Professor Loses Weight With No-Diet Diet

Check out this intriguing AP article about Brigham Young University health science professor Steven Hawks, who lost and kept off 50 pounds eating whatever he wanted and stopping when he got full.

Essentially, he did what he calls "intuitive eating" — an improperly named plan, in my opinion — which allowed him to consume all kinds of unhealthy foods that he craved. He told the AP that eating an overabundance of what’s taboo helps him lose his desire to gorge.

While I’m a fan of eating quality foods and not junk food, this no-diet diet is fascinating to me.

I suspect that for a good many people, the idea of foods being a no-no tends to trigger a desire to eat those very same foods.

Even so, I’m just not a fan of having just ice cream for dessert. This isn’t healthy.

However, as I point out in my free, online KickSugar group, you have to find a way of eating that works for you. Thus, some people feel that allowing themselves a bite or a few tastes of a dessert — while trying to kick sugar or cut back on sweets — is a way that works.  It keeps them from pigging out on sugary foods the rest of the time.

However, bear in mind that for many, such a way of dieting — allowing yourself to indulge in junk foods (and keep them in the house — oh horror of horrors for many!) — could be a complete disaster and could lead to further binges and weight gain.

For many Americans, one bite of ice cream could lead to consuming most or all of the container. (Millions of Americans suffer from some form of binge eating problems, and I suspect that this no-diet diet could unleash runaway eating and weight problems.)

So, please, if you decide to do something like this professor recommends, take heed. Know how you work; what triggers your junk-food-eating behavior; etc.

If you’d like to learn to control your sugar intake in a way that works for you, please join us in my free, online KickSugar group. We try to offer a warm, nurturing place, where we support you no matter what  eating plan you’d like to pursue. But, yes, we do ultimately encourage you to cut back or cut out sweets so that you can live a more healthy, happy life.

3 thoughts on “Professor Loses Weight With No-Diet Diet”

  1. That is nothing new. Many others have said the same thing for years. The problem is that problem eaters just don’t know when to say no. Just last year even Weight Watchers added that to their diet plan calling it a comfort zone scale, asking members to only eat until satisfied but not full. The trouble is many people don’t realize they are full until it is too late (it takes about 20 min. for you brain to realize what you just ate)and real food addicts just don’t have that kind of self control. For them, they must rely on a more forced portion control method — weighing and measuring — at least until they can control the compulsion to overeat.

  3. I was not successful in meeting my weight loss goal (45lbs) until I learned about ‘mindless’ and ‘stress’ related eating and how to change my eating habits. An online program at http://www.thintuition.com helped me tremendously. Also, I believe it is extremely important for one to establish (‘written’and ‘posted’) goal(s) for any lifestyle change. And weight loss will not be permanent unless there is a lifestyle change!

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