I have been thinking a lot lately about how to bring more balance and awareness into my
life. For the majority of my 28 years on earth, I have been very unhappy with my weight. Every fiber of my being, every waking moment went in to weight loss. I would spend hours at the gym when I could; I turned down social invitations because I was fearful that these occasions would lead to me being “bad;” I have been on every fad diet under the sun: if you name it, I’ve probably tried it. Though <<insert fad diet name here>> served its purpose at the time, I found that this all or nothing mentality was hindering me a lot more than it was helping. I would feel deprived all week, binge on fast food all weekend, and come Monday, it was right back to that diet; with a new week came a new slate, and this time, I swore I would be “good.” I started to become obsessive for fear that the “bad” side of my personal justice scale (and let’s face it, my personal bathroom scale) would be weighed down. I am not really sure how this internal pressure that we put on ourselves begins, or from where it originates. Studies suggest that a societal pressure to conform to a thin ideal is to blame. According to a study done by Bacon, Stern, Van Loan & Keim, 57% of women in the U.S. are on some sort of diet (2005), most likely because they make society’s priorities their own. However, I believe that you and your health should be your first priority. It wasn’t until I started doing yoga regularly that I was able to take a step back and fully realize this. Everyone has the capacity to conquer this negative internal voice and emerge victorious in the trial of life. And while I’m not trying to push yoga or any certain agenda, I am trying to say that the journey starts from within; however you choose to start is up to you. One thing that really helped me balance was developing a realistic eating plan that was easy to stick to by following the principles of Intuitive Eating. Intuitive eating is “an approach that teaches you how to create a healthy relationship with your food, mind, and body—where you ultimately become the expert of your own body…it is also a process of making peace with food—so that you no longer have constant ‘food worry’ thoughts. It’s knowing that your health and your worth as a person do not change because you ate a food that you had labeled as ‘bad’ or ‘fattening’” (Tribole, 2009). It takes a lot of work to get to this point, but it is so worth it. Intuitive eating offers a sense of freedom, and has been proven to improve health outcomes in women. In the same study by Bacon, Stern, Van Loan & Keim, 78 obese female chronic dieters were observed. They either followed a “health at every size” approach or were placed on a structured diet. The results revealed that those women who were counseled with the “health at every size” approach had more positive outcomes, including weight loss and maintenance, total cholesterol reduction, increased physical activity, and improved psychological measures As I have said before, every food fits, and I truly believe that. Remember that it is important to eat for yourself and your health. You should always be your first priority. I hope everyone enjoys, and keep working hard on the path to balance! References Bacon, L., Stern, J., Vanloan, M., & Keim, N. (2005). Size Acceptance And Intuitive Eating Improve Health For Obese, Female Chronic Dieters. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 105(6), 929-936. Evelyn, T. (2009, January 1). Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD - Nutrition Therapist, Author, Speaker. Retrieved January 23, 2015, from http://www.evelyntribole.com/resources/intuitive-eating-articles-studies-support- groups
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Lisa Samuels is a Long Island native who is currently a Dietetic Intern at LIU Post. She has a B.A. in Art History from Ithaca College, a B.S. in Nutrition from LIU Post & was also a practicing baker for two years. Lisa has finally found her calling. Combining her love for food, writing, and nutrition, she strives to bring you the latest news in the field.
Check out even more posts from Lisa at her website: www.haveabitenutrition.com Archives
June 2015
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