“There has got to be another way than this?”
I broke down in tears to Josh one day.
I had been dieting since I was 13 years old and I couldn’t do it anymore.
Back then, I believed that the only way to be healthy and happy was to diet, because that is what the diet industry promises us right?
But there I was, at the unhealthiest and unhappiest I had ever been, and I was at breaking point…
It was during my recovery from an eating disorder, that I learnt what health actually is, and how food and exercise only represents 15% of our total health, not the 100% that the dieting industry tells us.
Most of our health is determined by our genetics, community, upbringing, social circumstance, environment, and our access to medical care. The remaining, (around 36%), is determined by our individual healthful behaviours.
And dieting is not a healthful behaviour, in fact, dieting can make what control that we do have over our health even worse! Some of the side effects of dieting include binge eating, preoccupation with food, disordered eating behaviours, social isolation, weight gain, slowed metabolism, loss of muscle mass and in some cases eating disorders. They can also fail for 90-95% of us…
But if we aren’t dieting, then what are we meant to do?
This is the question I get asked all the time, and it is also a question that I asked myself over and over all those years ago.
And the answer is, to focus on what we can control by pursuing healthful behaviours, such as more sleep, less stress, joyful movement, self-care, spending time with loved ones, and eating nourishing and delicious foods as the research shows us this is way more beneficial for our health in the long run.
Here are 3 steps to help get you started.
1. Practice self-care.
Self-care is ensuring that our physical and emotional needs are being met, and that our stress levels are being managed. When we are in the throes of deadlines, overworking, and running around like a headless chicken, our body’s biological fight on- or flight survival kicks in. This means the basic functions of our body switch off which makes it hard to hear what our body is truly needing.
Takeaway- Practice self-care by getting enough sleep, reducing stress, setting boundaries and resting when your body needs it.
2). Let go of dieting and try intuitive eating instead
Intuitive eating is a way of eating that actually lets you stop obsessing over food.
It enables you to tune into the signs and signals of your body, so you don’t have to worry what you are eating or count every morsel of food that enters your mouth.
Takeaway- If you are not quite ready to give up dieting all together, I would start by taking one small step today towards becoming an intuitive eater. This could be not counting calories for one of your meals, choosing what you really want to eat when you go out for dinner (rather than the healthiest option), or eating a food on your “no go” list, I also highly recommend reading the Intuitive Eating book by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch or working with an intuitive eating counsellor.
3). Exercise in ways that you enjoy
What is the first thing you think of when it comes to exercise? Push ups? Burpees? Hard work? Boring? Pain? Weight? Calorie burning? I hear you. I spent a long time exercising from a place of fear, guilt and shame. I would force myself to exercise so I could “earn” food to eat that day and I only viewed exercise as a way to control my weight.
But the truth is exercise shouldn’t be about hard work, it is about feeling good and energized in your body. When you put the focus on engaging in exercise that is fun and nourishing, you will not only have a healthier relationship with it, you will enjoy it and be more likely to stick to it.
Takeaway- Grab a piece of paper and write down any movement activities that you enjoy now, or that you used to enjoy as a child. This can be anything from rollerblading, to walking, to hula hopping, to shopping, to yoga, to running. Once you have a list, circle all the activities you think you would like to do now. Each week set a goal and pick one to try.