5. If I Stop Dieting, Won’t I Just Keep Gaining Weight?

One of the most common concerns people have when they’re at the place where they are ready to step away from dieting and learn how to apply the principles of Intuitive Eating is if they stop dieting, they will keep gaining weight.

When you've been following diets and food plans for so long, the idea of getting to the place where you can fully trust that your body knows how to keep you nourished and thriving, without going overboard with certain foods can seem too good to be true.

In this episode I break down the different factors that can impact weight changes in the early phases of Intuitive Eating and how Intuitive Eating will help you reach and maintain YOUR ideal, maintainable weight. I also share some of the potential consequences of weight cycling and why it’s so important to our health outcomes to stop the vicious cycle of dieting, so you get to and maintain your body’s biological set point weight.

Studies referenced in this episode:

Association of weight change, weight control practices, and weight cycling among women in the Nurses' Health Study II (Field et al. 2004; CW)

The Weight-Inclusive versus Weight-Normative Approach to Health: Evaluating the Evidence for Prioritizing Well-Being over Weight Loss (Tylka et al. 2014; CW)

Body Weight Fluctuation as a Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes: Results from a Nationwide Cohort Study (Park et al. 2019; CW)