Why I Don't Diet Anymore

I'm one of those girls who has tried pretty much every diet out there - starting with Weight Watchers at the age of 14 I've since worked my way through the 5:2 diet, no carbs, the 8 hour diet, high protein, plant based, the list goes on. OK so I've just googled a list of popular diets and realised I definitely haven't tried pretty much every diet out there, but you catch my drift. I've tried a fair few and I had been dieting on and off for about 10 years.

I don't think there's necessarily anything bad with dieting as long as people are sensible about it - my mum has just lost over 3 stone with Slimming World and I'm so proud of her as that's weight she's been wanting to shift for as long as I can remember and she looks incredible. Despite not having anything against dieting, I wanted to talk about why I no longer diet (aside from the fact that I just like food too darn much). 

Over the past year my attitude to health and fitness has massively changed (probably due to my old age - sob) and I feel so much happier for it. Previously I dieted and exercised in order to try and change the way my body looked. Now I eat a balanced diet and exercise to benefit my health and fitness, which I've realised is what's important. Over the 10 years that I dieted my body really hadn't changed that much and I think that's because I was restricting myself so much for certain periods that I'd end up bingeing and I was in a cycle of the yo-yo style of eating that's actually really bad for you.

I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to change your body if you're not happy with it - I'd definitely still like to be more toned, but I'm trying to more careful and not beating myself up too much if I just want a pizza or some chocolate (which let's face it is quite often). I definitely have days where I wish I could lose weight, but I never turn to calorie counting anymore and will just workout harder instead and try to think of losing weight as a consequence rather than a goal. 

I feel happier because I'm not trying to change. Sure, there are things about my body that I hate, but I'm much happier attempting to accept them rather than trying to change them. I feel better after a workout because I know it's benefited my fitness rather than feeling down because I haven't miraculously got thinner straight away. And I enjoy healthy food more because it no longer seems like a chore to eat it because I balance it out with unhealthy food at the weekend! 

Do you diet? What's your opinion on this?

Amy x