6 May 2014
| Last updated on 6 May 2014The 6th May is International NO-DIET Day
Are you on the Atkins, Dukan, South beach, 5:2, juice, paleo, gluten free, raw food, calorie counting, Mediterranean, DASH, slim fast, zone, low fat, Jenny Craig, volumetricks or Weight Watchers diet? STOP! Well at least for today because the 6th May is international no-diet day. So does this mean that you should bury your face in the nearest box of Lindt? Not necessarily…
International no-diet day was founded by the British feminist Mary Evans Young in 1992. It is meant to be a day that promotes a healthy lifestyle free of the worries of dieting and food control, encouraging people to balance
their diet and exercise, rather than rely on a fad where they might drop a lot of weight quickly, but that usually piles on twice as fast. These international days pop up on social media every now and again, but international no diet day has been going strong for 23 years. The day mainly targets young girls who may have adolescent body issues. Dieting, especially extreme dieting can lead to eating disorder and event body dysmorphic disorder later in life.
Many girls, some as young as 8, are already aware of the promulgated body shapes in the media and also in their everyday lives. This can lead to the desire to diet and lose weight in order to fit in with the societal ‘norms’. The belief that thinness leads to happiness and good health is a prevalent perception in the Western world. It seems that regular exercise, home cooked meals and a balance of fruit, veg, proteins and carbs are often over-looked in favour of the fad diet that promises quick results. However in almost all the cases of fad dieting does not work and all the weight (and then some) is regained within 5 years.
Instead of letting your body image bog you down, try to focus on the positive. Instead of putting all your energy into worrying about the negative aspects of your body, focus on the great ones. Stop waiting; don’t do that thing where you say to yourself, “I’ll buy the dress when I lose 5kg.” If you like the dress, buy it now, plan your summer vacation, wear a bikini and embrace your curves. And if you still feel like you are unhealthy and NEED to lose some weight; seek professional help from a medical doctor or a dietician who will be able to put you on the right path to health and happiness.
It seems that we have created this monster, the diet industry, which we keep feeding with our hard earned cash – so it keeps growing and wanting more. We live in a world of quick fixes, but the body is built to store and survive, and when you starve it, it becomes lack luster and will not work well.
International no diet day should be every day, every day free from body worries, from calorie counting. We all know that diets are ridiculous. They make you cranky, obsess about food and want unhealthy food all the more. Diets make you feel like a dog that needs to be treated with food, and they don’t make you thin, not in the long run anyway. So don’t spend your money on fad diets, meal replacements and recipe guides. Instead see a professional to help you figure out a life style plan, that is easy to follow and that allows all the parts of a food pyramid.
So today on the 6th of May, let go of your fad diet, instead opt for a balanced and healthy lunch, that will boost your energy levels, look at natural foods, homemade meals and don’t forget your proteins. Take a walk in the park or on the beach, do some squats while watching your favourite TV show. And then repeat – on the 7th and beyond.
