Unfortunately, diet culture is ramped and most diets are centered around one common theme – restriction. Let’s dive into restrictive eating and its tumultuous relationship with health management.

The Great Diet Debacle:

Ah, the allure of restrictive eating – the siren song that promises to sculpt our bodies into Greek statues while banishing all our dietary demons. It's like embarking on a perilous quest armed only with a celery stick and a prayer. But alas, the journey rarely ends in the land of skinny jeans and eternal bliss.

Let's start our adventure with a hearty serving of truth, sprinkled with a dash of scientific seasoning. According to American Psychological Association (APA), restrictive eating, often synonymous with dieting, typically leads to a vicious cycle of weight loss followed by weight regain, leaving us feeling like frustrated yo-yos bouncing between kale smoothies and pizza parties. In fact, did you know, according to the National Health Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES), since the early 2000s, on average we are actually consuming less calories, but obesity rates in America are increasing? Of course, there are many factors that influence this rise in poor health, but the point is that restriction has historically not been a very helpful approach.

You see, our bodies are clever little contraptions, finely tuned to survive and thrive in the face of adversity. When we embark on a restrictive eating regimen, our brains interpret it as a famine on the horizon, triggering ancient survival mechanisms that send us straight into panic mode. Enter the infamous "starvation mode," where our metabolism slows to a crawl, clinging to every calorie like a lifeline in a stormy sea. Meanwhile, our primal instincts kick into overdrive, driving us to binge on forbidden delights like a squirrel hoarding acorns for the winter. In response to this perceived threat, our bodies kick into high gear, unleashing a cascade of physiological responses designed to keep us alive and kicking – cue the release of cortisol. This mighty hormone, produced by the adrenal glands, is our body's built-in alarm system, orchestrating a symphony of responses to help us cope with stress. Living in a constant state of stress is, for lack of a better word, stressful!

But wait, there's more! Restrictive eating can also wreak havoc on our mental health, turning mealtime into a battleground and transforming innocent carrots into symbols of self-worth. According to the APA, chronic dieting is associated with increased risk of eating disorders, depression, and anxiety – a veritable smorgasbord of psychological distress. It often leads to obsessive thoughts about food, guilt-ridden indulgences, and a strained relationship with our bodies. It’s like when your doctor tells you to never have carbs again, and all the sudden all you can think about is having a giant bowl of pasta….and you don’t even like pasta!? But, sadly, that’s what a restrictive mindset can do to us.

So, what's the antidote to this dietary debacle, you ask? Well, it's time to embrace the delicious diversity of foods and liberate ourselves from the shackles of restriction. It's about tuning into our bodies' hunger cues, savoring every bite without judgment, and celebrating the kaleidoscope of flavors and textures that nourish our souls.

Instead of embarking on yet another crash diet, let's focus on cultivating a healthy relationship with food – one that nourishes our bodies, delights our taste buds, and fills our hearts with joy. However, let me be clear. It’s not to say we should only focus on foods that delight us, because that may not provide us the nutrition we need to function happily and healthily. But it's about finding balance, not deprivation, and recognizing that health comes in all shapes, sizes, and flavors.