Why eating programs are horrible...

Disclaimer: this is my opinion.  It will piss some people off.  And I'm okay with that.  Just be forewarned that this is a rant and it might hit home.

Ok.  I'm going to try to keep this simple.  What makes programs like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Physician's Weight Loss Center, The Zone and other "diet" programs so successful?  Lack of education.  Seriously.

All the nutrition research you could ever need is easily available on the internet.  It takes two seconds to figure out that more than a certain amount of fructose (i.e., fruit) is toxic, yet fruit is a "free" item on Weight Watchers, meaning it's participants can eat all they want.  Other things that are readily available that go against the widely accepted ideals of nutrition: soy is toxic (a staple of vegetarian diets), processed foods are horrible (no matter what container they come in, even if it says Jenny Craig/Zone/Biggest Loser), even 100% wheat bread contains high fructose corn syrup (as does every other product in the word, hence the cravings people have for them), medications will never take the place of lifestyle change and only prolong the inevitable if no lifestyle change is made, people need at least a pound of greens a day to help keep blood alkaline and reduce their chances of cancer....I could keep going...

And speaking of cravings...if you eat a food you crave, it's probably not good for you.  Alcoholics understand the concept that a craving is a toxic reaction, and this is the same for sugar, carbs, preservatives, and so on.  As a result, moderation is a joke for me and the vast majority of the population.  I'm not able to eat one Hersey's Kiss - even if my life depends on it.  It sets off a craving and I obsess until I have another one, and another one, and another one.  I know more people like me than otherwise.  And for some people it's bread.  Or butter.  Or cheese.  Or (insert your thing here).  I have learned that when I eat for what my body needs, the foods that are right for me satisfy me, not leave me craving more.  Just something to think about.

Which, for me, means that eating programs are a joke - and dangerous.  And this is quite possible true for most people.  They don't teach me to eat what I need for optimal functioning, and the foods I eat on them certainly don't satisfy me.  In fact, my experience was that all the ones I tried left me forcing myself to eat that way for the result, but left me obsessing over what I can't have - or better - what I am trying to moderate.

Thank goodness I don't have to live like that today.  With the help of some people in my network, I learned about what I needed for my optimal functioning, and developed a pattern of eating that meets that need.  I can research what I need to do on my own, and consequently have an understanding of why I need to eat that way, which in turn means I internalize it rather than intellectualize it.  As a result - no obsession - no cravings.  And because I get what I need, I literally have to force myself to eat a cheat meal because I get no satisfaction from the crap.  It really just makes me feel like crap.