Well, we’ve made it to another year. With the new year comes all the crazed ads and messages of “getting into shape,” “eating clean” and “keto this, paleo that”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m most definitely not bashing eating nutritious food or exercising and moving your body. However, diets can be a slippery slope for some (many, actually). Programming your body and mind to follow a diet in a chase of weight loss can lead to some detrimental thoughts and behaviors.
Wedmd.com puts it simply: fad diets won’t lead to prolonged weight loss. Furthermore, diets can even lead to the potential of developing disordered eating and even eating disorders. When it comes to the pursuit of weight loss, there’s more to unpack than just one’s weight, but I’ll touch on that later. Restricting one’s intake of food is typically the number one rule of any diet. Ensuring we get enough vitamins, minerals and all other nutrients is vital for our overall health. Not only can not eating enough leave you feeling hangry, but it can lead to hair loss, brittle nails, fatigue, sleep issues and impaired cognitive performance. Life is all about balance, so eat all the delicious, nutritious foods to properly fuel your body. But also — enjoy foods that may not offer as much nutrition. Life’s too short to skip cake and cookies.
If what you’re wanting is a healthier lifestyle, that can certainly be achieved without reluctantly following a strict diet. Incorporating enjoyable exercises into our daily routines, managing stress and getting enough sleep are all important aspects of health that are often overlooked. However, if you’re wanting to mold your body to some unrealistic, arbitrary standard, I’m here to tell you that being thin is not the only way to be beautiful. This is easier said than believed, especially given western society; but it’s the truth. Once upon a time, the beauty standards were much different. Learning to accept ourselves, our bodies and all that they do for us can be a journey for sure, but it’s a beautiful one.
Ultimately though, there’s no shame in wanting to become stronger and healthier. Just be sure to be mindful of why you want to do the things you’re doing in order to obtain that, and love your body every step of the way.