The start of a new year often brings resolutions to “eat healthier” (which is often code for trying to lose weight). With the latest weight-loss diets hitting the media, it’s easy to get swept up in it all.
About 90% of dieters will quit their new “healthy eating” regimens by February. If you’ve been on a diet, chances are you know that they’re near impossible to stick to. Dieting, with its strict food rules, and “good” and “bad” food lists, can lead to feelings of deprivation, anxiety, and shame. In addition to these feelings, many things people do for the sake of weight loss can harm their physical or mental health as well.
Healthy eating should be flexible and make you feel good. This year, consider ditching the diet to rekindle a positive relationship with food. Here are a few ideas to get started:
Nourish your body with enough food.
Aim to eat regularly and listen to your body’s signals of hunger, fullness, and satisfaction. Busy schedules and barriers to food access can make this more difficult. Don’t let the idea of “perfect eating” get in the way of nourishing your body with foods that are accessible to you.
Add on, don’t take away.
When thinking about nutrition, think about what foods you can add to your meals, rather than foods to cut out. Enjoy a variety of food from the three food groups (vegetables and fruit, grains, and proteins) from Canada’s food guide to meet your nutrition needs.
Unsubscribe from diet talk.
Avoid commenting on bodies or placing moral value on food choices (e.g., “I’m so bad for eating __!”). Plan for ways to respond to diet talk if it comes up. Try phrases like “I’m not participating in dieting anymore and I feel so much happier!” or “Let’s not talk about bodies.”
Take back your money and time from the diet industry.
Be critical of messages telling us that our bodies are the “problem”, and they need to be “fixed” by buying the latest product, pill, or diet plan. The dieting industry is interested in your wallet, not your well-being.
Focus on health, not weight.
Health is not measured by a number on a scale. Health means different things to different people and can exist in diverse bodies. Focus on taking care of your body, mind, and soul in ways that make you feel good. If you’re setting health goals, reflect on what you truly value when it comes to your physical, social, and mental well-being.
Rejecting dieting in a culture that’s obsessed with weight loss isn’t easy. This is especially true in the New Year when weight-focused messages are louder than ever. Remember, you deserve kindness, self-compassion, and patience as you navigate this process of unlearning.
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