Registered dietitian explains why short-term diets rarely work.
Many people hope for quick results and get excited about two-week diets or strict training programs that promise rapid weight loss. Often, these programs only work if life around you remains unchanged. But what happens when everyday life brings parties, vacations, hectic workdays, family responsibilities, or emotional ups and downs?
If you have been doing things a certain way for years, change cannot happen overnight. Research shows that it can take an average of 66 days—or even longer—for one new habit to stick. It’s also important to remember that very few people change just one habit at a time. For example, changing your eating habits is not one single habit, but rather a collection of dozens of small, interconnected routines. Do you snack in front of the TV in the evening, grab lunch from a fast-food place in a hurry, or remember to have regular snacks during the day? Each of these is its own habit, and changing them takes time.
Changing habits is not just about changing actions; it’s also about learning to manage your thoughts and emotions. It is inner work that supports the external actions. If this aspect is ignored, it’s easy to slip back into old routines at the first sign of challenges.
The body also needs time to adapt. Weight management isn’t just about counting calories—the body responds to changes slowly. Hormonal regulation mechanisms, metabolic adjustments, and muscle adaptation all take months. Registered Dietitian Anniina Virtain has seen in her work how quick diets can push the body into metabolic adaptation (often called 'starvation mode'). In this state, the body clings tightly to every bit of nutrient and energy it receives, making weight loss even more difficult. Recovering from this state can take a very long time.
Additionally, lifestyle changes often fail to account for setbacks. People assume progress will be linear, when in reality the journey is full of ups and downs. “The most important thing isn’t that we never slip up, but how we respond when we do. Once you accept setbacks as part of the process, they no longer derail the entire journey,” says Virtain.
The idea that you won’t see immediate results can feel frustrating. But if you stop to consider how many years and how many quick fixes you’ve already tried, you may realize that even more time has been spent chasing short-term solutions than it would take to make lasting changes. Investing in your own well-being will pay itself back many times over.
If you want lasting results and support for a year-long transformation, Muutos-valmennus provides a clear structure and continuous guidance from coaches. The program takes your entire life situation into account so that the changes truly become part of your daily life—and the results will last.