
Dietitian diaries #3
Dear diary
Over the recent couple of months I have been working with companies to support their staff to understand “Weight Neutrality”; a huge part of this work is to help establish the narrative that “words have power” and “respectful care begins with respectful language”. Research shows us that how we speak to others and how we speak to ourselves becomes our inner voice, and our inner voice leads to our behaviours that in turn reinforce our thoughts.
This work got me thinking about the phrases that I hear both in clinic and within my friendship circles that feel so normalised, but actually are harmful for us and our relationship with food and our body.
Here are the phrases I think it is time to bring awareness too and stop saying;
I feel fat / I’ll just have a sliver / Beach body / I need to burn this off tomorrow / Does this make my arms look big / Superfood / I need to be good / I am having a cheat day / Diet starts on Monday / I’ll skip lunch / A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips / I'll just have a coffee for breakfast / I feel guilty for eating that / Junk food / I am being naughty today / Clean eating /You look great, have you lost weight? / War on obesity / I look fat / I just need more willpower / Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels / Are you sure you need to eat that? / You are not fat, you are beautiful / I am out of shape / Is this outfit flattering? / Back on track / That will make you fat / I shouldn’t be eating this / I am going to be bad and have dessert / Summer body / Treat myself / Guilt free / Hip dips / Thigh gap / Let me scan the barcode
And perhaps it is time that we should start leaning into these ones …
I deserve pleasure / This is delicious / I love feeling energised / Wow that looks tasty / My body is resilient /We are so grateful to never go hungry / Thank you for the food / I love nurturing my body / My brain needs carbohydrates / I feel energised / I trust my body / Shall we grab a snack / You look happy / I know you aren’t hungry, but I am going to eat / It is natural for my body shape and size to fluctuate / I am going to skip the gym today as I feel exhausted / Excuse me while I grab a snack / I can concentrate better if I eat regularly / My body and brain feel safe if I eat enough every day / I bring more to the table than my body shape / Yes please, I love cookies / No thanks I am full but can I take one for later? / Let’s chat about something else other than dieting / Food can be fuel and fun / I love sharing this experience with you
Be well nurtured, Love RacheL
Daily paper
Every day (that I have capacity) I read a nutrition, eating or health focused research paper, here are the takeaways from this week; a little science for soul.
1: Women consuming more than three portions of dairy a day and with a higher vitamin D status have a decreased risk of endometriosis. Three portions could be consumed as Greek yoghurt with breakfast, cheese with lunch and milk in coffees Link
2: Unhealthy exercise is associated with increased risk of relapse in eating disorders Unhealthy exercise includes rule driven exercise to avoid negative feelings, exercise to control weight or shape and exercise to compensate food intake. Link
3: FHA functional hypothalamic amenorrhea requires a holistic approach including an energy increase of over 45kcal/kg/ffm, nutritional deficiencies prevention, reduction of physical activity and stress minimization . Link
Small act of nurturance *
A little more nervous system regulation and a little less nutrient depletion can change us, change the way we parent and heal the next generation.
Consume 80g / one cereal bowl size amount of spinach, kale or other leafy greens daily to prevent brain aging (cognitive decline) and reduce the risk of dementia. Leafy greens contain bioactive compounds which protect the brain. Add frozen spinach to smoothies, curries and pasta dishes or sauteed kale with garlic and butter as a side dish.
*Generalised advise and not a personal prescription, please seek support from a dietitian or clinician for individual support and guidance
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