Simply put – dieting doesn’t work.
Though that is an over simplification. Yes, cutting calories will lead to weight loss, but at what cost?
A more healthy and sustainable option is intuitive eating, which allows you have your cake and enjoy it.
For such a long time, society has been obsessed with weight. We are constantly being told about the obesity epidemic and how it is such a drain physically and financially. We all need to stop eating fat, and then no carbs, to be skinny. What is the obsession with being skinny? Why isn’t the focus on being fit and healthy? Why is a 6-pack, a pert butt and bulging biceps the goal?
This messaging isn’t only targeted at women either, men are now being told they have to measure up to someone else’s skinny ideals. And the best way to reach those skinny goals – diet!
Take your pick from the varied names given to fads that all have the same premise – to starve your body to reach some lower body weight in a way that is neither healthy nor sustainable.
So, what do I mean by "dieting isn’t healthy or sustainable"?
1. Many diets set your calorie intake to a number that is barely enough for a toddler to function on, let alone a fully grown adult.
2. Diets are basically set up so that you fail, but you are made to feel like it is all your fault – you need to have more willpower! Never mind the fact that our bodies have mechanisms to offset a significant reduction in calorie intake.
3. All the diet rules cause confusion about what you are ‘allowed’ to eat – healthy vs unhealthy, good vs bad.
4. You are made to feel guilty and ashamed if you indulge in a ‘bad’ food, even if it’s a slice of your kid’s birthday cake.
5. To hit that low calorie intake you fill up on water or skip meals – which can lead to nutrient deficiencies.
6. To offset any ‘extra’ calories you might eat, you exercise excessively – not taking time to let your body recover, increasing your risk of injury.
All of that – low calorie intake, stress, low nutrient intake, and excessive exercise – puts strain on your body. That leads to impaired functions within the body, from your immune system to reproductive system.
How is any of that healthy, and why would you even want to go there simply to fit into some weird skinny ideal?
Thankfully we humans come in all shapes and sizes and colours. Imagine how dull and boring it would be if we were all the same?
Yes, there are certain biological fundamentals that make us all pretty much the same. But at the end of the day what works for one person to be fit and healthy won’t necessarily work for you or the person next-door.
There is so much misinformation about food and nutrition and what is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for us.
In my opinion, as a Registered Nutritionist, the only foods that are ‘bad’ are those that have gone off or make you unwell. For me there is a handful of ‘bad’ foods as I am an allergy sufferer. But I don’t stop others from eating them if they safely can.
‘Good’ foods are those that leave you feeling nourished and satisfied. And that sometimes includes a slice of cake with your cuppa tea.
Intuitive eating is all about ignoring the fads and the food police and the latest trend on the internet; and listening to your body and what it needs, to leave you feeling fabulous!
It is about a lifelong commitment to self-care, not just setting a target number (# kilograms/pounds) to hit.
There are 10 principles to intuitive eating:
- Reject diet mentality.
- Honour your hunger.
- Make peace with food.
- Challenge the food police.
- Tune into your body's fullness signals.
- Discover the satisfaction factor.
- Honour your feelings without food.
- Respect your body.
- Engage in joyful movement.
- Honour your health with gentle nutrition.
They are the nearest things to ‘rules’ that you will get with this non-diet. Unlike a diet where you are restricted, deprived and judged; this is all about nourishment, satisfaction and empowerment. You don’t have to eat perfectly every day because it is what you do consistently over your lifetime that matters.
However, there is more to being fit and healthy than the food you eat. There is also the importance of good physical, social and mental health. Exercise is good for our bodies, from building lean muscle for a good metabolism (and a strong heart) to strengthening our bones to helping with balance and posture. A good social structure, such as hanging with friends and family or joining a club or church group, provide us with support that nourishes our soul. And all of these come together, along with minimising stress and indulging in favourite past-times (reading a good book, pottering in the garden, walking along the beach at sunset) to help our mental well-being.
A great book to introduce you to the principles of intuitive eating is Intuitive Eating: A revolutionary program that Works, by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. There is also a workbook too, to help guide you through each of the principals, when you are ready to reject diet culture and begin to respect and nourish your body.
Remember you only get one body and one life. My message is that you should embrace looking after yourself and make sure you are well nourished and satisfied in all aspects to live your best life, whatever that may be.