Why All Diets Fail? The Final Answers

Obesity Is Not Just Too Much Food and Too Little Exercise. New scientific evidence explains why all diets fail and how to succeed.

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More than half of the Western population is trying to lose weight. Despite more than 12,000 diet books and 1,500 different diets, the world wide epidemic of obesity is spreading like a wild fire that now threatens our children as well. Obesity in children is enough to prompt the prestigious John Hopkins Hospital into conducting gastric bypass surgery on selected kids age 12-18! People are tired of dieting, depressed about their failures and totally confused, thanks to numerous conflicting messages from experts who cannot seem to agree on anything other than that you should eat less and exercise a lot more.

Stress, it seems, is emerging as a leading cause for obesity and failure to understand it might well be paramount in our inability to lose weight. Stress can be external in nature such as long commutes, lack of control over the daily decision making at work, financial pressure, a difficult marriage or a rebellious child. Stress can also be internal in nature such as food intolerance leading to gut inflammation, dental fillings containing mercury, fat around the belly producing inflammatory cytokines, or poor dental hygiene causing gum disease. Stress, simple sugars and frequent use of antibiotics favors yeast overgrowth in the gut which makes you crave sugar even more. The possible effects of magnetic fields emitted by mobile phones and a number of other gadgets can increase oxidative stress. The toxic air we breathe, vegetables and fruits full of pesticides, and meat and dairy products containing estrogen and growth hormone that we eat, stress organs that were never equipped to deal with these bi-products of our so called “industrial age”.

In order to understand why diets fail, understanding the workings of your metabolism and how stress affects it is crucial. The term “Basic Metabolic Rate” refers to how much your body burns when you are asleep or involved in sedentary activities, which for most of us is the majority of our day. A small change in metabolism has a huge impact on your weight. Clearly, those who eat loads and do not gain weight have a higher metabolism than someone who eats little but piles on the pounds. So what determines your metabolic rate? 40% of our metabolic rate is determined by the activity of your thyroid hormone. The remainder is mainly determined by how much muscle we have, with genetics playing a minor role.

Fat is very light in weight. Think of it like snow. One kilogram of fat fills more than a two liter bottle of Coke yet burns only five calories per day, or the equivalent of one olive. One kilogram of muscle is half that size and burns a hundred calories per day or twenty olives. The truth is that for a number of reasons all diets succeed in the first few weeks, but they all ultimately fail for the same reason: more than half of the weight lost in most diets is loss of water and muscle, which very quickly slows down your metabolism. What counts is not how much you weigh but instead, how much extra fat you have. Stop obsessing with kilograms and pounds, and concentrate more on your muscle mass and the circumference of your waist. After age thirty, we lose 1% of our muscle mass each year, a loss of one third of our muscle by age 63.

The danger of all diets, especially when they are not balanced in terms of providing enough protein, is that you end up losing so much muscle that when you eventually stop cutting back on your restrictive eating (and all dieters eventually get tired of depriving themselves) the amount of food you ate before dieting will make you gain even more weight, as your metabolism is now slower.

This ‘yo-yo dieting’ (so named because you go down and right back up) reflects the body’s biologically inherited mechanism to ward off starvation. It’s ironic, but at a cellular level, the body cannot ‘mind read’ that abundant food is indeed everywhere. The body is now super-efficient in storing anything that it cannot immediately use as fat so that it will have reserves for the next time, it is denied nourishment. How can you fault this? On a cellular level, it has learned from constant dieting that there will be a “next time”. The more often you starve cells, the more efficient they become in storing fat. Some studies indicate that these mutated fat cells actually send out chemical signals that trigger the brain to continue feeding them beyond what the body needs at any given time, the cell’s way of saying, ‘I shall never go hungry again!’.

Too often thyroid lab tests that are quoted as “normal” fail to identify common cases of suboptimal thyroid function, also called sub-clinical hypothyroidism. The signs of sub-clinical hypothyroidism include inability to lose weight, sluggish memory, and lack of energy, constipation, dry skin and intolerance to cold. You need not have all these symptoms to be diagnosed with this condition. Stress also plays a major role. Stress triggers the release of a hormone from the adrenal, cortisol, to subdue physiological responses to stress. Dieting is by itself a major stressor to the body. Chronic cortisol secretion increases circulating blood sugar and contributes to muscle wasting. Chronic cortisol secretion inhibits the conversion of the less active T4 to the active T3 form of thyroid hormone.

The body produces cortisol hormones to deal with stress and inflammation utilizing some of the body’s cholesterol reserves. However, the sex hormones; testosterone in males and progesterone in females, are also produced from cholesterol. Too much stress forces the body to convert most cholesterol to cortisol leaving it deficient in sex hormones. Men end up with less than optimal testosterone levels which contribute to muscle wasting, osteoporosis, heart attacks, decreased memory, joint and muscle aches, depression and fat accumulating around their abdomen. Unlike women, men rarely seek help from a psychiatrist, therefore symptoms such as lack of energy , a constant state of feeling pissed off, or even depression more often go undiagnosed and, more importantly, uncorrected. In women, the increased cortisol production at the expense of progesterone leads to elevated anxiety, fears, boating and water retention, insomnia and increased pain around their period, as well as, increased bleeding. This mental and physical discomfort often leads to emotional eating and sweet cravings.

The fat cells that accumulate are not inert. They are active glands that produce hormones, such as leptin, which affects our appetite, as well as, inflammatory agents that contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes, and ultimately cause endothelial arterial damage leading to heart attacks. Fat cells also produce estrogens leading to breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men and colon cancer in both sexes.

Our body is designed to produce cortisol to deal with immediate dangers such as facing a lion when our ancestors went hunting or being in a near miss car accident today. Our bodies were not designed to deal with today’s chronic stress created by mobiles, emails, round-the-clock depressing news, and the financial burden created by subversive and pervasive television advertising combined with “buy-now-pay-later” credit. The body is designed to secrete some cortisol to deal with the acute inflammation produced by an animal bite when we went hunting. It is not designed for chronic inflammation created in a gut subjected to too much gluten from processed wheat or one where the indiscriminate use of antibiotics has lead to the destruction of friendly gut bacteria essential for utilizing beneficial components such as vitamins and minerals in the food we eat. Chronic inflammation of the vascular endothelium caused from overwhelming the body with excessive sugar creates a glycation process that leads to sugar binding to protein and fat in our brain. Glycation leads to shrinkage of the memory centers in the brain and ultimately to Alzheimer’s.

Physicians receive on average less than five hours of elective nutritional education throughout their medical schooling. Too many of them are obese and some are even smokers. If they cannot help themselves how can they help you? My wife, who left her career as a certified public accountant and went back to school to become a certified dietician, helped me build on the minimal information about diets and metabolism that I acquired while training to become a doctor.

A good weight management program needs to be developed by a team that aims to understand your unique metabolic code through identifying the underlying problems and addressing them as opposed to merely handing you the “diet de jour”. This starts by collecting plenty of information (at CosmeSurge you are asked to fill in an extensive questionnaire consisting of 250 questions), from which a great deal can be learned. Think about it, the time involved in reading and questioning the patient’s responses is something that a busy practitioner cannot do in the all-too-common fifteen minute consultation.

The patient is then asked to proceed with the appropriate assessments to confirm the physicians clinical impression using advanced diagnostics such as saliva testing to track cortisol levels throughout the day, genetic testing to identify common mistakes in our DNA that makes us prone to certain cancers, diabetes or heart attacks, and urine testing for toxic material in the body such as mercury or lead. Heavy metal toxicity is common and may be tricking the brain to slow down the thyroid gland that controls metabolism. A program is then created by our multi-disciplinary team of sub-specialists to suit the individual needs of each patient. We try to avoid drugs as often as possible in favor of education and awareness-based lifestyle changes. We also use therapeutic levels of certain vitamins and supplements to decrease inflammation and cortisol production, elevate insulin and regulate blood sugar, address blood lipids and affect blood pressure. These therapeutic levels are not found in a simple multivitamin pill. Patients are given easy to read material to assist them in their ongoing understanding of their unique physiology and its consequences. From working one-on-one with numerous patients, I’ve come up with a list of twenty of the worst diet mistakes. These are:

1. Drinking sugar-laden drinks, including fresh juices, especially when living in a country with a hot climate. Air conditioning dries up your mucosa so drinking fluids is a must. Nothing crosses your lips without calories or chemicals except water. Make water 90% of the liquid you consume daily.

2. Indulging excessively in alcohol. Alcohol contains Manitol, the fastest sugar that the body can absorb which stimulates insulin secretion resulting in uncontrollable hunger. All alcoholic drinks contribute to a “beer belly”, although, beer is the worst offender. Alcohol has very few carbohydrates or nutritional value, yet it contains seven calories per gram, compare that with four calories per gram of protein or carbohydrates and nine calories per gram of fat. In terms of calories, a glass of wine or scotch equals a small piece of cheese cake. Cheese cake has many calories but also has fat which makes you feel satisfied or full while alcohol makes you very hungry.

3. Believing that diet drinks keep you slender. Take a sip and immediately your taste buds become accustomed to its sweet taste and will demand similar sweet sensation for hours afterward. After drinking a diet cola for instance, an apple does not taste nearly so appetizing. Your taste buds then demand apple pie, chocolate or ice cream. In contrast, an apple tastes sweet indeed after drinking water. In addition, the phosphorus in diet drinks ruins your teeth and interferes with calcium absorption in the gut. Caffeine in some diet drinks increases stress levels too. An active ingredient, the artificial sweetener aspartame, can cause attention deficit in children and certain cancers in rats. Some airlines are asking their pilots to sign a pledge in their new contracts not to use aspartame. Diet drinks are also loaded with chemicals. While a powerful cleanser couldn’t remove a stain on our kitchen floor, a diet drink can! This simple experiment impressed the heck out of my children.

4. Poor sleep habits. A rule of thumb is if you are sleepy during the day you are not sleeping enough at night. If you do not get enough sleep your body demands more sugar to provide the energy it lacks. A craving for food is very often a craving for more rest. Staying up late and having a big meal before going to sleep when the metabolism is at its slowest make you gain weight and interferes with sleep.

5. Skipping breakfast because you are not hungry. This is often caused by eating so late at night that you convince yourself breakfast isn’t necessary and, consequentially, that you’ll reduce your daily caloric intake. Eating breakfast shifts your metabolism into higher gear. Studies repeatedly show that those who skip breakfast consume more calories throughout the remainder of the day.

6. Eating too much meat. Change your thinking a bit by making meat the accompaniment to a meal rich in legumes and vegetables; almost a side dish. Stay away from processed meats such as salami or bologna. Lamb is the best meat as it is the richest food on earth in glutamine a precursor for the powerful anti-oxidant glutathione. It is usually organically fed and the fat in it is like fish oil (DHA). Glutamine is the best food for friendly bacteria in the gut while simple sugars are the best food for cancer cells and unfriendly yeast.

7. Stuffing yourself at the infamous all-you-can-eat buffets in order to get your money's worth. In my view, buffet feast is copious but is rarely delicious, so we keep trying to find something good by trying a number of poor tasting dishes. Consider the medical costs of carrying too much body fat, or if that doesn’t work, the money spent on gym memberships, diet books and tapes, or slimming undergarments that would be saved by avoiding the temptation to eat-your-money’s-worth.

8. Starving all day then binging out of control. You should have three meals and one or two snacks to keep a well charged metabolism.

9. Thinking that smoking makes you lose weight. In fact, it interferes with the ability to exercise and, therefore, makes you gain weight. People who quit gain an average of three kilograms but are much better off in the long run.

10. Stocking juices, chocolates, desserts and nuts supposedly for guests, but eating most of it yourself. You are what you eat. You are what you put in your grocery store cart. Read the labels. Get familiar with the many names sugar goes under, the fats and additives that are used as flavor enhancers, and the chemicals that are added to make products last for months. You shall be doing your guests, your family, and yourself a favor by not having tempting foods in the house. Meet your friends for a drink; have a can of olives on hand or vegetables ready to cut up and nibble on if guests stop in; suggest you go out for an ice cream or dessert if truly desired. At least you’ll utilize some energy by going in quest of a bad food choice, as well as, allow sufficient time to dissuade yourself or settle on a healthier substitute. As for unhealthy snack items, supposedly ‘for the kids’, remember, kids (eventually) follow your lead. Teach them through example that a handful of mixed nuts make a good and tasty snack, as does a piece of fruit. If you must have chips or crackers in the house, make certain they are prepackaged into ‘serving sizes’ and allow your children one serving. Individuals allowed to eat out of the bag will typically eat 4-5 ‘servings’ of these tasty empty calories, reducing their appetite for healthy food choices.

11. “I want to be thin because ….” Motivation to lose weight is most often prompted by an upcoming wedding, a class reunion, to spur a partner’s attraction or after being overlooked for a job promotion. The thought process goes something like, “If I were thin… he/ she would love me; I would wow those people who I haven’t seen for years; I would have gotten that job.” Most individuals who lose weight for the sake of others’ opinions are shaken when they realize that it does not solve life’s other problems, and it can not make others love or even like them. The disappointment is often enough to have them regain their lost weight and more. Food dulls pain, and provides a substitute for love and acceptance.

When you think about why you want to lose weight it must be for yourself. “I want to be thin because”… I shall be able to dance for hours at the wedding or reunion without having to stop, because I can more confidently look for another job or spouse. It can also be because I want to be in great shape when the kids leave home so that I can pursue active hobbies and travel in my spare time or simply, because I want to feel better than I do at the weight I am, are all attainable and, therefore, positive rather than unreasonable motivation.

12. Consuming fast foods on a regular basis. Anyone who eats fast food more than once a week is endangering their health and should watch the movie “Super Size Me” where the previously healthy film-maker went on a thirty-day-McDonald’s-only eating plan, gained thirty pounds and almost died!

13. Believing in fad diets: chemical diet, Atkins diet, liquid diets and diets focused on blood groups among others. Just because it worked for Oprah, Dr. Phil, Madonna, or even your next door neighbor does not mean that it is healthy, safe, or that the weight loss it initially provides can be maintained. Many fad diets exclude foods that, in moderation, are necessary for health. It is actually good that most individuals ‘fail’ on such diets, for if one were to be able to stay within their dietary strictures for any longer than a month, most will harm the body. Without a balanced diet, the body simply will not go in to its fat stores; it goes in to the most readily metabolized source of blood sugar, its own protein. This is well represented by gaunt cheeks and sagging skin (the connective protein tissue, elastin), sallow skin tone (the protein hemoglobin), brittle nails and hair (the protein collagen), and dulled responses (muscle protein).

14. Eating more bread, pasta and potatoes than lean meats, legumes, fruits and vegetables. At the very least, choose whole-wheat flour for its fiber, vitamin, and mineral content.

15. Relying on fat and oil to give food a taste instead of spices, garlic, pickles, mustard and onions; the lost art of home cooking should be rediscovered based on Mediterranean and Thai cuisines, two of the healthiest and tastiest in the world. A side note about oils is the pervasive thinking that olive oil is less fattening than other oils or butter. It is just as fattening but because it is rich with high density fat is far less likely to block the arteries. Don’t overdo the olive oil thing!

16. Watching too much television. Sitting still for hours bombarded by food ads and eating while glued to the TV.

17. Not scheduling exercise as a vital part of your day and week. Leaving exercise up to your mood and available time

18. Hanging around the kitchen: build a career instead, get a job or at least do your own housework, as opposed to relying on maids, nannies and gardeners.

19. Unreasonable expectations: Most people determine to lose impractical amounts of weight in an impossible amount of time. Perhaps this is because they have been able, with past starvation diets, to do so. Maybe they are unwilling to commit to losing the ‘friend’ that food has been to them for any longer than absolutely necessary. It’s the extra servings over time that has resulted in their weight gain, the excess calories represented in a series of poor choices and not just ‘that carton of ice cream I let myself buy the other day!’

Most studies show that for the body not to be traumatized into thinking it is being starved, weight should be reduced no more than 1 ½ - 2 pounds or half a kg per week through a combination of reducing portion sizes, increasing exercise, and making less calorie laden choices. Each one of these represents a changed habit, and a very slow reward.

Set goals such as: “I shall exercise 30 minutes a day for two days this week and add one day each week this month until I am exercising four out of 7 days a week”; “I shall pack a healthy lunch three days a week instead of going out’; “I shall switch to skim milk and yoghurt this week, add low fat cheese next week, and low calorie butter and salad dressings by the end of the month.” Each is measurable, achievable, and over time will result in gradual weight loss without feeling deprived. It is not going to result in overnight transformation, but these positive gradual changes will take the unwanted weight off the same way it got there, one day at a time.

20. Not paying any attention to spiritual issues or philanthropic pursuits while overemphasizing selfishness and reliance on material things. The resulting alienation and emptiness is a clear recipe for depression and for eating to fill the void.

Avoid making the twenty dieting mistakes by reading the above list at least once a month; it is amazing how quickly we forget information and enjoy life the way you want it: slimmer, healthier and more beautiful. Let your motto be habits not diets.

New habits are hard to learn. It takes three months to internalize a new habit, so go slow but keep at it. After all, your true wealth is your health. I am always amazed at people who fine tune their cars every six months but neglect to fine tune their body and their health. You should visit the dentist to clean hard calcium deposits and check your gums as often as you fine tune your car!

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