It looks green, it opens red. What you eat is red, but what you spit out is black.
What causes and maintains diet culture?
The way we speak >>
Track your progress
Breaking free of food rules and diet culture
It looks green, it opens red. What you eat is red, but what you spit out is black.
What has no beginning, end, or middle?
A container without hinges, lock or a key, yet a golden treasure lies inside me. What am I?
You peel me, cut me up and fry me. And still you’re the one crying. What am I?
I am a bird, I am a fruit and I am a person. What am I?
Includes
social foods
Includes having
varied food
groups
Variable in the
amount and type
Usually comprises of
3 main meals
and 2-3 snacks, however,
this can vary based
on many factors
e.g. how active
you are, your appetite,
the environment
etc.
Flexible
Listening to hunger
and fullness cues.
Eating regularly is
the best way to
manage appetite
Enjoying your food
Sometimes
eating
fast food or
takeaways
Using some
restraint in your
food selection
to get the right
balance
of foods
What we read on social
media, magazines,
internet
The eating habits
observed or learnt
from childhood
Pressures from
peers and society
to look a certain
way
Our knowledge of food and
what is normal eating
behaviours
The Diet Culture
we live in
A system that values weight, shape and size over health and well-being!
What does diet culture mean to you?
Labelling
foods
Ignoring body
cues
Associating
worth with
how you look
Equating thinness
with health
Associating
worth with what
you eat
Food rules
Food anxiety
Avoiding foods
too high in fats,
carbs or calories
Food label gives
you permission
to eat
Eliminating food
groups
Food Guilt
Examples of
diet culture!
Avoiding
situations
because of food
Feeling or need
to justify eating
Exercise for
punishment
Diet talk
Complimenting
weight loss
Scale dictates
happiness or
worth
Believing you must
take supplements
for health
The way we speak >>
Advertising!
The UK diet industry is worth $2 billion a year
Social
Media
Anyone can call themselves a "nutritionist"
It is not a legally protected title – an Instagram “nutritionist guru" may have no qualification
Research reveals social media influencers give bad diet and fitness advise
Begin to notice the messages around you that are from diet culture.
This includes conversations about weight, body shape and dieting
Recognise the unhelpfulness of diet culture. Know that skinny doesn’t always equal healthy. Remember why fats and sugars are ok, and even needed, in our diets
When you see it say “no not today” to diet culture
It’s ok to leave these conversations – or even call them out! Talk about something else
Do something else – engage in hobbies, voluntary work or learning something new
Listen to podcasts and follow social media around intuitive eating and body kindness
Find friends that have similar beliefs as you
Empower others to break free of diet culture
Clean up your social media feeds
Avoid diet products – food & drinks, supplements, books, magazines
Stop comparing your food choices to someone else’s
It’s okay if you eat more than someone else, man or woman!
Do you have any rules around how you eat or the foods you eat?
Do you have any deliberately avoided foods?
Make some notes below ?
Eats a mix of both
having grapes for dessert because it’s what you want
Eats mostly processed foods
eats mostly 'whole' foods
Eats a mix of both
Not physically hungry but have a craving for some chocolate
Totally okay, eat mindfully to identify satisfaction and enjoy without guilt
Using your list of rules and avoided foods. Cut these up into individual papers and fold to place in a jar.
Choose one or more out the jar to challenge each week.
You can challenge that rule as frequent as food daily or as little as once in the week.
Is it based on evidence and a credible source?
Is it relevant to your age group?
Is it relevant to your gender?
Is it designed for a healthy population of for medical purposes?
Does this rule or avoided food stop you being able to do social activities?
Does it stop you attending social events?
Does it impact your mood negatively?
Does it negatively impact your physical health? – fatigue, illness,
dizziness, weight, energy levels etc.
Note: It will likely take more than one attempt, so consider placing them back in the jar for another attempt
Healthy relationship to food not based on a restrictive diet
Don't go on a diet
How can we challenge diet culture?
Can you think of a good magazine or news headline to challenge diet culture?
My worth is unrelated to how I look
Know our boundaries
it’s ok to say no and prioritise mental health
stop comparing yourself to unrealistic standards
Move because it feels good in your body and head but don’t forget to rest!
Try to choose what you genuinely want.
Think about how hungry you are, remember some of mindful eating and intuitive eating ideas discussed in the previous presentation
Try not to order based on any food rules
you have or diet culture influences
Ordering off a menu
The pad thai because
they like the cuisine and
peanut taste
What did you order and why?
The quesadilla
because they love
cheese
The Souvlaki because it
reminded them of a
holiday in Greece
Module Lead: Dr Erica Cini
Module Team:
Alex Bell
Emily Bland
The CEDS Body Image and Normal Eating Group is a CBT psychoeducation series of sessions based on the manual developed by Hampshire CEDS, consultation and published body image manuals (Fairburn, 2001; Collins-Donnelly, 2014) such a as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Eating disorders and Banish Your Body Image Thief.
Next up...
References or Creators Credit
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