Dangers of diet culture
Let me tell you a story that had me spitting out my kombucha in sheer disbelief (just kidding, I am a huge fan of Earl Grey with milk). It all started with a casual scroll through my Facebook feed. You know the drill—harmless procrastination, catching up on funny memes, and suddenly, I stumble upon a post that made my eyebrows shoot up faster than a caffeine kick.
A woman was lamenting in a health-focused group about her weight loss struggles, saying, “I’ve been doing this 12-hour intermittent fasting thing religiously, but I’m not losing weight!” Now, before I could even sip my Earl Grey tea (with a dash of honey, thank you very much), the comments were flooded with well-meaning advice, but one stood out like a neon sign in a yoga studio: “Girl, you need to go for the 18-hour fasting window. That’s where the magic happens!”
Um, what?
Let’s pump the brakes here. I’m all for being mindful of what we eat, but suggesting someone needs to starve themselves longer to achieve some mythical weight-loss goal? That’s the diet culture talking, and it’s as toxic as a flat tummy tea endorsement.
The Restriction Trap: Why Less Isn’t Always More
The problem with this kind of advice is that it reinforces a dangerous cycle of restriction. The idea that we need to constantly eat less, fast longer, and push our bodies to the brink is not just unhelpful—it’s harmful. Sure, intermittent fasting might work for some people, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Your body isn’t a machine where you can just adjust the knobs and dials until the “ideal weight” pops out like a vending machine snack. It’s a complex, beautiful, living organism that thrives on balance, not deprivation.
And let’s be real for a second—have you ever met anyone who’s truly happy when they’re hungry? (If you have, please attach their contact in the comments down below I NEED to know their secrets!)
Food Shouldn’t Be the Enemy
Remember when food was just…food? Something we enjoyed, shared with friends, and maybe even looked forward to? Somewhere along the way, diet culture swooped in with its green juice cleanses, “clean eating” mantras, and made us believe that food was something to be feared, controlled, and manipulated.
Let’s get one thing straight: food is not the enemy. Carbs aren’t lurking in the shadows waiting to sabotage your health. Fat isn’t a villain conspiring against your fitness goals. And for the love of avocados, can we please stop demonizing fruit because of its sugar content?
The Damage Diet Culture Does
Here’s the ugly truth—diet culture is like that bad ex who leaves you questioning your worth. It messes with your head, tells you you’re not good enough, and leaves you feeling insecure, hungry, and just plain miserable (and I’ve been into a toxic relationship with a man and a toxic relationship with my body – food disorder, so I know what I preach)
How many times have you heard someone say, “I’ll be happy when I lose X pounds”? But here’s the kicker—even if they do lose the weight, that happiness is usually as fleeting as a fad diet. The issue isn’t the number on the scale, it’s the mindset that’s been drilled into us by an industry profiting from our insecurities.
This is where I take a page out of the book from Instagram’s delightful and refreshingly real @emmysyummys. Emmy keeps it real with her audience, reminding them that food is to be enjoyed, not feared. She shares drool-worthy meals without a side of guilt, and her feed is a feast for the eyes that doesn’t leave you feeling like you need to run a marathon afterward. She is the inspiration as well to write the post. She shows you could be enough, look awesome, and not be HUNGRY all the time 😉
The Key to a Healthier You: Balance, Not Banishing
The truth is, being healthy isn’t about how long you can go without eating or how much you can restrict your diet. It’s about finding what works for your unique body, embracing the foods that nourish you, and maybe most importantly, treating yourself with a little kindness. Imagine that—being kind to yourself in the pursuit of health!
The next time you find yourself caught in the clutches of diet culture—whether it’s a well-meaning Facebook comment or a slick Instagram ad—take a step back and ask yourself, “Is this really serving me?” More often than not, the answer is no.
Let’s Ditch the Rules and Embrace Real Food
Instead of chasing the next big diet trend, let’s go back to basics. Eat when you’re hungry, choose foods that make you feel good, and don’t stress over the occasional indulgence. A donut is just a donut—not a gateway to dietary doom.
So, here’s my challenge to you: Break up with restrictive diets and get back to enjoying your food. Cook a meal that excites you, savor every bite, and remember that your worth isn’t tied to your waistline. Let’s make food fun again—and leave the ridiculous restrictions where they belong: in the trash with the old diet fads.
Habits and Mindset are Evering:
Let’s talk about habits—those sneaky little routines that run our lives, whether we realize it or not. You’ve probably heard the saying, “We are creatures of habit,” and let me tell you, it’s true. Habits shape us more than we’d like to admit. They’re like that one friend who always shows up uninvited but somehow becomes part of the furniture.
Now, here’s the tricky part: You can’t just kick out an old habit like you’re on some home makeover show. Nope, those habits will stubbornly stick around, reminding you of their existence every time you try to make a change. Building new habits is like trying to teach an old dog new tricks—it takes time, patience, and a whole lot of treats (Knowledge Taken from “Atomic Habits” James Clear), and by treats, I mean self-compassion, not actual dog treats, unless you’re into that sort of thing.
From my own experience, I know this journey all too well. I’ve practically lived on the rollercoaster of life, from the highs of horse riding at 8 and inline skating at 15 to the lows of adulting in a foreign country while battling food disorders. Oh, and let’s not forget the bonus round: discovering I had PCOS and endometriosis, which took my life for a joyride straight into the abyss for a few years. Imagine waking up in your 20s and feeling like you’ve got the energy of a 90-year-old who just ran a marathon—except you haven’t run anywhere except to the fridge (and a toilet ;p)
But one day, I had a lightbulb moment. I didn’t want to live my life like this anymore, struggling to even get out of bed in the morning. I decided to rebuild my life, one step at a time, like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle. It wasn’t easy, but I started healing, and things slowly got better. Why? Because I stopped trying to overhaul my entire life in one go and focused on building habits that actually served me.
Think of it this way: Imagine you want to learn how to play the guitar. You don’t start with Beethoven or Mozart (unless you’re secretly a guitar prodigy, in which case, carry on). You start with something simple, like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,” and you work your way up. The same goes for running a marathon. If you’ve spent the last five years on the couch, bonding with chips and beer, you don’t just lace up your sneakers and sprint 26.2 miles. You start small, with a jog around the block, and build from there. (There was a time I couldn’t run 1minute ! just 1 minute, that one minute of running was so tough, I thought I’d never make it – now I can run 10 km (approximately 6.21 miles)
So why, oh why, do we expect ourselves to magically transform our diet and lifestyle overnight? It’s like jumping into the deep end of the pool without knowing how to swim—you’re bound to feel overwhelmed and maybe even a little panicked.
The key here is to take it slow. Build habits that are sustainable and realistic for you. If you want to eat healthier, start by adding more veggies to your meals rather than swearing off carbs forever (because let’s be honest, bread is life). If you want to get more active, start with a short walk each day instead of committing to a hardcore CrossFit regimen that makes you dread even the thought of working out.
Remember, change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual process, like learning to play the guitar or training for a marathon. The important thing is to keep going, one small habit at a time, until you’ve built the life you want—one that’s full of health, happiness, and maybe even a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll. Learn to enjoy the process.
There is a quote from the book “Unfuk Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and into Your Life”* by Gary John Bishop. The quote goes:
“Everyone wants to be at the top of the mountain, but few are willing to make the climb.”
This quote is about the common desire to achieve success or reach a goal without going through the hard work and effort that it takes to get there. It’s a powerful reminder that the journey and the challenges along the way are what make reaching the top so rewarding.
And it goes to every single situation in life, not only weight loss, which means when you start to manage your health properly, the same ‘frame of change’ could be applied the every other situation in your life.
Conclusion: Be Kind to Your Body
Your body is pretty amazing. It deserves to be nourished, loved, and treated with respect—not starved, shamed, or restricted. So next time you’re tempted to jump on the latest diet bandwagon or extend your fasting window to ridiculous lengths, remember this: You don’t need to punish yourself to be healthy. In fact, a little kindness might be exactly what you need.
Here’s to a healthier, happier you—no crazy diets required. And if you need a little inspiration feel free to write an email to me, I am more than happy to have a conversation with you (obviously for free) and help if I could or remind you that food can be delicious, nutritious, and totally guilt-free.
Now, excuse me while I go make myself a snack.
