A Smarter Way to Lose Weight
It's not finding the right diet, it's about shifting to the right thinking.
If you’ve ever stood in a checkout line and felt personally attacked by the magazine cover—“Drop 20 Pounds by Summer!” or “This One Food Burns Belly Fat!”—you’re not alone. We’ve all been hit with that mix of curiosity, guilt, and the whisper of hope: Maybe this one’s different.
The American weight loss industry is an annual $70 billion behemoth. That’s not a typo. Every year, millions of people funnel money, time, and emotion into a cycle of fad diets, miracle supplements, and expensive programs that often do little more than lighten wallets and darken moods. The stats are staggering: Nearly three-quarters of us are overweight or obese, and yet 45 million Americans go on a diet each year.
You’d think those numbers would be headed in opposite directions. They’re not.
Here’s the truth that rarely makes the headlines: The problem isn’t that your body is broken and needs readjusting. It’s the way we’ve been taught to think about weight loss.
We’ve been sold diets instead of decision-making, quick fixes instead of curiosity, rules instead of reasoning. This is not only unsustainable but also disempowering.
But what if the real secret to sustainable weight loss wasn’t in the next diet… but in how you think through the idea of dieting in the first place?
The Real Meaning of “Diet”
Let’s clarify a term that’s been hijacked.
“Diet” refers to the general pattern of what a person eats.
Your diet could be Mediterranean, vegetarian, homemade-with-love, or “whatever’s in the fridge.” It wasn’t a short-term intervention—it was a lifestyle. But today, we’ve twisted the word into something temporary, restrictive, and usually miserable.
Let’s call those what they are: weight loss fads.
These are the “ promise big changes with bold claims—detoxes, cleanse kits, shake programs, and anything that demands you eliminate all carbs, only eat during a full moon or spend $300 on snacks delivered in pastel packaging.
But let’s back up. Instead of deciding whether a diet is good or bad, ask: Is it even right for me at all?
Before You Start That Diet…
Every diet comes with a price—and I’m not just talking about the credit card kind. There’s effort, emotional energy, time, social awkwardness, and sometimes, a whole lot of disappointment. Many people jump into diets without a framework to evaluate whether they’re a good fit.
That’s where a little thing called CREECS comes in. It’s not a supplement; it’s a filter. A way to examine any weight loss approach is by looking at six key tolerances:
Cost, Risk, Effort, Effectiveness, Commitment, and Support.
(You can find a post on CREECS here.)
Let’s say you’re considering intermittent fasting. Sounds good in theory—eat only between certain hours, restricting eating time to a few hours in the day. During that time, eat whatever you want. Let’s say you choose to eat between 12 and 6 p.m., and end up eating more calories during that shorter window. After all, you can eat anything you want during that timeframe. Is that healthier?
What’s the cost (mental or physical)? Are there risks—like blood sugar crashes or hormone disruption for women? How much effort will it take to reorganize your lifestyle? Is it effective for your body, your sleep, and your schedule? Can you commit to this when life gets chaotic? And do you have the support to navigate social events, cravings, or questions?
If the answer to any of those is “I’m not sure,” then you have your answer: it’s worth thinking through before jumping in.
Why We Keep Falling for Fads
Let’s be honest: we don’t diet because we’re logical. We diet because we’re human. We crave certainty, novelty, and control. We want to believe that if we just follow the plan—this time—it will work. That this one will be the last one.
But most fad diets are like bad relationships. They demand a lot, give little in return, and leave you feeling worse when they’re over. You might lose a few pounds, but at what cost? Your joy? Your sanity? Your muscle mass?
There’s also the cultural pressure. We’re surrounded by messages telling us how we should eat, look, feel. Our environments—homes, offices, social media—are filled with cues to eat more, snack often, and treat ourselves. And then we’re punished for doing exactly that.
Here’s a revolutionary idea: what if the solution to our weight issues wasn’t about following more rules… but about building a personal health philosophy that fits who we are?
A Philosophy Is Better Than a Plan
A philosophy gives you guardrails. It’s not about restriction—it’s about clarity.
It might sound like this:
“I eat mostly whole foods because they nourish me. I leave room for joy foods without guilt. I don’t commit to plans that stress me out, drain my energy, or make me hate food.”
That simple statement is more powerful than any printed diet plan. Because it’s yours, it’s rooted in you, not in the latest influencer or the new best-selling nutrition book. And it acts like armor the next time someone tells you, “You have to try this protein shake, this smoothie, this supplement.”
What Actually Works (and Isn’t Miserable)
Here’s what we know, backed by real science, common sense, and something called lived experience:
Stress affects your weight. High cortisol can increase belly fat and drive cravings. If you’re stressed and sleep-deprived, your body wants to store fat—it thinks it’s keeping you alive.
Building muscle increases metabolism. You don’t need to be a bodybuilder—just move in ways that make you a little sore so you can build more muscle, which keeps you strong.
Real food matters. Whole fruits, veggies (not juices), fiber, lean proteins, and unprocessed foods go a long way.
A little calorie awareness helps. Not obsessive counting—just understanding what you’re eating and adjusting gently.
Sleep is underrated. Poor sleep leads to hunger hormone imbalances. If you’re tired, you’re more likely to overeat. Period.
And guess what? You don’t have to be perfect. Following the 80/20 rule—80% nourishing food, 20% flexibility—gives you room for ice cream, birthdays, and life without falling off the “wagon.”
If You Really Want to Change Your Weight…
Start by changing how you think. Not about carbs. Not about calories. About you.
I’ve been there.
After having three kids in three years (yes, it was as wild as it sounds), my body had changed. I was 30 pounds heavier, and between pregnancies and nursing, there was no space for restriction. I wasn’t going to diet—I was focused on sustaining life, literally. But once that chapter closed and my body was ready, I knew I needed to make some changes.
So I did.
I didn’t buy a fancy program. I didn’t overhaul everything. I simply cut back—slowly, mindfully. I stopped putting anything in my coffee. I reduced my portion sizes. I made intentional food choices without making it my entire identity.
It wasn’t fast. It wasn’t flashy. But it worked.
That experience didn’t just help me drop the weight—it taught me something much more powerful: that sustainable change comes from logical, thoughtful decision-making, not extreme rules. And that’s the heart of what I teach today.
So, if you're standing at the edge of yet another diet plan, unsure if it’s the right path, step back. Ask yourself: Why did I gain this weight in the first place? Is it stress? Hormones? A life event? Is it just... life?
And more importantly: What kind of plan actually aligns with who I am and what I value?
You don't have to get this perfect. You just have to get it personal.
Start by changing how you think. Not about carbs. It's not about calories. About you.
Ask:
Why did I gain weight in the first place? (Stress? Hormones? A life event? A shift in priorities? A busy job?)
What am I hoping to feel if I lose weight? (Confidence? Energy? Relief?)
What kind of plan aligns with my life, not just my goal weight?
What is the most compelling reason for me to lose weight? (Write it down, and post it on a sticky note on your bathroom mirror!)
You don’t have to figure it all out alone. If this kind of reflective approach speaks to you, health coaches trained in this method (yes, I know a few) can walk you through it. You deserve more than a meal plan—you deserve a mindset shift.
And here’s something else I’ve seen over and over again—and you may be surprised by this:
Many people aren’t actually overeating. They’re undereating.
I’ve met countless women who are eating just a few hundred calories a day—surviving on coffee, a snack here or there, maybe a small dinner—yet their weight refuses to budge. They’re tired, frustrated, and convinced their bodies are broken.
They’re not broken. They’re in starvation mode.
When your body thinks food is scarce, it doesn’t just burn fat—it protects it. Your metabolism slows down, your body holds onto calories like a squirrel in winter, and your stress hormones (especially cortisol) creep up. Muscle starts breaking down, not fat. Your energy tanks, your sleep suffers, and your cravings go haywire.
It’s a survival mechanism. Your body is trying to keep you alive—not make you look good in jeans.
That’s why one of the best ways to kickstart healthy weight loss isn’t to eat less—it’s to eat smarter. That means real, nutrient-dense food. These whole foods include protein, fiber, healthy fats, and slow-burning carbs that don’t spike your blood sugar. (I also address this in my Core 4: Nutrition article.) Your body needs fuel to heal, not fear.)
So, if you’re barely eating and still not losing weight, please hear this: You might need to eat more. Eat differently by thinking of nourishment, not punishment. That shift alone can change everything.
Final Thought: It’s Not About the Diet. It’s About the Decider.
The Wild West of health advice isn’t getting smaller; it’s exponentially growing. But you can get smarter, stronger, and more strategic about it.
The next time you see a flashy weight loss promise, don’t jump. Pause. Think. CREECS it. Ask yourself: “Does this fit me—my life, body, and values?”
That’s the skill Americans need—not another detox. It's just good decision-making.
The real solution to the weight loss puzzle isn’t finding the right diet; it’s becoming the right kind of thinker.
And if you liked this new way of thinking, it’s just a taste of what’s in the book Health Shift: Your Personalized Guide to Making Strategic Health Decisions. May 17, the release date, can’t come soon enough!
See you next week health heroes.
Dr. Alice
A little more about Dr. Alice Burron and Strategic Action Health:
Dr. Burron is a co-founder of Strategic Action Health, dedicated to helping organizations help their employees make better health decisions. Come check us out here!
Catch us on Instagram: @the.health.navigator and @dr_burron
You can also connect on LinkedIn, if you want to be professional about it. 👓
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Health Shift: Your Strategic Guide to Making Strategic Health Decisions book will officially launch on May 17, 2025! Mark your calendars! And if you’re in Cheyenne, join us for our party at Blacktooth Brewery. Have a beer on us! More information is coming soon.