Seems weird, doesn’t it? A DIETitian that doesn’t do diets? Thankfully there is a growing number of non-diet dietitians out there that know how damaging diets can be. Today, I’m talking about why diets suck, what an anti-diet dietitian is, and why you should see one.
First, let me start by saying that there is so much more to life than dieting. And dieting is NOT the only way to achieve optimal health. Contrary to popular belief, you DO NOT have to give up the foods you love if you are diagnosed with insulin resistance, diabetes, PCOS, heart disease, fatty liver, etc.
Dieting does the opposite of its intended purpose. While a restrictive diet may produce short-term weight loss and maybe some non-scale victories, it is rarely sustainable. And it can cause some serious issues with your relationship with food. Not only does dieting often lead to binge eating, but you are also more likely to develop an eating disorder.
I’ve written about how I became a non-diet dietitian here. Long story short, ditching dieting was one of the best things I’ve ever done and I’d like to help you do it too!
If you’re new here, welcome! I’m Erin, a diabetes educator, registered dietitian, and certified intuitive eating counselor that is passionate about healing relationships with food. I help people manage their health conditions without restriction.
This post is going to run through why diets don’t work, and why you should seek the help of a non-diet dietitian. Let’s dig in.
Diets don’t work
Diet. Say the word and my guard goes up. The word diet is defined as:
the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.
Oxford Languages
But that isn’t how it’s normally used. The word diet is often used to mean restriction or limiting of foods. You are “on a diet”. That’s the word I don’t like. I’ve seen the damage dieting does. It consumes your thoughts and sucks the life right out of you. I’ve witnessed too many good-hearted people weighed down by the vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting.
For years, part of my job was to provide a well-known diabetes prevention program. The program required weigh-ins that produced guilt. And the overall message was that you just had to burn more calories than you ate. Sounds easy enough, right? Ha! Wrong.
The program soon became a weekly confessional—clients guilt-ridden over the foods they had eaten over the weekend. My clients knew what they SHOULD eat, but didn’t have the “willpower” to stick to it.
Turns out, there is a biological reason you can’t maintain a calorie deficit. Weight loss is very complex. It isn’t as simple as eating less than you burn. There are multiple hormones at play keeping you at a set-point weight.
It’s not your fault you are struggling to lose weight. The molecular mechanisms involved with weight are complicated. Scientists don’t even fully understand it yet. Focusing on weight loss is a terrible way to improve health. But we do know that you can improve your health without focusing on weight loss.
Ways an anti-diet dietitian can help you
There are so many aspects to your health. Everybody is different and there isn’t a cookie cutter plan that works with everyone. An anti-diet dietitian will take the time to consider you as a whole person. You won’t be handed a diet prescription. Here are some of the ways a non-diet dietitian can help you.
Meal planning
We all have to eat. No matter what your situation in life, meal planning is important. Whether you are a busy stay-at-home mom, an entrepreneur, or a college student, you’ll benefit from planning your meals.
No one likes to have dinner time roll around and have no idea what they are going to make. When you lack a plan, you are more likely to grab takeout or chow down a bag of chips. It’s like a road trip without a map—leaving you wandering around your kitchen without a destination.
You can meal plan without restriction. An anti-diet dietitian will help you identify the challenges you are having with meal planning and give you ideas to make it work.
Individualized nutrition plan
You have your own set of nutrition needs—depending on your food preferences, intolerances, health conditions, etc. In almost 20 years as a dietitian, I’ve yet to see two people with the same health profiles.
Are you an athlete looking to optimize performance? Lactose interolerant? Insulin resistant? Celiac disease or IBS? Need to improve energy levels? There are so many reasons nutrition should be individualized. An anti-diet dietitian will design a plan that is customized to YOUR needs.
Mindfulness training
Intuitive eating includes the art of eating without distraction. When we eat in front of the TV, our laptops, or our phones, we are disconnected from our bodies’ natural hunger and fullness cues. Mindfulness connects us with our bodies.
It’s not always easy to remove distractions. If you’ve been mindlessly eating your whole life, it’s a hard thing to undo. What activities do you usually do while eating? Do you sometimes finish the food your plate without realizing it? Without actually enjoying the food?
Mindfulness training is a part of the intuitive eating journey. You will learn to be in touch with your body. You will eat the foods you enjoy and pay attention to your body’s cues.
Habit development
Have some habits you’d like to change? Do you know you’d benefit from the habit of daily movement, journaling, meditation/prayer, and a sleep-inducing bedtime routine?
Our habits can improve or impair our health. When I meet with a client, we review your daily habits. I want to know the things you do on an everyday basis, and what habits you’d like to add/take away.
Eat with your favorite foods without feeling guilty
Are you able to eat ice cream, cake, brownies, french fries, pizza or other favorites without feeling guilty? Or is there still an inner voice telling you that you shouldn’t eat those foods?
Why do you feel guilty? What will happen if you allow yourself to enjoy those foods? An anti-dietitian will get to know your forbidden foods and help you break down the thoughts and emotions you have around those foods.
Gain control of your eating
Are you fearful that once you start eating, you won’t be able to stop? That is a common fear for those who are considering the idea of intuitive eating. Perhaps you don’t trust yourself to stop eating your forbidden foods so you are trapped in a cycle of restriction and bingeing.
When you restrict and limit yourself, you feel out of control when you finally allow yourself to eat your forbidden foods. Science tells us that when your diet is restricted, you will become preoccupied—obsessed—with food.
When you make peace with food and know that you will be able to continue eating those foods—whenever you want—the food no longer controls you.
Respect your body
How is your body image? Have you accepted your body? Or are you on a never-ending quest to change it? With constant comparison and social media exposure, we tend to be discontent with our bodies. We body check and set unrealistic expectations for ourselves.
Your body can do amazing things! It sleeps to restore cells. Your gut digests food to fuel activity. It has babies. Some bodies breastfeed. It carries groceries. Its heart beats without us doing a thing. You may not ever be happy with your body, but can you be content?
Anti-diet dietitian near me?
To summarize, your health is MUCH more than your weight. You can still meal plan, eat what nourishes you, enjoy your favorite foods, change your habits, be mindful, and take control of your eating. You don’t need to restrict calories, points, or macros.
Are you willing to let go of the scale as your gauge of health? Do you want to start healing your relationship with food?
I encourage you to find an anti-diet dietitian. It doesn’t have to be me. Find someone you can trust and will help you work through some of the thoughts you have about food. If there isn’t someone local to you, there are many RDs that offer remote appointments.
Feel free to book a free discovery call to see if my services align with your goals. I see clients via telehealth. We can meet in the comfort of your own home. I want you to make peace with food and manage your health conditions without restriction.
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About the author
Erin is a registered dietitian and diabetes educator with almost 20 years of experience. She specializes in weight-inclusive diabetes care and prevention, intuitive eating, fitness, and women’s health. She works as a consultant and writer in the health and wellness space. Erin is passionate about empowering people to manage their own health and to have peace with food.