Diet Talk - Monotony Versus Variety During Weight Loss

DIET TALK is a series of 56 topics addressing the psychological and social aspects of successful, long-term weight management. DIET TALK is based on my NPR series. This lecture addresses monotony versus variety during weight loss.

Transcript

Monotony vs.

Variety during weight loss It is common for a dieter to either get bored or feel that their entire life revolves around making food choices.

And research has found an explanation for this problem.

Because we have access to a varied diet and are continually tempted via the media and stores,

Many diets are based on monotony,

Believing that if certain types of foods are restricted we'll eat less.

One survey counted 51 diets based on eggs and grapefruit.

These types of diets don't work because not all foods are equally boring.

Oddly enough,

We tire of the tastiest ones first.

We can eat foods like bread and potatoes day after day,

But appetite fades after eating lobster several nights in a row.

The reason is that foods such as breads,

Potatoes,

And salad are so mundane that we take them for granted.

However,

A rich or highly flavored food stays in the memory.

And once a novelty wears off,

Boredom sets in.

But variety is important.

The drive for food variety appears to be an inborn and universal need.

It keeps us from eating only one type of food and is therefore an inherent mechanism for regulating diet.

But this is no longer as useful and necessary as it used to be.

So,

The best strategy is to moderately limit the variety of foods you keep in your home and put on your table,

Without becoming too regulated or nutritionally restricted.

Eat a variety of types of foods,

But restrict the number of foods within each category.

Determine by experimenting which foods you need within each food category.

You will then be able to determine a nutritionally balanced diet that offers some,

But not too much variety.

This is the key to staying with the weight management program while practicing good nutrition.

Reviews

Something to think about, thank you!