Many of us grew up steeped in the belief that a good body is a thin body. This is known as diet culture?the idea that being skinny is more important than (or necessary for) our overall physical or mental health. It?s a pervasive viewpoint in North America, so there?s a good chance that you?ve been an unwilling participant in it.
Perhaps you marvelled at a celeb?s rapid weight loss after pregnancy or snickered when a famous singer put on a few pounds. Maybe you grew up watching your parents count calories or you’ve personally cut carbs to slim down. These are all examples of how we put slim bodies on a pedestal and feel bad for ourselves for being less than “perfect.” And it?s all so very wrong.
As parents and caregivers, we do our best to ensure our kids eat well and have good self-esteem. But what if diet culture furtively sneaks into our parenting, and some of the things we say can potentially be damaging" It would be so freeing to raise the next generation of kids to love their bodies and value their health, rather than count calories, fear food, and feel guilty for enjoying something delicious. And it is possible!
Here?s how to start eliminating toxic diet culture from your lifestyle, so your child can grow up with a healthy relationship with food and a positive body image.
When your child asks for seconds
Diet culture dictates that smaller serving sizes preserve a slim body shape and that “overeating” is gluttonous. So when your kid a...