Slaying a Dragon: Diet Culture
I’ll just come right out and say it. Diet culture is bullshit. And diet culture is pervasive. Quite frankly, breaking free from its grasp can feel like a revolutionary act of radical resistance, because nowadays, it is. Diet culture offers narrow standards of beauty and health, and often pushes us towards unattainable ideals, leading to cycles of self-criticism and unhealthy behaviors. But any cycle can be ended, and it ends with us. By embracing body positivity and focusing on genuine health and wellness from a place of self-love, we can reclaim our power and redefine what it means to be happy, healthy, healing and thriving.
Let’s Talk About Diet Culture
Diet culture is a system of beliefs that equates thinness with health and moral virtue, promoting weight loss as a means to achieve higher status or acceptance. It fosters a toxic standard where self-worth is measured by size and shape, leading to disordered eating, body dysmorphia, and a host of mental health issues. The constant pressure to conform to unrealistic standards can erode self-esteem and promote a harmful relationship with food and exercise.
The message is often one of restrictive eating, obsessive exercise, and an unhealthy preoccupation with food and body image. This culture is deeply ingrained in our society, influencing the way we see ourselves and others.
What’s even more concerning is how early these ideas pervade the lives of our youth, especially young girls.
I remember being ten years old when I told my mom I was too fat, and that I needed to lose weight, and worse… that I hated my body. Growing up, I can’t recall a time I wasn’t preoccupied with what I was eating or how I fit in my clothes (and the size of those clothes). I was constantly shaming myself for not wanting to workout. Y’all, I hated exercise. I was not an athlete. And as a young girl, I thought that made me wrong… less than… not enough.
Everytime I passed a reflective surface I “checked” myself from the side to see how thin I looked (or didn’t). I hated seeing myself in pictures, and I would point out every flaw I could find… chubby cheeks, a fat roll, thick arms…
By the time I was in 8th grade I had developed a disordered relationship with eating leaning toward anorexia, as I would skip entire meals in the hopes of being thinner; by the time high school came around though, I’d gone the opposite direction and started what would ultimately become a very long and complex relationship with Binge Eating Disorder.
The impact of diet culture and societal standards of beauty is profound and far-reaching. I do see the scales tipping these days, particularly in the modeling industry, but there is still so far to go.
First Step: Embracing Body Positivity
Body positivity is essentially a counter-movement to diet culture that challenges societal norms by celebrating all bodies, regardless of size, shape, age or appearance. It promotes the idea that everyone deserves to feel comfortable and confident in their own skin… because we do!
Embracing body positivity means rejecting the notion that our worth is tied to our weight, and recognizing that beauty is diverse.
I’ll be honest, it hasn’t always been an easy journey for me to lean into body positivity. The idea that there was something wrong with me, and my body crept in at an early age, making it that much harder to unlearn, but… it can be done, and I’ve got some ideas on how to help:
Self-Compassion: One of the 8 C’s of SELF, in IFS Therapy, mind you, is Compassion. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer a dear friend. Acknowledge your worth beyond physical appearance, and acknowledge that if you’re going on a journey to become healthier, or lose weight, that you are already worth the work… remember, you cannot shame yourself to change, you can and should only love yourself through evolution.
Curate Your Social Media Consumption: Follow social media accounts and consume other media that promotes diverse body types and positive self-image. Unfollow accounts that make you feel inadequate, or that trigger you into thinking you’re not “right” in some way.
Challenge Negative Thoughts: When you catch yourself thinking negatively about your body, question those thoughts and replace them with affirmations of self-love and acceptance. This takes a lot of practice, but over time, you will help your brain form new beliefs.
Celebrate Your Body's Abilities: Focus on what your body can do rather than how it looks. Appreciate the strength, resilience, and capabilities of your body. This was a big lesson that I learned when I broke my leg back in 2021, and couldn’t walk for months. It taught me that exercise is something that I GET TO DO, not something that I HAVE to do. Exercise is not a punishment, it’s self love, and it’s a celebration of the body that you occupy.
Second Step: Real Health and Wellness
True health and wellness are about FAR more than physical appearance, which is what Full Circle Wellness is all about. This framework encompasses The Body as well as The Mind and The Spirit. Being fully well is about balance and care for your mental, emotional, spiritual and social well-being. Let’s take a look at ways you can take action:
Nutrition: Instead of restrictive dieting, aim for balanced nutrition that nourishes your body. Read food. Whole food. Food that likes your body back. Ignore the trends, and focus on solid, tried-and-true nutrition basics: prioritize protein, eat a lot of fruits and veggies, kick the processed crud, and drink half or more of your body weight in ounces of water (I like to shoot for a gallon a day, just to keep it even more simple, less math). Most importantly, learn to listen to your hunger and fullness cues, and enjoy a variety of foods without guilt! There are no “good” and “bad” foods. Food is fuel. Food is medicine. And while there are certainly foods that do more harm than good (i.e. processed foods filled with chemicals and additives), it’s pretty basic stuff.
Movement: Find physical activities that you actually enjoy and that make you feel good. If you hate running, don’t run, choose something else! Exercise should be a celebration of what your body can do, not a punishment for what you ate. But I will throw in an additional piece of advice here, as something that I’ve learned in my own journey, and that’s weight lifting, or resistance training. Everyone hates to hear it. I hated to hear it. It’s the hard work. The real work, that takes a really long time to build upon. BUT. Building lean muscle is of the utmost importance for your health, vitality and longevity. And don’t even get me started on busting the myths on this topic… the muscle conversation could be a whole other post! Get strong. You will not regret it.
Mental Health: Prioritize your mental health by seeking support when needed, practicing mindfulness with something like meditation or journaling, and engaging in activities that reduce stress and promote relaxation. Mental Health is it’s own FCW pie slice for a reason… it is FOUNDATIONAL to all of your other health pursuits. Prioritize it. Take good care of it.
Social Connections: FCW is all about YOU and cleaning up your side of the street, but here’s the thing… when you’re well, you’re able to better foster meaningful relationships that support and uplift you. Surrounding yourself with people who encourage your journey towards self-love and wellness is a powerful secret tool on your journey.
At the core of rejecting diet culture and embracing true wellness is SELF-LOVE.
Self-love is about accepting yourself as you are, recognizing your inherent worth, and treating yourself with kindness, compassion and respect. It is the foundation upon which genuine health and wellness are built, and these are core values of Full Circle Wellness.
By practicing self-love, we can: build resilience and develop a strong sense of Self with a capital S, that is not easily swayed by societal pressures or unrealistic standards; enhance our well-being and create a holistic approach to health that includes Physical, Mental, and Spiritual wellness; promote authenticity and live a life that is true to ourselves, free from the constraints of diet culture, or any standards other than our own.
Breaking free from diet culture is a journey that requires patience, compassion, and a commitment to self-love. By embracing body positivity and focusing on Full Circle Wellness, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for ourselves and others.
Remember, your worth is not determined by a number on a scale, but by the love and kindness you show yourself and the world around you.
You deserve health, and happiness, no matter your size.
Be well,
L
