Change, without the rush: Eat without extremes

Every January, eating plans arrive wrapped in urgency. Calories are slashed. Food groups are eliminated. Discipline is framed as the deciding factor. A few weeks later, the same people feel exhausted, frustrated, and convinced they have failed.

Deepti Palija, Nutritionist at HLZ (Heart Life Zone), says this pattern has little to do with motivation and everything to do with biology.

The numbers support what she sees in practice. Ninety-five out of one hundred people quit restrictive diets within a few months. Women tend to drop out sooner. Hormonal shifts triggered by severe restriction make adherence harder and energy levels lower. “Real change isn’t about eating perfectly,” Palija says. “It’s about working with your body, not against it.”

Her approach starts by reframing the question entirely. Instead of asking what to remove, she asks clients to focus on what they can add. More vegetables to rice rather than cutting rice out. A date with almonds before dessert rather than banning sweets.

Enjoying treats intentionally instead of eating them in rebellion. “When you add good things instead of removing bad things, your body stops feeling threatened,” she says. Cravings settle. Eating well becomes something people want to do rather than something they force.

Routine plays a central role in making this approach work. January promises often fail because people attempt to change everything at once. Palija encourages changing one small thing and repeating it until it becomes automatic.

Eating at consistent times stabilises blood sugar and reduces erratic hunger. “When your body knows what to expect, cravings calm down,” she says. Lunch timed to digestion, lighter dinners, and breakfast at the same hour each day are not rigid rules. They reflect how the body functions best.

The real shift happens when eating well becomes unremarkable. Palija sees success when habits stop requiring constant thought. “That’s when January’s promise becomes real life,” she says.

Overeating is another moment where long-term habits are often derailed. Most people respond with guilt and punishment. That cycle fuels further overeating. Palija takes a different view. “Notice it, learn from it, and move on,” she says. The next meal becomes simple and supportive. Vegetables. Protein. Whole grains. No restriction. No compensation. Understanding why overeating happened matters more than judging it. Stress, boredom, or emotional hunger often sit underneath the behaviour.

Supporting the body after overeating also matters. Warm water with ginger, lighter meals, and gentle movement help digestion recover. “You’re helping your body, not punishing it,” Palija says. This approach changes the relationship with food. Choices replace shame. Consistency replaces cycles.

When it comes to habits that last, Palija favours simplicity over novelty. Vegetables at lunch and dinner remain the most reliable predictor of long-term health. Eating at the same times daily stabilises energy.

Drinking water, especially before lunch, improves mood and hunger cues. These habits endure because they are forgiving. Missing once does not equal failure. You simply return to the habit at the next opportunity.

One of the most damaging myths Palija challenges is the idea that eating struggles reflect weak willpower. “Willpower isn’t a character trait,” she says. It runs out under stress and fatigue. Making healthy choices easier matters more than trying harder. Environment plays a role. Nourishing foods visible. Snacks planned. Sleep and stress managed.

She also points to gender differences that explain why aggressive diets fail women faster. Severe restriction disrupts hormonal balance, slows progress, and increases frustration. The issue is not effort. It is how the body adapts under pressure. Sustainable change comes from support rather than control.

“The real reset isn’t restriction,” Palija says. It begins with rest, regular meals, reduced stress, and kinder self-talk. Habits that last are built quietly, through daily choices repeated over time. That kind of consistency outlasts January every time.