How to pushback against diet culture:
Now that we understand the power of the diet industry, the pressure of diet culture, but also the negative effects it can have on you, here are some ways that you can contribute to pushing back against diet culture, when situations around you seem to encourage it. If diet culture could talk, what does it say, and what can you do to counter it?
Diet culture says:
“Being thin is the ideal body image no matter the price”
Diet culture says to be thin, no matter what the cost, including our health and our wellbeing. Diet culture has also taught us that being fat is unhealthy, and can only lead to a lifelong journey of health complications.
How to counter this
Food has plenty of appropriate uses besides for fuel in our culture, including satisfaction and nourishment, but trying to manipulate our body size is not one of them. Our relationship with food may vary from one person to the next, but at the end of the day it’s important to understand that the only thing that rules and restrictions will lead to is disordered eating and health complications. In fact, studies have shown that 96% of diets/rituals fail or lead to yo-yo dieting which can have an even bigger detrimental effect on our health (2). Taking this into consideration, it’s important to remember that being in a larger body doesn’t label you as being unhealthy. Do what works for your body, and embrace alternative ways to support your wellbeing (3). If someone is looking for help around this, we recommend a dietitian with a HAES approach (4).
Diet culture says:
“ Fat people should be shamed and stigmatized”
Fat people should be stereotyped, shamed and stigmatized. The result is that people actually believe that a thin body is more attractive, more worthy, and better than a fat body.
How to counter this
Diet Culture has cleverly rebranded diets as “lifestyle changes” or “healthy living,” despite promoting anything but that (3). This tactic has not only fueled weight stigma but also reinforced the misconception that our worth is determined by our weight or body size. The Health at Every Size concept doesn’t oppose weight loss per se but rather rejects the idea of using weight loss as the primary solution for health issues (1).
It’s important to acknowledge that while weight may correlate with certain health complications, it should never be the sole factor considered in diagnosing medical problems. Treatment decisions should be evidence-based, whether weight is a factor or not. For instance, if someone has a knee issue, regardless of their size, the evidence-based treatment would be physiotherapy, not weight loss. The focus should be on improving behaviors that contribute to health issues, recognizing that weight itself is not a behavior.
Every body is worthy and deserving of respect, as emphasized by Marilyn Wann’s quote: “The only thing anyone can diagnose by looking at a fat person is their own level of prejudice toward fat people.”
Diet culture says:
“Physical activity is a punishment for being fat”
Physical activity is for the prevention of being fat and/or is punishment for being fat. Only thin people can engage in physical activity for fun or for personal goals.
How to counter this
Nobody is obliged to participate in physical activity of any kind and not everyone has the same access to movement options (4). The level of physical activity one engages in is not in any case an indicator of worthiness (4). Instead we should try to shift our focus to health promoting behaviours that can benefit our quality of life and not necessarily focusing on activity that feels like a punishment (1). Weight loss is not a prescription for weight issues and It is possible to live our lives while incorporating enjoyable physical activity and nutrition without necessarily dieting (4).
Conclusion
We are all unique and therefore will vary in weight, size and shape, which would mean that one solution (weight loss) is not for us all. We need to start empowering inclusivity and accepting diversity (1). Letting go of beliefs that have become ingrained and automatic is not easy. It is a process that can take time. To resist diet culture and to undo the brainwashing that it has done to you, aim to start gently by just tuning in to your body a little more – hunger signals, appetite, emotions, your thoughts and feelings about food. Notice the diet culture messages that surround you and with that awareness, choose to push diet thinking out. Surround yourself with other intuitive eaters, engage in non-weight focused talk, and put your energy into what feels nourishing and comfortable for your body. Follow HAES (Health At Every Size®) advocates social media. To begin you can start with following us on instagram @s.0.0.m.a.
If you want to work one-one-one with a dietitian who can help guide you through this process, contact Sööma and we would be happy to chat!
By: Jamie Lee, Registered Dietitian and Valerie Bouzo, Mcgill Dietetic Intern
References
- Dennett C. (2020). Thinking about your weight? What you might be getting wrong about the Health at Every Size approach. Wellness. Retrieved May 5, 2021, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/thinking-about-your-weight-what-you-might-be-getting-wrong-about-the-health-at-every-size-approach/2020/04/30/a5cc6f8e-5418-11ea-9e47-59804be1dcfb_story.html
- Kronberg,S. (2019). How to have a healthy relationship with food. National Eating Disorder Association. Retrieved May 5, 2021, from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/blog/how-have-healthy-relationship-food
- Raffoul, A (2019). Breaking free from diet culture on International No Diet Day. WWEDC. Retrieved May 6th, 2021, from http://www.eatingdisorderscoalition.ca/blog/2019/5/6/breaking-free-from-diet-culture-on-international-no-diet-day
- Chastain, R (2019). Recognizing and resisting Diet Culture. National Eating Disorder Association. Retrieved May 5, 2021, from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/blog/recognizing-and-resisting-diet-culture
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