Happy International No-Diet Day!
The origin of the anti-diet movement dates back to the 1960s and was pioneered by a group of fat, queer, Black women seeking to liberate those with marginalized bodies from toxic health, beauty, and social standards. It was not until the 1990s that British feminist and eating disorder survivor, Mary Evans Young, started what is now known as International No-Diet Day. It is a time to bring awareness to the harmful messaging of diet culture and acknowledge the many individuals who have suffered from eating disorders and other health issues as a result of chronic dieting. It is also a day in which we celebrate weight inclusivity and body diversity. So how can you contribute to this movement or celebrate with other non-dieters?
Consciously reject faulty food rules and lean into permission to eat a variety of foods
Participate in an activity you otherwise avoid because of your size
Refrain from or reframe negative inner dialogue about your body
Listen and honor your hunger and fullness cues
Sell or donate clothing items that you have been hanging on to in hopes that you will finally lose weight
Detach from the idea that you must earn or burn calories
Shift your “why” for exercising to be about the quality it brings to your life (i.e. improved mood, heart health, joint health, stress reduction, overall pleasure)
Ditch the scale or at least weigh yourself less
Normalize emotional eating AND assess your toolbox for coping strategies for more effective self-care
Wear something that you like and fits your body comfortably
Reflect on the ways you can allow yourself and/or your body to take up space without judgment
Call out weight stigma
Remove thinspiration-based content from your social feeds, and explore content that is body positive and promotes intuitive eating
Purge the pictures of yourself at a lower weight that have become a source of shame or push you to restrict or exercise in a punitive way
Join a body positive group or club
Invest in working with a therapist or dietician who is Health At Every Size informed or specializes in Intuitive Eating
