Why Diets Don't Work

Anyone who battles with periodic bingeing, emotional eating or overeating knows how difficult it is to lose weight and keep it off.

Diets often work well in the short-term, but the majority of people regain their lost weight within the next five years, and some end up weighing more than they did before they started. But why does this happen?

I think there are several reasons why people diets don’t work long-term including:

• underlying thinking errors
• unhelpful beliefs
• feelings of deprivation and restriction
• poor body esteem
• expecting instant results
• lack of motivation
• not finding new coping mechanisms to deal with stressful situations

If you want to hear the full list of issues that could be sabotaging your goals and get tips on creating a healthy relationship with food you can call in to my free teleseminar to find out Why Diets Don’t Work.

I’ll also be discussing the different types of overeating and I’ll be taking questions at the end of the call.

There’s no charge for the tele-training seminar, except for your usual long distance calling charges.

Updated: I'm running another seminar in February, so if you missed out on the last one you can sign up now.

Light Therapy Pros and Cons

The Mayo Clinic has an excellent article on the use of light therapy for treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and some sleep disorders. The article includes the benefits and side-effects of using light boxes as well as instructions on using a light box.

The Mayo Clinic makes the point that the effectiveness of using light boxes vary, from being as good or better than medications for some people, while others get little or no benefit. This is possibly due to the large range of light boxes available and the different theories on the appropriate spectrum of light to use and the duration of treatment.

Light boxes can be expensive to purchase, however it is also possible to rent them on a trial basis to see whether they are effective for you. The Apollo GoLite box is a popular model that a lot of people have recommended (I've never used one as I find the winters here are quite mild and I can usually get enough natural light to keep depression at bay). In addition to using the light boxes there are also special light bulbs and desk lamps you can purchase.

Once you have purchased the light box, most models will last a few years, but it pays to check out the replacement at the end of this time. Some will allow you to replace the bulb, other models require you to replace the entire box which can be costly. However, if you don't have insurance the light box can still be cheaper than medications without the stigma or side-effects of anti-depressants.

This doesn't mean that light boxes don't have side-effects, however most people find them tolerable. Some people with bipolar disorder may experience manic episodes, while others may find that the light box affects their skin, or induces headaches or eyestrain but the majority of people that I've spoken to have nothing but praise for their light box.

Free Happiness Seminar Online

Marci Shimoff, #1 New York Times Best-selling author has written a new book on happiness, which she says will help people find the feelings of inner peace and life satisfaction which she describes as the "Happy For No Reason" state.

Marci describes experiencing a lot of external factors that she expected to make her happy and couldn't understand why she felt dissatisfied and unhappy. She decided to investigate the source of happiness and find out why some people could be happy for no reason at all!

As part of her quest Marci interviewed people from all walks of life to find out what made them happy. One of the questions she asked was, “What do you think is the most important thing necessary to experience the Happy for No Reason state?” The result was what Marci describes as the 21 Happiness Habits.

You can download a free sample from her book, which includes the 20 key questions that Marci says determine your state of happiness and your "happiness set point" and listen to a replay of her free teleseminar online or download it to your mp3 player. You can also send her your question on being Happy from the inside out in your personal and professional life.

New Year’s Resolutions and Announcements…

Welcome to 2008. I hope you’ve all had a great break and enjoyed the festive season.

At this time of year people’s thoughts turn to New Year’s Resolutions and gearing themselves up for the new work year. If you’re like me that includes wanting to start the New Year with a fresh start. I like to rummage through all the cupboards and throw out anything I don’t need and get all my files sorted and organised. I always find a good declutter, helps clear the mind as well as the house!

If you’re looking for help with your New Year’s Resolutions, check back on last year’s post which explains the 10 Biggest Mistakes People Make with New Year’s Resolutions and these tips on goal setting.


Blog Changes
This year there will be changes at the Centre for Emotional Well-Being blog. As part of my commitment to keeping my life in balance - not to mention my sanity - I have decided to cut back on the time I spend blogging so you’ll be seeing fewer posts from me. Nancy will also be doing fewer posts as she attends to her growing freelance writing business. Over the next few weeks, I'll be reorganising the index to the blog to help you find any resources you may need in our library and links. Until then, pop your query into the search box at the top left hand side of the blog.