With diet culture being so prevalent in our society, my hopes of this blog piece is to highlight some of the aspects of dieting that might not be commonly talked about. Some things to consider when determining if dieting or diet plans are for you. Reflect on your lifestyle, mental capacity and personal attributes. This can help you determine the type of nutrition service or nutrition counselling approach that may match your needs. With food costs rising due to inflation and higher cost of living, I want clients to be able to make informed decisions when they are starting their nutrition journey.
Why Diet Plans Often Fail:
Most people believe a diet plan sounds appealing because it feels like they have received a clear product.
Reflect on a time when you had to make one lifestyle change, how was that experience? Often, there may be some barriers or natural habits one prefer and therefore making lifestyle changes can be challenging. Now, imagine receiving a diet plan and having to make multiple changes every single day. Every time you eat and every time you drink. It can be overwhelming, especially when you have multiple responsibilities in every aspects of your life.
In our nutrition sessions, I aim to increase your nutrition knowledge to help you make confident food choices without the need to rely on following strict rules. This approach will help maintain a positive relationship with food, instead of potential worries of not being able to comply to a particular diet plan.
The Pitfalls of Diet Plans:
Lack of Nutrition Knowledge: Following a diet plan without understanding the reasons can makes it difficult to adapt when situations change. Some individuals may feel lost and not confident with their food choices as it is not part of the diet plan.
Overly Restrictive: Diet plans can be strict and will never be able to account for all the complexity in our lives. Usually they lack the ability to include all of the following factors: travel, social events, work-hour limitations, personal taste preferences, grocery shopping habits, cooking skills, and family cooperation.
I recognize that not everyone will feel the same. Some people may feel that diet plans are comforting because they may appreciate having lots of details and the predictability. If that works for them, that is great.
What About Trendy Diets?
Unless you're advised to follow a specific diet for a diagnosed health condition, such as the gluten free diet for Celiac Disease, there is generally a lack of strong scientific evidence to support trendy diets. Dietitian recommendations are based on science and research. Trendy diets often lack sufficient science to be considered evidence-based, which is why most dietitians in Canada typically do not recommend them. Even individuals with specific health conditions do not necessary need a “diet plan” but rather implementing nutrition changes that fits with their eating patterns can make it easier to manage health conditions.
Why Trendy Diets Don’t Work:
Strictly following a trendy diet can affect an individual's relationship with food. This is because eating is not only for survival but there is also a social and cultural aspect to food. There is often an emotional connection to food as well. This is why we have favourite foods and may include traditional foods during celebrations and festivities.
Sometimes individuals who follow diets too strictly may end up experiencing feelings of resentment due to the mental effort required to follow various rules. If showering or brushing your teeth doesn’t require strict rules, neither should eating. Most individuals do not have the capacity to follow a diet forever and that is actually normal and natural human behaviour. While many begin a diet with the hopes to improve their health, sometimes those changes they make often don’t last once the diet stops.
Mental and Emotional Impact:
Diets can lead to a “black-and-white” thinking pattern which can be mentally exhausting. Imagine attending a social event but feeling restricted as the food choices may not be allowed on a particular diet. This type of restriction can lead to feelings of guilt and shame. Over time, this excessive focus on food may reduce the enjoyment of eating and affect overall mental health as well.
Flexible and Non-Dieting Nutrition Approach
My nutrition counselling style is rooted in empowering individuals to make informed food decisions by increasing their nutrition knowledge. Instead of providing prescribed diet plans, I promote independence and confidence in navigating food choices. Understanding the reasoning behind nutrition recommendations and purpose often makes nutrition changes easier. Diet plans can often discourage personal decision making and create an indefinite dependency on paid services, which I do not believe in.
My flexible and non-dieting approach encourages a go-with-the-flow style of eating that feels natural and sustainable. This approach focuses on making intuitive changes that support overall health and managing chronic diseases, while maintaining positive well-being without the need to implement extreme dietary changes. This is generally more sustainable over long periods of time and helps maintain a healthier relationship with food compared to those dieting.
As discussed earlier, everyone has different preferences and you may find that trendy diets or a structured diet plan works best for you. Part of starting your nutrition journey is finding a dietitian service that aligns with your needs and no one can do it better than you as you know yourself the best.