Have You Ever Wondered How Much of Your Life You’ve Spent Dieting?

We’ve all probably been there. We start yet another diet, hoping this will be the one that works. Maybe it’s a new trend, a “lifestyle change,” or a program promising quick results. But then, months or even just weeks later, you’re back at square one, either exhausted from restriction or frustrated because the weight won’t leave or just because dieting sucks.

What if I told you that the average woman spends 17 years of her life dieting? Yes, you read that right. Seventeen. Years. That’s nearly two decades spent obsessing over calories, cutting carbs, and chasing a shrinking number on the scale.

And the worst part? Diets don’t even work.

Let’s break down what this means and why it’s time to break free from the cycle.

Breaking Down the 17-Year Dieting Statistic

So, where does the number 17 come from? It’s based on a simple calculation:

  • If a woman starts dieting at 18 years old
  • Lives to be 82 years old
  • Diets for an average of 14 weeks (about 3 months) per year
  • That adds up to a little more than 17 years spent dieting over her lifetime.

And that’s a conservative estimate. Many women begin dieting in their early teenage years, some as young as 10 or 11. If you factor that in, this number could be much higher. Additionally, many women diet for more than 3 months out of a year.

Think about that for a second: 17+ years spent tracking, restricting, weighing, measuring, and worrying about food. That’s time you could have spent traveling, enjoying meals with family and friends without guilt, pursuing hobbies, or just living your life.

The Dieting Cycle: Why Most People End Up Right Back Where They Started

The hardest pill to swallow? Dieting doesn’t actually work in the long run. Studies show that 80-95% of dieters regain the weight they lost, often gaining even more than they started with.

Why does this happen? Because our bodies aren’t designed to be in a constant state of deprivation. When we restrict food, our metabolism slows down, our hunger hormones go into overdrive, and we become obsessed with eating. It’s a survival mechanism. Our body is literally trying to keep us alive.

This is why dieting sucks and often leads to binge-eating, guilt, and an endless cycle of weight loss and regain. It looks like this:

  1. Start a diet → Feel motivated, restrict food, eat less.
  2. Body fights back → Metabolism slows, cravings increase, energy drops.
  3. Willpower runs out → Binge, overeat, regain weight.
  4. Feel guilty → Start another diet.
  5. Repeat. For years.

Sound familiar? This is the yo-yo dieting trap that millions of women get stuck in.

The Emotional Toll: Dieting Sucks and Steals Your Happiness

Dieting sucks. It isn’t just physically exhausting, it’s mentally and emotionally draining too. When your life revolves around what you can and can’t eat, food becomes a source of stress instead of enjoyment.

  • You decline social events because you’re afraid of eating “off plan.”
  • You constantly feel like you’re failing because you can’t stick to unrealistic restrictions.
  • You base your worth on a number on a scale instead of who you are as a person.

Diet culture has convinced us that happiness is five or maybe 10 pounds away, but that’s a lie. Weight loss does not guarantee confidence, self-love, or fulfillment. In fact, for many people, it creates more anxiety, because the fear of regaining the weight is always present.

Diet Culture: The Root of the Problem

So, if dieting doesn’t work, why do we keep doing it? That’s simple. It’s because of diet culture.

Diet culture is the multi-billion-dollar industry that profits off of our insecurities. It tells us that thinner is better, that food should be earned, and that our bodies are projects in need of constant fixing.

It shows up in:

  • Weight loss ads that make you feel like your body isn’t good enough.
  • Magazines promoting the latest diet trends.
  • Social media influencers selling detox teas (that are just expensive laxatives).
  • Doctors prescribing weight loss instead of addressing real health concerns.
  • and so many other places!

It’s all designed to keep us chasing an impossible standard. And the worst part? The beauty ideal keeps changing, so even when we reach a goal, the finish line moves.

What Could You Do With 17 Extra Years of Your Life?

Now, let’s flip the script. Instead of spending 17+ years dieting, (because let’s be honest, dieting sucks) what if you spent that time actually living?

Here are just a few things you could do with that time:

  • Travel to new places without stressing over “vacation weight.”
  • Enjoy meals with family and friends without guilt.
  • Pursue passions and hobbies you’ve put on hold.
  • Move your body in ways that feel joyful, not punishing.
  • Build confidence based on who you are, not what you weigh or what you look like. 

Despite what society says, your body is not the most interesting thing about you. You have so much more to offer the world than just taking up less space.

Breaking Free: How to Escape the Dieting Cycle for Good

If you’re ready to stop wasting your life on dieting, here are some ways to start breaking free:

1. Ditch the diets for good

Let go of restrictive eating plans, calorie counting, and “cheat days.” Instead, learn about and incorporate Intuitive Eating into your daily life.

2. Unfollow toxic social media accounts

Curate your feed. Unfollow anyone who makes you feel like you need to shrink yourself to be worthy. Follow people who promote body acceptance instead.

3. Challenge your thoughts around weight and health

Weight does not determine health. Start questioning what you’ve been taught about body size, food, and self-worth.

4. Find joy in movement

Exercise should feel good, not like a punishment. Try new ways of moving that bring you joy. 

5. Remember: life is too short to waste on dieting

At the end of your life, no one will remember what size jeans you wore. They’ll remember how you made them feel, the memories you created, and the love you gave.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the truth: Your body is your home, not a problem to be fixed.

You deserve to enjoy food without guilt, to move your body because it feels good, and to take up space without apology.

So let’s stop wasting our precious time dieting and start actually living.

Are you ready? Because your life is waiting. ❤️

Thanks for reading!

Rachel Beiler, MHS, RD, LDN