Dear Diet Culture Letter: Dieting is a Sneaky Distraction

Dear Diet Culture,

It’s me, Sunday.

I know that you already know this, but you are a HUGE distraction.

While you are over there convincing people to cut out food/food groups, telling them that their bodies are not ok as they are, promoting exercise as punishment, and selling endless programs and products, people are missing out on their life.

In the countless conversations that I have had with clients, friends and family alike, I hear the same thing repeated over and over: “I have lost YEARS of my life to diet culture (dieting, disordered eating, eating disorder) and I feel sadness and anger about it!”

After all, how can someone participate fully in their life if they are constantly focused on restricting their food intake and shrinking their body? Not to mention, a hungry brain and an empty stomach don’t leave much space or energy for social engagement, activism, or presence. Which I know is part of your shtick.

Because of you, not only are people unable to be present to life, to their one and only life, but you also distract people from their own power. You make people think that changing their body shape and size will lead to body love, empowerment, and fulfillment instead of owning that it leads to much worse physical and mental health outcomes. You make people believe that adhering to strict food guidelines will somehow make their life better without admitting that in the long-term it tends to lead to more obsession, disorder and dysfunction.

So, Diet Culture, I want you to know that people are waking up to you. You've been around for a long time and you make people fall asleep at the wheel of life. You are not inventive or helpful, but rather you are distracting, oppressive and sneaky. In an ideal world you would own up to this and stop behaving in the ways that you do, but I know you won’t.

So, I will keep calling you out on your BS until then.

Warmly,

Sunday, aka your most friendly, righteously indignant, anti- diet Dietitian Katherine who is fed up with Diet Culture distracting you from your power, presence and life