I grew up in a household where dieting was commonplace. There were all kinds of diet foods in our refrigerator and pantry, and there was a lot of “going on” and “going off” of diets.

This was normal to me – the idea that somehow, the body is bad, food is bad, and that success (and self-worth) were measured by the number on a scale, or the pant size you could squeeze your body into on any given day.

I’ve learned some very valuable lessons since then, about eating, about food, and about our brilliant, wise, wonderful bodies. One of the most important things I’ve learned is that diets don’t work.

Here’s what I mean by that.

If we look at what a diet is, it most commonly refers to a way of eating that is goal oriented – to change the shape of one’s body in one way or another. It implies a temporary way of doing things that are related to eating and nourishing your body. More often than not, a diet means that you’ll be required to deprive your body of things. And there will be rewards and penalties involved depending upon how well you stick to the plan.

The diet mindset focuses on:

• Food as the enemy
• Punishing bad habits
• The things you don’t like about yourself
• Things, often harsh things, you’re going to do temporarily to create change
• A judgment that’s attached to a number on a scale
• No pain, no gain
• A goal or finish line

You might be thinking about a time when you went on a diet and lost weight or had the success you were seeking. Oprah lost a little red wagon load of weight when she went on a medically supervised fast, so she, too, experienced “success” when she did that.

But I’ll wager that once you went off your diet, the weight you lost came back. And if you’re anything like the statistics I’ve studied, you gained even more weight after the fact. The same has happened with Oprah, countless times.

Here’s the problem. The diet mentality is inherently flawed. Doing anything from a place of deprivation and pain is something you can only sustain for a finite period of time. As humans, we’re simply not wired to endure pain and deprivation over the long haul.

And yes, doing something temporarily, like going on a diet, might yield the results you seek. But once you go back to how you were eating before, your body and weight will also return to what they were before. That’s how that works.

If you’re unhappy with the way that you look, or you don’t feel as strong or alive in your body as you’d like to, or you don’t have the energy that you want and need to be able to live your life, there is something you can do.

The answer is NOT another diet. It’s something far more effective and enjoyable. The answer is to start loving yourself enough to live in a way that’s in alignment with the body, appearance, energy and stamina that you desire.

I’m talking about shifting your mindset towards creating vitality, beauty and power – the cornerstones of Transcendent Health.

A Transcendent Health mindset focuses on:

• Food as nourishment and fuel
• Creating good habits
• Things you are going to do daily, ongoingly
• The things that you want and can have for yourself
• Making positive, life affirming daily choices
• Loving and honoring yourself
• A lifelong journey of devotion to you

When you approach transforming your body with this mentality – one that’s less about punishing yourself, and more about loving yourself – not only will your body change, but your life will change in ways that are enjoyable, life-affirming, and sustainable.

There are few things that are as rewarding in this world as becoming the image of your own imagination. No diet will ever create that for you in a sustainable way. But turning towards life, in your mindset, your everyday choices, and in how you honor yourself will be the most magical journey you’ll ever take.

Guaranteed.