Diet Culture Myths and How to Fight Them

As we get more into the holiday and new year’s resolution season, I thought it might be helpful to reflect on diet culture.

You have likely heard the term “diet culture” before, but what exactly is it? Diet culture is perhaps best defined as a set of social norms and assumptions around the way we eat, move, and look. There are a number of social narratives that reinforce diet culture every day and we experience those narratives in variety of contexts from the office, grocery store, advertising, and TV show plotlines.

Here are some narratives to be aware of:

• You have a social/moral/health-based imperative to lose weight.

• There are “bad” foods and “good” foods.

• There are “clean” and “toxic” foods.

• If you have eaten a “bad” (i.e. high calorie) food then you have to “burn it off” with exercise.

• You earn “cheat meals” by being “good” and restricting your foods at other times of the day/week.

• You are led to believe that simply eating what you want, when you want it, in whatever quantity feels satisfying to your body will result in “letting yourself go” (i.e. gaining weight).

• Compliments when people have lost weight and the assumption that people who have gained weight must have something wrong with or about them.

A common and particularly pernicious myth we experience is the equation of someone losing weight as a path to becoming more attractive or worthy of love, admiration, and/or success. Here are a few ways you can start to combat the pressures of diet culture in your own life:

• Learn about the frameworks that keep diet culture in place and actively explore anti-diet resources to learn more accurate information about health and nutrition. Check out the podcasts Let Us Eat Cake or Food Psych. Both are created by anti-diet nutritionists.

• Create space to nurture your body. Shift out of the self-punishment and self-discipline mindsets.

• Make meals fun, play with your food, use your imagination. Try new recipes, arrange your food in fun ways. Make a smiley face in your morning oatmeal. Create a broccoli tree forest.

• Get rid of any clothes that don’t fit. Stop buying things are too small so you can motivate yourself to lose weight. You deserve clothes that fit you exactly as you are now.

• Get rid of your fitness apps. Stop counting/tracking everything you eat and every time you exercise.

• Prioritize “movement” over “exercise.” Moving your body should not hurt, make you nauseous, or leave you feeling exhausted and sore for days.

• Throw out the “inspiration” photos, unfollow the fitness influencers, and step out of the body comparison game. Shaming yourself into having a different body is not a great strategy for cultivating self-love.

• Ask yourself how you’d rather spend the time you dedicate to losing weight and/or changing something about your body. Would you play with your kids? Have a nap? Read a good book? Do that instead.

If you’re struggling with deconstructing diet culture messages, intrusive thoughts about your body shape or size, or chronic dieting don’t hesitate to reach out for help!

Re-imagine body goals

As the summer season draws nearer and the warm weather encourages us to shed our protective layers of clothes, there is a corresponding uptick in our awareness of our bodies. This awareness often comes in the form of criticism.

The pandemic and corresponding isolation have led to body changes for many of us, often in the form of changes in our weight. As more of us start to return to seeing friends and going into the office there has been an increase in worries about how people will perceive our changed bodies. As we begin to shed masks after years of wearing them there is also increased awareness of our bare faces. The New York Times has posted some interesting articles exploring the impact of shedding masks on how we perceive ourselves and others: Opinion | America, Unmasked - The New York Times (nytimes.com), After Covid, Are You ‘Mask Fishing’? - The New York Times (nytimes.com). In many ways, the pandemic has forced us under cover: masks, zoom background filters, the nice shirt we wear paired with sweatpants for Zoom meetings.

As we start to more fully return to pre-pandemic socializing many people are experiencing the insecurity resulting in being suddenly uncovered. The idea of a “glow-up” has been trending on platforms like YouTube and TikTok and there are any number of avenues to access inspiration for a makeover. For many people the makeover involves panic about weight gain and the frantic resolution to hit the gym and restrict the late afternoon cookie intake.

My challenge to you, is to re-imagine how you set body goals. Shifting out of shame and into celebrating and caring for our bodies can be incredibly impactful. Rather than setting a goal about what you will lose, shift into exploring what you want to gain. How do you want to show up in your relationship with your body. If you want to add movement, find something that feels good. If you want to adjust diet, think about what feels good. If you want to nurture yourself more, think about what you need.

Here are some easy ideas for positively stated goals:

• I will add a fruit/veggie to a snack or meal every day.

• I will add an afternoon walk so I can feel more at peace and enjoy the nice weather.

• I will add more fun pieces to my closet to celebrate and feel confident in my body as it is.

• I will add meditation to my day to help me feel more centered and calm.

• I will add time with friends to help me feel loved and connected with others.

If you find yourself continuing to struggle with intrusive thoughts, the desire to restrict food, or shame around your body you might also consider adding therapy into your routine. Sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is to add a little extra support. If you’d like a consultation, don’t hesitate to reach out!