Counting Calories: Are You Being Honest?

In a study conducted at the McMaster University and reported in the journal Appetite, researchers found that women who dine with other women will not always choose food that are lower in calories. However, women will be more selective in choosing healthier foods when they eat with men. Although support from friends is important when trying to lose weight, many women feel compelled to mirror the habits of other women in an effort to fit in, even when it goes against their goals.

In separate unrelated study conducted last year, researchers at the ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook University discovered a similar phenomenon in fish. The social pressures of the school will cause some fish to eat less, because dieting seemingly displays a subordinate status. Even female fish appear to modify their behavior in response to their social environment instead of adopting habits to preserve health.

There is a cultural pressure in America to be thin. Ads, movie stars, and television infomercials all provide stress toward the overweight woman to lose weight in order to be attractive. Women are made to feel bad about how they look when their physical bodies are not “perfect”. Social pressure often leads to low self-esteem and depression that is more common in women than men. Women also have a tendency to be “people-pleasers” and to view other people’s needs as more important than their own.

Social pressure is also one of the main causes of unsuccessful weight loss. If the diet you choose is based on someone else’s idea of how you should live, you are less likely to follow through. When trying to lose weight, keep in mind the following tips for success:

• First and foremost, choose diet goal for the right reasons:Health and longevity. Achieving a certain number on the scale or a particular dress size is rarely motivation enough to maintain willpower for the long-term.
• Choose a diet that fits into your lifestyle. Are you a bread lover who is trying a low-carb diet?You are likely to fail when you eliminate favorite foods completely from your diet. You are also more likely to fail when you choose to completely overhaul your diet at once instead of making small improvements.
• With the goal of weight loss, calories do count, so ensure that you have a method for tracking what you take in versus the calories that your burn through regular physical activity. A study from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research found that dieters who tracked what they ate in a journal lost twice as much weight. There are many free online services that can provide this helpful tool, but some find that a notebook and pen work best because it is handy to maintain while out and about.
• When eating in social situations, have a plan for your diet ahead of time. You will be less likely to choose an unhealthy option if do not have to scan the menu and be tempted by the gorgeous pictures and delightful descriptions of foods high in calories.
• If studies conclude that women are easily influenced by each other, be the role model that others can follow. Create a support system of women friends that encourage rather than offer judgment.

When it comes to weight loss and changing your diet patterns, remove the pressure of being perfect. You will have days when motivation to eat less and exercise more is low. Remember that one day of indulgence is not how you gained weight in the first place, and does not have to be a reason to give up the plan entirely. When willpower is low, take a moment to remind yourself of your long-term goals – that your health is more important than the fleeting moment of satisfaction from eating dessert.

Photo Credit: Stop Dieting, Start Living by Bhumi Finding Herself, www. flickr. com

Denise Reynolds is a Registered Dietitian and nutrition writer, and mom to two girls, ages 6 and 3.

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