Resisting diet culture

Resisting diet culture takes awareness and effort. But with practice it is possible to reverse these unhelpful—and unhealthy—beliefs and habits. Here are some tips:

• Focus less on weight. The numbers on the scale don’t paint a full picture of your health. Limit how often you weigh yourself and focus on good nutrition and getting adequate exercise.
• Eat a balanced diet. Base your meals and snacks around evidence-based healthy eating guidelines, such as those from the World Health Organization (WHO). Aim to eat a variety of foods to cover your nutritional needs.
• Find enjoyable forms of physical activity. Exercise often involves some element of challenge. However, if you find yourself suffering through your workouts, it might be time to change it up. Try an exercise class, look online for free fitness videos, or go for a walk or bike ride.
• Take pleasure in eating. Although you want to avoid eating for emotional reasons, it’s okay to eat just because it tastes good! And whatever you’re eating, try to eat it mindfully, taking time to savour your food without distractions.
• Follow your body’s cues. Listen to your body’s signals of hunger and fullness. This can help you avoid eating too much or too little, or eating for emotional reasons.
• Move away from all-or-nothing thinking. Physical activity and nutrition guidelines are meant to be flexible. You may have more time for exercise some weeks, and less in others, or find it hard to eat well on hectic days. That’s okay! Perfection is not the goal.
• Prioritize what’s inside, not outside. If you are trying to improve your physical health, focus on health outcomes you can measure. Examples of this could include lowering your cholesterol or blood pressure, or increasing your fitness level.