Diet Culture

So, we're one week into the year, I don't know about you, but it feels like a lot longer than that.

As a highly sensitive person, I've felt quite overwhelmed by many things.

By highly sensitive person (HSP) I mean as someone that feels things deeply, that senses smells and hears things that other's wouldn't notice. Lights may feel brighter, we tend to be people that can read a room and feel the energy within seconds, you may feel on edge for no reason.

Overwhelmed with all the newness and new information a new year brings, peoples intentions, New Years resolutions etc not to mention Easter chocolates being out in shops already... 🙄

And as January always goes, things like diet trends and fads such as:

- Clean eating

- Intermitent fasting

- Restrictive eating (calorie intake)

- Keto

- Paleo

- Dry January

etc

As well as excessive exercise and fitness routines, that are rammed down our throat in magazines, social media, TikTok, morning TV, chat shows, even the news. I mean, I personally tend to avoid most of that, but it still seems inescapable.

As someone living with an eating disorder, it makes it twice as difficult, especially in January, but what worries me more is those that don't have an eating disorder, especially young girls because this is where they can begin. Beginning with a harmless 'diet' or new fitness regime, which yes, we need to remain fit and healthy, all within moderation of course, but we're given all these new diets and fitness routines to undertake without the education around how to do it safely, there's nothing around mindset and how to tackle the mentality. It's damaging to peoples mental health, which is never considered until it's too late.

Like this article shown above from The Sun, makes me sick. Even the use of the word hack suggests it's a cheat way of getting the desired result. Losing a stone in a month isn't healthy nor sustainable, or perhaps it's manageable, but what happe