May 6th is International No Diet Day #NoDietDay and I had all these grandiose plans when the New Year arrived and how I was going to lose all this excess weight I’m carrying around. I
As much as I had to admit it all I’ve done is failed at the #diet I’m supposed to be one. Now it’s May and were 1/3 of the way into the New Year and I’m heavier than ever. Then I come across a #Holiday like #NoDietDay and I’ve the last person that needs to celebrate a no, diet day.
I’ve asking the LORD today to help me get back on track and even if I can’t lose the 10 pounds I need and want to lose. I would be happy with 5 or 10 pounds. I’m going to get through this week and then I am hitting my #diet hard. Would you like to join me and we can hold each other accountable?
Join my family on May 6th, and lets put away our scales and form a new relationship with the person in the mirror for International No Diet Day. For so many people, and especially women, unattainable body standards and pressure have prompted eating disorders, low self-esteem, bullying, and unhealthily restrictive diets.
When British feminist Mary Evans Young had enough of all this in 1992, she invited friends to “Ditch that Diet” – and this event caught on massively. The global movement that it sparked has helped many individuals form a healthier relationship with food and their bodies, so today wear a light blue ribbon and eat a Cheeseburger with pride! Don’t forget the Dessert.
Did you know dieting and dieticians and dieting sprung up as early as the 18th Century when obese English doctor George Cheyne underwent a tremendous weight loss by eating only Vegetables and drinking only Milk. Completely abstaining from eating Meat.
He then recommended his diet to all who suffered from obesity, and wrote an essay titled “An Essay of Health and Long Life.” This essay advised fresh air and avoidance of “luxury foods,” and thus the first diets were born.
I wouldn’t mind trying out his diet because I like Vegetables but Milk more times that not tears up my stomach and I end up spending more time in the restroom than I like. How about you would you want to go on George Cheyne Milk and Vegetable diet and why or why not?
People have continued to use specific eating habits to become healthier or make their bodies fit a certain societal ideal. English undertaker William Banting created the first fad weight-loss diet “Banting” in 1863. It was still being printed as of 2007 and is considered a model for popular diets. It involved four meals of Meat, Greens, Fruit, and Dry Wine per day.
Would you want to check out the Banting diet with me and we could try it for a couple months and see if it works? We get to eat Meat and Fruits which I like. As for Fruit I can deal with it if it would help me lose weight. I’m sure I can find a Wine I can tolerate or at least I hope I can. I just can’t let David drink all my Wine.
Did you know in 1918, the first best-selling weight loss book, “Diet and Health: With Key to the Calories,” was created by American columnist and physician Lulu Hunt Peters. This diet promoted calorie-counting, which remains popular today. Since then, over 1000 weight-loss diets have developed, but most focus on consuming a low amount of either calories, fat, carbohydrates, or Sugars.
Diet culture boomed. With an increasing amount of accessible media, from television to ads to the internet, marketers promoted body standards and ideals that were difficult for many people to attain. In many cases, photo editing and plastic surgery made these figures physically impossible to naturally attain, yet many felt the social pressure and turned to diets to thin themselves.
In 1992, English feminist Mary Evans Young had already battled Anorexia, bullying, and body image issues for years, and had had enough. Though she originally intended her first No Diet Day to be celebrated only in the UK, she was inspired to see it spread internationally.
In 1992, only a few dozen women in the UK celebrated the holiday, with “Ditch That Diet” stickers and a Picnic. By 1993, women in various Countries wanted to celebrate and the date was changed to May 6 to avoid conflict with Cinco de Mayo festivities.
Today, the stated purpose of INDD is body acceptance and body shape diversity and is symbolized by a light blue ribbon. However, many restaurants use the day as a marketing tactic to encourage customers to buy indulgent treats.
Though the meaning of the day has evolved depending on who is celebrating, it is a feminist landmark and a crucial reminder to focus on health at any size, as well as an important way of exposing the dangers of dieting.
International No Diet Day Activities
No one should deprive themselves of the joy of cooking just because of a diet. Get creative and whip up something that feels a little bit naughty. If you can’t break your diet alone, recruit a friend to help you fashion the ultimate dish. Just remember to enjoy food mindfully today because food doesn’t have to be a battle
Instead of posting the four Almonds, your diet allows you to eat for breakfast, get yourself a stack of Waffles and proudly share them with the hashtag #NoDietDay. Even if it leaves you feeling vulnerable to criticism, you’re working towards accepting yourself more fully and you never know who you might inspire.
Even though you promised you’d lose 15 pounds before you put on that adorable Sundress, wearing it out and celebrating your form as you are will make a positive impact on you and others. Confidence is a practice and International No Diet Day is a great day to start. Remember, self-love is all mental and not physical, so today start removing thoughts that you’re too fat or aren’t good enough and start appreciating yourself as you are.
5 Myths About Dieting, Busted
- Very-low-calorie diets, or crash diets, consist of less than 800 calories consumed per day. Unmonitored, these can afford insufficient nutrients and even lead to cardiac arrest.
- Contrary to what some diets preach, Eggs don’t confer unhealthy cholesterol. Eggs are safe and healthy to eat as they don’t typically raise the level of cholesterol in the body. Truth is, studies have shown that they don’t hurt heart health and are very nutritious!
- Many people are hopping on the gluten-free trend but it may be pointless. Gluten-free diets typically are only recommended to individuals with celiac disease or other illnesses that would benefit from a gluten-free diet.
- This just in: breakfast is good for you. Indulge in the Eggs and Waffles! Studies show that breakfast skippers are more likely to be overweight than those who don’t skip the first meal. It’s also a myth that breakfast boosts metabolism.
- Though many desperate dieters turn to supplements to shed the pounds, they may be throwing their money down the drain. Very few actually work, which can be frustrating and expensive. Even the best ones can only help you lose a small amount of weight.
Why People Love International No Diet Day
1. Mashed potatoes? Yes. Brownies? Absolutely. Lasagna? Sign us up! On International No Diet Day anything goes – and there’s no shame associated with eating what you want. Of course, we appreciate International No Diet Day for its body positivity and self-acceptance, but we also sure do appreciate some good Cheese Fries. Don’t we? 2. As Mary Evans Young so keenly asked girls in 1992, “What do you think would happen if you spent as much time and energy on your careers as you do on your diets?” And the woman had a point. Focusing on constantly limiting and shaming yourself in the name of a diet steals focus from things that are proven to improve your life far more than being skinnier ever will. 3. Sometimes, it can be hard to love the person in the mirror. Especially for young people and women, it’s been shown that societal pressures to look a certain way take a huge mental toll. From stick-thin models in advertisements to ever-present billboards heralding the latest fad diet, the physical ideal society has given us feels inescapable – and many of us weren’t made with the same cookie cutter. INDD reminds us that that’s okay. There is beauty in every size and shape.
Thankk you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
