Harmful Myths from Diet Culture

In order to protect our mental health and keep our perspectives healthy, we need to evaluate the messages we receive from the world around us. We need a moment to ask ourselves - Is this message true? Is it helpful? Is it adaptive? In addition, sometimes we need to work backwards with this process, because there may be messages we’ve already absorbed without awareness. When a message is so universal and so often repeated, it can take on the appearance of truth. A prime example of this is “diet culture,” a set of messages that prioritize appearance, weight loss, and dieting over well-being and true health.

Diet culture seems ever-present in the United States. It’s the magazine cover advertising “Lose 10 Pounds Fast!” It’s the common practice of using photoshop to make thin models even thinner. It’s weight loss pills sold in drug stores. It’s the influencer on every social media platform telling you how to “be healthy.” In short, it’s the widespread message that weight management and thinness are of the utmost importance. And from a young age we are bombarded with images and headlines, making diet culture hard to avoid. Body image issues and disordered eating habits can often start in adolescent years even younger, so here are several myths from diet culture that are important to take a step back from and re-evaluate.

  1. “Thin equals happy.” Diet culture would have you believe that to be thin is to be happy, healthy, fulfilled, and successful. In reality, none of these things are actually connected to body shape or size. Achievement of these ideals is a different road for each of us, but is likely based on how aligned we are with our higher purpose, values, and enjoyments in life.

  2. “There are ‘good foods’ and ‘bad foods.’” A helpful phrase for eating disorder recovery is, “your stomach doesn’t have eyes.” In other words, to your body, anything you eat contains nutrients it can use. Labeling foods as “good” or “bad” places a moral value on foods that can foster shame and restrictive eating patterns.

  3. “Dieting is healthy.” Dieting implies a temporary attempt to control your body shape or size. But what about what your body naturally wants and needs? Restricting and controlling what you eat can be the beginning of disordered eating, a scarcity mentality around food, and feeling guilt about something that should be both nourishing and enjoyable. Intuitive eating and mindful eating are excellent alternatives to dieting that honor your body’s needs and wants.

If you suspect that you or a loved one is suffering from an eating disorder, there is professional help available. An admissions professional or counselor can help you determine the appropriate level of care for you or your loved one.

 

Contributed by Carina Pearson, MA , Eating Disorder IOP Counselor at Focus Treatment Centers, Chattanooga, TN

 

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