Why Every Day Should Be “No Diet Day”
Today is International No Diet Day (INDD). The day started out of frustration with thin idealism and weight-based bullying in schools. Dieting has become a common word we hear on a day-to-day basis. The staff room, gym, school hallway; it seems like every week there is a new food craze or 3-week fix that people are racing to try. Where does this fixation on losing weight and fitting a certain pants size come from? The answer to that question is of course multifaceted, but it’s important to focus on the solution rather than the problem.
Every person is different. Just like there are 25 shades of brown hair, there are also a multitude of body types and builds. We were never meant to all look the same and we were never mean to idealize one body type over another. Dieting tells us that you need to be thin to be happy. Often, diets can be overly restrictive, cut out entire groups of foods, or only allow for very low calorie intake. These diets often result in significant weight loss in a short period of time. The problem is that if they are maintained over an extended period of time, these diets often result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies and significant disruptions in metabolism. However, for the most part, diets are very difficult to follow for longer than a few months and statistics show that only about 20 percent of people will maintain weight loss in the long term.
So, what is the alternative? We truly believe it starts with looking beyond your physical exterior and what the number on the scale says. If we can move the focus to how food fuels us, allows us to be active and brings enjoyment to our lives we can take away the need for dieting that is restrictive and unhealthy. Reviewing educated counselling on nutrition and how all foods fit in moderation, is key to starting a healthy journey with food and achieving true wellness. Let’s make every day no diet day and rethink what drives our food choices and what defines who we are!