Intuitive Eating Principle 1: Reject the diet mentality
By Dr. Jenny Sokolowski, Psy.D.
Many of us have been taught to believe that being in a smaller body is inherently better. In our society, thinner bodies are often seen as more valuable, both morally and socially. We’re led to equate thinness with health and to think that if our body doesn’t meet the “idealized” size, it must be broken. Weight loss is widely promoted and celebrated, and many of us invest significant time, energy, and money trying to shrink our bodies to gain approval from others.
Diet culture perpetuates the idea that certain ways of eating are “better” than others. Foods are labeled as “good” or “bad,” which can create feelings of shame and guilt around food choices. These harmful standards disproportionately affect marginalized groups, including women, people in larger bodies, trans individuals, people with disabilities, and people of color.
This is diet culture—a system that oppresses and harms people, negatively impacting both mental and physical health.
Rejecting Diet Culture with Intuitive Eating
A key step in breaking free from diet culture is rejecting these harmful beliefs, a foundational principle of Intuitive Eating. Understandably, this can be challenging and may bring up feelings of resistance or fear. Many worry about how others will perceive them if they “let go” of these ideals or feel anxious about how their body might change.
The Harms of Dieting
It’s important to recognize that the real harm comes not from eating but from dieting and food restriction. Research has shown that dieting often leads to negative physical and psychological outcomes, including:
Increased Risk of Disordered Eating: Restrictive diets can trigger unhealthy relationships with food, leading to patterns like binge eating.
Weight Cycling: Dieting often results in weight loss followed by weight regain, which has been linked to adverse health effects like increased stress on the heart. Did you know that research shows that 1/3 of people regain the weight they lost in 1 year, 2/3 in 5 years, and 95% in 9 years?
Mental Health Impacts: Dieting can heighten feelings of failure, anxiety, and depression, especially when societal pressures are tied to appearance and worth.
Damage to Body Trust: Restriction disrupts the natural signals your body sends about hunger and fullness, making it harder to nourish yourself intuitively.
Rejecting diet culture isn’t easy, but it’s a powerful step toward healing your relationship with food and your body. Remember, your worth is not determined by the size of your body or the foods you eat. Embracing a more compassionate and inclusive approach to health can lead to greater well-being and self-acceptance.
