Are you a victim of diet culture if you want to lose weight?

ARE YOU A VICTIM OF DIET CULTURE IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT?

There are two very opposite extreme movements out there that have had my head spinning lately:

First, there is the “traditional” fitness and diet industry which makes us believe that our only goal in life should be to get smaller, and that extreme rules, diets, and workouts that sacrifice our psychological health are the answer to our discomfort with our post-baby bodies. Green drinks are growing increasingly popular. You can read about some of the top rated green drinks at Fitness Clone if you are considering buying one.

NO THANKS.

BUT….on the other hand, there is a new movement swinging to the opposite extreme that is anti-diet industry and well-intended, but to me, is also missing the mark. This movement claims that all attempts to lose weight or change your body make you a victim of the diet industry, and is throwing shame at all who are attempting to do so.

Also NO.

Your body does not belong to the world, and you don’t owe anyone an explanation for it. So whether you are embracing your size or attempting to change it, it’s no one’s business but yours. You can love and respect your body and still want to change it.

However, there are very problematic issues that come up with diet culture that keep so many who ARE attempting weight loss totally stuck and miserable, issues that I help clients overcome every day.

I promise you’ll keep running into problems if you start with “I have to lose weight or I won’t be worthy or special”. But there’s also no reason that once you fix those inner issues and take the pressure off, you can’t attempt fat loss in a healthy, no-pressure, balanced mindset. You just need to have that foundation to build on.