When I was around 9 or 10, I started noticing diets advertised on the front covers of the magazines in the checkout line at the grocery store. I remember the boxes of SlimFast drinks and bars piled high in the aisles. Later, the Atkins Diet became the diet of the moment. At any given time, there was some sort of diet that it seemed like everyone was talking about and trying. 

All of these diets had a few things in common. 

1. Old School Diets have Old School Scales at the forefront.

We all know that image of a hopeful woman stepping on a scale, and the number that appears setting the tone for her day.

Maybe you’ve experienced this yourself. Either you’re ecstatic that went down, or frustrated because it didn’t.

Right?

And while there’s nothing inherently wrong with using the scale as one tool in the toolbox, the problem comes in when Old School Scales reduce all your hard work, all your effort, and all that your body is doing to one little number.

The number on the scale doesn’t take into account that…

• You may have lost fat while simultaneously gaining muscle (a good thing!), resulting in the overall number being roughly the same or even a little higher. 
• You’ve been struggling with this issue for years or even decades, and working on making a change for a week or a month. You’ve yo-yo dieted over the years and your body needs time to heal and reset your metabolism. 
• There is a lot going on inside your body that you can’t see. Your body is working hard to integrate all the good things you’re putting into it. 
• You’re starting to see non-scale victories (NSVs)  – maybe you have more energy, your mood has improved, your clothes are fitting better, you’re sleeping more deeply, you’re feeling good about taking better care of yourself, your skin is glowing, or any number of other benefits of a healthy lifestyle!

2. Old School Diets prioritize speed over sustainability.

We’ve all seen the headlines. Drop 3 dress sizes in a week! Melt the pounds away! 

And honestly, it is possible lose weight quickly. If you’ve struggled with extra weight for many years, you probably know exactly how to do that (or what used to work before you hit menopause, turned 60, etc…). 

Losing weight quickly isn’t the issue – keeping it off is the real challenge. 

When you focus all your energy on losing the most weight possible in the shortest time possible, you miss out on learning how to do it in a way that’s real and lasting. 

3. Old School Diets rely on over-restriction and over-exercising.

Diets that require extreme calorie restriction or overly intense exercise can help you lose weight in the short term, but are often impossible to maintain. 

They put your body in fight or flight and throw your blood sugar out of balance, leaving you anxious, constipated, hungry, and exhausted. 

Old School Diets typically start off with excitement and hope but quickly fizzle out.

When your meal plans and exercise routines feel like punishment, you subconsciously – or even consciously – avoid following them. It has nothing to do with willpower or laziness, and everything to do with Old School Diets being unsustainable. 

A new way of thinking: wellness over weight loss

Going from stuck in the cycle of Old School Diets to feeling better than you have in years is simpler than you might think. Although the diet industry can make it feel like losing weight and getting healthy has to be a battle, it doesn’t.  

It is possible to achieve your best health and fitness without obsessing over the scale, doing everything possible to drop a lot of weight quickly, going hungry, or crazy workout routines. 

What your body (and mind and spirit) truly needs is mindful eating, gentle movement, and self care. 

When you fuel your body with balanced, satisfying meals, move your body in a way that feels good, and prioritize taking good care of yourself, you’ll feel more energetic, reduce your stress levels, improve your digestion, sleep better, AND release extra weight naturally in the process.

You’ll start to see benefits show up in every area of life – more joy with friends and family, less anxiety and mood swings, more productivity at work and at home, more confidence and drive to accomplish your goals and create a life you love.