Beware Of Unhealthy Dieting

Dixya Poudel

You might have heard the adage ‘health is wealth’ or ‘prevention is better than cure.’ You may consider them sayings to live by and yet, you may be compromising your health unwittingly through unhealthy diet and poor nutrition habits that sneak in even when you are quite vigilant. Today with the rise of social media, influencers and content creators have taken to infiltrate one’s feed. They have become the nutrition and exercise sentinels promoting holistic wellbeing on the internet. Warnings continue to be waged online against unhealthy food rich in high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, oil and refined flour.

 Likewise, diet cokes, sodas, and even highly sugared caffeinated beverages have come under ire. On the other hand, fitness, nutrition and exercise regime have become the new trend. Yet, most people who pledge to work out on a regular basis fail to keep pushing themselves. Bars of chocolate become one too many after a hankering of a sugar rush. Coffee is consumed first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Breakfast is skipped because you are on a diet. Dinner is consumed long past sunset. And high-carb meal is usually followed with generous helpings of dessert. 

Meanwhile, people on a diet go to an extreme to lose weight. They don’t take nutritious meals in sufficient amounts in the name of dieting so as to lower the numbers on the weighing scale. However, unhealthy dieting can lead to nutrition and calorie deficiency which are likely to go under the radar. Especially, girls and women are under a tremendous strain to appear lean and thin which is the approved body norm these days. Societal standards tend to change with the tides but often it leaves a psychological strain on the individual. 

People want to be liked and they also want to belong and be welcomed at the table. Unsurprisingly, people pleasing is quite an insidious trait if it becomes too excessive and pervasive particularly in the females. There thus has to be a sense of self and grit if you wish to weather the societal expectations when it comes to body image. Exercise but within limit. Watch your diet but don’t be consumed by calorie counts. Scroll through the social media but don’t be taken in by photoshopped images and click bait news. Most importantly, learn to love the body you inhabit in and take care of your diet without over or under consumption. 

An extra helping of dessert every now and then might be a treat to look forward to but don’t make it a routine to indulge in sweet delicacies. A few days off gym might not be a step backwards if you hop on the treadmill and try to maintain your streak. Likewise, read the ingredients on the food items and avoid foods high in preservatives, hydrogenated fats, high-fructose corn syrup, and so on. Processed foods have to be avoided at all costs. Understand that food industries rely on their consumers’ unhealthy eating habits to thrive and rake in profits. 

In a consumerist society, it has become important to be mindful of one’s health as there are increasing snags and lures that lead to numerous health issues in the name of indulgence, convenience and instant gratification. Remember, health is indeed wealth.