Food Obsession:

Diet and Food Obsessions Aren't Healthy

An inherent and often overlooked danger of dieting is the "diet mentality," which is the constant need to weigh, measure, count, and account for food. Some dieters worry they can pick up an obsession with food that comes close to that experienced by someone with an eating disorder. But is it possible to lose weight without becoming obsessed with food and dieting?

Dr. David Katz, author of "The Way to Eat," suggests a better way of looking at things. While it's important to balance the calories you take in with the calories you burn, he claims, it's not necessary to obsess about food by counting every single calorie. Instead, he suggests, focus on eating well for your health, and permanent weight loss will surely follow.

Dr. Katz's suggestions include replacing highly processed foods which contain sugar, fat, starch and salt with more wholesome foods with short ingredient lists and less chemicals and processed junks. Stay away from foods with added "flavor enhancers" like monosodium glutamate and high fructose corn syrup which tend to stimulate the appetite.

Instead, focus on healthier alternatives within the food groups. That's much easier to do than you'd think. A simple change in your diet like kicking coffee and replacing it with a healthy alternative found in this article here. Coffee is atrocious for your body. Learn more about its negative affects here.

Everyone has little luxuries we think we can't live without. Take a few minutes to analyze your diet and determine which things you fell you just can't give up -- then make adjustments in other areas to account for them.

Here are some suggestions to help you stop obsessing about calories:

1. Toss out sugared breakfast cereals in favor of a whole-grain cereal that has little or no added sugar or flavor enhancers. Also, drop a few berries into your bowl for sweetening.
2. Switch to an all natural, no additive peanut butter. Regular brands are highly processed and contain added sugar and oils for stabilization.
3. Keep a baggie of dried fruit in your desk drawer or somewhere at work for a high-potassium pick-me-up at mid-morning. You won't be inclined to overeat at lunch, and you won't find yourself sleepy at 11 A.M or right after your noon meal.

Note: Avoiding highly processed foods will certainly help keep the weight off. But sometimes it takes a little bit more, especially if you're looking to lose weight relatively quickly. If you're looking for a proven and easy diet program, check out the Idiot Proof Diet. -- Editors