Last week we covered why diets don’t work. You may be wondering, “Hmmmm, well if I’m not dieting, then how should I be eating, exactly?” We’ve got 5 tips for you!
Tips 1: Focus on a non-diet approach
Non-Diet approaches honor both health and well being rather than just focusing on the numbers. They discourage restriction and support listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues instead of depriving yourself. A few non-diet approaches worth exploring are Intuitive Eating, Mindful Eating, Health At Every Size (HAES), and the Satter Eating Competence Model.
Tip 2: Honor your hunger and fullness cues
Rather than restricting, trust your body. Notice when you are hungry and when you are full. Eat mindfully, pay attention to how you feel, and enjoy your food. Tuning into hunger and fullness cues can help you learn your body’s specific needs. This can be challenging at first, especially if you have been restricting or following a strict diet for a long time, but it will become easier with practice.
Tip 3: Learn that there are no “good” or “bad” foods
The mentality of “good” and “bad” foods can become a toxic thought process. Oftentimes, you will actually begin to crave the foods that you have labeled as “bad” because you are feeling deprived and believe they are off limits. This circles back to the dieting cycle that we covered last week.
Let go of the mindset that foods have moral value and give yourself permission to enjoy any food you want to! You will find that overtime, as you tune into cravings while giving yourself full permission that sometimes you crave broccoli and sometimes you crave brownies and that IT’S OK!
You likely crave variety and a balance of food groups. It’s the labeling high fat, high sugar, processed foods as “bad” that is actually making this a power struggle.
Tip 4: Clean up your social media feed
Advertisements can sometimes be unavoidable, but YOU control your social media and who you follow. A fair amount of college students have Instagram and TikTok, both of which have creators who promote diet culture and unhealthy behaviors. Unfollow accounts that promote diet culture and make you feel bad about yourself. If you want to follow health-based accounts opt for creators that are registered dietitians or those who promote healthy, body positive behaviors. Check out this list for ideas.
Tip 5: Aim for balanced meals and snacks, as you are able
Food is fuel and you’ll likely find that you feel your best when you include a balance of food groups. It helps to head to the grocery store with specific meals and snacks in mind and a shopping list. Find some simple recipes online and go from there.
Select just the meals that take around 15 minutes to make and require only 5-7 ingredients (examples: tacos, spaghetti, tuna melts, etc). Write down the ingredients you need to make a few recipes and throw in some easy veggie side dishes (salad, carrots & ranch, microwaved broccoli, frozen peas, etc). Remember to add a few other items to your list for snacks, breakfast, and dessert. Then head to the store with your list in hand ready to tackle the week with nourishing and satisfying meals and snacks.
If finances are an issue, check out Louie’s Cupboard and the Flagstaff Family Food Center for free food pick up opportunities.