‘Diet Culture’
Nutrition for aesthetic reasons is NOT the same thing as nutrition for overall health and performance.
Diet culture is everywhere in our society, ingrained to such a point that it’s highly likely that you don’t even realise when you’re confronted with it. It is all over social media, TV and advertisements, and even in conversations with friends and family. Diet culture creates an unrealistic standard of beauty and health by promoting ideas that range from unrealistic to plain dangerous, such as:
Weight loss equals “healthier” and is a pathway to improved social status
Thinness is an indicator of health and moral virtue
Certain ways of eating are ‘wrong’, while others are promoted as ‘ideal’
People who don’t look a particular way are doing something wrong
These beliefs often perpetuate an obsession with weight loss and / or unrealistic aesthetic goals, which in turn leads to an unhealthy relationship with food.
The Dangers of Diet Culture
By glorifying certain body types and stigmatising others, diet culture creates huge pressure and expectation which can lead to negative self-image, disordered eating and a perpetual cycle of dieting and guilt.
Restrictive diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies, impaired metabolism and a negative relationship with food.
A Balanced Approach
To protect our physical and mental well-being it's essential to nurture our awareness of what, how and why we eat, and to recognise signs of diet culture when they appear.
At Melius we seek a balanced and nourishing approach to nutrition, so we’re very conscious of helping people increase their awareness of the perils of things like ‘diet culture’.
A healthy diet is one that is balanced, varied and sustainable. It provides the necessary nutrients to support overall health and the pursuit of particular goals. This means enjoying a wide range of foods, including those often demonised by diet culture, such as carbohydrates and fats.
Carbohydrates, for instance, are essential for providing energy, particularly for the brain and during high-intensity exercise. Fats are crucial for cell growth and repair, hormone production, organ protection and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Rather than eliminating these macronutrients, it's important to focus on the quality and source of these foods. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and healthy fats form the foundation of a nutritious diet.
Say ‘No-No’ to Yo-Yo Dieting!
Shifting away from diet culture involves redefining our relationship with food and staying realistic in the face of the barrage of certain physical ‘ideals’ perpetuated by society.
Here are some steps to embrace a more balanced and positive approach:
1. Ignore those waving the ‘magic wand’: Let go of the idea that there is a quick fix or perfect diet. Healthy eating is a lifelong focus, not a short-term goal.
2. Practise mindful eating: Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues; eat in response to your body's needs rather than societal norms or externally imposed restrictions.
3. Nourish yourself on all levels: Choose foods that bring you closer to your goals, but also ones that make you feel good, both physically and emotionally. Prioritise nutrient-dense foods while allowing yourself to eat the things you enjoy without guilt.
4. Move to your own groove: Engage in physical activities that bring you pleasure for their own sake, rather than exercising solely to burn calories or change your appearance. Movement should be a source of joy and well-being, not a punishment because you ate ice cream yesterday.
5. Be kind to yourself and your body: Nobody’s perfect - nobody. What you see on TV and social media is carefully crafted, selected and staged. Celebrities and elite athletes are ordinary human beings when they’re away from the bright lights and crowds. It’s great to want to improve, but make sure you aim to do so in ways that make you happy in your own skin.
