As a physician who struggled with my weight for years, I know the endless cycle all too well. You try one diet, then switch to another when you see a compelling documentary or hear about a colleague’s success. You bounce between approaches, never finding consistency, while feeling like you should have this figured out by now.
The question I hear most often from physicians who join Thrive Academy is: “What should I eat?” It seems like such a simple question, but the answer is more nuanced than most diet programs would have you believe.
In this post, I’m sharing what I’ve learned through my personal journey and from coaching hundreds of women physicians who struggle with their eating and weight.
The Problem with Seeking the “Perfect Diet”
For years, I obsessed over finding the “right” way to eat. I’d watch a Netflix documentary about juicing and suddenly decide that was my missing piece – completely forgetting that I hate vegetable juice! This constant diet-hopping meant I never stayed consistent with anything long enough to see real results.
Sound familiar?
Here’s the truth: If you turned to medical journals hoping to find the definitive answer about what to eat for weight loss, you’d be disappointed. You can find evidence supporting low-carb, low-fat, vegan, or very low-calorie approaches. Nutritional science simply doesn’t give us one clear answer.
Four Core Principles for Sustainable Eating
Instead of chasing the “perfect diet,” I’ve found these principles lead to lasting success:
1. You Are Always in Control of Your Eating
Even when it doesn’t feel like it, you are making choices. This isn’t about shame – quite the opposite. It’s about empowerment. When you recognize your agency in food decisions, you open the door to different choices.
I used to tell myself I had “no choice” but to hit the drive-thru after a long shift. This disempowering language kept me stuck. Acknowledging my choices – without judgment – was the first step toward making different ones.
2. Nobody Knows Better Than You What Will Work for You
You already have wisdom about what works for your body. Think about all your past weight loss attempts – what felt good? What didn’t? What did you miss most? This information is gold, and nobody else has access to it.
Some physicians thrive on low-carb eating (like me), while others feel terrible without carbs. Some do well with intermittent fasting, while others need regular meals. Your body, your schedule, and your preferences are unique.
3. Don’t Eat Shitty Food Just to Lose Weight
You deserve to enjoy your food! Forcing yourself to eat bland “diet food” or things you hate (like my vegetable juice example) isn’t sustainable.
The most successful approach is one where you’re excited about your meals. When I committed to finding lower-carb options I genuinely loved, consistency became so much easier.
4. Consistency Trumps Rigid Definitions
Rigidly following someone else’s definition of “low-carb” or “plant-based” often leads to feeling like you’re failing when you don’t match it perfectly.
I don’t say “I eat keto” or “I’m low-carb.” Instead, I eat my version of lower-carb that works for my body and life. Sometimes I eat carbs! That flexibility makes my approach sustainable long-term.
Common Questions Physicians Ask About Eating
Should I eat low-carb, low-fat, vegan, or something else?
Instead of immediately picking an approach, ask yourself:
- What foods do you actually like?
- What style of eating seems to work best for your body?
- What will be easiest to implement in your real life?
- How can you make it YOUR version?
Should I count calories or macros?
Calorie counting works for some people, but many physicians tell me they’re exhausted from decades of it. I personally don’t find it necessary.
Tracking can be helpful when you’re learning (like understanding how many carbs are in certain foods) or when you’re trying to break through a plateau. But for day-to-day eating, I find it creates a sense of restriction that works against long-term sustainability.
What if my current approach isn’t working?
First, honestly assess your consistency – but know that this isn’t about blame or judgment. It’s just information gathering. Sometimes our brains self-edit certain foods or snacks from our awareness, which is totally normal human behavior.
If you’re being fairly consistent and still not seeing results, remember that nothing’s going wrong. Your body isn’t broken, and you haven’t failed. Usually, small tweaks are all that’s needed, not a complete overhaul. Especially if you generally like your current way of eating, don’t scrap everything – just fine-tune.
What if I’m always hungry?
Make sure your approach includes satiating foods (proteins, fats, high-volume vegetables) and minimizes foods that drive hunger (processed foods, simple carbs, sugars).
If you’ve tried these strategies and still struggle, talk to your doctor about medications. GLP-1s and other options can be life-changing for those who’ve always battled hunger.
Finding Your Sustainable Approach
The most sustainable eating pattern is one that:
- You enjoy and look forward to
- Works for your specific body
- Fits into your real life as a busy physician
- You can see yourself doing long-term
This might mean taking elements from different approaches rather than rigidly following one. It means customizing to your preferences and lifestyle. It means letting go of perfectionism and embracing what actually works.
For me, a generally lower-carb approach combined with regular cardiovascular exercise is my magic formula. But I discovered this through years of trial and error, not by following someone else’s rules.
As physicians, we’re trained to follow protocols, but when it comes to our own eating, we need to trust ourselves more than external authorities.
Need More Support?
If you’re tired of struggling with your eating and weight alone, join us inside Thrive Academy for Physicians. I created this program specifically for women physicians who feel out of control with their eating despite “knowing better.”
With expert support and guidance, you can stop the endless cycle of diet-hopping and find an approach that works for your unique body and life. Click here to learn more.
Listen to the full episode below or on your favorite podcast app to hear more about finding a sustainable approach to eating that works for YOU.
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