The Opportunity Cost Of Dieting

It’s now pretty common advice to hear that “you need to get better at saying no”.

Because we constantly take too much on, we don’t have enough downtime, and we spend our time busily engaged in activities that we don’t want to do.

I was listening to a book recently that really drove this point home. To paraphrase the author, “when you say yes to something, you automatically say no to something else”.

This jolted my memory back to studying economics at school and the concept of “opportunity cost”. When we make decision A, the opportunity cost is decision B, C, D, etc.

For example, if you get up at 6 am and go to the gym for an hour, the opportunity cost is all the other ways you could have spent that time: getting more sleep, having breakfast with your partner, reading a book, going for a walk, etc.

Unfortunately, I don’t think people really appreciate or think about the opportunity cost of their decisions. And this is especially true in the area of diet and attempts to manipulate one’s body.

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

I’ll regularly work with clients who, on the surface, appear to have what we all want.

They are high achieving and have moved up the ranks in their industry. They are financially successful and financially comfortable (although they don’t necessarily feel this way).

They have a body that matches up to our society’s standard of beauty. (Although, again, they don’t feel this way).

They have the trappings of success – a beautiful house, designer clothes and the accompanying accoutrements.

But despite appearing like the cover of some high-end magazine, their life doesn’t feel so glamorous to them.

They spend their days eating an overly restrictive diet (or even struggling with an eating disorder). They often receive praise for this, being seen as the “healthy one,” but in terms of this delivering actual health, it comes up short.  

They sleep poorly; struggling to fall off to sleep and then waking (often multiple times) to urinate.

They’re constantly cold, especially their hands and feet. They are the ones in the office always wearing more clothes than everyone else.

Their digestion is, by their own admission, “sensitive”. Despite rarely straying from what they believe is “healthy” food, they regularly suffer from pain and bloating. Sometimes, in meetings, they wonder if others can hear the gurgling sounds loudly emanating from their stomach.

But the physical symptoms are just part of the problem.

Psychologically, things are also in a bad way.

They are constantly preoccupied with thoughts of food. No matter what they are doing, they can’t escape it.

And it’s a cognitive burden to be worrying about this. Spending their days in a wrestling match with their mind limits their ability at work.

But it’s not just work; it’s life in general. Even when out with friends, it’s hard to feel completely engaged and present. Or they go overseas or go to interesting events and yet they can’t fully embrace it.

If they were invited to a restaurant, it would be unthinkable not to check the menu on the website in advance. They plan what they are going to eat, based on what’s “healthiest”, not what they genuinely want to eat.

Even when they are eating on their own and they get to pick the “best” option, they are wracked with guilt.

“Did I eat too much? Did I really need all of that? Why can’t I just control myself?”

They are in an almost constant state of anxiety. And this anxiety increases any time they try to deviate from their usual patterns of eating (or exercise).

Sex can be an issue too. They struggle to let someone see them naked and cringe at the thought. They also have very little sex drive. So when it does happen, it’s not something for “them,” it’s something they do for someone else (largely because of feelings of obligation).

Exercise is also taking up more of their time than they’d like. Part of them craves and feels compelled to do it. But there is also this secret desire to stop because they are tired and sore and they long for a break.

Nothing Is Spared

So someone’s “food issues” or “body image issues” aren’t minor concerns that are causing a few inconveniences. They are issues that affect every aspect of their life and cause widespread collateral damage.

The opportunity cost of “dieting” and a focus on “managing my weight” is hugely consequential. To the point, it is more apt to say that it steals from one’s life.

They are robbed of feeling ease in their body and comfortable with who they are.

They’ve had good health stolen and replaced with a set of disconnected symptoms they can’t quite understand.  

I said that on the surface many clients appear to have a successful life. Well, underneath it all, they feel lost, stuck, or on the verge of unraveling.

They are scared to lose what they have but they are also becoming acutely aware of what they are missing out on and how unsustainable their current life is.

Do You Need Help?

If any of this rings true with you, I’d love to help.

What I work on with people is more than just “what to eat”.

We look at why you do what you do. We explore your identity, values, beliefs, and biases. We examine the bigger picture and how various habits and choices are having a ripple effect on other parts of your life.   

Food and body concerns are at the heart of this, but the end goal isn’t just to eradicate symptoms. It’s to help you get back what’s been stolen from you so they can start living a full life.

I’m a leading expert and advocate for full recovery. I’ve been working with clients for over 15 years and understand what needs to happen to recover.

I truly believe that you can reach a place where the eating disorder is a thing of the past and I want to help you get there. If you want to fully recover and drastically increase the quality of your life, I’d love to help.

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