Blog

Why Do Diets Fail?

October 17, 2019 By Andi Freedman

Diets don’t work! You’ve heard this for a while now. However, weight loss companies and diet pushers have changed their tactic a little and have found a way for you to buy into a new type of weight loss strategy. I’m sure all kinds of shiny new diets are popping up right now on your FaceBook or Instagram feed. “Go Low Carb,” “Choose Paleo for weight loss,” “Lose weight with Keto.” The fact of the matter is none of these strategies actually work.

Before we talk about why diets don’t work, we must define what “work” means. For most people a diet that “works” is a diet that you will lose enough weight to reach your “goal weight” (what a is a goal weight is a topic for another time) and stay there for the rest of your life. Oh, and for most people, this diet should be easy to adhere to. Sound about right? Although most diets can help you lose weight, it is almost never enough weight and that weight loss is not sustainable (in fact, one often gains back more weight than they lost). This is true no matter which diet you try. There is absolutely no evidence that a particular kind of diet is more effective than any other. Low carb is no more effective than low fat, etc.

Diets Don’t Work – Discover What Will

September 15, 2019 By Andi Freedman

Whether you have gone down the diet path or not, there is no need to ever go there. Diets just don’t work. Losing weight and becoming healthy is not about the food and what you eat, but more about your thoughts. Just eating less is not the quick solution, but thinking differently about how you eat will transform your body and mind into a healthier and happier version of you.

Have Wi-Fi? Get Healthy!

April 3, 2019 By Andi Freedman

You want to try Mind Over Food but don’t live on Boston’s North Shore? No Problem! You can work with Andi from the comfort of YOUR own home and when YOUR schedule allows! Andi can help you reach your weight loss and wellness goals, the Mind Over Food way, ANYWHERE in the U.S. (or even the World). Whether you are new to Mind Over Food or have already taken a workshop you can work with Andi in this exciting way!

Start 2019 With a Plan – Raffle!

December 31, 2018 By Andi Freedman

Enter to Win: 6-Week One-on-One Coaching

Happy New Year!

I am excited to kick off 2019 with a Raffle offering one winner a six-week, one-on-one personal coaching workshop!

Who Can Enter?

ANYONE in the contiguous United States with access to a computer may enter this raffle! I have a private, secure and easy to use videoconference platform that we can use for our time together. So, no need to travel to me! From the comfort of your home to my office, we will find ways to jump start your healthier 2019 and I can’t wait!

It is only One Step to Enter*

Email me at andi@mindoverfood.com with the subject “Coach Me in January!”

Details

I am collecting raffle entries from January 1 – 25, 2019. The winner will be pulled and notified on Saturday, January 26th. Coaching may start as early as Monday, January 28th, but we will figure out what works best with your schedule.

*Your email will be added to my email list unless you note that you do not want it added.

Health Food Voodoo

May 22, 2018 By Andi Freedman

Every day the media reports some story about the latest “Health Food” or “Superfood,” guaranteed to make you skinny for life or promise that you’ll live to 100. In addition, there is a growing list of foods that are “BAD” for you! “JUST AVOID THESE 5 EVIL FOODS AND YOUR WORRIES ARE OVER!” the headlines read.

In my workshops, my clients are always amazed that they can eat these taboo foods and still lose weight. Recently, one client was so glad to add fruit back into his diet because he started to believe that fruit was bad due to its sugar content. Another shocker is when clients realize that foods they were eating with abandon were not the healthy foods (or “healthier” substitutions) they were led to believe. My favorite example is the Greek yogurt craze. Americans have fallen for Greek yogurt so fast that nearly every yogurt maker now makes a “Greek” variety. While plain Greek yogurt is an excellent source of protein (see “The Healthy Plate” blog post), most dieters eat flavored Greek yogurt as a substitute for ice cream, which, by the way, has become one of the most taboo foods for people trying to lose weight. Hmmm… interesting idea! Let’s examine the facts:

The Healthy Plate

April 18, 2018 By Andi Freedman

Some people do well with counting calories. Others, however, can find it tedious and difficult to measure accurately. This can, and often does, lead to underestimation of the number of calories we consume each day. Clients I work with usually find it easier (and less time consuming) to focus on how to fill their plate.

First let’s talk about plate size. Several scientific studies have shown that by simply reducing plate size one can reduce the number of calories consumed. Apparently plate sizes have increased significantly in the last 50 year… a 22% increase. I suggest that you eat off a plate that is no more than 10″ in diameter. At my house, we use 9″ glass plates that we bought from IKEA.

Once you have an appropriately sized plate, how you fill it is very important. I suggest the following guidelines: