The No Need To Diet Book

Society tells us the worst thing you can be is fat. They are wrong. The worst thing you can be is inconsiderate and judgemental and unkind to others.

Here is what does: moving in a way that feels good for your body. Not based on what some fitness tracker says, not doing what fitspos are doing, not what Google says will burn the most calories in one hour. Simply what you enjoy and what feels good in your body, which is different for everyone.

I think it’s important to understand that health is about more than just the nutrients in our food. As I have done in this book, with clients I try to establish an overall picture of what health is, and all the various factors that contribute to it, such as a social life, stress, sleep and so on. This helps place nutrition in context, rather than it being the sole determinant of health in someone’s mind. The goal is to reduce the power of food, so that instead of it being the centre of everything, it simply becomes one part of life, one small part of the puzzle; and to develop an understanding and practice of moderation that allows for eating a healthy diet without it becoming addictive and an impossible quest for total perfection.

In essence, mindful eating involves a greater awareness of what you’re eating, savouring it in a non-judgemental way, and hopefully enjoying your food more.

Becoming aware of your privilege shouldn’t be a source of guilt, although it’s natural for the thought to come with defensive feelings, but should be seen as an opportunity to learn.

Most people, if you ask them, will say things were better when they were younger and that the world is getting worse. We have a tendency to romanticise the past because our memory is more likely to forget about the bad events in our past and instead is prone to dwell on the good things. We take for granted the things we like that improve our lives such as smartphones and cheaper air travel, and focus on the negatives that we feel have made our lives worse. In general, people just don’t like change.

if we are kind to our body, we are more likely to treat it well by feeding it a well-balanced diet, which will in turn make us happier.

If you’re someone who eats more in response to stress, then you likely have high stress reactivity – meaning you show a stronger cortisol increase in response to stress, which drives your appetite hormones up and encourages you to eat.

Mild stressors seem to lead to increased food intake, whereas more severe stressors lead to decreased intake.