No Diet? No Sweat!
ICYMI, May 6th is the annual International No Diet Day. Yes, you read that correctly! It is No Diet Day, and though it has already passed, it is never too late to set aside just one day to forget about your body goals and show appreciation for the skin you’re in.
You may be wondering, why is a Health and Nutrition Consultant encouraging me to cheat on my diet? The answer is in Keys to Abundant Life’s mission:
“TO EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO LIVE HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER LIVES BY TEACHING HEALTHY CULINARY CLASSES AND PRACTICAL LIFESTYLE SKILLS.”
Quite often new short-term and fad diets emerge with a promise to sculpt your frame into the body of your dreams in little to no time.
Their popularity is enhanced by the eagerness of people who desperately want to “fix” something that is “wrong” with their bodies. However, the lifestyle changes we strive for at Keys to Abundant Life cannot be achieved through a deficit or “broken” lens.
Instead, they must come from a place of loving your body, mind, and soul so deeply that you become committed to learning how to make everyday choices that contribute to a healthy and happy life.
That is why I am challenging you to one diet-free day: because you can’t hate your body into being healthy. It is possible and common to meet your fitness goals and still not be healthy or happy.
For you, however, I want to see all three! So join me on a diet-free day to focus on changing your perception of your body from a fixer-upper to your most valued possession.
5 More Reasons to Kick Your Diet to the Curb for a Day:
1. It promotes body positivity and diversity. No Diet Day is a chance to take a public stance against weight discrimination, fatphobia, and sizeism. People naturally come in all shapes and sizes, and they all deserve to be appreciated and handled with care.
2. It is an opportunity to spread awareness about eating disorders. Scientists have found that there is a direct correlation between repeat dieting and developing anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating as a result of diet-induced starvation. It is important to raise awareness about the signs, prevention, and treatment of eating disorders with your network. You never know who in your circle might need the information.
3. You can focus on the progress you’ve made internally. There are many more accomplishments to celebrate than those determined by a scale. You may not have met your goal weight yet, but you can treat yourself for the discipline, energy, and confidence you have gained thus far along your health journey.
4. It allows time to research to confirm that your eating habits are actually healthy. Many crash diets, especially low-calorie diets lead to weight loss at the expense of your overall health either by leaving you at an extreme caloric deficit or by cutting foods that provide nutrients your body needs to function.
5. All work and no play will make you sad and grey! You’ve begun the work. Now you can treat yourself to an indulgent meal you’ve been craving. As you make the transition from dieting to making a total lifestyle change, you will find a healthy balance of eating and exercise that allows you to eat the foods you love without guilt. For those who may feel guilt this time around, I say, do it anyway!
Try this! On your no diet day, stand in the mirror and recite the poem below aloud. You may even decide to make it one of your daily mantras. Happy NO dieting!
today i’m grateful for this body.
how it still carries me after everything
i put it through.
this is the love i’ve been looking for
and it’s been here inside me all along.
