Why Low-Calorie Dieting Works For Me

There is no one-size fits all for dieting. Even in my own house, my brother is doing a low carb diet, my sister works out and I am doing a low-calorie diet. My dad is on a unique, go-to-the-gym-just-to-use-the-sauna kind of diet.

However, I think that this particular diet may work for people who approach it and enjoy the same things I do, so I thought I might share why I think this diet, after the gazillion ones I have tried, has worked so well for me so far. I hope this helps someone out there.

These are the things about me that I think mesh well with low-calorie dieting:

Obsessive-Compulsive and/or Addictive Personality
One of the reasons I gained a lot of weight is because I easily get addicted to things. Whether it be food, makeup, crafting, purses, TV couples, you name it - once I get started, I can't stop. I have to know every little thing about it and own every thing having to do with it. So how do I make that same trait work for me? I get addicted to entering food into MyFitnessPal on my iPhone. I love using the barcode scanner, as I mentioned in my previous post, and keeping a running diary of what I've eaten. It took the entire "chore" aspect of it out of the way.

Lover of Challenges and/or Puzzles
I love a challenge! You do NOT want to play boardgames with me, I can get vicious! However, by treating this diet as a game, I am loving finding ways to fit as much flavorful food into those 1350 calories I allot myself each day. I love discovering new low-calorie snacks and recipes to put in my arsenal as I try to defeat my excess weight.

Math/Science Geek
This diet is a game of numbers. As long as you eat less calories than your body naturally burns, then you are losing weight. It's so simple, but I am almost 30 years old and just now realizing how profound that is.

Impatient for Results
I tried the pills, the low carb, the meal deliveries, etc., etc., and none of them worked. Why? I was suffering with no results, or really minor results. With this low-calorie diet, I lost 5 pounds almost immediately, and now I am gradually losing a pound every five days or less. I stick with it because I see the results.

Quality over Quantity
I don't need to eat a large quantity of food to be satisfied. It is more about flavor. I like the taste of butter, cheese, sugar, etc., but I do not need a ton of it. That's why a lot of the cheating food I have on here are in small portions and they work for me. My brother who is doing a low carb diet, could never do this diet because he can't eat small amounts of food. He'd rather give up carbs than eat less food.

Anti-Dieting and Deprivation
I used to binge like nobody's business. If I tried not drinking soda for a week, the next week I would drink 5 a day. If I didn't eat sugar for a few days, I'd eat a whole package of cookies in one sitting. I do not do well with deprivation or going cold turkey. This diet works for me because if I really want a donut or a cheeseburger or a slice of pizza I can have it. It will be my splurge for the day/week and I will just eat a salad or something lower in calories for the rest of the day. Or if I was really forced, I might do a little exercise. This would not work for a low carb diet, because once you cheat, you have to start all over again. I don't really have to cut anything out of what I eat, just the quantity and frequency.

Bored by the Same Types of Food
I cannot eat a ton of the same thing day after day. Those food delivery services, shake diets and the low carb diet really limited my options (see note about deprivation above). I have to have choices and be able to eat anywhere and at anytime. If I am hanging out with friends, I do not want to have to announce that I am on a diet, either, or always having to order a salad (I hated those girls before I started this diet). With the food delivery services, I had no clue if I went out to eat or bought some groceries how that would impact my diet because you pretty much had to eat the exact menu they created for you.

I am sure as I get further into this diet, I will have more things to say, but hopefully you found this helpful.

What diets have you tried before?