Intuitive Eating Principle #1: Reject the Diet Mentality
Diet culture has been ingrained in our society for decades, convincing us that our worth is tied to our weight and appearance. We've all encountered the endless parade of fad diets promising quick fixes, snatched waists, thigh gap, and boundless happiness. Yet, as we've seen time and time again, diets often lead to disappointment, self-criticism, and a tumultuous relationship with food. And you know why?
DIETS DO NOT WORK! Research has shown that over 95% of diets fail and ⅔ of dieters will not only gain back the weight that they lost, but extra weight as well. It’s a vicious cycle that needs to stop.
What is the Diet Mentality?
The Diet Mentality refers to the belief that external rules, restrictions, and prescribed eating plans hold the key to achieving our desired body shape or weight. It often involves labeling foods as "good" or "bad," obsessing over calorie counting, and relying on external cues rather than our internal wisdom to guide our eating habits. This mentality can negatively impact both physical and mental health in several ways:
Unsustainable Approach
Diets often involve strict rules and restrictions that are difficult to maintain in the long term. This leads to a cycle of yo-yo dieting, where individuals lose weight and then regain it once they go off the diet. The constant fluctuations can be detrimental to overall health and well-being.
Negative Impact on Mental Health
The focus on restrictive eating and rigid rules can create an unhealthy relationship with food, leading to feelings of guilt, shame, and anxiety around eating. This can contribute to disordered eating behaviors, such as binge eating or emotional eating.
Nutritional Imbalance
Diets often eliminate or severely restrict entire food groups, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Our bodies require a variety of nutrients to function optimally, and cutting out essential food groups can be harmful in the long run.
Slower Metabolism
Prolonged calorie restriction from dieting can slow down the metabolism as the body adapts to conserve energy. This can make it even harder to maintain weight loss and may result in weight gain once normal eating patterns are resumed.
Focus on External Validation
The diet mentality often ties self-worth and confidence to achieving a certain body shape or weight, leading to an unhealthy preoccupation with appearance. This can negatively impact self-esteem and body image.
Ignoring Hunger and Fullness Cues
Diets often override the body's natural hunger and fullness signals. This can lead to a disconnection from the body's internal cues, making it difficult for individuals to recognize when they are truly hungry or satisfied.
Disruption of Social Life
Diets can create social isolation, as individuals may feel the need to avoid social gatherings or events involving food due to fear of breaking their diet rules. This can impact relationships and overall quality of life.
Reduced Enjoyment of Food
Constantly labeling foods as "good" or "bad" can diminish the joy of eating. Food is meant to be savored and enjoyed, and the diet mentality can take away that pleasure.
Focus on Appearance Rather Than Health
Dieting often prioritizes weight loss and appearance over overall health and well-being. Health is not solely determined by body size, and diets may neglect other important factors like mental health, sleep, and physical fitness.
Potential for Eating Disorders
For some individuals, the diet mentality can be a gateway to developing eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or orthorexia. These disorders can have severe and life-threatening consequences.
How to Reject the Diet Mentality
Step 1: Recognize and Acknowledge The Damage that Dieting Causes
Physically - when you restrict your calories, your body perceives it as going into starvation mode so it will do whatever it can to survive: hold onto weight, slow down metabolism, increase binges and cravings
Emotionally - dieting wears away at your confidence and self-esteem, and leads to feelings of failure
Step 2: Be Aware of Diet-Mentality Traits and Thinking
Recognize the thoughts and behaviors that are commonly associated with dieting culture and the pursuit of an idealized body image: strict willpower and food rules, obsession with calories, quick fixes and drastic weight loss
Step 3: Get Rid of the Dieter’s Tools
Throw away the scale! Not only does it provide an incomplete picture of your health by not reflecting changes in body composition, muscle mass or fitness, but it can also lead to an obsession with numbers, unnecessary stress, anxiety, and negative emotional health.
Step 4: Be Compassionate Toward Yourself
Treat yourself with kindness, understanding, and patience as you navigate your relationship with food and your body. This process isn’t about success or failure; rather, it’s a voyage of self-discovery.
