Why Most Diets Don’t Work (And What Actually Does)

May 6

Let’s be honest — if diets worked the way they promised, you wouldn’t need another one. You’d do it once, get your results, and move on with your life, right?

But instead, most people have a running list of diets they’ve tried. Keto. Paleo. Low-carb. High-carb. Intermittent fasting. Whole30. Carnivore. The one where you drink a shake instead of eating real food and slowly lose your soul.

And what do they all have in common? A short-term focus, a rulebook, and absolutely no plan for what happens when life gets… life-y.

The Problem Isn’t You — It’s the System

Here’s what I need you to hear: it’s not that you lack willpower. It’s that you were set up to fail.

Most diets rely on restriction, rules, and rigidity. They take a single concept — like cutting carbs or eating only in an 8-hour window — and build an entire identity around it. And sure, that might work for a while. But eventually, something gives.

You go out to dinner. You travel. You get sick. You have a stressful week and suddenly “no sugar” turns into “all the sugar” because you weren’t allowed to have a little flexibility in the first place.

It’s not sustainable because it doesn’t teach you anything.

You followed the plan — but you didn’t learn the skill.

What Actually Works (Spoiler: It’s Not Sexy)

The truth is, the most effective nutrition strategy isn’t glamorous. It’s not trending on TikTok or wrapped in a cleanse. But it works. Every time.

It looks like:

Learning to eat enough protein without choking down dry chicken five times a day
Figuring out what “full” and “hungry” feel like again
Eating carbs without treating them like a moral failure
Building meals around whole foods — but not panicking when you want fries
Tracking habits, not obsessively tracking calories (unless you want to)

It’s boring in the best way — because it works even when your life gets messy.

Diets Rely on Willpower. Coaching Builds Systems.

This is why I don’t give clients meal plans that say “eat this, not that.” I coach people through how to build a plate, understand portions, and know what matters most based on their own goals and lifestyle.

Because what works for a college athlete doesn’t work for a busy mom. And what works for someone lifting 5 days a week isn’t the same as someone walking the dog every morning and just trying to have more energy.

And honestly? Most of the people I work with already know something about nutrition. They’ve read the blogs. They’ve done the macros. They just don’t need another app telling them to eat 1,200 calories and call that “balanced.”

What they need is support, clarity, and a plan that doesn’t fall apart the second life changes — because it will.