Restrictive diets “always backfire.” The nutritionist suggests finding nutritious foods that you enjoy

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It’s a new year, which means many of us have made a vow to fulfill lofty health aspirations just one week after we stretched our bellies on one of the greatest indulgent days of the year, Christmas Day.

But there is some good news – the stomach organ is muscular, so it is flexible and can return to its normal shape.

As for our New Year’s resolutions, health educator Dr. Fiona Wheeler says so Much better for building a good relationship with food to reach long term goals Restricting calories or eliminating entire food groups.

abdominal mechanics

Stomach capacity can usually fluctuate from a capacity of 500ml to about 2 liters, says Dr Wheeler, who specializes in nutrition and food psychology at Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

The stomach contains “mechanoreceptors,” she says, which sense when there is a stretch in the stomach and can help signal a “feeling of fullness” to the brain.

Woman wearing glasses and a white jacket. She has shoulder length hair. Trees behind.
Fiona Wheeler says research shows that restrictive diets don’t produce long-term results.(ABC News: Erin Cooper)

“When we do a stomach stretch frequently, as we often do during the Christmas season, we tend to be less able to feel a stretch in the stomach,” says Dr. Wheeler.

Fortunately, Dr. Wheeler says the stomach can return to its pre-Christmas size in just a few days.

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An international obesity expert says diet alone is not enough. It takes a team of surgeons and psychologists to make it happen.

But she cautions people to take a “restrictive” approach to their diet if they hope to lose weight this year.

“Restrictions aren’t good psychologically—it means we actually get a higher drive to eat the things we tell ourselves we shouldn’t eat,” says Dr. Wheeler.

“Humans like to protect their autonomy at every turn. That’s just the way we do it.

“So restricting is always counterproductive, and whatever we tell ourselves we can’t eat is what our brain is giving us.” [the thing] We want to eat. We are all rebels at heart.”

So what can we do?

To get your stomach and brain in sync, Dr. Wheeler says, you need to listen closely to your body.

“It’s the realization that when we’re hungry, especially after we’ve eaten for a while, our hunger cues may not be calibrated in the first place. [usual] “The way,” you say.

To apply this, she says you need to envision what a “fun” eating day would look like for you, including nutrition Foods that make you feel energized, and eat such foods for a few days.

It’s important to include “staple foods,” Dr. Wheeler says, which are basically less processed, nutrient-dense food items.

These include meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy products.

“The body needs essential foods to function properly…and if you eat too many non-essential foods, you won’t have room in your day.” [nutritional meals]”, as you say.

A recipe for long-term success

“Diets don’t work,” says Dr. Wheeler.

In essence, she says, eating well is relatively simple — you just need to make sure you enjoy the food you choose.

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