ignore diet culture and lose weight sustainably (2022)
Ignoring diet culture is an act of self-love.
You can reclaim your power.
Let’s be real … going on a strict diet or calorie deficit only leads to short-term weight loss. On the contrary, a balanced diet and a healthy relationship with food results in weight loss that is sustainable and long-lasting. Unfortunately, the latter isn’t always promoted in our society. Diet culture and weight loss myths are constantly pushed, and they’re often difficult to ignore. Let’s learn more about finding a way to lose weight healthily amid the diet culture.
Trigger warning: if you have experienced or are experiencing an eating disorder or disordered eating and you don’t feel this article will serve you, please skip over it.
Diet Culture In Our Society
Influencers, magazine writers, nutritionists, and personal trainers are just a few people who constantly promote new diets and share weight loss tips. Though they have a platform, they are, more often than not, uneducated in the field of nutrition and dietetics. Additionally, slim, curvy, and slim-thick are just a few of the body sizes that our society has idealized at one point in time, although body ideals are constantly changing. With all these ridiculous diet trends and ever-changing body ideals shown on social media, in magazines, online, on billboards – basically, everywhere you look – society has created a diet culture focused on unsustainable fad diets. According to an article by Meara Faw et al., diet culture consists of “Pervasive cultural norms that emphasize thinness, control, and restriction around eating and exercise behaviors, and the moralization of food” (1). The emphasis on dieting and weight loss has resulted in a culture with a strong desire to lose weight, an unhealthy relationship with food, and poor body image. But that doesn’t have to be your story – you can reclaim your power! Don’t let diet culture be the reason why you want to lose weight.
Why You Should Ignore Diet Culture
Every single body is different, and trying to attain a body that society idealizes can be nearly impossible. All of us were born with different bone structures and have different set point weights (certain weights or weight ranges our bodies were naturally and genetically intended to be at). The definition of set point weight was explained well in an article by Michael Agus et. al, where authors state that “[t]he concept of a body weight set point, determined predominantly by genetic mechanisms, has been proposed to explain the poor long-term results of conventional energy restricted diets in the treatment of obesity” (2). The authors of this article make a good point about how diets almost always result in short-term weight loss because our bodies need different amounts of calories and needs in order to be healthy and at our personal set-point weights. Trying to change your body to look like someone else is unhealthy, unsustainable, and damaging to your health. In the article by Meara Faw et. al, the authors express that “[d]iet culture's emphasis on impossible body standards contributes to the body dissatisfaction that has become the norm for American women and that is associated with an increased risk of depression and suicide … In addition, women are more likely to experience diet culture pressures during times of significant change, like the transition to adulthood” (1). While it’s difficult to ignore diet culture, try your best to love, nourish, and care for your own body regardless of what society’s (current) idea of an ideal body is.
Determining If Weight Loss Is Right For You
Before going on a weight loss journey, think about why you want to lose weight. Take a look at these questions and choose one to answer yes to.
Do you want to lose weight so you can feel accepted?
Do you want to lose weight so you can look more physically attractive to others?
Do you want to lose weight so you will feel mentally and physically healthier?
If you answered yes to number 3, you are definitely on the right track! Having the mindset of wanting to lose weight to improve your health rather than to feel accepted by others or improve your appearance is the most reasonable way of thinking.
The Bottom Line: How to Lose Weight Sustainably
Weight loss plans that promise fast results are usually overly restrictive and unsustainable. They often result in disordered eating, weight gain, and general misery. But healthy and sustainable weight loss is possible! Making lifestyle modifications to include foods and movement that you enjoy, while avoiding severe restriction, is key. A healthy lifestyle is not always easy to follow, but it can become your norm. The many benefits include better quality of life, lower risk of diseases, and improved mental health. Sustainable weight loss is a type of weight loss that you can maintain in the long run. It's not a diet followed for a short period and then abandoned. It's a lifestyle change that includes healthy eating and mindful exercise habits. The best tips for sustainable weight loss are as follows:
1. Don’t Focus on the Numbers
Counting calories, going on the scale every day, and measuring your body are all habits that can lead to a dangerous obsessiveness over food and weight. Weight loss is a slow process, and trying to reduce your weight, waist size, and calorie consumption quickly are all unrealistic weight loss goals that don’t foster a positive relationship with food or body image.
2. Don’t Focus on What Your Body Looks Like
Remember your WHY for losing weight. Focus on how you feel and work towards improving your health rather than getting validation from others or looking “better.” Do your best to not compare your body to others and embrace the body you have! Remember, it’s impractical to try to achieve a body shape that you don’t naturally have!
3. Don’t Restrict Foods
Rather than dieting, aim for intuitive eating. Intuitive eating consists of listening to your body’s needs and hunger cues, which is a sustainable way to lose and manage weight. Eat when you are hungry and eat to feel good. Incorporating whole fruits, vegetables, grains, and desserts, and comfort foods into your diet provides you with long-term weight management, nutrition, and happiness!
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Written by Cameron Kao
Reviewed by Kelly Powers, MA, RDN, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who takes a holistic approach to nutrition and health. Kelly is a recipe developer with a food blog highlighting whole foods, simple recipes, and her life in San Francisco. She’s the creator of Weeknight Dinners, a weekly meal plan program that helps users get back in the kitchen and feed themselves well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I not compare my body to other people?
A: Remember that every body is unique and different. No body is better or more valuable. A simple but helpful tip is to clean up your social media. Social media is filled with posts of people’s bodies and can lead to comparison and bad body image. Unfollow or mute accounts on social media that make you feel insecure or bad about your body. Try taking a break from social media or even delete your account.
Q: Who should I trust for diet/weight loss advice?
A: Registered Dietitians are the most reliable and knowledgeable regarding dieting and weight loss. They have 4+ years of studying nutrition and dietetics. They also have to complete continuing education throughout their professional career to remain credentialed. Many influencers, personal trainers, and nutritionists have no formal nutrition training and 0 years of studying dietetics! Their dieting and weight loss advice contribute to diet culture and the development of diet trends.
Q: Can I still eat the foods I love if I want to lose weight?
A: YES! Practice intuitive eating and eat the foods that you enjoy. Eating the foods that make you happy contributes to having a healthy relationship with food. Just make sure you’re well fed and your diet is balanced. Less healthy options don’t provide you with the essential nutrients found in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins!