You hear it all the time: “Iʼm going to start the whole 30 this
month!” “I need to get down
to pre-pregnancy weight” “Ugh, I hate my thighs,” “Iʼm not going to eat
sugar; itʼs
too
addicting,” “If I could just lose X pounds, then I would be happier.” Topics of dieting
have become so normalized that these harmful messages trickle their way into our daily
conversations, and are highly reinforced by advertisements, media, and yes, even the
medical field. Itʼs no wonder that up to 85% of young girls dislike and want to change
their bodies! Furthermore, research has shown those who diet are ten times more likely to
develop a diagnosable eating disorder than their non-dieting peers (NEDA, 2019).
Dieting, over the years, has become detrimental to both mental and physical health.
Studies have reported that yo-yo dieting leads to more weight gain and more health
complications than those who maintain a consistent weight (Columbia, 2019). The
overall culture of dieting is damaging, mentally, emotionally, and physically, leading to
restrictive food intake, overeating, obsessions about food, harmful supplements for the
body, anxiety, and shame regarding food choices, and poor body image.
There are several small action steps we can do to work on reducing the harmful effects of
dieting. The first thing we can do is to stop labeling foods as good or bad and stop
labeling yourself as good or bad based on the specific foods you eat. When we adopt the
All Foods Fit model, we are less likely to avoid guilt and shame over what we eat. Also,
we can allow ourselves to eat a variety of different foods. Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD, and
Elyse Resch, MS, RD, FADA, CEDRD describe labeling food in a moral sense as the
“Food Police,” in their book, Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program that
Works (2012). Tribole and Resch report that Policing food leads to rigid rules, which
reinforce a sense of guilt for eating “bad foods” or a heightened sense of morality for
eating “good foods.” Next time you go for a piece of cake or a salad, remember to give
yourself permission to eat all foods and that the type of food you choose to
eat does not
define you as a person.
Another helpful step to finding freedom from diet culture is to participate in mindful,
joyful movement. When we find movement or exercise we enjoy, we are more likely to
engage in that activity for a much longer-term than when we feel forced to engage in
activities we donʼt like. After a while, exercise becomes something we want to do rather
than something we have to do. This reduces guilt for the times when we miss a day or
feel as if we donʼt push hard enough. When we shift our focus to how we feel, rather than
how many calories we burned, the distance we ran, or the time we spent working out, we
will begin to focus on how exercise actually makes us feel inside. A leisure walk can do
more for the mind, body, and soul as we practice mindfulness, nature, and joy in our
movement. Stress from missing a work out can do more harm to our body. Being able
to find small acts of reducing stress, such as joyful movement, can be helpful in our
overall health.
Lastly, we can work on treating our bodies nicely. We live in a society that is slowly
starting to honor body diversity, and while we are moving in a more body inclusive
direction, we still have a long way to go. It can be difficult to love and respect our bodies
when most advertisements tell us that we need to change our bodies. If you find yourself
struggling to accept your body, recognize that as a whole, our society puts unrealistic
expectations and overemphasis on body shape and appearance. One way to practice body
acceptance is by practicing affirming statements, such as “I appreciate my legs because
they are strong,” “I appreciate my arms because I can welcome hugs from people I love,”
“My stomach helps me to absorb nutrients and digest my food.” When we can
start appreciating our body for what it does rather than what it doesnʼt do or look
like, the desire to participate in diet culture diminishes. We can begin to learn to
appreciate the practical sense of our bodies instead of objectifying them.
Being able to honor and respect our bodies while making conscientious decisions about
food and exercise can increase our overall health, both mentally and physically. Dieting
can be damaging by causing an increase in our risk for eating disorders, preoccupation
with food and weight, and even major illnesses such as heart disease. With professional
help, you can heal your relationship with food and your body.
Alyssa Booth, MA, LPC