there are many times when we need to adapt and require rest. This is why these diets do not work. You need a method that is adaptable and realistic.

2. Lack of balance. This all-or-nothing mindset will not allow balance. Balance is key for long-term change and success. So what is a ‘balanced diet’. I like to apply the 80:20 rule; 80% of the time follow a balanced healthy diet (full of colour, carbs, fats and protein) and 20% of the time have a bit of what you fancy; pizza on a Saturday night. There are 6 vital nutrient groups we need to achieve a balanced diet, CARBOHYDRATES, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water. This is what you need to include in your diet to achieve a ‘balanced diet’. So cutting out carbs, is NOT the one!

3. Setting unrealistic goals. We all have these massive dreams and set unrealistic expectations. The problem is if you set your goal too big you will beat yourself up when you do not achieve it. Compare this with bite-sized goals; easy to measure and achieve stepping stones. If you can see you are achieving these mini-goals you are more likely to stick with the programme.

   Don’t get me wrong it is great to set dreams and we all have the ability to achieve them, we just need to be realistic too.

   Two things:

   1. Always remember if it seems too good to be true, it normally is.

   2. We always overestimate what we can achieve in 1 year but underestimate what we can achieve in 3!

   So be gentle with yourself. Choose an approach that suits you and your family, something you can sustain for the rest of your life. You do not have to be on a diet for the rest of your life. You can enjoy a bit of what you fancy and remain in good shape. This is what Maricarmenfitness as a brand is passionate about. We make health and fitness accessible for all women using a sustainable and flexible approach. No fads and no BS.

   Life cannot be unbalanced, all or nothing and unrealistic by any stretch of the term. They all work hand in hand in every moment of our lives. If you are ready to have a nutrition plan that WORKS so you can walk into summer looking and feeling confident. Come join our monthly online coaching programme. A plan that will set you up for success, not only for summer but after too. For information on how to get started for just £3.50 per day click here