International Day Without Diets: Why Abstinence Does Not Make Sense

This year, the day that celebrates freedom from dieting is International No Diet Day, which takes place on 6 May. It promotes body acceptance, including fat and body shape diversity. Many people take this day to accept themselves in their current shape and size. This is a great way to fight to diet and embrace your natural figure. You don’t need to feel embarrassed about your body shape or size – on this day, you can feel proud of who you are.

The day started in 1992 with a television show hosted by Mary Evans Young. The main goal was to educate the public about the dangers of over-the-top dieting. This year’s event focuses on weight discrimination and eating disorders and is intended to bring attention to the cause. Its symbol is a light blue ribbon, similar to the red ribbon used for the day against AIDS. The day was a hit with feminists everywhere, and its popularity has remained strong for years.

INDD was founded by British feminist Mary Evans Young to raise awareness about the dangers of over-the-top dieting. The day was first observed on May 6 of that year and has since gained worldwide recognition. Traditionally, a light blue ribbon has been used to commemorate this day, but the day is now celebrated worldwide on May 6. It’s a day to show that your food is not only delicious and healthy but that it also has many other positive effects on your health.

Every self-respecting woman on a diet at least once in life. But doctors do not get tired of repeating that it is not only useless but sometimes extremely harmful to health. That is why at the beginning of May, the Day without Diets has recently been celebrated, which Mary Evans, who once grew thin to anorexia, has invented, and today she inspires women of the whole world to love themselves as they are. And, of course, eat right.
What is not useful in any diet? In its short duration. As soon as you leave it, most often the weight not only returns but also brings new extra pounds with it. The fact is that any diet slows down the metabolism, transferring the body to “emergency mode”, calories are spent much more slowly. However, when everything returns to normal, the usual (and even excess) weight is gained instantly.
According to Zinaida Medvedeva, executive director of the National Research Center “Healthy Nutrition”, another danger of diets is that they lead to nutritional deficiencies in the body: “The lean diets that are fashionable nowadays can cause hormonal disorders and problems in the nervous system. Serious health problems arise from both excess and lack of protein. In the first case, the kidneys are affected, in the second, the muscular system. ”
So there is no point in diets. But it makes sense to constantly, that is, for life, eat right. The diet should be balanced and contain all the necessary substances. And from all that is not necessary, courageously give up.
Abandon first need refined sugar. There is absolutely no need and benefit in it, but the damage from it is enormous. It disrupts the metabolism, preventing the proper absorption of carbohydrates. It promotes the washing out of the body of calcium and B vitamins, releases free radicals, accelerating aging. Excess sugar in the body causes a feeling of false hunger, which leads to overeating and obesity.
The trouble is that it is quietly added to a huge amount of finished products. Therefore, to understand where sugar is, and where it is not, is very problematic. No joke – after all, he can even be in sour cream! And also in sauces, yogurts, seemingly healthy mussels, and breakfast cereals. It is clear that there is a lot of it in the confectionary, soda, condensed milk (it makes sense to refuse all of the above).
“Another harmful product whose content must be minimized is trans fats. They change the settings of your body, namely the fat balance, and you become much more prone to the risks of major diseases. Numerous scientific studies prove that trans fats even affect a person’s memory and emotional state, so the negative effect of them is difficult to overestimate,” says Medvedeva.
Where to look for these harmful fats? First of all, in products of animal origin: milk, meat, eggs. WHO advises limiting the consumption of these products to 10% of the total caloric intake of the daily diet.
And yet the complete rejection of fat is absolutely unacceptable. It is important to choose the right fats that benefit the body. These fats are mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. This is a building material for the cells of the body, primarily the nervous system: the human brain is almost entirely composed of fat. Many of the unsaturated fatty acids are not synthesized by the body, and the food is their only source.
The ration containing the basic food products that a person needs is the Mediterranean diet. It combines sources of unsaturated fatty acids: nuts, seafood, and olive oil; vitamins and fiber – greens and vegetables, whole grain bread. The Mediterranean food system not only allows you to stay at a normal, healthy weight but also is the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, normalizes blood sugar and cholesterol levels. The positive effect of this diet tends to accumulate; scientific studies have shown that the longer it takes, the more persistent positive changes are demonstrated by the human body. A separate plus of this diet is in its diversity and taste: to adhere to this food system for a long time is easy and pleasant.
The basis of the Mediterranean diet consists of whole-grain products, herbs, and vegetables, nuts and fruits. The main source of fat is vegetable oil. At least twice a week on the table should be fish and seafood. Dairy products in the form of yogurt and low-fat cheese in the Mediterranean diet are consumed often but in moderation. Red meat in the Mediterranean diet is not included, but a glass of red wine is allowed per day.
Center “Healthy Nutrition” has made a Mediterranean shopping list for the week:
Greens, fruits and vegetables – the main products of the Mediterranean diet, which should be on the table every day. Lettuce, broccoli, eggplant and pumpkin, carrots and beets – the most valuable source of fiber and vitamins. Grapes, citrus fruits and bananas are a source of vitamin C and natural sugar, and avocado is a storehouse of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The Mediterranean diet allows almost all fruits and vegetables. This greatly diversifies the diet and allows you to save money by choosing seasonal products. Some vegetables and many berries, including cherries, broccoli, and green beans, are available year-round frozen. It is much cheaper than buying fresh vegetables out of season, and modern freezing technologies retain nutrients even better than storage. Be sure to add avocados to the diet – it perfectly replaces the oil.
Legumes are an important part of the Mediterranean diet and a valuable source of protein and fiber. In their nutritional qualities, they replace red meat and are not burdened by saturated fats. Usual beans and peas, a little more exotic chickpeas or lentils – they all find their place in the diet. In the Mediterranean diet, legumes appear on the table at least once a week. It is important to note that canned beans or beans must be washed and dried before use to remove excess salt. If you cannot cook legumes, you can buy hummus, it is made from chickpeas and sesame.
Nuts and seeds are a source of healthy unsaturated fats, protein, and fiber. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds, walnuts, groundnuts, and almonds – they can be used almost every day, but in moderation due to the high caloric content.
Vegetable oil is the main source of fat in the Mediterranean diet. Food is prepared on it, salad dressings are made. Olive oil is traditionally used for the Mediterranean diet, and nowadays it is present in every supermarket. However, it is edible, and any unrefined vegetable oil is useful, including sunflower, linseed, and hemp, which we are used to. It is better to cook in refined or coconut oil, it has a very high burning temperature and it will not produce carcinogens when heated.
Cereals and whole grains are a source of carbohydrates. When choosing, it is important to avoid bread made from refined flour and cereals with high starch content. The less processed croup, the better. So, choose whole oatmeal (monastic) and do not take fast food, rice is better to take brown or dark, not white, and macaroni only from whole grain flour and it is better to choose in color: the darker the better.
Fish and seafood is an excellent source of protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids, one of the cornerstones of the Mediterranean diet. They should appear on the table at least twice a week. In Russia, it is difficult with seafood, and high-quality fish is sometimes difficult to find. These products are best bought in specialized stores or ordered from small wholesalers who sell fish frozen right on the catch vessel. In this way, it is possible to avoid repeated defrosting, in which the quality of the fish is lost.
Eggs and dairy products in the Mediterranean diet are acceptable but in moderation. Preference is given to fermented milk products: yogurts and low-fat traditional cheese, such as feta or cheese.