I’m sure this has happened to you.

There’s a woman you know. She goes on a new diet. Maybe she decides to go Paleo (or Keto, fasting, a juice cleanse, or some other trendy system.)

“It’s been challenging to stick with the program,” she admits. “But it works, though!”

That phrase—“But it works, though!”—drives me crazy.

It works?

Really? Are you sure about that?

When a woman says, “it works,” what she really means is, “It helped me lose weight.” (For a little while, anyway. Not for long.)

A diet is any way of eating that is rigid, unrealistic, unpleasurable, and/or unsustainable for the long haul.

It’s a temporary way of eating that leads to a temporary change in your physique. Key word: temporary.

Losing. Regaining. Feeling deprived. Then feeling discouraged. Harming your self-esteem and metabolism, too. Nothing about that sounds fun or effective or like it’s “working” to me.

Consider the way you eat, move, and take care of yourself. Your self-care plan for the next week.

Ask yourself: Is it flexible? Is it realistic? Is it sustainable? Is it energizing? Is it improving your mood and quality of life? Do you feel mentally sharp and clear (rather than feeling preoccupied with thoughts about food)? If you can answer “Yes!” to those questions, then…”it’s working.” For real.

What’s working for you and your body?

What’s not?

PS. Want to coach women—and help them finally become free from all the dieting, yo-yo-ing, food-stress and body-shame? Become a Certified BARE Coach. Work part-time (or full-time) with women and girls. Earn money by helping clients to prioritize self-care, appreciate their bodies, and feel confident, powerful, and strong. Best job ever? Pretty much. The next certification program begins soon.