The dreaded question: “What diet do you recommend?” Atkins, Whole 30, South Beach, Paleo, Keto, Dino? Ok, so that last one isn’t really a diet, but you see where I am going. The new age of diet culture is as big and outdated as a dinosaur, and we need an asteroid to demolish it. Diets are everywhere, and the "new and improved" wave of diets claim all the perks and none of the punishment of the “eat right and exercise” movement. Everyone wants to know what diet the registered dietitian nutritionist follows and/or recommends. It brings us to a very important question: Do diets work? It’s a simple, yet complicated question and has left everyone feeling very confused about something that we must do to survive: eat.
To be frank, I loath fad diets. When I refer to diets, I generally mean fad diets that claim to be nutritious and aid in weight loss, and usually restrict food or food groups. This is different from therapeutic diets that are prescribed for medical conditions. The only redeeming factor of a fad diet is that it contains food; though usually not enough food or food that we actually enjoy, but some sort of food. You may wonder why the dietitian doesn’t like diets; you may be asking yourself, “isn’t that what they do? Dietitian does start with “diet””. Dietitians love food, nutrition, and helping people, and fad diets encompass none of these. In short, fad diets are not sustainable. They may work well short-term to lose a few pounds, but most of them are highly restrictive and can cause harm if followed long-term. And the worst part: once you disobey the diet rules, you usually gain the weight back and possibly more, leaving you feeling extremely frustrated and defeated. It's a horrible and unsatisfying cycle that can lead to disordered eating, distorted self-thought processes, decreased confidence, and a negative body image.
If diets don’t work, then what do we do? In short, eating right is different for every person depending on multiple factors. In working with individuals, registered dietitians complete an assessment to determine nutritional issues, relationship to food, and strategies to nourish your body best based on individual lifestyle. We support clients to problem-solve in order to overcome challenges and barriers that stand in the way of achieving health goals, and we can provide nutritional education. In the beginning of nutrition counseling, we may provide more structured guidelines to stabilize eating to nourish your body throughout the day and normalize metabolism and blood chemistry. We work to ditch the dieting mindset and assist individuals in making small steps towards intuitive eating and learning to trust hunger and fullness cues while enjoying the act of eating again. Each nutrition counseling session is individualized based on the needs and long-term goals of the client, and together we will develop action steps that will challenge and encourage individuals to move towards established goals.
You may be asking: “What is intuitive eating?” It is NOT a diet. Intuitive eating is based on the 10 principles designed by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch (1). Intuitive eating encompasses listening to your body, giving up dieting and restriction, being body positive, mindfully moving, and finding coping strategies for emotions other than food. Intuitive eating helps individuals overcome chronic dieting that doesn't work. It helps us trust our bodies and frees our minds to focus on other important things in our lives.
In summary, every person’s health journey is different. We are often left feeling very confused on what “eating right” actually means. Sometimes we need to hit the reset button on our brains so that we can listen to what our body needs. Registered Dietitians are here to support you through the process of becoming an intuitive eater while focusing on overall health and wellness goals.
At Unbound Recovery, we have immediate openings for outpatient nutrition counseling services and mental health services. We specialize in working with adolescents and adults with eating disorders, disordered eating patterns, body image concerns, chronic dieting, self-esteem concerns, and more. Call us today at 785-510-3008 or email us at info@unboundmhk.com to get started. We are currently accepting new clients at our Manhattan, KS and Topeka, KS locations!
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About the Author:
Amber Howells, PhD, RDN, LD
As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) at Unbound Recovery in Manhattan, KS, Dr. Amber Howells enjoys working with individuals to restore their relationship with food, while helping them achieve overall health and wellness goals. She is a Kansas native and resides in Manhattan, KS with her husband and five children.
