Embrace “No Diet Day” Every Day! {May 6}

Happy International No Diet Day! Let’s celebrate by saying farewell to food restrictions, rigorous calorie counting and unsustainable physical activity regimes. Instead, it is a day to celebrate healthy eating practices and raise awareness that restrictive (and often dangerous) diets do not work.

When we say no to dieting, we can instead declare a resounding “yes” to eating for nourishment, being active for well being and practicing body acceptance!

What would our world be like without “dieting”? I hope to eventually see this day. I envision young girls and boys focusing on making healthy (and delicious) choices to keep their bodies active and their minds focused. We would put in the necessary effort to make healthy meals a way of honoring our bodies as a miraculous gift. We would not feel compelled to punish our bodies by skipping meals/restricting food, going days or weeks feeling hungry and we would certainly not be taking any of the weight loss remedies Dr. Oz speaks about or “quick fix” cleanses. We would be able to look in the mirror and like what we see; regardless of the fabricated media portrayal of beauty. We would not hear negative self-talk and destructive self-criticism; instead, we would be hear words of kindness directed towards ourselves. This would be a world embracing not dieting.

Andrea’s Top 3 Reasons to Embrace “No Diet Day” Every Day:

1. At Risk for Weight Gain!

Dieting actually leads to weight gain. This is an important message especially for those considering going on a diet (or another diet). Dieters (those going on overly restrictive, unsustainable eating regimes) put themselves at high risk for weight gain. The International Journal of Obesity published a study using twins (to control for genetic variability) and found that the dieting twin was more prone to weight gain and obesity. The “yo-yo” pattern of dieting causes weight to initially decrease but then rebounds often higher than it was originally. This is known as “dieting-induced weight-gain” and it appears that the more you diet the higher your risk for overweight and obesity.

• Fact: Adolescent girls who diet are at 324% greater risk for obesity than those who do not diet (Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1999)

• TIP: Skip the diet; instead, focus on sustainable healthy eating.

2. Rise of Negative Body Image:

Millions of people are unhappy with their bodies. This is not surprising considering the “in-your-face” media messages of beauty leading women to aspire to be thin and males to strive to be extremely muscular. The infiltration of media messaging can (and does) erode healthy body image and fuels dieting patterns from a young age.

• Fact: The National Eating Disorder Information Centre estimates that up to 40% of nine-year-old girls have dieted to lose weight – even when they were at normal weights.

• TIP: Let’s celebrate beauty and diversity that comes in different sizes and shapes.

I enjoy the #OwnIt video with a strong message of healthy living and body acceptance.

3. Sustainable Diets are Key

If you’ve tried several diets only to find that they do not work, you are not alone. It is widely estimated that 95% of dieters are unable to keep off the weight in the long-term. This is for many reasons but one of the most fundamental is that if you can’t keep up this pattern of eating you won’t be able to keep off the weight. On the other hand, coming up with healthy eating practices that are enjoyable and don’t leave you feeling hungry, is a sustainable way of keeping off those pounds.

• Fact: Restrictive eating leads to cravings, emotional eating, feelings of deprivation and tendency to binge. People also tend to feel guilty and this creates a negative relationship with self and with food.
• Tip: Working with a dietitian can help you discover strategies to nourish your body and maintain or achieve good health.

Bottom Line:

Every day let’s celebrate eating healthy foods for enjoyment, nourishment and most importantly for our mental and physical health! Dieting is a downwards spiral of future diets and re-bound weight gain. Live your life with laughter, learning and love and know that bodies come in different shapes and sizes.

Be active, eat well and take care.

#DitchTheDiet