Remember the running joke in the ’90s about, “You might be a redneck IF….”? It’s had a million reincarnations, but I thought I’d change things up on the blog today and do a version that illustrates a few experiences I’ve had recently.
Diet culture is all around us. It permeates everything, from the media we see to the environments we live and work in, to our family dynamics and conversations with friends and family. With diets being such an accepted form of self-inflicted stress, it’s no wonder we often aren’t aware of how pervasive the diet mentality really is.
I’d be the first to raise my hand and say I was guilty of buying into this at one time. I used language and phrases that I heard, repeated, and believed. Looking back, I cringe to think that the entire time I was beating myself up about things I didn’t need to stress about. There was another way.
So without further adieu, let’s get into things! This post is meant to be lighthearted, but honest.
In no particular order:
You Might Be Sick Of Diet Culture If…
You’re tired of hearing the person in the booth behind you in a restaurant going on and on about her new diet.
You know…can’t eat this, can’t eat that, can’t eat anything after 8 pm, can’t Can’t CAN’T. If you’ve stopped and wondered, “Well, why the hell can’t you?!” you might be sick of diet culture. I often wish I could just enjoy my meal and savor some silence without that distraction.
You’re about to donate or toss clothes that don’t fit, aren’t comfortable to wear, or make you to feel unhappy about your body shape or size (or you already have).
Fashionistas out there, I’m kind of sorry but not really sorry. I’m not stylish enough to follow those trends in clothing, and I certainly don’t follow the trends with diets. It’s perfectly OK to remove clothes from your closet that leave you feeling unnecessarily unhappy. Those jeans that are a little too snug right now? Toss ’em. They’ll only leave you hoping for weight loss and wishing your body was something other than it is. Your body is acceptable, valid, and worthy of compassion just the way it is.
Plus, it’s a lot easier to tune into hunger and fullness signals when you’re comfortable in an outfit. AKA, the reason I love my pants with elastic (anyone else?)
Exercise is less like a chore and more like mindful movement that you genuinely look forward to.
What’s your idea of mindful, joyful movement that leaves your body feeling better than it did before?
For most of us, that isn’t going to be slogging away on a treadmill or dragging our butts to the gym at the crack of dawn or late at night just to squeeze in a calorie burn. When you start viewing movement as something that’s serving your body in a positive way, and not a means of justifying the food you ate, yep, you’re probably ready to reject what diet culture tells you.
Calories lose their importance and you start making food choices for other reasons.
At this point I’m like, “Calories? What are those?” Someone asked me the other day how many calories I thought were in something and I could honestly (and a little proudly) say I didn’t have the slightest idea. And more importantly, I didn’t care.
If you’re started paying more attention to how foods make you feel, how your body responds to them, how they taste, look, and smell, and paying less attention to the number of calories in them, you’re turning the corner into food freedom territory.
You deleted MyFitnessPal, stopped wearing your FitBit, and look inward to gauge how you’re doing.
Don’t get me wrong, I think journaling and tracking certain things absolutely have a time and a place. It can be a really useful tool to identify patterns and find opportunities for lifestyle changes.
But if you’re still obsessively counting every macro in every bite you take, glancing at your FitBit to see how many steps you’ve taken, or using a fitness tracker to estimate calories burned, you’re relying on external cues for fullness and movement. When you let those things go and look to how your body feels, you might discover that your own intuition is a better guide than those devices ever could be.
You wish people would compliment you on your character, accomplishments, mood…literally anything other than your appearance.
Aren’t we so much more than what we look like?!
But it’s a common compliment to say, “OMG you look great, have you lost weight?” or “Wow, you look so good in that top, have you slimmed down?” Nope, not what I want to hear. Diet culture tells us our worth is entangled with our appearance and attractiveness. If you know that’s a lie, you’re ready to be done with diet culture.
You reject the judgement you receive and catch yourself before you judge others.
You know the kind…”Are you really going to order that?” Um, yes, I am, and I really don’t want to share. (See, The Truffle Fries Incident of 2017)
Judgement, shame, guilt, or remorse have no place around food. That goes for yours and anyone else’s. If there’s one major pet peeve of mine, it’s that many people assume as a dietitian, I’m going to be judging what’s on their plate and they’ll (usually) immediately try to qualify it. I want to stop them and say, “I literally could not care less what you’re putting in your mouth right now.” I’ve been on the receiving end too, where someone who knows I’m a dietitian sees me eating something they wouldn’t consider healthy and they make a comment.
Here’s the truth: Intuitive eating allows permission to eat any food you desire. It doesn’t need to be qualified or validated or earned. And you don’t have to justify your decision to yourself or anyone else. And we don’t need to question someone else’s food choice either.
I’m curious, was there a time you realized you were ready to be done with diet culture? It’s not an easy road and it takes time, but I’m so thankful I’ve discovered how I can embrace and celebrate my health and my body while feeling less stressed about food. It doesn’t mean I don’t have those thoughts at times – it simply means I acknowledge them, accept them, and respond to them differently than I would have in the past.
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If you’re struggling with these things and could use some support, reach out to me! My “Ditch the Diet” Intuitive Eating Program is designed to help you get started with the principles of intuitive eating with the support and compassion of a registered dietitian. I’ve offered it locally in Kansas City for a while now but am opening it up for virtual clients, too.
Email me at [email protected] to learn more about it.
And if you’re looking for more support for a non diet approach and intuitive eating, be sure to check out my Intuitive Eating Workbook. It’s full of resources and tools to help you kick the dieting mentality and find food freedom!
Questions & Reviews
Love this! So great, thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Sarah!
Over the past several months, I’ve read similar thoughts to yours Cara. I’ve dabbled in and out of diet culture, various eating-style labels, and have increased my knowledge of and awareness of so many of the aspects that influence a healthy, happy life. I’m sitting with your words for a while. Thank you for sharing them.
Thanks for checking it out, Catherine, I appreciate your comments!
I love the lifestyle of not having a diet. My philosophy is to allow, eat in moderation, stay away from junk and, most importantly, stop when I’m full. I’m not too sure I have an idea or what works for others, but I know that dieting does NOT work for me. Withholding food psychologically messes me up!! Therefore, I try to eat clean – whole foods, mostly unprocessed. I eat what feels good, and I count my blessings that my decision to stay away from food that does NOT give me energy works. That doesn’t mean I won’t have a chip now an then, I just glad I don’t want more than what fills me <3 I'm so grateful you do what you do!! Thank you for being the beacon <3
Thanks for sharing, Evelyn, I’m glad to hear you’ve found a something that’s working well for you! Having permission to enjoy all foods can be so liberating for breaking the diet mentality.
So great, thanks for sharing!I love these tips to rea i found lot help here .
I loved your article, you have some great insights about dieting, they are very helpful.
Thanks for stopping by to check it out!
I am not tired of the diet culture only but the wholw thing about looking perfectly good! I love doing sport and I love to look good but I am feed up with people who thinks carrying a 2000$ bag makes them look good or eating less than a baby makes them so admirable…sign.
Love this – you’re so right about it being a mindset that so many of us have without even realizing it. A+ gif usage too 🙂
Thank you! I was hoping there were some other Parks & Rec fans out there, I wanted to lighten the mood just a little bit!
Diet trends and trying to look good are always going to be talk wherever you go. My daughter and I are vegan so we try to keep to it for health reasons but there is always a chance to go off once in a while and that is OK.
Exactly, it’s such a common part of conversation that we often don’t even notice it happening. I’m glad you and your daughter have found a way to make it work for you!
What a fun read, I don’t get into the diet fads or culture. I guess I was raised to believe in a balance of everything. This means I won’t ever give up just one thing or too many of anything. I learned to balance my life in all areas which include food. Loved reading this though, interesting to hear other perspectives. I think we get too pushed to diet versus making lifestyle changes that in turn help us be healthier and happier long term 🙂
Thanks Brandy, I agree that lifestyle changes are preferable over a restrictive diet. Thanks for stopping by to check it out!
Yes I am completely sick of the diet culture. I am always counting calories and have even started doing this when I eat out too. This article is such a positive and inspiring article – thank you 🙂 x
I love this, Cara! You hit the nail on the head with this!
Thank you Emily!
Love this post, so important for people to read this! Dieting culture has created an unhealthy obsession with food and consumption, causing people to focus more on the procedure, rather than the mental state change needed for healthy, long-term life choices!
I am a little ambivalent. I guess I am not sick of diet culture. I have been a calorie counter for over 10 years and it’s practically ingrained in my soul. I could look at a meal and tell you exactly how many calories are in it. And actually, that makes me a little proud. LOL!
Interesting, this is the first time I’ve head fo this word. I don’t really do measure everything I eat, just make sure I got veggies and meat on the table and visit the gym every week.
Nothing bores me more than a diet! I am all for intuitive eating and just making healthy food taste delicious. It’s easy to eat great everyday if you enjoy what you’re eating!
Well said, Cassie, and I 100% agree that nourishing foods can taste AH-mazing!
This is so my mother. She’s always onto the next diet fad. I can’t stand it. You have to make an entire lifestyle shift to permanently change the way you eat.
Being pregnant right now diet is the last thing on my mind, however once baby comes I know it will be all I think about being #8. However, I am done with diets and fancy programs. They never worked for me and always interrupted my life. No diet here, for sure done with diet culture.
That’s a great approach, you’ll be setting a fantastic example that life doesn’t stop. Being “on a diet” doesn’t mean you can put life on pause, especially as a parent. Thanks for sharing!
I absolutely love this! More people should hear this message
Thank you Katie!
Haha This was so entertaining to read! I normally eat what I want but in portion sizes. I’m also very active! Enjoy this post
This is such a better way to think about things. It’s all about looking at things positively. I’ve got friends who go on all sorts of diets and often wonder if they’ll get anywhere with them. Thanks for sharing this.
You’re absolutely right, Jean, it’s a total shift in thinking. Thanks for stopping by to check it out!
totally on point! it gets frustrating and it’s EVERYWHERE!
I agree 100%!
I definitely know that things can be stressful when you get fixated on all of the little things. It does become frustrating and stressful. That’s what you have to eliminate.
I’ll have to send this to a friend who has been dieting all her life. I’ve been trying to explain to her why it doesn’t work but your article does it so much better than I could. Thanks.
Thanks Nino, I hope it helps! Sometimes it can be a long process but getting to the other side of that diet mentality is so worth it!
I can’t relate to a lot of thing you mention, especially the one where I stopped judging other people. Thanks for sharing.
Yes!!! Preach it! I am so sick of the “diet culture.” This post is amazing…I love your insight + your website 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Whitney, I think a lot of us in the nutrition fields are in the same boat!
It is hard to hear other people go on and on about their diets. Some of us have health issues that keep us from being able to yo-yo diet constantly or even lose or gain weight.
I agree, we could all be a lot more sensitive. Weight and health are extremely personal things
This is so amazing and awesome , i loved reading this. Thanks for sharing this insight 🙂
I so enjoyed this Cara! Especially the accompanying gifs! These thoughts have been some exact thoughts I’ve had going through my head the last few weeks. You did such a great job of putting them out in writing!
I respect this post, there’s a ton of good information here. Also, any post that is willing to include a Ron Swanson meme is going to be a winner for me.
This website definitely has all the information I wanted about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Well said…
awesome post
Some peoples made diet looks like really difficult with strict rules and that makes new peoples scared. There are several easy diets available that you can enjoy and still have thousands of benefits.
Thanks Samia, but I don’t support restricted eating, food rules, or dieting for weight loss in any way. The benefits, real or perceived, are temporary for most people so I chose to focus instead on healthful behaviors that are not connected to a goal of weight loss.
Thanks, Cara, for this awesome post. I’m also sick of Diet culture. Sometimes I lose motivation to follow my diet chart. I feel like why I can’t have this food as I want to have it 😢 There are very few blogs that recommend smart nutrition consumption. I find your article helpful to me. Thanks for sharing your valuable opinion. I appreciate your writings. 🙌
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