Why Dieting Does Not Work...

Are you one of the many people who has tried diet after diet without success? 

Do you feel like every time you are following your diet goals you find yourself on a binge with food?

Do you feel shame when you aren't reaching your weight goals? 

Are you tired of the diet-binge cycle that consumes your thoughts and decisions?

Maybe you have met with a dietician, nutritionist, doctor, established a personal meal plan, set goals and a workout regimen for yourself, yet still, nothing seems to work?

It is no secret that as a culture we are plagued with messages idolizing thinness. Diet culture has infiltrated the thoughts of many individuals to believe that thinness is something all people can subscribe to, it's just a matter of implementing the right diet and the right workout routine and one day you will be thin.

There are many flaws with this idea. First, diet culture does not recognize health at every size. It undermines the bodies and experiences of many individuals by sending them messages of not being thin enough. 

So what is health at every size?

Health at every size or HAES is a movement that not only celebrates body diversity but it honors differences in race, age, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, class, and many others. The Health at Every Size movement challenges diet culture and the more widely accepted society beliefs about weight and size. Health at Every Size takes into account the entire person. Meaning our bodies are a reflection of our entire experience not just the control, or lack thereof, that we have over our body’s. Health at every size promotes the practices of flexibility with eating and exercise. By doing so, individuals that practice health at every size honor their hunger cues and values the pleasure that comes along with food and eating, while taking into account the structural differences and social conditions associated with food and accessibility. 

So really, why does dieting not work? 

Dieting isolates many important factors that are part of what makes an individual's body, their body. You might be wondering why you just can’t seem to maintain that diet? Or every time that you do it ends in a binge that erases all the hard work that you put in. So why is this? When a binge happens your body is responding to the lack thereof. Your body is primed and ready to respond to danger. Therefore, when it feels as though resources are scarce, it is going to stock up when those resources DO become available. In short, a binge is your body doing exactly what it has been built to do - which is to keep you alive. Years ago when humans were in danger of things like famine (***recognizing certain cultures do still experience real concerns of scarcity today) the body developed ways to respond to this. Such as stocking up on foods that produce quick energy (such as carbohydrates and sugar). 

So how does this apply to the diet-binge cycle? 

Your body can only last so long before it snaps when it is not receiving adequate sustenance. Many people live their lives comparing their appetites to that of others. This puts your body within the constraints of what someone else’s body needs to live. Why is it so easy for us to understand that a Jack Russel Terrier and a Labrador will eat different amounts of food but it is so hard for us to apply the same conceptual thinking to humans? 

More often than not, a binge is a response to feelings of scarcity continuing the endless cycle of restrict/diet->binge->shame/guilt. A fruitless cycle that has the ability to continue for years and years!

Changing your relationship with body image

Maybe this feels relatable and maybe it does not. In any regard, it all boils down to changing the relationship that you have with your body. Imagine a day that is not filled with body dissatisfaction, constant thoughts about food, shame and guilt around your body, and rigid thoughts? The truth is, there is joy and peace on the other side.

Reach out for support with eating disorder treatment

If you are interested in seeking support I would love to work with you towards reaching your goals and redefining the relationship that you have with your body. If you are interested in learning more about how I work with body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating through eating disorder treatment or how I utilize online therapy I encourage you to read more. 

If you are interested in setting up a free 20 minute consultation please reach out!

-Ellie