I know it’s not my usual day, but I just had to butt in and remind everyone that today is International No Diet Day. In honor of the day ignore diets, which foods are ‘good’ or ‘bad’ (Unless, of course, we’re talking a serious medical question like diabetes or a potentially lethal peanut allergy. After all, the idea is for people to enjoy life through enjoying foods they love without guilt, not to kill anyone.), or what effect one freaking donut will have on your waistline.
Me? I had some yummy pumpkin granola for breakfast, sundried tomato ravioli in pesto sauce for lunch with a devil’s food cupcake chaser, and I’m looking forward to a tasty dinner of turkey burgers, brown rice, spinach salad, and fresh strawberries for dessert. Why? Because I love eating every single thing on that list. I was having a craving for cottage cheese, but I don’t have any. Hmmm…maybe I’ll head to the store and have some as a mid-afternood snack.
Whatever you eat today, though, remember to savor it.
Lol, well I’m all for enjoying food, but I don’t think I’ll be participating in this one. You COULD say I’m on a diet
Comment by Jessica — May 6, 2008 @ 6:53 pm
…. sorry, the last comment cut off somehow.
ANYWAY.
You COULD say I’m on a diet, but it doesn’t feel like it. I enjoy the foods I love pretty regularly [pizza, french fries, the good stuff xD] and I’m still losing weight/getting healthier, and I love it. I have no desire to be an undernourished size 0 or anywhere near that thin, but I do want to lose some weight. I’m 153 and down 33 pounds so far, and I’ve never felt better in my life. I really do love this blog though, I used to be a big girl and I wish I would have known about this website then!
Comment by Jessica — May 6, 2008 @ 6:56 pm
The point of the day, though, is not to overeat or encourage overeating, but simply to remove the question of guilt and the diet mentality from eating. It doesn’t matter if you want to eat pizza or cottage cheese or chocolate cake.
Two and a half years ago, I had a very unhealthy relationship with food not because I was on a diet, but because I’d bought into the diet mentality that assigned moral weight to different foods (salad with dressing on the side = good, pie = bad). When I had a handful of Cheetos, I would say to myself that since I’d already been bad and wrong, I might as well keep eating until the bag was gone. When I let go of the diet mentality, I happened to lose about five dress sizes in two years. Why? Because when food is just food, and not a moral failing, I can eat precisely what I want and no more. One handful of Cheetos is now just one handful for me.
I hasten to add that not dieting is not a magic way of losing weight, of course. Removing the diet mentality has resulted in weight gain for some, and no significant weight difference in either direction for a lot more. But all of us who have chosen this path are fixing something broken in our world, and I daresay we’re happier for it. I know I am. I don’t binge any more. I don’t avoid healthy foods because they might be too much like a diet. I’m healthier in body and in mind because I don’t diet anymore.
The point of the day is simply to rebuild a healthy relationship with food. It sounds as though that’s pretty much what you’re doing, since you’re not cutting out food groups or things you love in order to lose that weight. As long as you’re eating what you really want to be eating and are feeling good, that’s a healthy food relationship. And that’s what it’s all about.
We’re glad you found us!
Comment by Twistie — May 6, 2008 @ 7:53 pm
Boo Hoo. I missed that it was No Diet Day! That’s like waking up on the 26th of December and saying “I slept through WHAT?”
Looking at Twistie’s meal plan for the day shows a nice variety of healthy, nutritious and tasty food. Clearly her newfound appreciation for food shows. Yay… or should I say Yum?
Comment by SusanC — May 7, 2008 @ 5:11 pm
SusanC, I’ve been there, done that. And I’m just reading this now, days too late. That’ll teach me!
Comment by raincoaster — May 11, 2008 @ 3:54 am