Diets are a mainstream part of America society. We praise those that are skinny and healthy, and tell people that the best way to achieve this optimal body is to eat well and exercise. Specific diets pop up everywhere with the purpose of aiding this achievement. And that’s when the problems begin.
Diets often encourage people to make quick, unhealthy changes, and don’t always discourage things that are harming their body anyway. Diets encourage people to count calories, and in doing so, people eat way less then they are supposed to. Diets encourage people to under eat because they think it’s better to be hungry than fat. Diets encourage people to restrict foods which leads to restricting more foods and more foods for no reason. Diets encourage people to quit their healthier lifestyle after a week because they are not seeing the immediate results they assume they should see. Diets encourage people not to exercise because they think that eating alone will aid their weight loss. Diets encourage people to look at their bodies and shame them. Diets encourage behavior that leads to eating disorders that ruin and end people’s lives.
Now, as a long-distance runner and a most-of-the-time vegan, I obviously don’t want this to seem as if I am bad-talking eating well and exercising. I’m not. But I wholeheartedly believe that the best way to be healthy is to make a lifestyle change, not crazy fad changes. If you are eating the right kinds of foods and getting the right exercise, you don’t need to restrict and count. Health is about providing nutrients to your body, not about making your waist as small as you can.
The most important part of health is loving yourself and your body and taking care of yourself. Society tells us that our bodies are meant to be looked at and judged, but society is often skewed. You should not find your value in how few calories you can eat and how much you can restrict your diet. You’re not a science experiment. You’re a human being. I’m not particularly skinny, which makes me the wrong body type, but who cares? My body is active and nourished. My body is mine.
If you are on a diet right now and you’re reading this and you think I’m totally wrong: that’s fine. Diets can work. Diets can be helpful. Diets can do the job they are supposed to do. But, diets can also be part of our beauty-driven society. Diets can also promote unhealthy lifestyles. Diets can be harmful.
My final point is this: make smart choices, make healthy choices, love yourself.