It’s summer, y’all, and you know what that means; the days are getting longer, the shorts are getting shorter, and the media continues to push that you “should” have a beach body.
If you are new to the iLiveWell Nutrition family, welcome. If you have been with us for awhile, you know that we think that is all just CRAP!
You might be thinking, “With all the summer body media, how can we continue to have a body positive mindset and ditch the diets?” First off, working with your dietitian in your sessions will definitely help you build a solid individual plan.
Here are a few tips to ditch the diet:
- Break the the rules
- Diet and food rules don’t improve anything. Instead, they put your mind in a place of restriction and make certain foods, or food quantities (e.g., large portions), even more appealing. Your mind then becomes obsessed and anxiety kicks in.
- Instead try to focus on what sounds good, honoring your hunger, and not over thinking food.
- Trash the scale
- Denting tools, like the scale, are things that get in the way of real progress in your relationship with food because they blind us from important body cues. If no longer weighing yourself makes you feel like you will lose tabs on progress, consider that weighing yourself daily is not even that telling. For example, two cups of water equals one pound. So, if you eat some salty chips and start to bloat, you could easily “put on” a few pounds in a single day. Food also has weight, so that’s why you usually weigh more later in the day. You are more than your weight!
- Be your BIGGEST FAN
- As you go through the summer and work on ditching the diet mentality and really learn how to live life diet-free, you’re going to be tempted and pulled back into diet culture. Remember, it’s everywhere! So, if you’re scrolling through Instagram and feel like you need to get on a diet, don’t beat yourself up about it. Take a second to think about why a photo or program incited this thought. Also think about if you’re ready to put the restrictive diets on the back-burner right now and if that is the best thing you can do for your own physical and mental health. Remember, no judgment – we all have to come into this when we’re ready.
If you are wanting to take that step towards a diet-free lifestyle, please know we are here for you and ready to support you where you are in your journey! Thank you again for trusting us with your nutrition care.
Adrien Paczosa is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian practicing in Austin, Texas and the surrounding counties.
She is the owner and founder of I Live Well Nutrition her Dietitian practice which started in 2007 and serves clients in the Austin, Texas area in two locations. Fearless Practitioners, the division of her business that offers training to dietitians and wellness professionals.