The last few years have given rise to a rather exciting concept in nutrition and dieting- anti-diet. While the name might put you off, let me assure you that it is something that has been raising quite a few eyebrows worldwide. Regarded as a lifestyle choice, the anti-diet is claimed to be the best diet out there! So, are you unsure of what the anti-diet is? If so, here’s a little something to help you out. Read on to know more about the anti-diet, and why it is considered the best diet out there!
What Is the Anti-diet?
Interest regarding the anti-diet has been climbing since 2016, with Pinterest showing search growth of over 42% since then. The general public was so interested in knowing what the anti-diet was, that it became one of 2017’s emerging wellness trends. So, what is the anti-diet all about?
The anti-diet is a sign that people finally understand that they do not have to count every single calorie they take in. Considered a lifestyle change, the anti-diet looks for ways to bring out weight loss and weight maintenance without enforcing restrictive diets. Rather than counting calories or reducing portion sizes, the anti-diet tells people to treat their bodies kindly! It focuses on choosing healthier meals, rather than avoiding food groups as a whole. Instead of trying to wage war with food by cutting down on calories, it asks people to start making peace with food. Therefore, it teaches people to not let food control their daily life, and instead give in to cravings once in a while! Sounds crazy to you, does it? But, what if experts say that it helps people stay healthy?
Is the Anti-Diet a Fad diet?
In the past, we have seen the emergence of a lot many fad diets that make marvelous claims but fail to deliver. However, experts say that the anti-diet is not one of them. The major contributors to the surge in popularity of this diet are body positivity, feminism, and also a push for inclusivity. So, instead of being just a diet to help you lose weight, the anti-diet works as a sort of social movement. It marries concepts from feminism, nutrition, psychology, and women’s rights to help women take control of their lives.
Why the Anti-Diet Is So Positive
Many experts believe that the anti-diet is the most favorable diet out there, as it helps relieve the stress that diet puts on you. Rather than stressing about what you will eat every day, the anti-diet lets you breathe and relax. The intense pressure that comes from wanting to conform to society’s standards of beauty is suffocating. Watching every meal you eat, counting calories subconsciously, and feeling drained when you don’t lose weight all make things difficult for women. A lot of unhealthy fad diets have come up recently due to this societal pressure. Instead of promoting a healthy diet, these plans tend to resemble starvation, as they heavily restrict food intake. Reducing food intake and focusing on just one food group can cause a lot of harm in the long run. The anti-diet is a way for women to push back against these fads, and reclaim their health!
What Does the Anti-Diet Do?
The anti-diet takes away all the rules associated with dieting. While doing so, it also helps ease our stress and reduce all the negative emotions related to dieting. Usually, when you diet, knowing that you aren’t supposed to eat something, makes you crave for it more. However, while on an anti-diet, you don’t place any such restrictions on yourself. However, in the long run, you will realize that you ate less overall without wanting to on purpose. When people have a bad day on a strict diet and overindulge, they end up feeling very rejected. They try to overcompensate the next day by starving themselves, and this is a very unhealthy practice.
Another common thing that happens is that after a bad day, people feel rejected and fall off the diet. They ultimately let go and gorge on everything they had stopped eating, which also leads to unhealthy circumstances. However, the anti-diet gets rid of all these side-effects of a strict diet. It chooses a more holistic approach to nutrition, helping it become sustainable.
Benefits Of the Anti-Diet
- Incredibly realistic when it comes to choosing food items that help your body feel and look good.
- Not restrictive at all, making it easier to follow for people of all ages.
- Since it is very flexible, it is an excellent option for people who have allergies, suffer from specific illnesses, or are on medication.
- Removes all the unwanted stress and pressure related to restrictive dieting.
- It lowers the chance of people falling off or crashing out of a diet.
- Sustainable for long periods
- Promotes body positivity, and helps you love yourself a little more
Is the Anti-Diet Unhealthy?
Being on the anti-diet isn’t about living exclusively on junk food or eating whatever you want, whenever you want it. You can’t eat fried food every day, or have pizza five times a week and say you are on the anti-diet. Instead, being on this diet is about allowing yourself to have one slice of pizza when you crave it badly and then following it up with a healthy meal. Therefore, the diet is empowering as it places the choice in our hands. Also, many women who tried this diet felt that when they stopped demonizing certain food items, they felt less addicted to them.
If you cannot remember the last time you weren’t on a diet, then maybe it is time to stop. Perhaps it is time to stop looking over food lists, reading about fad diets, and looking at Pins on so-called healthy supplements. Maybe, all you need right now is to relax and love yourself a little more. Switch to a more sustainable diet that doesn’t put undue pressure on you for maintaining a strict food plan. Maybe the only way to stay healthy is to want it badly and remain focused, without giving up hope. It doesn’t necessarily have to be about a string of dietician appointments, restrictive food plans, and health supplements.
