A healthy approach to weight

Food for thought
Diets don't work
Healthy weight tips
A word on underweight
Body image
Further information and advice

There is no magic weight loss potion. Learn to like the body you have and look after it.

Food for thought...

In some parts of the world people are starving and/or malnourished whilst in other countries or parts of there is an oversupply and abundance of both nutritious and processed foods. Some people struggle to maintain a healthy weight and resist the bombardment of body image messages, whilst others struggle to gain weight an equally frustrating reality.

The struggle to develop and maintain a healthy and balanced attitude to diet, exercise and body weight/image is difficult for many of us, particularly in Westernised countries. Media and fashion industries send out strong messages about what is desirable for men and women to look and be like, whilst confusion reigns as countless diets and exercise regimes continue to be churned out however much they lack nutritional scientific grounding.

It seems the harder we try to look the ‘desirable’ way, follow dietary and/or exercise guidelines or specific formulas the more we are seen to be failing, which creates a potentially harmful cycle within ourselves.

Let’s try and sort fact from fiction and concentrate on a sensible and healthy approach to diet and exercise to ensure our desired body weight is based on fact and what is right for each of us and not some unobtainable fictitious role model or society standard.

Diets don’t work

Research and statistics worldwide tell us time and time again that DIETS (including fad diets) DON’T WORK!

Reasons include:

diet means deprivation for many people and encourages over or disordered eating
majority of people can’t maintain the guidelines of most diets in particular fad diets
they negatively influence physical and mental energy and wellbeing
they slow down a person’s metabolic rate and actually decrease weight loss and increase subsequent weight gain
they don’t educate people about healthy choices for permanent long term weight management and health
they give temporary results that in many cases reverse and subsequently make people gain more weight than lost
many diets don’t educate or incorporate sensible exercise guidelines
they work on formulas where one hat fits all
some of them are dangerous, in particular any diet that cuts down/out a food group

Healthy weight tips

Be realistic about your need to lose or gain weight. What is your genetically inherited shape? Are you fit? Are you energetic and happy?
No food is good or bad
Choose realistic weight loss or gain goals - are they SMART based? realistic? attainable?
Learn about non hungry eating and eating associated with emotions
Eat a variety of foods from each food group and vary foods within those groups. Aim for a low fat, high fibre and complex carbohydrate diet with plenty of unprocessed foods.
Limit processed foods both at home and take away or fast food meals
Watch meal portion sizes (don’t super size up rather size down)
Enjoy food and eat slowly
Don’t skip meals, particularly breakfast
Drink water (1-3 litres per day)
Get moving - exercise every day if you can, both dedicated and incidental exercise. Make sure the exercise you pick is enjoyable and something you will keep doing. Build in variety and look upon exercise as any chance to get up and move.

A word on being underweight

Being underweight can be a difficult and often forgotten reality for some people. Overall the principles are no different in terms of applying the ‘healthy weight’ guidelines. Some additional tips include:

Have regular meals at scheduled intervals and don’t skip meals
Have smaller, more frequent meals and incorporate healthy snacks between meals (for example smoothies, dried fruit/nuts)
Have a checkup with your doctor to eliminate an underlying medical cause
Consult with a dietitian

Body Image

Definition

Body image is a difficult term to define, however it is linked to our self awareness, self perception, self esteem and how we view ourselves in this world. Body image is influenced by many factors including; parenting, gender, culture, media, peers, the fashion and beauty industry and self esteem.

For example, Western society in the last 40 years or so has promoted thinness as the ideal body shape for women, whereas other cultures revere fuller female figures and the average Australian woman’s dress size is actually 14 not 10 or 8 as portrayed in many areas of the fashion and beauty industry. In addition it is normal for women to have fat distributed on their hips and thighs and be a certain body weight to facilitate menstruation, fertility, lactation, protect against osteoporosis and to maintain healthy skin, eyes, hair and teeth.

Men are also increasingly under pressure to achieve an ideal body including thinness, muscularity and definition.

What can be done?

There is no one simple or magical answer to achieving satisfaction with your own body image, however awareness of and what influences body image plus following the healthy weight tips above is a good start. It is also vital to accept and care for who and what you are both physically and mentally.

Overall health and wellbeing is the important goal of which healthy, balanced eating and exercise is an important part of. Caring for your mental health and wellbeing is also equally important which includes focusing on positive achievements, avoiding negative and black/white self talk and aiming for a balanced view of self and others in the world.

There are a variety of self-help and professional resources including staff in the counselling and health service at Deakin that can also assist with tackling issues around health and wellbeing and body image. See the section below ‘further information’ for details.