Wherever we go, we hear about dieting: diet pills that help us keep off the weight or keep from getting hungry, diet programs that deliver only the food you can eat, diet tricks like cutting out fat or carbs or sugar, or new fad diets like the corset diet. But where is all these dieting getting us?

In a country where 14 percent of the population diets each year, according to Boston Medical Center, spending $33 billion on weight loss products to this end, 35.7 percent are obese. And some experts claim that this is no coincidence: our obsession with dieting may be the reason so many of us struggle with our weight.

Neuroscientist Sandra Aamodt ascribes to “set point” theory, contending that our body weight tends to settle into a 10 to 15 pound range that the brain maintains, no matter how much we diet. Sounds a bit discouraging, no?

It doesn’t have to be — it just means that we have to change our goals a bit. Instead of beating our bodies into submission, we have to confront our brains and coax them into resetting this set point: less dieting, and more convincing.

To do this, there are several real steps we can take.

1. Stop Stressing Out About Dieting

Dieting leads to weight gain because it is stressful, according to Aamodt, who has written a book about the subject entitled “Why Diets Make Us Fat.” Research such as one 1994 study in Obesity Research and Clinical Practice shows that stress hormones can increase abdominal fat, particularly in women. Stress also leads to binge eating according to several studies, including one 2013 paper in Minerva Endocrinologica.

“Until I resolved to stop dieting,” writes Aamodt in her book, “I hadn’t realized how much routine stress I was feeling during every meal, how badly the belief that I needed to be slender was damaging my self-image, or how much mental energy I was wasting on trying to control my eating.”

Traci Mann, who runs an eating lab at the University of Minnesota, agrees. In her book, “Secrets from the Eating Lab,” she details the ways in which people must look past the cycle of attempting to put mind over matter or take an entirely “will powered” approach to dieting, something that Mann says “is in many ways a mythical quality and certainly not something that can be relied upon for weight loss.” We should, instead, attempt to make healthy behaviors second-nature.

“The focus of my work, from the beginning, was the self-control of eating,” Mann told The Salt. “I was looking for ways to keep dieters from overeating. Slowly, over the years, I came to realize that nearly everything I studied (e.g., stress, distraction and others) caused dieters to lose control of their eating, and it began to make sense to me why diets were so likely to fail.”

Removing the stress from dieting — the parts where we unrealistically restrict our eating or tell ourselves we’re failures for not succeeding — is a key, then, to successfully adopting a healthy lifestyle.

2. Stop Dieting; Eat Mindfully Instead

Of course, removing stress is only part of the picture. Some changes must be made to eating in order to actually lose weight, and one of the best ways to do so according to both experts is in resolving to eat mindfully and healthfully. Sounds easy enough, but for many, a lifelong unhealthy relationship with food can be difficult to redefine.

“I define it as eating with attention and joy, without judgment,” Aamodt says. “That includes attention to hunger and fullness, to the experience of eating and to its effects on our bodies.”

Mann also ascribes to mindful eating, but she gives people a few more tools to adapt to this new strategy, many of which involve tapping into behaviors that humans naturally express, rather than attempting to create new ones.

For example, she recommends trading larger plates in for smaller ones, so that you don’t have to think about reducing portion sizes. She also suggests setting physical obstacles between yourself and foods to take advantage of a natural penchant towards laziness; buying only whole foods that need to be prepared could be another option. Mann also suggests eating vegetables first at every meal, when you’re most hungry, so that you will fill up on healthier foods and be less inclined to eat fats and starches afterwards.

3. Don’t Focus on the Number

Set point theory has been around since 1982, when it was developed by William Bennett and Joel Gurin. However, we don’t hear about it quite as often as we should, and many people reject it for one simple reason: set point theory removes our sense of control when it comes to our weight. The theory states that changing the set point of one’s body is near impossible, and more often than not, it goes up rather than down.

“Genes,” writes Mann, “play an indisputable role in regulating an individual’s weight: Most of us have a genetically set weight range. When we try to live above or below that range, our body struggles mightily to adapt.”

But that doesn’t mean that you can’t lose weight. It does, however, mean that obsessing over a number on the scale will only lead to disappointment. Aamodt told NPR that the most important goal should not be losing weight, but rather improving general health with diet and exercise and developing a good relationship with food, possibly by adopting a no-diet diet. She claims that when she concentrated her efforts on these strategies, she lost 10 pounds without even thinking about it; isn’t that a better way to go about weight loss?

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Try eating clean rather than just telling yourself what can’t have. Detox foods can help. Big time.

January is a time of year to do a good old spring cleaning of the system. It’s about giving your body a break after a season of over indulgence. And that doesn’t have to mean cutting everything out in lieu of a few cold pressed juices each day. It opens the door to binge eating once you just can’t take it anymore. Instead, why not consider adding these detox foods to your diet?

1. Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables are one of my favorite detox foods, and they’re also quite popular for this reason. Specifically, they detox the liver which is the body’s most important detoxifying organ. Cruciferous vegetables include cauliflower, broccoli, kale and collard greens, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.

2. Legumes

Replace animal protein sources with legumes like black beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, and adzuki beans to give your body an opportunity to push out junk. Meat and dairy can get stuck in your system for long periods of time because they don’t have fiber. It’s not that you have to give up animal products completely, but taking a break is a great idea.

3. Green tea

Take a few weeks and see what starting your day with green tea instead of coffee does for you. Green tea is loaded with antioxidants and it’s one of the most detoxifying foods. It improves brain function, weight loss, and reduces your risk of cancer.

4. Dark chocolate

That’s right, chocolate. Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants but it’s important that you choose dark chocolate that’s at least 60 percent cocoa. Milk chocolate is not dark chocolate and if it’s too sweet it’s less beneficial. Dark chocolate is a powerhouse of ntioxidants including polyphenols, flavanols, and catechins. Consider it a cellular spa day.

5. Avocados

Avocados contain a chemical called glutathione, which detoxes the liver of synthetic chemicals and blocks carcinogens in the body. Not to mention the healthy fats, folate, and fiber. Avocados won’t make you fat so don’t be meager with their use–add them to everything.

6. Beets

Beets are a blood purifier and they boost the body’s cellular intake of oxygen. Bottom line–beets are overall body cleansers. Roast a batch up and add them to all your favorite meals like risotto, salads, or a quinoa dish. And they add such great bright color to all your favorite dishes.

7. Lemon

Consider using lemons as your acid source. Lemons are excellent liver detoxifiers because they are a source of glutathione (so mix them up with your avocado for double dose of the stuff!). They also contain vitamin C which is great for reducing cell damage due to pollution and other environmental toxins.

The best way to clean up your diet is by gradually adding in cleaner foods. Gradual replacement of foods is much easier than just taking away foods that aren’t good for you. The more gradual the changes you make in your diet, the more likely you’ll be able to maintain them.

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Detoxing doesn’t have to be extreme. Here’s how to cleanse your body.

I’m not a big fan of cleanses because the idea of them screams immoderation. And moderation is the key to my life. But sometimes healthy eating just isn’t enough. Pollution, stress, and holiday decadence can cause a build up of toxins in your body and a cleanse may be just the way to start your New Year. Here’s how to cleanse your body in nine steps. It’s a cleanse you can actually stick to.

1. No booze.

This is an obvious one. You’ve likely enjoyed a cocktail or two over the holiday and now it’s time to get it a break. Alcohol dehydrates you and makes your liver work overtime.

2. No caffeine.

Caffeine stresses your nervous system and like alcohol, it dehydrates you. If you’re super addicted to caffeine and giving it up completely is going to cause withdraw symptoms like headache and general agitation, you may just want to cut back. Either switch to half caffeinated coffee or even better, switch to green tea.

3. No meat or dairy.

Both meat and dairy can built up in your system so when you’re trying to cleanse, it’s best to give them up. A good cleanse can serve to push out small bits of meat that have become stuck in your system over time.

4. No processed foods.

Processed foods have less nutrients than whole foods as well as hidden additives and sugar. Stick to whole foods during your cleanse instead of reaching for processed junk.

5. Choose veggies, especially cruciferous veggies.

Cruciferous veggies are great for detoxifying your body, especially your liver. Not to mention that studies have found that cruciferous vegetables have the ability to stop the growth of cancer. While you’re cleansing, enjoy leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.

6. Enjoy legumes.

Legumes are great for cleansing because they push junk out of your body. And they’re a source of plant-based protein to replace meat and dairy. Add in lentils, chickpeas, adzuki beans, lima beans, and black-eyed peas.

7. Enjoy quinoa.

Quinoa in particular is a great addition because it contains protein to keep you satiated so you can actually stick to a cleanse with the addition of iron and magnesium. It’s also versatile so it goes well in all sorts of cleansing dishes. Also consider barley, rolled oats, farro, and bulgur.

8. Snack on raw nuts and seeds.

Raw nuts and seeds are potent forms of protein that contain fiber, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B6. Make sure you buy raw nuts and seeds because roasted, salted, and otherwise flavored varieties are depleted of these nutrients and can have added sugar and fat.

9. Fruit should be your only sweet.

Don’t overindulge on fruit but a serving or two of raw fruits each day can provide your body with all sorts of nutrients while you’re cleansing. Consider those that help to repair DNA like blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries.

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Image: Jennifer

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ColumnIs that detox diet you’re considering for after the holidays all it’s cracked up to be?

I gauge people’s interest in food based upon what articles the Internet shares. Ok, kidding, but there are times when I see the same article shared again and again and again.

Earlier this month The Guardian published an article that made the internet rounds. It wasn’t so surprising that people clicked and shared, it was titled You Can’t Detox Your Body. It’s a Myth. I saw one person make a funny comment about how with this information the entire economy of Boulder would soon come to a standstill, and I smirked.

Oh god, green kale smoothies every morning won’t save us? What are we ever going to do?

It’s no surprise that people shared the article. In the last few years we’ve been fixated on detox diets, detox foods and detox methods. And why wouldn’t we be? Wouldn’t it be nice to know that the two weeks of holiday eating you are about to do wouldn’t matter as long as you stuck to two weeks of orange and ginger juice come the New Year?

But deep down, I think we all know the truth: this is not how healthy living works.

The real problem with a detox diet is that it’s still a diet. And we all know what the problem with diets is: they are not sustainable.

Healthy living comes down to having an all-around healthy approach to living. Dieting however is the opposite of that, the good ol’ yo-yo effect, keeping you in the mindset that if you take a few weeks here and there to eat really well, then you can binge and go all out the rest of the time. It’s an approach to eating that has you vacillating back and forth between one extreme and the other.

The reality is that diets don’t work, but healthy lifestyles do. As Catherine Collins, an NHS dietitian at St George’s Hospital, told The Guardian, “The ultimate lifestyle ‘detox’ is not smoking, exercising and enjoying a healthy balanced diet like the Mediterranean diet.”

In other words, the best detox diet you can do is to have a well rounded approach to living: stay active, avoid processed foods, eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains and indulge a little from time to time, but not too much. You know what’s great about this approach? It doesn’t cost very much. It doesn’t require you to go on a retreat to Bali for four weeks. It doesn’t require you to be super strict about what you put in your body. It keeps you away from the yo-yo effect.

In fact, a healthy lifestyle is more about celebrating food rather than demonizing food, something that a detox diet definitely doesn’t have going for it.

Sure, if you overdo it this holiday season, then a week of brown rice, leafy greens and plenty of water is going to be a nice change for your body. But once you’ve done that, it does’t give you the right to go back to nachos, beer and chocolate chip cookies, now does it? That green morning smoothie is only good for you if the rest of your diet is good for you as well.

A detox diet might be pointless, but a healthy, well-rounded approach to living certainly isn’t. Keep eating real foods, indulge a little, and don’t get too down on yourself because you had an extra glass of wine on Friday night. Celebrate food, and enjoy the process. That will keep you far healthier than any detox diet you’ve ever tried.

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This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’ weekly column at EcoSalon: Foodie Underground, an exploration of what’s new and different in the underground movement, and how we make the topic of good food more accessible to everyone. More musings on the topic can be found at www.foodieunderground.com.

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