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You May be Losing Weight…But Your Diet Isn’t Working.
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Weight Loss Insight from an Online Dietitian / Nutritionist Calgary

By Registered Dietitian Kate Chury, on our nutrition counseling team (Online Dietitian / Nutritionist Calgary specializing in weight concerns and disordered eating)

Dear Chronic Dieters,

I hear you. You tell me that dieting always works for you. You always lose weight when you cut out this or that food, or when you follow a certain type of plan. You are always able to lose the weight when you put your mind to it. You measure your success by the weight lost.

Weight loss insight from a Calgary nutritionist / dietitian online - you may be losing weight but your diet isn't working

I’m here to tell you that these weight loss diets aren’t a success, despite the weight loss. You may have lost weight but these diets have not worked.

You’ve had success with weight loss diets but you think about food all the time (like ALL the time). You’ve had success with diets but it’s made eating the foods you enjoy cause feelings of guilt and shame. You’ve had success with these diets but you are miserable. You eat different foods than your family. You can’t attend a social event without worrying about the food. You have a lot of regret after eating a certain type or amount of food. You binge in private. Considering all this, can we really call the weight loss or these diets a success? This type of “success” comes with a huge sacrifice. Your thoughts should not be consumed with food. Eating should not take up so much mental energy.

You’ve had success with your diets but the weight loss has never lasted. You may attribute this weight regain to a number of factors – lack of willpower, a job change, boredom, or some other stressful life event but you do still feel that these diets work. If only you could stick to them.These diets have caused you to lose so much more than weight. These things that you’ve lost along the way don’t bounce back as fast as the weight does. Or ever. You regain the weight but the food guilt and restrictive thoughts stick around. You punish yourself for your body just doing what it was meant to do. Survive. Your body doesn’t know that the starvation (i.e. diet) was on purpose. It doesn’t know you wanted to deprive it from nutrients so you can fit a smaller clothing size. It reacts by slowing down metabolism, in an attempt to preserve itself. To survive. When you inevitably drop the diet, your body says “Oh, thank goodness!” and over compensates for the restriction. As an Online Dietitian / Nutritionist Calgary I’ve noticed this can come in the form of bingeing and/or weight gain.

It’s not your fault, though. Dieting is an easy trap to fall into. It can become a vicious cycle. It often does. We are surrounded by messages to lose weight. Diets are advertised to us everywhere. They promise results. They promise a new you. They promise happiness. They say their diets are so easy you can’t fail. Well, they are right about about something. You don’t fail on these diets. These diets fail you. The problem is that these diets weren’t made with you in mind. Very few people can follow these restrictive plans. These diets continually over promise and under deliver.

Now what? If restrictive diets don’t work in the long run…then what? If not dieting, what do you do? Nothing?

As a Calgary Dietitian and Online Nutritionist, I’m certainly not here to tell you that it’s wrong to want to lose weight. However, spending a lifetime hopping on and off different diets just doesn’t work. I think deep down you know that. It’s time to stop hunting for that “one diet” that will just work for you. It’s time for something different. It’s time to look at health and your weight from a different perspective. Your weight isn’t the only thing that determines your health.

I know it’s scary to drop the diets. I know it’s scary to do exactly what all those diets told you not to do. But…those diets didn’t deliver long term success or happiness, did they?

Focus on health. Focus on the things which make you happy. Focus on moving your body, not to expend calories but make your body feel good. Focus on giving yourself foods that energize and nourish your body. Focus on what you can add to your diet, rather than what you “should” take away. Give yourself permission to eat ALL foods, even those that don’t fit into the category of “healthy” foods. Focus on healthy ways in which to deal with stress and emotions, ways that do not include food. Focus on getting enough sleep. Focus on making your heart full so that the number on the scale doesn’t matter as much.

Now, the difference between what I do as a Registered Dietitian Online (or in our local Calgary Nutritionist office) and these restrictive diets is that I can never promise (or, rather falsely promise) you a certain amount of weight loss. I don’t even know what a healthy weight for you is. I can make an estimation based on your height and body type but it’s just that, an estimation. A healthy weight is dependent on a number of factors and is very individualized. The scale isn’t the best or only indicator of your health.

I can’t in good conscience encourage an eating plan that will severely underfeed and deprive you. While you may get immediate results with a restrictive diet, these results won’t be sustainable in the long term. I can, however, help you to include (and hopefully enjoy) a healthful range of foods. I can help you identify behaviours that may be influencing your weight. I can help you learn to identify your hunger and fullness cues. I can help you break free from all those diet rules that you’ve internalized over your many years of dieting. Doesn’t that sound better than going on yet another diet?

If you are tired of dieting and looking for something different, it’s probably time for a change. You certainly won’t find the change you want in another pre-made diet that doesn’t take you and your environment, preferences, and unique health history into consideration. The only way to find the change you want is to form it yourself, and I can help guide you. I can be your copilot, your guide, and your own personal “google” for diet information. Why not give me a call?

Looking for more information on weight loss dietitian nutrition counseling?

Our dietitian Calgary and online nutritionist services can’t guarantee weight loss (no one can!) but we can guarantee we will do everything we can to help you move towards your personal best weight and a sustainable lifestyle. You won’t find any weird fad diets, unnecessary food restrictions and anyone trying to sell you shakes, supplements or so-called miracle cures here. As university trained Registered Dietitians, you can count on us for credible advice and practical meal planning so you don’t have to stress about food anymore. You can achieve a healthy and joyous relationship with food and your body. Let’s talk about what this can look like for you. CONTACT US.

As Registered Dietitians that specialize in weight concerns, emotional eating and disordered eating we can see you in our local Calgary nutritionist office or as an Online Dietitian by phone or video conferencing for virtual nutrition counseling. Read more about our nutrition counseling programs and book an appointment by our experienced Registered Dietitian team here: NUTRITION COUNSELING

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Success stories

"I am a psychologist in private practice and it is very important to me that my clients have the best care with other health care professionals. For that reason Health Stand Nutrition is my only source for exceptional Dietitians. Andrea and her team provide highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and real world support to my clients who require assistance with food lifestyle. I trust my clients to them and you would be in excellent hands making them part of your health care team."
Adele Fox, Psychologist
“This is the first time I feel satisfied; my cravings have diminished dramatically and I have a whole new relationship with food. I am eating guilt-free for the first time in my life. My energy has also dramatically increased and I feel great!
Rhonda Jenkins, Nutrition Counseling Client
“The Dieticians at Health Stand Nutrition help you to take action on the science behind eating well by making it practical, understandable, and fun. Their office is cozy and not at all clinical or intimidating. I felt like I was sitting down with a really smart, caring friend who wanted to help me make the best choices for my lifestyle and food preferences. They really are the best in the business.”
Marty Avery, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I have come to think of the program as a one stop shopping excursion for everything one needs to know about creating a joyous relationship with food and our bodies. In a single word, the course has gifted me with freedom from the punishing rigidity of disordered eating, old stories that never were true, and body dysmorphia that did nothing but make me lose sight of a body that has done everything I've asked, despite my careless dismissal of her needs. Now when I look in the mirror I find myself shifting from harsh criticism to gentle gratitude.”
Lynn Haley, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“I spent 3 hours when first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I learned more from my Dietitian about food in those 3 hours than I had learned in all the years of my life. I also love the newsletter, there is always something to learn.”
Peter Whitehead, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I didn’t realize how strong my “diet mentality” was, and all the rules I had in my head about food. I was in a cycle of reward/punish/binge/cringe. I booked with your business very reluctantly, on the repeated advice of my doctor, to get my slowly rising cholesterol levels in check. I thought I knew everything about food, and my behaviour with food, but I was definitely re-schooled. My weight is creeping down, I feel good about my diet, exercise, body image, and lifestyle.”
Amy Floyd, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Thanks Andrea for an amazing presentation, I have heard all positive remarks from attendees and the evaluations show the same sentiment. It is really gratifying when a speaker does their “homework” and weaves in our profession’s day to day challenges within their content, you did an awesome job of this! You truly took the “die” out of Dietician! Your information on healthy eating and simplifying how we can work towards this as we are all so busy really hit the mark. Andrea connects very well with her audience; she is energetic, funny, and very approachable.”
Carole Ann LaGrange, Transfusion Medicine Safety Officer

Event Planner for Laboratory Diagnostic Imaging Annual Event

I am a family physician who sees patients with a myriad of eating concerns – from wanting to know how to plan healthy meals for active families, to weight loss, to eating disorders, and so on. I cannot recommend the Health Stand team highly enough. I have worked with (and been to!) other Dieticians in the past and too often find that they just ask for food logs and make suggestions that are easily obtained online or in books. The Dieticians at Health Stand offer much more than just telling clients what they “should be eating.” In contrast, the team really does more of a counselling practice, and they work hard to help their clients learn more about why their eating habits may be off track and not optimal for them, as well as helping people to effect change at a deep level that, most importantly, is sustainable for lifetime health.”
Dr. Deb Putnam, Family Physician

Nutrition Counseling Client & Referring Physician

“I am a busy mom, with kids in high level sports, working full-time downtown, and running our home acreage outside the City. I now have the knowledge and tools I need to plan for and manage the chaos of meal planning.”
Gillian Gray, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“As a construction company, we select speakers who can relate to our industry and its employees. Andrea’s message was delivered with humor and empathy. She makes people feel as though they can make changes without leaving behind every favorite food. Andrea focused her presentation on healthy eating as a way to keep energy high throughout the day. This message and the way it was delivered resonated with our predominantly male, blue collar culture. I would highly recommend Andrea as a speaker for groups such as ours. She will get your message across without alienating anyone in your audience – which is a huge hurdle when trying to introduce a wellness program in the workplace!”
Stephanie Wood, HR and Safety Manager

Fisher Construction Group, Burlington, WA

I found my Dietitian warm, funny, and skilled at teaching nutrition concepts without the overwhelm. The general approach of each session was to mix science with emotion, which was exceedingly effective in helping me shift my perspective on food from one of anxiety to one of joy and curiosity.”
Erin Kronstedt, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Excellent presentation! What a refreshing change to have a speaker inspire rather than “lecture” about nutrition. Your captivating stories, tips and overall approach to healthy eating uplifts and puts people at ease. It was great to hear we don’t need to strive to be perfect eaters, and that small changes really can make a difference in how we feel and in our health. Thanks to Andrea, we have solutions to our everyday nutrition challenges that can actually work in real life!”
Tina Tamagi, Human Resources

ARC Resources Ltd.

“Had I not joined this course I would have struggled with no focus, low energy, and mindless eating. Excellent teaching and motivation. This is not just a course, it is a nutrition club with mentorship, support, and connections with other people with similar situations.”
Lorri Lawrence, Pursuit of Healthiness online course participant

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