Kait Fortunato
WTOP Wellness Contributor
WASHINGTON — A lot of what I do as a registered dietitian/nutrition therapist is help clients focus on why and how they are eating, in addition to what they are eating.
It may sound simple: eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full, but it’s not that easy. Society has taken away this basic intuitiveness, and everyone, including me, struggles with the emotions and behaviors around food.
Scientifically, our bodies need calories to function; we need the right balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat. But we also need to feed our bodies’ emotional hunger in a safe and positive way.
Focusing on internal cues and being an intuitive eater is ideal. However, when you diet, you rely on external cues such as what time to eat, what meal plan to follow and how your meal compares to others around you. This can take a physical and emotional toll.
Dieting is the worst thing you can do to achieve weight loss. As soon as you limit or restrict yourself, you are prone to overeat at a later time. Instead, achieving a balance is key, because once balance is established, weight management and healthy eating habits fall into place.
Here are some alarming facts from one of my favorite books, “Beyond the Shadow of a Diet”:
- Ninety-five percent of weight loss through dieting is regained. The majority of weight is regained at the two-year mark, the rest by the five-year mark.
- 55 percent of the adult U.S. population is on a diet.
- Every diet begins with negative body image thoughts. (How exhausting!)
This is why I want to encourage you to rebel against dieting; don’t allow food, media and body image to dictate your happiness. Plus, what fun is it to have food controlling your thoughts and actions and have the scale be your measure of success?
Here are some examples of what dieting vs. rebelling can look like:
Going Out To Eat
Diet: Order the same plain grilled chicken over salad, dressing on the side and salivate over someone else’s more appealing lunch. Perhaps you overeat later in the day because you are not satisfied or rewarding yourself for “having a good day.”
Rebel: Peruse the menu and determine what you are really in the mood for. Taking the time to enjoy your meal and the conversation, you stop half way through and realize you have eaten enough.
Exercise
Diet: You force yourself to workout because you have to and are concerned with how many calories you burn during your routine. Since you exercised it is acceptable to “treat” yourself for a job well done.
Rebel: You look forward to a fun exercise class you have found that leaves you feeling energized and does not seem like a chore. You’re eating is not affected by exercise.
Self-Esteem
Diet: You have low self-esteem during this time since all that matters is weight. You may put your life on hold until you achieve a certain weight or compare yourself to others.
Rebel: You learn to start your day with positive affirmations and appreciate what your body can do for you. Your success is not measured by the number on the scale.
Kait Fortunato is a registered dietitian at Rebecca Bitzer & Associates and serves on the board for the DC Metro Area Dietetic Association. Kait focuses on individualizing her recommendations to have each client see results and live a healthier, more productive life, and she works to help people enjoy food and eat the foods they love. Kait lives in the D.C. area and loves trying new restaurants and activities around the city. Visit Kait’s blog, Rebel Dietitian, and tweet her @Rebel_Dietitian for recipes, nutrition tips and activities in the Washington area.
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