Diet Culture’s Hold On Us
I was going to talk this week about burn out. Maybe next week…I’m burned out by burn out. Hah!
Rather, I’m switching gears to a more timely topic as we hit the stride in the new year. New Year’s resolutions/intentions/manifestations a LOT of time hover around being “healthy”. For a lot of people healthy = weight loss.
So, let’s talk about that perception, shall we?
TOOLS
A book that has 100% changed my life is Anti-Diet by Christy Harrison. She also has a podcast for shorter, more digestible (pun intended, yes) information.
Christy lifts the veil on what diet culture has made us think is normal. Things like:
tracking calories
food journaling
counting steps
closing our rings
counting macros
eating clean
Whole 30
paleo/plant-based/IIFYM eating styles
fitness programs
#shredforthewed
#postbabybody
#fitlife
#strongisthenewskinny
While culture cycles with new standards of beauty, it is expected that our genetic predisposition changes too. And it’s exhausting. In the 90s it was be super, Twiggy thin. Now, it is to have a Kim K booty. It’s interesting that what was once unattractive is now attractive? How can anyone keep up? How can you then expect to “win” at diet cultures games?
Questions like these AND MORE are in Christy’s book. I highly recommend reading her stuff for anyone who has flirted with any of the above bullet points.
GRATITUDE
My personal journey into body love hasn’t been a long one. Prior to my “ah-ha” moment, I had been managing my weight since I was twelve. Let me back up.
At 12 I had a personal trainer and I joined Weight Watchers at 15. Those actions were applauded by diet culture for “taking control”, “building confidence” and “empowering myself”. I hold no blame or resentment towards those that supported these efforts because everyone was just trying to help me cope with the fact that I was not naturally thin.
The real problem was that in the 90s, culturally, there was a standard that being super-model thin was what was beautiful and nothing else could fit that standard. No matter how much my family or friends showed my body love and acceptance, I just couldn’t feel the love from the greater society.
In some ways I’m grateful for the beauty standards to have shifted to more athletic bodies, one I’m more naturally inclined, but culture is still dictating impossible expectations. It’s wild to me that based on what decade you are born into, diet culture can dictate your body privilege.
INNOVATION
So, I’ve given up diets. For someone who’s dieted for 20+ years, this is innovative for me.
“Your body isn’t meant to be at a weight that it can only sustain through restriction.”
And it’s not easy. Every time I see a friend lose weight or a family member mention macros I get the familiar urge. It’s my competitive spirit that wants me to get back into the game. I want to prove that I too can work hard, show my discipline and prove my worth through my constant attention and control of my body.
But seriously, I’m exhausted by it. I’m tired of trying to lose the last 10 pounds and count my every morsel to fit into my pre-baby jeans. I’m exhausted by thinking 5 meals ahead, scrutinizing net-carbs and weighing my food.
I just want to live.
I also know that the more I restrict (plant-based, no sugar, low carb, low fat, high protein, 80-20 rule, “cheat meals”) the more I binge.
I’ve noticed how I would long for the weekend or the cheat meal night and just go literally, hog wild. Through therapy I was able to identify so much of my bingeing behavior (food, alcohol, shopping) was tied to a persistent scarcity mindset.
When you’ve spent decades never fully satisfying yourself, you tend to over-compensate when you give yourself permission to indulge.
FEELS
As you think about your own story with diet culture, I urge you to get honest with yourself.
Have you actually been on the disordered eating train?
Do you actually have a binge disorder?
Are you obsessed with all things healthy?
And why?
Where does this come from?
What shame stories are unhealed?
What messages have formed your beliefs about your worth?
And how do you want to feel?
We’ve been taught that we cannot be confident unless we look a certain way. But I’ve found that when I listen to my body that then I’m intuitively guided to honor my body and thus treat it kinder. In doing so, I feel better, mentally. I naturally feel more resilient, stronger and more at peace.
Physical health is mental health. Mental health is physical health. I believe this to my core.
If you’re ready to do some work on this topic, please reach out. Myself, Caitie, Blaise, Holly and Kara are all well versed in helping clients navigate the diet culture world. We look forward to helping you, too.
Reset Brain and Body is an integrative mental health care practice. Our services include individual therapy, couples and family therapy, yoga therapy, play therapy, art therapy, and group programs and events. If there is anything we can support you with, please connect with us by emailing us visiting us on Facebook, or Instagram, or scheduling a session with one of our therapists.