Why Diets Don’t Work (And Why It’s Not Your Fault)

If you’ve ever started a diet full of motivation only to “fall off” a few weeks later, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common experiences I hear about from clients, and it’s often followed by guilt, shame, or the belief that they just didn’t “try hard enough.”

But here’s the truth: it’s not because you’re lazy or lack willpower. It’s because diets are designed to fail.

Let’s unpack why.

Written by: Heather Soman, RD

What Is a Diet, Really?

When most people hear the word “diet,” they think of structured plans like keto, intermittent fasting, Noom, or Weight Watchers. But a diet is really any set of rules that restricts the timing, quality, or quantity of food you eat.

That might look like cutting carbs, tracking macros, skipping meals, or even labeling foods as “good” or “bad.”

And behind these rules sits something bigger: diet culture — the cultural phenomenon that elevates thinness as the ideal and tells us that controlling our bodies through food is the key to health, happiness, and worthiness.

Diet culture shows up everywhere:

• In healthcare settings where weight is treated as the only marker of health

• In media headlines promising “flat abs in 30 days”

• On social media feeds full of “What I eat in a day” videos

• Even in families, where food and body talk can carry generational weight

The Problem With Diets

Most diets focus on short-term weight loss, but they rarely talk about the long-term consequences. Research tells a very different story than the glossy before-and-after photos.

Here’s what science has shown:

• Metabolism slows down after dieting, sometimes for years. A famous study of Biggest Loser contestants found their metabolisms and hunger hormones stayed suppressed six years later.

• Cravings intensify with restriction. When the brain senses deprivation, it increases your drive to eat — which is why “just have willpower” never works.

• Weight cycling (yo-yo dieting) is linked to higher risks of heart disease and premature death, regardless of your starting weight.

• Dieting often leads to weight gain over time. Studies suggest restrictive eating can increase fat storage as the body tries to protect itself.

• Eating disorder risk skyrockets. Up to 35% of “normal dieters” progress to disordered eating, with many developing full-syndrome eating disorders.

And here’s the kicker: 95% of dieters regain the weight within 1–5 years.

The Dieter’s Dilemma

This creates what I call the Dieter’s Dilemma:

1. Start a diet with excitement and motivation.

2. Follow the rules, maybe even see some “results.”

3. Cravings, exhaustion, or life stress make the rules harder to follow.

4. “Fall off” the diet → feel guilty, ashamed, or like a failure.

5. Resolve to “do better” and start over… often with a new diet.

Sound familiar? This isn’t a personal flaw — it’s the system working exactly as it’s designed.

Rethinking Health - Not Diets

If you came here because you want to be healthier, that’s valid. But I’d invite you to pause and ask: What does health really mean to you?

For many of us, diet culture has narrowed “health” down to a number on the scale. But true health is far more complex — it includes mental health, social connection, sleep, movement, and how food supports your body and brain.

Restrictive eating rarely supports those things in the long run.

Your Empowered Eating Journey

Here’s the good news: there’s another way forward.

Instead of chasing diets that disconnect you from your body, you can begin an empowered eating journey — one that’s rooted in trust, peace, and confidence with food. Intuitive eating, gentle nutrition, and body respect can help you rebuild that trust and step off the diet rollercoaster for good.

You don’t have to settle for constant food noise, cravings that feel out of control, or guilt every time you eat. Freedom with food is possible.

Final Thoughts

Diets don’t work — and it’s not your fault. The cycle of restriction, cravings, and guilt is built into the system. But you don’t have to stay stuck there.

If you’re ready to reclaim your health on your own terms, I’d love to invite you to listen to my podcast, Behind the Plate. In this episode, we dive deeper into the science behind why diets fail and how you can begin your journey toward food freedom.

Listen here: Why Diets Don't Work (And Why It's Not Your Fault)

And stay tuned for the next episode: Will I Lose Weight With Intuitive Eating? — where I’ll share what the research says about weight, health, and food freedom.