New year, new you! That’s what they say right? It’s January, time for a new diet and a new exercise regime. But what if you’re tired of dieting? Tired of food plans that just end up making you feel bad about yourself because they don’t work. Or they work temporarily until you’re so hungry you scrap it and then gain all the weight back and more. Or maybe you’re sick of forcing yourself to do workouts you hate. There’s another option.
I’m not going to tell you, try this ‘lifestyle change’ and you’ll lose weight without even trying. No. Instead, what if you accepted and appreciated your body just the way it is.
What??
Crazy idea isn’t it?
If this seems like a radical idea, it’s because it is. Society tells us we must be small to be valued, we must be thin to be loved. Diet culture wants you to believe that there is something wrong with you that must be fixed. But have you ever been able to fix it? Have you ever met this unattainable goal? Maybe it’s time to try something else.
What if you were able just to eat when you were hungry? What if you ate food you enjoyed? What if you ate food without having to ‘earn’ it first by exercising? What if you moved your body in ways you enjoyed rather than punishing it?
Maybe the question isn’t “How do I fix myself?” but “What if I didn’t need fixing at all?”
Making peace with food and your body doesn’t mean you’ll never struggle again. It doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly love your body every day. Often, it starts much smaller — with less fighting, less shame, and a little more curiosity. With asking, “What would be kind right now?” instead of “What should I be doing?”
For many people, the idea of letting go of dieting feels scary. There can be fears about losing control, about what might happen to their body, or about being judged. Those fears make sense in a culture that equates thinness with worth. Exploring a different relationship with food doesn’t mean ignoring those fears — it means not letting them be the only voice in the room.
If there is any small part of you that feels intrigued by these ideas, let’s talk.
Cet article a été rédigé par Emily Hiram, un·e thérapeute vérifié·e de notre réseau. Découvrez son expertise et son approche ci-dessous.
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