S2/E105. Why Nutrition Knowledge Isn’t Enough for Weight Loss Maintenance

High on Life

Many commercial weight loss programs operate on the assumption that you don’t know what you should be eating. So, they’ll give you a diet or meal plan to follow and that will make you lose weight.

That works – in the short term. But over 80% of people will regain that weight.

Alternatively, maybe you’ve tried using a food tracker, something like MyFitnessPal, or even a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) to gather calorie or blood sugar data. Maybe you’ve tried the new AI tools like Lumen, or FoodRx.

I don’t deny that there is some value to gaining awareness and knowing your data.

If only we made food decisions based on data alone...

The core issue that isn’t solved with these approaches is human behaviour, especially feeding behaviour, isn’t based on logic, data, or even rational decision-making.

Rather, eating is based on our emotions, pleasure and an impulse-driven limbic system. Many of our food decisions are based on what will taste good and make me feel better when I’m stressed, not what is going to give me a balanced intake of nutrients.

Knowledge is never the issue. Implementation is the problem. And figuring out WHY implementation is a problem is the missing key to successful weight loss maintenance for most people. I offer guidance on how to get started on today’s episode!

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If you’re a woman, and you want to learn the skillset required to keep weight off and stop diet cycling, I’d love for you to join me inside Best Weight. Best Weight is my coaching membership that gives you the step-by-step help you need to learn how to stop emotional eating and find freedom around food. We have twice weekly live coaching calls, along with a library of 50+ video lessons to answer all of your questions. Mindfulness, resilience, self-efficacy, distress tolerance, emotional regulation…. These are all skills that can be learned and practised.

Check out Best Weight at www.sashahighmd.com/bestweight. I hope to see you inside!

Click here to purchase the Books mentioned on today’s episode.

https://www.amazon.ca/shop/sashahighmd/list/38FIZUGPH80WV?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_aipsfsashahighmd_E5W7C3TMKTA7XJGY7TA0

ARTICLES MENTIONED ON TODAY’S EPISODE

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9320927/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6441408/