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Photo: Getty Images/Mike Coppola
Over the last year, COVID-19 has changed our perspective on a lot of things. With the lack of social events and increased time at home, many devoted their extra time to cooking or “getting back into X, Y and Z.” Remember making sourdough bread? And how seemingly everyone started gardening or doing home renovations (or just tried to survive homeschooling)? There were also plenty of jokes about the “Quarantine 15” and gaining weight. Lena Dunham, star of the HBO showGirls, shares that thinking of her body in not the most positive ways snuck in during this time of reflection—and she is not alone. We talked with dietitian and founder ofYour Latina Nutritionist, Dalina Soto, M.A. R.D. L.D.N. to learn more.
How I Ditched Dieting for Good
The pandemic has manifested itself in different ways for different people. Some people have revamped their eating patterns or are sharing their body transformations, while others call it a win to get out of bed. For many others (myself included), it can vary from day to day. Let me be very clear: there’s no right or wrong way to cope with an unforeseen global pandemic. Focusing on health and wellness is not wrong. Prioritizing rest and self-compassion is absolutely not wrong either. But shaming others about their bodies or claiming that every body should look one specific way is (and always has been) wrong.
“Health is personal and everyone has different goals. Instead of tying them to a number on the scale, let’s focus on what you are trying to achieve and reduce the stress of constantly trying to lose weight,” Soto says (she uses these strategies to work with clients on developing a healthful relationship with food).
We are led to think that being healthy means daily exercise, weight loss, meal planning and a squeaky clean diet with no “junk” foods. In reality, health doesn’t look like rigid structure and restricting things you like. That can mean cooking and eating nutritious meals that give you a boost of energy. It could also mean moving your body to help us reduce your stress and put your brain on hold for a bit. It can also mean resting and watching three holiday movies in a row with a plate of cookies. At its core, being healthy means respecting and cherishing our super-capable bodies in a way that is sustainable for us.
One way to step away from a diet mentality when it comes to food is to explore a philosophy calledintuitive eating. Contrary to dieting, intuitive eating hinges on the unconditional permission to eat all foods. It focuses on being present while you eat, respecting your hunger and fullness, and discovering satisfaction in foods. This can be a big shift in thinking, so start small. Learn more about the10 principles of intuitive eatingand acknowledge it can be scary to start. Keeping a journal of you thoughts and feelings around food (or in general) can be helpful.
For more from Soto, follow along on Instagram@your.latina.nutritionist.
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