Diet Culture

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We live in a society where dieting is normal. Think about it…it seems like every time we turn around someone is saying "ugh I need to get on a diet" or "I’m starting my diet Monday" or "I really need to get my diet in check before vacation.". It seems as if our weight and perceptions of our bodies takes over and the thought of “dieting” is society’s way of changing that. But are diets the reason people struggle with their weight? Maybe…maybe not. When people “diet” it almost always involves a restriction of calories or certain foods in some sort of way. What if I told you that you could still enjoy the foods you love and still lose weight…would you believe me? Well it is true. There is more to nutrition than just calories in and calories out. It involves a complicated process involving hormones and metabolic processes that occur within the body.

            Its time to ditch the My Fitness Pal app general calorie recommendation of 1200 calories and begin listening to your body and honoring your hunger cues. Typically when people “diet”, they restrict calories way too much and put themselves in a severe calorie deficit. While a slight deficit in caloric intake can help you shed some weight, a severe calorie restriction can halt your weight loss and put more stress on your body. That being said…your body is very smart…in a severe calorie restriction your body will do the opposite of burn fat. Since your body does not know when you will provide it with energy (food) next, it will hold on to fat in an effort to preserve energy to maintain body functions.


            So you’re thinking…okay so how do I successfully lose weight without tracking every single calorie and making sure I don’t create a severe calorie deficit. Well, that’s a very individualized question and requires more than just a simple answer. It comes down to a variety of factors including how active you are, what types of foods you enjoy or don’t enjoy, what your social life looks like and even what your work schedule is like. A dietitian can help you determine a successful weight loss plan that works for YOU. A good start is to begin by truly listening to your body and recognizing when you are truly hungry (not emotionally hungry) and when you are truly full. This is more commonly known as intuitive eating. Intuitive eating is a great approach for chronic dieters and isn’t just for those who want to lose weight. I could write and entire blog on intuitive eating so I will save that for later. 

But for now what I want you to remember is that restricting calories too much can be harmful to your body and prevent weight loss. It is also important to consult with a dietitian if you are attempting to lose weight and want to keep it off! Personally I do not like the term “dieting”. Food is energy and our bodies need energy. Some foods are more nutrient dense than others and can aid is weight loss but consulting with a dietitian is the best approach for long-term success!

-NB

Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 10, 2019 at 2:01 PM

    NB, thank you for bringing up a topic I am so fond of! Our society and many different external factors have programmed us to believe we need to look a certain way and in order to achieve this you have to do "X,Y,Z". We have created a culture around a concept that the risks far outweigh the benefits which is proven time and time again in the literature. We need to learn how to be comfortable with listening to our bodies and honoring our hunger cues as you stated, which ironically may be more difficult to some due to the dieting culture we have created. As a dietitian, this is something I will strive to help people achieve in my future career. Thank you for your great post! -AG

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