3 Tips for Dealing with New Year Diet and Weight Talk
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Entering a new year means diet culture is out in full force. There is a lot of pressure to work towards health goals which is often code for appearance-related goals. Meanwhile, we know that diets don’t work.
With the emergence of GLP1’s for weight loss, body image and weight neutrality has become…well…very complicated for many. The pressure to lose weight is higher than it has been in a while.
Breaking free from diet culture is extra tough when you see so many people around you shrinking as a result of taking these drugs. While the last few years brought a lot more talk about body positivity, the tide has shifted in the last few months.
Plus, many of us have deeply ingrained messaging from childhood or young adulthood that has stuck with us about our bodies and food.
That said, this year can be an opportunity to start or recommit to your food freedom journey. The new year can be an opportunity to acknowledge that messaging and its harm on you so you can start moving away from harsh judgments about your body and food and towards a more peaceful relationship with them. If you’re ready, here are some tips to get started.
1.Notice what the diet culture messaging brings up within you.
When you see your friend post about their weight loss, or you see an ad for the latest “lifestyle change” or your family tells you about their latest diet, what comes up for you?
Does it make you miss dieting? Does it feel lonely? Is it frustrating? Get curious!
Don’t judge yourself if you are tempted to go back to dieting or other means of losing weight. It’s normal to feel that way and unrealistic to expect to never have another thought like that again.
What matters most is how you respond to the thought.
By getting curious about what’s coming up, you can begin to recognize why those thoughts are arising. You can acknowledge if there are parts of dieting that you miss. Chances are, you can work towards those things without resuming the diet cycle.
For example, it may be a signal that you haven’t been taking as good care of yourself as you could be. Rather than resorting to weight loss drugs or a diet to boost your confidence, consider whether you’ve been eating enough, making time to slow down, and wearing clothes you feel good in.
Of course, all of these things require a level of privilege and you may not have access to all of these self-care practices. Do what you can, even if it’s just taking a minute to meditate and show yourself that you matter and are worthy of care.
2.Set boundaries.
The only cleanse you need this year is a cleanse of your social media feed. If your friends or family are triggering you and unfollowing them isn’t an option, mute them.
Change your Instagram settings to see less weight loss and diet ads (here’s an article that explains how to do so).
Outside of the internet, set boundaries around weight or diet talk. Set boundaries around being weighed (with yourself and perhaps also with your doctor).
Some other boundaries you may want to set include:
Muting group chats ridden with diet culture talk
Requesting your friends not talk about weight loss with you
Limiting time with people who don’t honor your boundaries
Finding a doctor who takes a weight-neutral approach
Declining weight loss drugs proposed by your doctor if you do not want to take them
Limiting your time on social media and doing things that nourish you instead
Notice what other boundaries would support you in your food freedom, body acceptance journey and take action.
3.Ground in why you started this journey
Given there’s even more temptation to lose weight at the start of a new year, come back to your why. Why did you choose to stop dieting and focusing on weight? What did dieting take away from you? How would you benefit from accepting your body as it is?
Our clients have experienced the immense freedom that comes from doing so. They have a renewed appreciation and enjoyment of their cultural foods and food in general. They don’t shame themselves for finding pleasure in food and they don’t overanalyze everything they eat.
They are able to apply nutrition principles without stressing over the number on the scale or harsh food rules.
Maybe that’s what you’re striving for. If so, know that it’s absolutely possible.
The diet wave can threaten to knock us off our feet. Find your grounding.
For education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, join our nutrition library for just $27/month.
If you liked this post, you may also like:
Should I follow USDA’s MyPlate?
Disordered Eating vs. Eating Disorder. How They Differ and Overlap.
What is a HAES Dietitian? Plus, What to Expect Working With One.
