We’ve ushered in a new “anti-diet” era, which has brought some good and bad.
A “diet” is associated with all the deprivation and failure we have experienced trying to use food to look the way society idolizes. But it’s important to recognize that the diet didn’t make you feel inadequate, we did that to ourselves. And we are the only ones who can undo that. Our food can’t undo that for us.
So where does all this “diet” baggage really come from? Telling ourselves that being thin makes us happy, and the only reason to eat healthy is to be thin.
I am reclaiming the word diet.
Merriam-Webster's first definition of diet is simply “food and drink regularly consumed”. [insert brain explosion here]. They only added a 4th definition of using it to lose weight because that is all we have been using our diets for. But they do so much more!
I have a hunch that if we had spent the last 20 years getting advice from dietitians instead of Hollywood, infomercials or supplement stores we wouldn’t have such a screwed up understanding of diets.
MY definition of diet is "what I eat to get the most enjoyment out of my body and life".
People might look at what I eat and think I’m restricting myself. Truthfully, in some ways I am. But what they don’t see is what I am giving myself by eating well.
Changing how I viewed “dieting” from what I was taking away to what I was giving myself has made the word “diet” go from a beating stick to the best self-care I give myself 3 times a day.
Yassss Queen! Get on this! You deserve it!
I GET to feel amazing. I GET to feel more comfortable in my body. I GET to appreciate the taste of whole nutritious food AND delicious food. No one is making me do anything. And I’m still a freaking awesome person if I decide to eat cookies and candy all day long, and some days I DO! But I just don’t get to have the same results… That’s all.
Dieting is being intentional about what you eat so you get what you want.
So, stop talking about what diets are taking away, and ask yourself, “what is my diet giving me?”