Despite intensive calls for proper nutrition, many people (even with excess weight) still tend to avoid it. The Journal of Health Psychology published an article, in which experts from the University at Buffalo have explained why proper nutrition is so unpopular, despite its obvious health benefits.
When going on a diet, people behave governed not by rational thought but by irrational feelings and emotions. That is why, among those who are just planning to eat properly, so few actually start to – researchers assume.
According to the experts, the transition to proper nutrition is a process consisting of three stages – deciding, planning, and implementing. It is on the last stage, the stage of implementation, that there usually happens a failure. This is because a person understands that he/she has to limit himself/herself by refusing favorite foods, sweets, and instinctively tries to avoid negative experiences associated with this restriction.
As an example, psychologists give the situation in the USA. For Americans, the problem of excess weight and obesity is most relevant – however, according to opinion polls, about a third of the adult population claims to be dieters. Thus, there is an obvious discrepancy – a large part of the population is trying to lose weight, but a huge number of people at the same time remain too overweight.
Mark Kiviniemi, the study’s lead author, says people plan to go on a diet, try to do it, but this is all in vain.
Researchers believe that a proper diet is only effective when a person develops positive feelings towards the product he/she eats. The tip about eating more fruits and vegetables is fine in itself. However, if you cannot tolerate them, none of your weight loss plans will work, experts believe.
