The Push-Pull of Diet Season
Holding multiple truths at once to stay healthy, mind and body.
Hi all,
Before I dig into today’s conversation, I want to do a quick welfare check. How is January going? Did you make any diet-related resolutions or goals for the year or month? I’ve heard several clients and friends say they’re doing dry January.
Speaking of, I was happy to see the surgeon general recently released a statement about the link between alcohol and cancer risk. I wasn’t surprised that 50% of Americans weren’t aware of the link between alcohol and cancer. I actually would have guessed it would be higher. Maybe it’s the health bubble I live in, but it seems like it has become more widely accepted that alcohol isn’t healthy for us. However, I do notice people are surprised when they learn that alcohol is a Class 1 carcinogen, which means it’s as risky as tobacco.
Unfortunately for those of us who’d like to enjoy a drink here and there, it’s not the news we want to hear: there’s no safe or “healthy” level of alcohol intake. Although, “here and there” will mean something different to everyone. This is an update from previous recommendations—a decade and more ago—when data seemed to suggest that people who drank “moderately” (1 or 2 drinks daily) actually had lower risk of disease and death than those who didn’t drink at all. With better quality evidence, nutrition professionals have shifted guidance around alcohol. Unfortunately for women, risks are higher for us at lower levels of drinking. Just add it to our list!
The PUSH-PULL of Diet Season
Ok, shifting gears to today’s topic. While starting a diet is probably more common in January than December, there’s a natural ambivalence that comes with making—or even considering making—dietary changes, no matter when you decide to make them.
The PUSH: You better get back on track after the holidays!
The PULL: Don’t fall for diet culture. “They’re” just trying to sell you something!
The PUSH: Lose weight!
The PULL: Embrace your body at the size it is right now. You don’t need to change anything.
The PUSH: You better track every single thing that passes your lips: sodium, protein, fat, fiber, calories, carbs, macros, portions... You can’t change what you can’t measure!
The PULL: Tune into your body’s signals of hunger and fullness. Your body will naturally provide feedback on what foods are best for you.
I think you’re getting the picture, and I’m guessing this might be familiar territory. If not, count yourself lucky and maybe just click away from this newsletter. I don’t want to create a problem that doesn’t already exist.
These are the kinds of circular conversations that naturally arise when someone’s both trying to eat healthier or reach a certain health goal and trying to develop or maintain a healthy relationship with food and your body.
But how do you know which “voice” to listen to and when?
Obviously, I can’t know what’s right for you, but one way I try to approach this internal tug-of-war is to zoom way out by, first, asking a few questions for self-reflection and, second, keeping in mind some key point to maintain consistency and compassion.
Questions for self-reflection:
Is this driven by emotions? (which is totally common and normal) This could be happiness, sadness, boredom, anxiety, etc.
Do I want to indulge now or do I want to make a choice that will better serve the needs of my future self? (E.g. Have a treat now or pass on it because later you might have an energy crash)
What do I need right now?
Sustained energy?
Practice establishing a habit and sticking with a plan?
Some flexibility? (If you tend to be rigid, this might be a good option for you)
I find this push-pull of 1) focusing on eating a higher quality diet and 2) allowing yourself some flexibility by using principles of intuitive eating a tricky balance to strike. It’s a fine line to walk, especially with clients with broken or fragile relationships with food and their bodies and who have cardiometabolic risk factors like high blood sugar, high cholesterol, or a higher waist circumference (sign of higher visceral fat that is known to be inflammatory).
If you decide to make nutrition/lifestyle changes, here are some considerations to approach them with consistency and compassion. Meaning, how you can do the hard work and be patient and kind with yourself (Gag, I know it can be cheesy):
Thoughts for Consistency and Compassion
No single meal is going to make or break your health (or risk of chronic disease). It’s a combination of many decisions made over time that will make the biggest difference. If you need to
Consistency is the (boring, non-sexy) key to healthy lifestyle practices. It’s easy to make dramatic, short term changes (follow a ketogenic diet or strict vegan diet for a month). It’s much harder to make longer term, moderate changes sustained over months, years, and ideally decades.
Starting with small, doable changes is the most realistic strategy.
Patience, patience, patience. See #2 and #3 above.
You have agency over what you and eat how much. I realize this isn’t the case for everyone, but you most likely can choose what you eat. Even if you feel like you’re “offending” someone by turning down something they offer you, you ultimately have the final say of what you do or don’t eat. This also means that if you want a treat, you get to decide whether or not you eat it.
This is going to be work. Think of a time in your life where you felt proud of something you created or accomplished. Was it easy? Did you just roll out of bed one day and get handed a medal or a job promotion? Probably not.
You’ll get more efficient as you go: Embrace the idea that you’ll likely have to learn some things, but learning (and practicing) them is both setting you up for success and eventually saving you time because you’ll become faster the more you practice.
Your body shape or size is just one metabolic indicator of your health. I know plenty of people who are a “healthy” weight but have high cholesterol or blood pressure or blood sugar. On the other hand, I know folks who fall into the “overweight” category and are metabolically some of the healthiest people I know. I realize our culture assigns a lot of meaning around body shape and size, but please remind yourself of all the incredible things your body does for you.
Honor your emotions and try not to let emotions determine all your eating decisions. Emotional eating is normal, but if emotions are the main driver of most of your eating decisions, then it’s a good sign to try to find other ways to help manage or evaluate your emotions. This is likely the reason that one of my most common referrals is to mental health professionals.
Are there other ways you like to keep yourself grounded as you make health-related changes in your life?
P.S. Would be interested in hearing about what I’ve been reading or listening to lately? The spectrum of what I consume is quite wide: personal development, health/wellness/nutrition, culture, spirituality, … I absolutely do not want to flood you with more content than you already have, but if that would be something you’d enjoy, hit reply! I’d love to hear from you.
