There is one 4 letter word that I absolutely hate. It’s evil. It’s constantly surrounded in controversy and makes so many women (and of course men) feel inadequate and like total crap. The word diet is a word that needs to be banned from everyone’s vocabulary – it’s faddy, temporary and promotes deprivation instead of making healthy lifestyle changes.
Unfortunately for us, the diet culture is a major feature in today’s society. Whether it’s an advert on the TV, a popular faddy diet being discussed in a magazine or a billboard showcasing the latest weight loss supplement on the market – it’s everywhere and there doesn’t seem to be any escape from it. Don’t get me started on the media’s role in all of this! They have the power and the voice to reach out to young women to encourage body positivity and wellness rather than these unhealthy and sometimes harmful habits.
Don’t get me confused, I have nothing against anyone who wants to lose weight with positive intentions of wanting to become healthier. My issue lies with the diet culture and everything it represents. It potentially encourages all-consuming behaviour and teaches women that they have to control their entire life around what they put into their bodies. To me, this isn’t a sustainable way to live let alone a happy fulfilled one. To become a slave to the food and obsessively focus on each food morsel in the pursuit of health is total BS.
One of the major issues that I have with the word is the restrictive nature and the focus on the foods that you cannot eat. Sorry, but life would be incredibly boring without cake, pizza, chocolate, cheese and all those other foods that are high in saturated fats and sugar. I’ve said it before, but I actually need those foods to be healthy, they give me the balance that works so well for me. Faddy diets instantly make you crave everything that you’ve been told to banish from your kitchen cupboards.
They’re short-term fixes and the truth is that they simply don’t work. More often than not, the main focus is aesthetics instead of nourishing your body and nurturing a healthy mind. Diets don’t address any underlying emotional issues nor do they develop a healthy relationship with food or a positive body image. It’s all numbers, and everybody’s self-worth cannot be determined by a number, your worth so much more than that.
The word diet creates an unnecessary fear around food, however, mealtimes should be joyous, fun and savoured. You should be able to eat freely, devouring your food in happiness. Guilt can be soul destroying, ‘food’ and ‘guilt’ are two words that in my mind shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence. Food freedom is a beautiful thing and we all deserve to nourish our bodies with the food that we love, whether that’s a green smoothie or a huge slab of chocolate cake!
You may have guessed that I don’t subscribe to diets. Regular readers will know that I’m an advocate of balance and I would happily shout it from the office rooftops of these magazines that promote these faddy diets. I follow the 80/20 rule which means that I eat healthy foods for 80% of the time and give myself the permission to indulge my sweet tooth 20% of the time to feed my soul. We all need to tap into our bodies and listen to what it needs rather than forcing them to adapt to limiting diets.
I know now that after punishing my body with restrictive eating in the past, I’m naturally curvy. My curves are my destiny and I wouldn’t swap them for anything. I eat to be healthy and not skinny because healthy is a lifestyle and not a number. My mindset has shifted to feeling the best version of myself through making the right choices for my body and I would take that over any faddy diet.
Rant over!
I totally agree, I think if you eat things and moderation and stick to a healthy way of eating the majority of the time then you will be ok.
Exactly! I wish all women had your healthy attitude.
I completely agree with you. I hate the word diet and the whole diet culture. It’s a money making scheme that forces people to be unhappy in their own bodies. People need to listen to their own bodies more instead of following these ‘diets’ such as Weight Watchers.
Exactly! I hate the one size fits all approach that the media assumes works for everyone. I actually like Weight Watcher’s and their ethos of mind, body and soul approach to health and wellness.
Great rant!!! When I decided to change my eating habits, diet was the word I eliminated. I’ve tried before and used the word diet and automatically felt restricted and unhappy – this time around, I’m happier and it’s become a pleasurable lifestyle change!
Ha! I do rant a bit in this post, but only because I’m passionate about this topic. Good for you for being happy after giving yourself the space to be you.
Weirdly I don’t appose to the word diet – my Grandma used to say it meant ‘Do I Eat This?’ which makes me laugh. I do hate that people diet for the wrong reasons and end up not feeling happier in the end. To tackle a diet or healthy eating or whatever is a mental health issue and it’s just not treated as such. Great post x
Ha! I love your grandma’s spin on it.
Totally agree as well , not a fan of the word diet. I try to stick to eating in moderation with exercise and treating myself once in a while.
Sounds like you’ve got a fabulous approach, Melissa!
I hate the word, it seems to be something I am always thinking about, something I always feel I need to do – it is definitely a negative word for me.
It can eat away at you if you let it. I think it needs to be banned all together.
Fully agree with this! There is a lot of money being made off of people who are being scare-mongered into a culture that shouldn’t exist.
The term I hate is “detox”. I hate this with a passion. Your liver detoxes you, not a juice.
Detox is another horrible word that can have so many associations. You should be drinking juice because you enjoy it not because society says you should be. It’s crazy the amount of money that these people making people feel crap about themselves.
I agree with everything you say – to me, diet means deprivation which immediately has me reaching for the biscuit tin
It conjures up so many negative feelings and fears doesn’t it.
I have dieted in my life yet and I’m very proud of that fact. I eat healthy and I exercise regularly.
Good for you Aish! Sounds like you have a happy balance in your life.
I am so with you on this! Diets are typically only a short term fix. It’s important to make small, sustainable lifestyle changes.
Exactly! I think you’ve hit the nail on the head.
I LOVE this, I’ve just decided to start a blitz diet today because I’ve been SO unhealthy lately and gained nearly a stone… but you know what? You’re right! I don’t need to “diet” I need to make better choices for my body and give myself a break! Thank you lovely x
I have never been on a ‘diet’ in my entire life. I don’t believe in restrictions (unless for health reasons) and I am all about the 80/20 mentality!
You make some good points. We all really do need to learn to pay attention to how our bodies react to the food we eat. I think that’s an important step to becoming healthy.
I feel like I have dieted for my whole life. I’m now just eating healthily and feel much better for it xxx
I have not tried following a diet. I am 31. I can still fit in my clothes which I have used when I was 16. I grew up in a small town here in the Philippines. We did not have a lot of unhealthy food options when I was growing up. Most of the people here eat grains, fish, seafood, vegetables and fruits. Having a well-balanced diet is important. You really do not need to exercise a lot if you are eating healthy. It is also important for parents to set a good example to their kids.
I agree with you – it’s all about balance. For me I try to stick to the 80/20 rule as well x
I completely agree with you, it’s more about having what you enjoy but in moderation. If people are constantly on diets denying themselves things they enjoy it’s no fun x
I agree. The word diet can put so much pressure on people when its all about moderation
I think it’s so sad that it has come to this.
I also hate the word diet, it’s evil and should be banned! It’s all about healthy lifestyle changes which are permanent.
Absolutely, Melanie!
I agree, the word diet should be no more! I feel like diets are a really non effective weight loss tool. They seem effective to start with but you always end up packing weight back on! For me I think a change of lifestyle and changing your eating patterns and don’t go crazy when it comes to foods not good for you is the way to go!
I think everyone deserves a treat and as long as it’s in moderation, no harm done at all!
I totally agree, choosing a plan to lose weight should be a lifestyle change, and not restricting yourself!
Couldn’t agree more with your sentiments on the word diet. I don’t like the idea of dieting because once it’s out their I lose focus after a few days but eating healthy and exercising have been the best companion
I hate the term diet. It’s one of those things that has always irritated me for some reason. Just eat healthy and treating yourself does no harm as long as it is in moderation.
We totally agree and hate the word diet! Its such a horrible word and one that we’re trying to avoid around our household
Could not agree more! Eat healthier by all means, cut down on the junk food and don’t put yourself in a chocolate or pizza coma everyday, yes yes yes! But don’t diet and completely cut stuff out or restrict yourself to the point that you’ll be ill, the word diet can do one!
I too detest the word diet. I think eating a balanced diet, exercise nad keeping fit are what is more important , its fine to occasional indulge too.