Diets, dieting is what we do-they're treated as a cure-all, a health maker, a happiness maker. But how many times have you actually felt healthier and happier after you've finished your diet?
It's week 2 of my "love your body" series for national eating disorder awareness month. I really want you to take home the message that DIETING SUCKS and that dieting itself won't make you love your body, won't make others love your, and won't make your life great. Adopting healthy habits will help, but that's for next month, National Nutrition Month.
1. Dieting can lead to bingeing.
Restricting your food or staying away from your favorite foods can only last so long. How many times have you gone crazy after reaching your goal weight or finishing a diet. Not only is dieting not productive, it messes with your head.
2. Dieting doesn't lead to long-term changes.
90+% of dieters regain that weight, and even more. How is this productive? It leads to dieting cycles, frustration, and feeling like you can't accomplish anything. Since when has restricting enjoyable foods been labeled as determination? Food and eating needs to be enjoyed, when it's not it's miserable and not something anyone could stick to-that has nothing to do with determination. Besides, if you're so determined to eat perfectly, you're wading in the dangerous waters of disordered eating.
3. Dieting leads to a whole lot of negative self talk.
That's destructive. I'm sick and tired of hearing that what you say aloud or what you tell yourself doesn't affect how you treat yourself or others. It's just not true. The mean things we call ourselves lead to us not liking our bodies. Unfortunately not liking your body leads to not taking care of your body. The more you talk negatively about yourself or others, the more you're actually going to think those things. Stop lying to yourself by saying it doesn't matter. Our actions do speak louder than our words, but our self-talk guides our actions.
4. It's easy to tie your self worth & acceptance to your ability to stick to a restrictive diet.
Since when are you worth what you can lose or what foods you can will yourself to avoid? Since when are you minimized to your body? You, everyone is a complex being with skills and contributions that have nothing to do with how we look or how much we weigh. Stop minimizing yourself to your size. You deserve better, you deserve to be comfortable in your own skin and to be content with your lifestyle, not always reaching for that all illusive perfect diet.
5. Dieting/weight loss will not magically allow you love your body.
At least in the long term. So many exercise and nutrition programs I see around tell you that you will grow to love your body, once you cut the fat and slim down. Once you get that hot bod, you’re going to love yourself, you’re going to be accepted, and you’re going to be whole/awesome/rocking life. Newsflash, even women who have the bodies that society envies, hate aspects of their bodies. The reality is that this ever so elusive perfect bod is an ever moving target. If you’re banking all of your happiness on achieving the hot bod goal, you’re going to be seriously disappointed.
Long story short, you NEED to learn to love your body for what it is, and what it allows you to do, NOT for what it theoretically could or may look like. If your self-worth is tied to that, you deserve better. Really. Because in all reality even women who fit that ideal mold still don't feel that way. Beauty Redefined, a brilliant and so important organization that aims to empower women to think of themselves and of others than just bodies posted this powerful quote from Emma Watson the other day. Emma Watson is the British actor, most famously known for her role as Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series. She is looked up to by many for so many reasons.
“I was riddled with insecurity…. And I realized it’s because I can’t even reconcile myself with my own image on the front of these magazines. Compare myself to how I look, when I’ve gone through all of that makeup and styling, to my normal life is- I can’t live up to it. I was like….. “If that’s how I feel, and get to be the person who’s on the cover of the magazines, how’s anyone else meant to cope?”
That was taken from her quote published in Esquire UK in March 2013.
Emma brings up an important realization. She was comparing her real self to her ‘fake’ self that appeared on magazine covers. Unfortunately, a majority of the images we see of celebrities, in any form of advertisement be it print, TV, or other forms… they’re not real. They’re airbrushed and corrected to promote this ‘perfection’ that is unattainable for even the most famous people who have the expectations to have the perfect bodies as well as the resources to do so. If they can’t compete or reconcile with this expectation, how can the rest of us do it? Literally, there’s no way.
Instead of being frustrated and overwhelmed with this expectation that society places on us to have it all with a hot bod, throw that expectation out the window. Because in all reality, you will not reach this expected hotness IS NOT REAL. It’s photoshopped, and you live in a real world and have so much more to give than to meet this expectation of hotness.
So obviously, throwing these expectations out the window, as difficult as it is, is the first step to health and happiness.
Read If you think you're going to be happy with your body after you lose weight, you're wrong
Also, make sure to follow my series of inspirational music lyrics this month on Instagram.
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Let's get chatty:
- what role does dieting or not dieting have in your happiness, health? I'd love to hear your honest experiences!
Lauren O'Connor says
Agreed - Dieting Sucks! No one needs any negativity or poor self-esteem. Great points here.
Rebecca says
thanks Lauren! totally, no negativity!
Charlene Pors says
Love this! I couldn't agree with you more!
Rebecca says
thanks so much Charlene!
Jessica @Nutritioulicious says
Such a great message to be sharing Rebecca. Awesome post!
Rebecca says
thanks Jessica!
Mandy Enright says
"DIET" is such an ugly 4-letter word!
Rebecca says
so so true! I think it's THE 4-letter word 😉
Whitney @ To Live & Diet in L.A. says
Dieting does suck!! Love this post. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Rebecca says
thanks Whitney! Hate dieting 🙂
Rose says
Some of those are sad truths. I would like to say I haven't try to diet; it was just modifying what I ate or being more consciously aware of my decisions. Last year I cut out the dairy, sugar and bread. I also worked out consistently and hiked alot over that month. Between the two or maybe more so one over the other I saw results but. I sti see results with just working out. I'm able to eat, eat what I want and just consistently workout. I can't over eat sweets. I need to control that urge.
Rebecca says
Hi Rose, thanks for commenting! I'm with you, I LOVE hiking! That transition to more normal eating after a restrictive diet is hard, I hope you find a plan that works for you. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or if things aren't working
Tasheena @ SimplyTasheena.com says
Great post! I prefer to just create healthier eating habits vs just going on a diet.
Rebecca says
thanks Tasheena, I agree! way more enjoyable and long lasting
Amber Myers says
I so agree with you! I've never gone on a diet because I know it wouldn't work. I just try to eat junk in moderation and that seems to work well for me. Oh, and I exercise, naturally.
Rebecca says
me too! they really don't! thanks for sharing, Amber
Andrea Broom says
Love this, it's so true. Losing weight doesn't automatically mean you will love yourself. That took me a long time to figure out and now I am in a more healthy place with myself.
Rebecca says
Thanks Andrea! I agree and so does the science 🙂 I'm glad you've come to this conclusion & feel like you're in a healthy place! that's great
Nisha Syam says
Great read! I am in fact thinking of going on a diet! I have never been on a diet.
http://www.learn2livefully.com
Rebecca says
thanks Nisha! feel free to subscribe to my email list- you'll get tips and resources to improve your health without any of that misery or discouragement that comes with dieting.
Nichole says
I agree with you. We must love yourself. And then choose to eat healthy to live and not live to eat.
Rebecca says
so so true!
Nikki says
I agree! So many times I have tried to diet and completely failed after a couple of weeks! Nikki x
Rebecca says
yeah, & it's the diet's fault, not yours.
Chanelle lynn says
This is precisely the reason why I don't do the typical "diets". I just enjoy having a healthy lifestyle and staying active! Awesome post!
http://www.imagineyourart.org
Rebecca says
totally agree! thanks for sharing!
Beth says
Great points! Diets are negative and don't lead to long-term solutions. The discouragement that comes from dieting can lead to bad choices.
Rebecca says
thanks Beth! you're right! no long term solutions in dieting and often lots of discouragement
Amrita says
Dieting has a lot of negativit around it.I like to say Lifestyle modifications to look and feel better.The word dieting sounds wrong somehow. Loved reading this.
Rebecca says
thanks Amrita! yeah, dieting has so much negativity surrounding it!
Nina says
This is such a real and important post. I've never been one to diet. I will cut out unnecessary things from time to time like soda and sweets. But I always always always make sure I'm eating normal and nutritious meals. And self love is hands down the most important.
Rebecca says
so important! thanks for sharing Nina
CourtneyLynne says
Ahhhh so true! Dieting definitely sucks!!! It's all about making lifestyle changes!!! Diets just don't work
Rebecca says
totally agree!
Ana Ojha says
Great tips! I never do dieting but prefer low calories food. Also, I feel balanced diet + regular workouts can create a huge impact!
Rebecca says
totally agree! thanks for sharing, Ana