Your body is precious – but the world wants you to believe in something else. Toxic diet culture wants you to think that your body is not thin enough or strong enough, and to get the “body you have always dreamed of” you have to pay for a very restrictive 30-day meal plan, or 14-day juice cleansing. While the before-and-after pictures advertised by these companies look enticing, the truth is, fad, detox and other “quick fixes” do not work for long-term weight loss. There is no conclusive evidence showing how a restrictive diet can actually help you lose weight in the long run. And yet, the weight loss industry is flooded with customers hoping that this particular purchase of this program will finally change them for the better. But all it does is tell you to seriously limit what you eat, making it the worst way to lose weight.
But … the before and after pictures are real, right? Do not be fooled so easily. Even doctors say that long-term, sustainable weight loss can not be achieved with the fly, and most often these people in the pictures will almost always lose weight again.
Adrienne Youdim, MD, FACP, an internist specializing in medical weight loss and nutrition, and author of Hungry for more, focuses specifically on how the diet culture and weight loss industry continues to notoriously lie to you about what it means to actually be healthy.
“Unfortunately, a common approach is to listen to fear-based messaging and false promises from fashion flies and quick fixes and get away from what we intuitively know is true – that we have what we need within us,” says Youdim. “Often these approaches are too restrictive and unsustainable. They set unrealistic expectations that promote sabotage and they catastrophize weight gain or regain which only results in self-assessment and shame.”
Forget the program – focus on you.
Her advice? Focus on yourself and no one else. Forget the fake messages that toxic diet culture is trying to get over, and instead, focus on how you can improve your relationship with food outside of some crazy, restrictive weight loss program.
“Look within yourself and explore your relationship with food,” says Youdim. “What does your hunger represent? You may feel isolated or distressed, you may be anxious or bored. You may not set the necessary boundaries to take care of yourself. Use this information to give yourself what you need emotionally. “
Youdim says that the best way to set healthy boundaries while approaching yourself properly is to create an “environment for success.” You can do this by creating “new routines around healthy meals and daily exercise.”
Here are some of Youdim’s recommendations on how to start setting healthier routines at home that will help you lose weight in the long run, instead of relying on fad and quick fixes. Be sure to check out our list of the 7 healthiest foods to eat right now.
“Create the environment for success by having healthy alternatives in your refrigerator and pantry,” says Youdim.
When your refrigerator and pantry are filled with healthy products, it is much easier to follow a nutritious diet without having to think too much about it. Catch these healthy food products, fill your freezer with these healthy frozen foods and clear your pantry with these healthy pantries.
“Remember that you do not have to spend all day in the kitchen to prepare a healthy meal,” says Youdim.
Eating healthy does not mean you spend hours in the kitchen! In fact, there are many ready-made foods you can turn to that easily work well for a healthy diet. You can cook these 21 simple lunch ideas with 3 ingredients or less for easier working days and cook these 100 simplest recipes you can make when it’s time to prepare a meal. Or why not keep it simple and stock up on some of these 25 best frozen dinners when you do not feel like cooking?
“Studies show that sleep deprivation increases hunger hormones,” says Youdim.
It may not seem like it, but it’s true. A study published by Journal of Sleep Research shows that even a single night with sleep deprivation can increase ghrelin levels, the hormone that the body produces that makes you feel hungry. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that the average adult should get at least 7 hours of sleep each night for optimal health, so be sure to catch these zzz to avoid thoughtless snacks the next day.
“And remember to be kind,” Youdim says. “It’s a process but with self-compassion and commitment you get there!”
Positive affirmations can really go a long way. According to Psychology today, affirmations can be used as a tactic to get your subconscious mind to change your view on certain topics – weight and body image included.
We know that fad, quick fixes, detoxification and other food-limiting activities of this kind do not work for long-term and sustainable weight loss. These types of activities have always promised a single ticket to a “narrower you”, as long as you do not screw up and go off the right track.
But what if you do? What happens if you eat the extra cake or decide on a bowl of pasta instead of a salad? Is that so wrong?
Obviously not. Be kind to yourself as Youdim suggests. Eating a healthy diet means finding healthy ways to include all the foods you love in a nutritious diet because the food restriction clearly does not work. With a little self-compassion, you will not only be physically happy with your new way of eating but also mentally happy in your body.
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