Tag: body image

What is “Dietainment”?

On By jodietitianIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Unhealthy diet messages disguised as harmless entertainment. That is how “dietainment” is defined on the Multi-grain Cheerio website devoted to gathering signatures to make a statement to stop these unhealthy messages from getting to our children (especially young girls).

If you watch the videos on the website, they will move you. The sad thing is they actually stop short of showing what the consequences are. Yes, all of those magazine covers at the grocery line check-out do affect us all. You’ve heard it a million times, how those perfect faces, bodies, hair and clothes make us all feel inferior to a point. You probably also have seen those articles and videos on how those photos are doctored by the experts to make them look even more “perfect”. How cellulite is erased, how tummies are flattened, frizzy hair is removed, veins, wrinkles and freckles magically made invisible. We know that.

The problem also lies in the actual words, the words most eight year old girls can read. Words like “diet” and “lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks” and “5 steps to a flat belly!” What happens next?

I can share what I have seen. I have seen little girls “body checking” in my office. In case you never heard that term, it describes what some people do when they become somewhat focused on a particular body part (or parts) and continuously (almost habitually sometimes) “check” it. As if it may change in the next ten minutes. For instance, a person may feel their arms are too fat, so they are constantly squeezing them. Or more typically, they feel their tummies are too big, and they can’t pass a mirror without looking sideways at themselves. In my office I have seen little girls and boys alike grabbing at their tummies (yes, because they feel they are too fat). Many have actually told me they wanted to know how to make their stomachs flat. Or have a “six pack”. When this statement comes out of a boy who has not even entered puberty yet, it is very sad (to me) and I often ask myself “where is this coming from?”

The other part of this sad story is what these kids often do. They actually do try to “diet”. They try to lose weight, they eat less, they cut out foods and sometimes stop growing. The good news is that sometimes, with a little education, the ones who are doing this just because they read it or saw it on TV will start eating again just because a dietitian told them to! The bad news is some go on to develop eating disorders.

So what can YOU do? As the website says, we can’t change this overnight. But we can at least try to stop it. Do something. Anything, even if it means talking to your child about how stupid it is. Or recognizing if YOU talk about losing weight or how much you hate your body in front of them. At least you can start there, and stop.

Instead, can we all get back to focusing on feeling good and being healthy? and what about all the other wonderful, great things about people? Talents, humor, accomplishments, kindness, generosity…..so check it out….if we all do our little part…

http://worldwithoutdieting.ca/

Body Image: Ten Steps to Loving Your Body

On By jodietitianIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

daisy feet

A wonderful organization that does so much to support people struggling with eating disorders is the National Eating Disorders Association. On their website, they have a wonderful page on body image that lists “Ten Steps to Loving Your Body“. If you or anyone you know is struggling with body image or eating concerns, check out NEDA and check out this inspirational page: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/10-steps-positive-body-image. Spread the positive thinking!!! or click on the link: NEDA

When Exercise Isn’t Fun Anymore

On By jodietitianIn body image, Uncategorized3 Comments

kids on monkey bars Remember back in the day when you had recess in elementary school? It was always the highlight of the day, the time where you could run free outside, swing on the swings, play tag, or climb the monkey bars. Then after school, if you were lucky, you were allowed to play kickball outside with your friends until it got dark. Before you ever thought about being active or needing to exercise to be healthy, you were already doing it. But you were having fun!!

Things have changed. It seems to me there are few adults that I know who do fun active things because, well, they are just FUN. Most adults, especially those with body image or weight concerns appear to be “forcing” themselves to “exercise” with the intention of losing weight and/or changing their body. Not to be stronger, feel better or have more energy. This typically organized movement (aka exercise) sometimes involves a gym, a treadmill, a video or some other activity that the person does not look forward to (not like the monkey bars back in the day). Yes, there are many people who actually really love to going to the gym and actually have a blast doing their Zumba class. These are not the people I am referring to.

In her book “Body Wars: Making Peace with Women’s Bodies”, Dr. Margo Maine explains that particularly if you exercise excessively it could be a symptom of an underlying psychological condition. If you are not able to solve the issue yourself you may need the support of a therapist. She describes the following behaviors that may indicate a problem:

  • you judge a day as “good” or “bad” based on how much you exercised
  • you base your self-worth on how much you exercise
  • you never take a break from exercise no matter how you feel or how inconvenient it is
  • you exercise even though you are injured
  • you arrange work or social obligations around exercise
  • you cancel family or social engagements to exercise
  • you become angry, anxious or agitated when something interferes with your exercise
  • you sometimes wish you could stop but are unable to
  • you know others are worried about how much you exercise but don’t listen to them
  • you always have to do more (laps, miles, weights) and rarely feel satisfied with what you have done
  • you count how many calories you burn while exercising
  • you exercise to compensate from overeating

So, if any of these description ring true for you, just being aware is the first step. For more information on Dr. Maine’s book which includes many great resources for those struggling with body image concerns, check out this link:Body Wars

And remember, it is never too late to start going to the playground again!!!

Warm Weather Dieting Woes

On By jodietitianIn dieting, weightLeave a comment

 

IMG_4090Happy Spring!!

Have  you ever noticed how the start of warmer weather gets people focused on dieting? I have been biting my tongue at work these past few weeks as it seems so many people are talking about the crazy eating plans they are starting. The new buzz seems to be a one or two food diet that is supposed to magically “cleanse” your system in a few weeks (a “kick start” as some people refer to it). I usually keep my mouth shut unless someone notices the dietitian sitting at the computer and dares to ask “what do YOU think?”

I love it.

Today I got asked the question, and I gave my answer. The research has connected dieting (any kind of cognitive restraint where you tune out your body signals) with binge eating. And weight GAIN in the long run. Yes, any trick to make you eat a lot less will of course result in weight loss (that good old “kick start” that is supposed to motivate you). Unfortunately, that short term weight loss ends up frustrating people rather than motivating them. They of course can’t keep up that rate of weight loss (and if they did, the loss would be valuable muscle). They end up feeling bad and usually just go back to their old ways.

Instead, what I shared with my coworkers was that it is smarter to take a non-judgmental look at your lifestyle and eating habits. Do you often eat when not hungry just because food is there? Do you have the habit of watching too much TV or sitting in front of a screen for hours on end? Instead, work on listening to your body. If you are hungry for a snack, and you want a cookie, eat a cookie. It is the non-hunger eating that goes against your body’s needs. Sometimes it is our sedentary lifestyles that prevent us from feeling better about our bodies.

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again! Work on being healthier in every way and forget about dieting!!!! In the long run you just might end up being happier AND healthier.

Healthy or Thin?

On By jodietitianIn body image, dieting, weight1 Comment

IMG_2637My guess is these two words get different reactions from different people. It has been my experience over the years that in our culture we assume pretty much everyone wants to be “thin”. And most people equate being “healthy” with being “thin”. Most of us assume if we tell someone they look “healthy” it would be a compliment. Or, we assume telling someone they are lucky they are so “thin” is also a compliment.

What I have learned from my patients is for those with eating disorders, being told you are “healthy” is equivalent to being told you are “fat”. For some of the patients I work with who have trouble gaining weight, being told they are “too thin” is very hurtful, as their body image concerns are often interfering with their lives just as the person who is concerned about being “too fat”.

My goal is to help people see that a goal of “healthy” is the smartest goal. The first step for some is working on their “self-talk” around the word “healthy” and eventually accepting it has nothing to do with your size. For others whose goal is being “thin”, instead changing to a goal of being “healthy” because that may be a goal they can actually achieve (not to mention, a goal of being healthy is also mentally healthier!)

I will always remember a teenage patient of mine who had moved from Africa and had lost a few pounds (still a very normal and healthy weight). Dad brought her in because he was very concerned about this. When I asked about his concerns, he said “I want her to be fat. Doesn’t everybody want to be fat?” He was very serious but I couldn’t help but smile inside. I did have to explain to him that we can’t always control that but I wanted to be sure she was “healthy”. He never came back ; )