Break up with diet culture to feel your best on the daily with these easy tips.
1. Don’t look to Instagram when seeking a nutritionist, naturopath, trainer or workout class
Use good old Google and let qualifications (such as university degrees, peer endorsements, client references and number of years in business) listed on their company website inform your decision to see them, rather than irrelevant information like appearance/body shape. Or ask people you trust for a reference or their personal recommendations.
2. Unfollow anyone on social media who references body shape at all
Unfollow anyone who talks of losing “pandemic pounds”, or “shedding” anything at all. Unfollow anyone who talks about food in any language around being light or clean or overeating.
3. Be wary of “body positivity”
Most of it has been co-opted by diet culture in the name of capitalism (influencers artfully exposing a belly roll or stretch mark for likes). We don’t have to be positive about our bodies. We just need to learn how to respect the job they do for us (while shutting out the opinions of others). Also be wary of people who use beauty filters.
4. Normalise your feed
Just as (we hope) you follow a diverse group of cultures and ethnicities, so too should you follow a diverse range of body types.
5. Call people out – both media and friends
We need to normalise saying, “I love you but I won’t have you talk like that” when people comment on their appearance/body/food. (If they are commenting on you, the friendship needs to end.) Most of us are deeply entrenched in seeking validation for our appearance, but we need to start somewhere.
