We hear a lot about how the research shows that almost everyone who attempts weight loss loses weight short term and then gains it back long-term, and while being whatever size someone ends up isn't a problem, it is a problem that everyone from mothers to doctors are asking people to do something that nobody can prove is possible for a reason that nobody can prove is valid. But it gets worse, because there are dangerous downsides to dieting.
Also known as yo-yo dieting, this is what tends to happen when people go on more than one diet, as they lose weight and gain it back repeatedly.
Predators using weight loss failure to push dangerous and deadly "solutions"Consider weight cycling as an example. Attempts to lose weight typically result in weight cycling, and such attempts are more common among [fat] individuals [ 62]. Weight cycling results in increased inflammation, which in turn is known to increase risk for many [fat]-associated diseases [ 63]. Other potential mechanisms by which weight cycling contributes to morbidity include hypertension, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia [ 64]. Research also indicates that weight fluctuation is associated with poorer cardiovascular outcomes and increased mortality risk [ 64- 68]. Weight cycling can account for all of the excess mortality associated with [fatness] in both the Framingham Heart Study [ 69] and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) [ 70]. It may be, therefore, that the association between weight and health risk can be better attributed to weight cycling than adiposity itself [ 63].
Source: https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-10-9
Companies (and their secret lobbyists) who peddle deadly diet drugs and barbaric surgeries that, if they don't kill us, can completely ruin our quality of life, have a new marketing strategy. They admit that almost nobody succeeds at intentional weight loss, but then they use that as a reason that more, and younger, people should be subjected to the dangers of the so-called "solutions" that they sell at an enormous profit.
Eating DisordersWe often hear that not every diet becomes an eating disorder, but every eating disorder starts with a diet. Dieting itself often meets the definition of disordered eating. And there is no way to tell if you'll be just another person who failed at dieting, or if you'll end up in a fight for your life with an eating disorder.
According to NEDA (the National Eating Disorders Association)
In a large study of 14- and 15-year-olds, dieting was the most important predictor of a developing eating disorder. Those who dieted moderately were 5x more likely to develop an eating disorder, and those who practiced extreme restriction were 18x more likely to develop an eating disorder than those who did not diet.
So it's not just that dieting is unlikely to help us get healthier or thinner (two separate things,) it's that dieting is likely to harm us. Saying no to diets is self-care.
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Book and Dance Class Sale! I'm on a journey to complete an IRON-distance triathlon, and I'm having a sale on all my books, DVDs, and digital downloads to help pay for it. You get books and dance classes, I get spandex clothes and bike parts. Everybody wins! If you want, you can check it out here! ( DancesWithFat Members get an even better deal, make sure to make your purchases from the Members Page!)
Book Me! I'd love to speak to your organization. You can get more information here or just e-mail me at ragen at danceswithfat dot org!
I'm (still!) training for an Iron-distance triathlon! You can follow my journey at www.IronFat.com .
If you are uncomfortable with my offering things for sale on this site, you are invited to check out this post.
Hi, I'm Ragen Chastain. Speaker, Writer, Dancer, Choreographer, Marathoner, Soon to be Iron-distance triathlete, Activist, Fat Person. View all posts by Ragen Chastain
