Creating a Community Free from Diet Culture

How building a community can help combat the harmful messaging of diet culture.

Written by Cristina Luibil, MS, RD, LDN. Edited by Sabrina Stadelman

In talking with my clients each week, one thing they are super intent upon is that they are DONE with dieting! They have noticed within themselves so many positive changes to their eating habits and to their body image. YAY! They feel a sense of overall satisfaction where they once felt like a failure for having to start so many diets over and over again. (Have you ever felt this way? Ugh. We are NOT failures!)

Something my clients have noticed about their new mindset is that they wish they had a community (besides me!) to talk about this newfound hopeful-ness with.

Think about it-- lots of people around us might be on diets. With dieting, there are so many people to relate to, and it's almost fun to talk about your diet. (Please, please, don't be that friend who talks about their diet!)

Community is super important to feel a sense of belonging with our peers. However, dieting is KNOWN to cause harm!! So, at what cost do we continue dieting just to "fit in"? (no pun intended)

Some facts:

🪴 Diets fail because they are not sustainable

🪴 Diets are “trendy” disordered eating habits that society tells us are completely normal to partake in

🪴 diets are lies that people buy multiple times, that do NOT work, that continue to make the diet industry billions of dollars a year (yes, billion with a B)

🪴 Diets help oppress women-- if women are too concerned with eating as little as possible and chasing thinness, how are we supposed to care about real-world issues? How would we even have the energy to care?

🪴 Food restriction (dieting) brings about out-of-control eating and binge eating

🪴 Dieting will cause you to feel fatigued and generally terrible - both mentally and physically

🪴 Dieting is the leading factor in the occurrence of an eating disorder

🪴 Eating disorders are the second most deadly mental illness (second only to the opioid crisis)

(Fact check: Anti-Diet by Christy Harrison and Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch talk about these topics extensively and provide references)

Personally, I absolutely hate diets. Diets cause so much harm and despair, and I unfortunately see it every day.

And, being in a community of others who get us is so incredibly powerful and can lead to monumental healing.

Luckily, there is a community where you could feel welcome, be a part of something positive, and where your physical and mental being does not suffer.

That community is called Nourish Your Life. This is a non-diet community where like-minded women come together to start or continue their Intuitive Eating journeys together.

If you are someone who wants sustainability, compassion, and accountability in a down-to-earth environment, then Nourish Your Life is for you.

For more information about Nourish Your Life, check out the link below.

NOURISH YOUR LIFE

Nourish Your Life exceeds its value and expectations of those it supports. Here are some thoughtful testimonials from our members:

“I enjoy working with a group and hearing other people’s experience with diet culture... it was great to hear that other people were going through a similar journey as me and that I wasn’t alone.” - S
"What I love about Intuitive Eating is how adaptable it is. Once you learn and can apply it, you can take what you need in the moment and leave the rest. It is not a set of rules." - B
"Nourish Your Life is inspiring me to be part of the movement. It’s nice to be in a community of like-minded women feeling happy for one another.” -L
"It was helpful to start my Saturday with [this community] and be able to get my food prep done in an hour, and at the same time go at my own pace with ingredients I had on hand [if I didn't get to the grocery store]." - B

Nourish Your Life is currently enrolling.

Nourishing Notes from Aterra Nutrition

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Disclaimer: The information shared in this blog is for general educational and informational purposes only. It may not be tailored to your specific health needs as it is written here. This content is not intended to replace personalized medical advice, nutrition counseling, or medical nutrition therapy. Any recipes or suggestions provided are meant to inspire and should be used at your discretion. Always consult with your own registered dietitian, physician, or healthcare provider before making changes to your nutrition, lifestyle, or treatment plan. If you choose, Aterra Nutrition would be happy to help you in your own, individual nutrition and intuitive eating journey.