How accurate are your perceptions about dieting and weight loss? Take the Dieting and Weight Loss Quiz to find out.
1) Dieting is good True or False
2) If you want to lose weight, you should eat less than 1400 calories a day True or False
3) If I am careful with what I eat, I do not need to exercise True or False
4) The quicker I lose weight, the better True or False
5) Most people who diet and lose weight manage to maintain the loss True or False
6) I should admire people who do not give in to their hunger True or False
7) I should drink as much water as possible True or False
8) I should not eat any fat if I want to lose weight True of False
Answer Guide to the Dieting and Weight loss quiz
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1) Dieting is good: False
The word dieting implies that someone is going to deprive him or herself for a set amount of time until the desired amount of weight is lost. Diets are usually ineffective for many reasons.
Why are diets problematic? Diets are problematic for many reasons.
* They increase preoccupation with food and the likelihood of Overeating or Binging
* They can slow down a person’s metabolism
* The body defends it’s set point making weigh loss difficult
* They are usually too strict and unrealistic
* They imply a temporary change
* People feel badly when they can’t follow them and they become discouraged with themselves.
* They make certain foods even more appealing because people naturally want what is ‘forbidden’.
* Chronic dieting raises the set-point
The Better Way changing a person’s overall relationship with food is a more effective technique to achieve sustained weight loss. Sustained weight loss requires a lifestyle change: eating healthier and exercising. Lifestyle changes are permanent as opposed to a diet, which is temporary and necessitates eating less than one would naturally want. Lifestyle changes such as consistent exercise and proper nutrition can actually re-set the set point.
2) If you want to lose weight, you should eat less than 1400 calories a day: False
The exact amount of calories a person needs to consume a day depends upon personal data such as age, height, activity level, muscle mass, nutritional status, blood sugar fluctuations, climate, genetics, and frame.
Consuming less than 1400 calories a day is usually ‘too restrictive’. For example, the Average healthy adult female needs more than 1650 calories a day and more if she is physically active. Restricting calories through strict dieting causes the metabolic rate to decrease as the body attempts to conserve fat and energy.
3) If I am careful with what I eat, I do not need to exercise: False
People who attempt to lose weight without exercising usually reach a plateau. Exercising helps people achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Also, consistent. Exercise also helps to lower a person’s set point weight. For most people, the exercise recommendation is 30 to 60 minutes a day of moderate aerobic exercise and Strength training about two or three times per week. Please check with your doctor before embarking upon any exercise routine.
Exercise is effective when it is a lifetime habit, and not something temporary. Incorporating exercise into a daily routine much like brushing your teeth like brushing your teeth is part of your daily routine, is an essential part of the process of maintaining a healthy weigh and body for a lifetime.
4) The quicker I lose weight, the better: False
On average, losing more than two pounds a week for women is unhealthy. Rapid weight loss generally indicates a loss of water and muscle mass. This weight is often quick to return. In contrast, slow weight loss indicates a loss of body fat.
5) Most people who diet and lose weight manage to maintain the loss: False
The majority of people who diet regain their weight. Permanent weight loss is best achieved through lifestyle changes. People may initially lose weight through dieting, but they may have lost weight without actually resetting their set point. Therefore their body tends to return to its previous weight.
6) I should admire people who do not give in to their hunger: False
Food is fuel and bodies need food for nourishment. People who do not “give in to their hunger” are not acknowledging their body’s need for energy. The lack of “fuel” damages people’s physical and emotional health, and can cause many undesirable and even dangerous side effects.
Effects of semi- starvation and starvation include but are not limited to:
* Food preoccupation
* Binge eating
* Difficulty concentrating
* Decreased metabolism
* Social withdraw
* Constipation
* Depression
* Anxiety
* Irritability
* Apathy
* Bloating
* Brittle nails/hair
* Difficulty sleeping
* Intense cravings for sweets
* Insatiable hunger
7) I should drink as much water as possible: False
While staying hydrated is important, drinking too much water is unnecessary and can even be medically dangerous. Drinking too much water can cause the level of salt in the body to drop too low, which is a condition called hyponatremia. It can be fatal. . To be safe, check with your doctor or a nutritionist about the amount of water you should be consuming daily. The amount of water you need depends on your height, weight, level of physical activity, and climate. For most people 8 glasses of water a day is fine.
8) I should not eat any fat if I want to lose weight: False
25% to 30% of your calories should come from fat. Without enough fat the body has difficulty absorbing vitamins. Also, fat is essential in helping to satisfy hunger. However, there is a difference between saturated and unsaturated fat. About two –thirds of your total fat content be from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Saturated fat should only make up about one-third or less of your total fat consumption. The healthiest sources of fat are from fish as well as plant based foods such as avocados, nuts, and olive oil.
Are you comfortable with the results from your answers of the dieting and weight loss quiz? If the answer is no, keeping reading more self help articles or call today to schedule an appointment for Eating Disorder Therapy at The Center for Growth.
