Category Archives: Eating Disorders in Midlife

5 Reasons *Not* to Diet in 2017

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New Year's ResolutionIt is that time of year: When New Year’s resolutions have been set.  Many headlines promote the “newest” diet trends to “jump start” weight loss in 2017.

If you make this resolution year after year with little results & lots of frustration have you ever considered NOT dieting?

Want to get off the diet roller coaster?  Make peace with food? Feel more in control of your eating?  If you answered yes to any of these I encourage you to set a new type of resolution: NOT to diet in 2017 or really ever again.

Why you ask?  I will give you five good reasons:

1.  Dieting doesn’t work for long-term weight regulation.  Scientists don’t have any good data that shows dieting works consistently in reducing weight, long-term.Continue reading→

Weight Stigma Awareness Week 2015

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According to an on-line dictionary stigma is defined as “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality or person”.  Synonyms of stigma include shame, disgrace and dishonor.  Weight stigmatization is essentially shaming and blaming people about their body weight.

In efforts to promote awareness and ultimately prevention of weight bias in our culture, The Binge Eating Disorder Association sponsors a week long Weight Stigma Awareness Week annually in September.  This year’s theme, held September 21st through 25th, is “Bias and Bullying: Weight Stigma in Diverse Communities.”

Studies suggest that weight bias may actually INCREASE the likelihood of obesity, binge eating and staying obese.

Weight BiasWeight stigma is wide spread throughout our society including areas of employment, education and health/mental health care.  Studies indicate that weight stigma is on the rise in our society.  Weight stigma often is internalized by individuals which can lead to shame, hopelessness, isolation, etc.

A recent study published in Pediatric Obesity (July 2015) found that weight-based bullying is the most prevalent form of bullying in our youth.   This study found that more kids are being teased about their body weight than academic ability, physical/cognitive disables, sexual orientation, race & ethnicity or religion.  According to the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, the consequences of weight-based bullying increases our children’s risk for depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, poor body image, suicidal thoughts, poor academic performance and avoidance of health promoting behaviors.Continue reading→

Bullying Can Trigger Disordered Eating

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We alBullying and Eating Disordersl know that bullying is harmful to our children.  And researchers and eating disorder professionals are now just starting to understand that bullying can contribute to disordered eating.  If a pre-teen or teen has an eating disorder they could be using their eating disorder behaviors to cope with being bullied.  To read more about how disordered eating/eating disorders are believed to be “helpful” in coping with life stresses please visit here.

**Eating disorders are described as maladaptive coping skills-behaviors that are harmful overtime.

Can’t Follow a Diet?

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Can't follow a dietWhether you are a chronic dieter or a newbie at dieting—you know diets are tough to “stay on”.

Lack of willpower or personal shortcoming is often sighted as the reason people can’t follow a diet. I believe that lack of willpower is not the reason for diet failure, but the diet itself.  There is little to no evidence that shows dieting works to reduce body weight (and keep it off) in large sample sizes of people.  Most studies indicate that dieting works for a while, but isn’t a long-term solution.

If you have been on several diets this may sound familiar: You are able to follow a diet for a few weeks or months, then you get side-tracked and go “off” the diet and then re-gain lost weight.

There are so many bad things about dieting, beside dieting’s ineffectiveness, I don’t know where to begin. But, here are just a few of my gripes about dieting:Continue reading→

Your Brain on a Diet

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In my last post, New Year’s Resolution: Ditch the Diet, I explained that dieting is ineffective form of weight regulation for most people, is a risk factor for developing an eating disorder and can wreak havoc on our self-esteem.

In this post I am excited to share Dr. Sandra Aamodt’s TEDS talk-the neuroscience behind why dieting doesn’t work.

Dr. Sandra Aamodt, a neuroscientist, explains how our brains regulate our body weight like a thermostat which makes dieting an ineffective way to lose weight.

Dr. Aamodt’s talk starts out a little dry and slow, but hang in there.  She offers compelling research on how to improve your health regardless of body weight, throws in humor and her personal experience with dieting.  Which had me laughing and crying by the end.

It is definitely worth 12 or so minutes of your time.

New Year’s Resolution: Ditch the Diet

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New Year's ResolutionYes, that is right.  Set a New Year’s Resolution NOT DIET in 2015 (or really ever again).

Why you ask?  I will give you five good reasons:

1.  Dieting doesn’t work for long-term weight regulation.  Scientists don’t have any good data that shows dieting works consistently in reducing weight, long-term, in populations of people.

2. Dieting can lead to weight gain.  Dieting can produce short-term weight loss, but more often than not, it leads to regaining of lost weight and sometimes even more.  Some clinicians argue that the losing/gaining weight cycle (sometimes referred to as weight cycling) is what causes health problems in overweight and obese individuals (Versus elevated body weight.).

3.  Dieting is a known risk factor for developing an eating disorder.  The causes of eating disorders are very complex and researchers have identified several risk factors for developing an eating disorder which include dieting, temperament, gender, etc.  Not to say that all people who diet will develop an eating disorder, but it may increase your risk.

4.  Dieting can make us feel a little crazy.  At the start of a diet there is promise that the diet will bring control over eating (and sometimes our lives).  But, ever notice when you are dieting that you spend more time thinking about food?  Or that when your dieting you begin to feel very uncomfortable around food?  Maybe you avoid certain social situations because you are dieting.  I would argue that dieting leads to more preoccupation with food, weight/shape which leaves less head space to think about other things.

Additionally, when we aren’t able to follow our diet (Not because of laziness or lack of will power by the way, see 1#.) it can lead to an increase in feelings of shame and failure. These feelings can often drive us further from self-care and in some people it can lead to OVEREATING.

To learn more about the psychological effects of food restriction click here.

5.  Dieting doesn’t equal improved health. See #1, #2, #3, #4

In my next few posts I will discuss further reasons why dieting doesn’t work and what one might do as an alternative to dieting.