“I hate dieting.”
Three simple words.
Ever heard them? Ever said them yourself?
I’ve heard it more times than I can count. It’s the ongoing joke. Giving up chips for carrot sticks, cookies for rice cakes, and burgers for salads. We jump on a diet after the holidays, or a vacation, or our latest physical. And we make ourselves miserable by seeing food as the enemy. We deprive ourselves to insane degrees. It’s all or nothing. To get trim and healthy we have to ignore our cravings, give up this common route of satisfaction, and see something that normally makes us happy as something we need to avoid all together. We go to crazy lengths that are often not something we can keep up for more than a few weeks or months, maybe a few years if we’re super dedicated. Generally within some period of time, we are back to where we started and frustrated at the prospect of starting all over again.
My husband and I were recently discussing this very topic. And let me tell you…I unloaded on this poor man for about 10 minutes straight on why this whole business is so problematic.
You see, there is one particular reason that we as Americans tend to hate the thought of healthy eating and generally refer to it as “dieting”. (I speak to Americans simply because I don’t know the way of things in other cultures regarding diet.) But for the average American who has the privilege of choosing what they’ll eat each day (I realize that isn’t everyone)…I can easily pin point the reason “diets” are even a thing and why many people feel so miserable while following them.
Here’s A Cold Hard Truth
We, as Americans, are all too often gluttonous, junk food loving, over-indulged, spoiled eaters who tend to lack self-control and mistakenly opt for instant gratification over long term benefits.
And, I must say, it has RUINED the way we see food.
You can call me harsh. You can say I’m exaggerating. Like, ah naw, this girl’s gettin’ all up in my business!
But at least do me the favor of hearing me out.
See, I know there are people that don’t live this way. I know there are many who understand how the body works and what foods we actually need to fuel it. I know that many people out there have found a beautiful balance. And I completely appreciate that! Keep up the good work!
Still, the question remains as to why many people hate “eating healthy”? I’m speaking to a culture as a whole here. A culture whose restaurants, grocery stores, and tv commercials offer so many more options that will kill rather than give life, hurt rather than help, and over-indulge rather than encourage a habit of self- control. These are the places we get our food and we learn from them how we ought to eat.
The menu at your favorite restaurant likely offers a small “Eating Lighter” section because the rest of the menu is full of food that will give you a heart attack if you eat it more than three days in a row and the portion sizes are generally horrifyingly large for the average person. The grocery stores fill the entire center of their space with boxed, canned, and frozen foods filled with preservatives and artificial flavors. And if you make it through that ok, try getting passed the candy, chips and pop up at the check out. And, in a nutshell, television commercials encourage you to eat the food that will create the problem that the following commercial will cover up with a medication who’s side effects list is worse than your original issue.
We are literally set up for failure. The food industry has taught us what and how much to eat and if you don’t study up for yourself but rather figure that because certain foods and portion sizes rule the industry, that’s how and what you ought to be eating…you’ll find yourself fitting the bill for the American eater I described above. You’ll, almost understandably, hate the thought of “dieting” because it tells you that all you know about food is wrong. And that is extremely uncomfortable. The word “diet” tends to put fear, angst, and dread into the heart of people who see it as a death sentence to all the delicacies they hold dear.
So We Diet!
But let’s talk about the word “diet” for a moment.
The common definition is this: “a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.”
Now I realize, there are legitimate medical reasons for certain diets. But, as a general rule, the reason we have most “diets” is to combat the deadly food habits in which so many Americans find themselves trapped. We see the obesity and many health issues that come from the junk we eat, so we strive to defeat it by going all the way in the opposite direction.
We eat too much, so we opt for teeny tiny portions that wouldn’t satisfy a bird.
We are overweight so we cut out every kind of fat, even the good stuff.
We lack self-control and discipline, so we punish ourselves by completely and totally removing temptation of any sort and start to feel that finding joy in food means we must be doing it wrong.
The American definition of “diet” is killing the blessing food is intended to be because we are fighting so hard against the unhealthy thing that food has become in our culture. We have horrible habits to begin with and our remedy isn’t much better. Both sides of the coin hurt and are harmful to our minds, souls and bodies. One side of the coin teaches us to eat what tastes good regardless of how it effects us and we end up sick and deprived of our health. The other side teaches us to see food as a joy stealer rather than a joy giver, and we end up frustrated and disappointed.
So Then What???
Ever heard it said, “It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle?”
That phrase is overused, and worn out. It really is.
But that doesn’t negate the truth it holds.
The reason we tend to so despise the topic of healthy eating habits is not because they are some strange phenomenon. It’s not because we’ll be deprived. It’s not because good food choices are just for the health nuts or workout bodies. It’s not because healthy food is undesirable. It’s not because a wholesome diet is impossible to maintain. It’s not because food will no longer bring joy if we change how we eat. And it’s not because you just can’t do it.
It’s because we’ve been fed the lie that everything I’ve just said is true…and we’ve eaten it up.
We’ve been lied to…and we’ve fallen head over heals for it.
We’ve forgotten that food is meant to give life, to bring joy, and to sustain. We’ve dismissed all that food can be and settled for less. We’ve decided that it’s all or nothing. We over-indulge ourselves or we deprive ourselves. We’ve decided to believe that because something doesn’t taste like the junk we are used to, it can’t taste good and most certainly can’t taste better. We’ve sold ourselves short by being drastic rather than finding a balance. Moderation is a phrase we leave in the dust when it could be exactly what we need.
A Challenge
So, if you feel this applies to you in any way, remember this: the journey to rediscovering the joy of food can be as slow or fast paced as you so choose. My challenge to you is to start that journey. There’s no better time to start than right now.
The first and best step to take is try and look at every kind of food in a new way. Here’s a few thoughts:
Don’t rely on your norm. Don’t always grab the first thing you see.
Don’t allow the lies our culture is feeding us determine how you see what you put in your body.
Taste different foods and take them for just what they are. Don’t compare. Just enjoy.
Remember that food is meant to satisfy, not leave you miserably full or ravenously hungry.
It’s not about being skinny, it’s about being healthy.
If you’re clueless on where to start. You have Google. Utilize it! There are countless resources for new foods and recipes to try and frugal ways to come by it all! (I’m kind of obsessed with this topic and have done lots of experimenting, so I’m planning to follow this up with a few blogs on some of my favorite recipes and healthy lifestyle tips! So stay tuned for more!)
Remember that junking it once in a blue moon is not a bad thing. Just make it a treat, not a habit.
Always remember to find joy in your food. “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart…” -Ecclesiastes 9:7
And lastly…although it shouldn’t be a daily habit..please, please don’t ever cut ice cream completely out of your life. Buy organic if you must. But ice cream is simply too much of a gift to nix altogether. It’s good for the soul and that’s what matters most. As I said…everything in moderation!
Hope this is helpful! Love you all!
My Family Freedom 