At some point in everyone’s lives they’ve dealt with the feelings of thinking they need to shed a few pounds.  It’s completely normal and in some cases, necessary to improve different health issues, however when it becomes cornerstone of a person’s life, things start to get a little questionable.  Chronic dieting, yo-yo dieting or whatever you want to call it is becoming a real issue in today’s society and one that many people are facing.  A lifestyle of constant restriction is one that no one should face and the negative physical and mental effects it can cause are quite alarming.

Michelle May author of “Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat,” and frequent facilitator of mindful eating workshops discussed this phenomenon of chronic dieting and it’s harmful effects in an article on The Huffington Post.  In it she discussed how humans are virtually programmed to deal with periods of starvation and overeating because of the prevalence of famine in world history, however recent studies haven’t looked at the psychological toll dieting can take.

Many people get caught up in the vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting and can’t maintain the strict food guidelines they place on themselves.  They let food become the enemy, feel ashamed when they can’t stick with it, gain weight back and then start the whole messed up process over and over again.  This chronic dieting is not only harmful physically but causes serious emotional distress that lasts for years. 

Hala Madanat, Ph.D., who has wrote many articles on the idea of restraint stated that, “Dietary restraint may create biological and psychological feelings of deprivation that lead to greater reactivity to food cues, cravings, counterregulation, disinhibition, periodic overeating, and weight gain. Biologically, it is often associated with unhealthy changes in body composition, hormonal changes, reduced bone density, menstrual disturbances, and lower resting energy expenditure. Dietary restraint is further associated with numerous measures of negative affect, diminished cognitive functioning, body dissatisfaction, overvaluation of weight and shape, and eating disorders.” ( huffingtonpost.com )

Why then is dieting restriction still so prevalent in today’s society?  It is most likely due to the idea many have of needing to look a certain way to be happy and live the life they are supposed to.  While this idea is totally false and there is clearly not one way people need to look to achieve happiness, it is what many people believe.  Much of this blame could be placed on Hollywood, The Fashion Industry and the media putting unnecessary pressure on one’s appearance yet those who fuel the fire and believe what they are saying are just as guilty. 

So how does one go about eating healthy and being mindful of the food they consume but not fall into the dark hole of restriction?  This is something everyone should be aware of and learn.  It is also important for many who still need to lose weight for various health related concerns.

That’s where intuitive eating comes in.  Intuitiveeating.com describes this way of living saying, “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.   You learn how to distinguish between physical and emotional feelings, and gain a sense of body wisdom.   It’s 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”.” (intuitiveeating.com)

In it’s most basic sense, intuitive eating is being mindful of what you are eating and changing your way of thinking when it comes to food.  For chronic dieters it allows you to stop restricting and realize that you can eat whatever you want and food or your weight does not define you or your happiness.  It allows you to live your life in the most health and balanced way possible.  Although making a complete 360 in how you live your life can be daunting, anything worthy having takes time. 

References:
http://www.intuitiveeating.com/content/what-intuitive-eating
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michelle-may-md/yoyo-dieting_b_1887283.html