Hey downtown Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo, check it out!
Friday May 6th, 2016 is International No Diet Day, and when you stroll on the downtown streets of the above cities, you will see signs in some of the storefront windows that promote positive body-image or anti-dieting messages. Make sure to take some time and look for the signs! You may even find a decal or two in a change room. Let's change the message in our culture, conversations and minds!
Here are 10 suggestions of ways to participate in International No Diet Day:
- Take a break from dieting. Try eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. Listen to your body’s signals.
- Stop thinking about foods as “good,” “bad” or “junk food.” Taste, savour and enjoy allfoods to the fullest!
- Make health, not weight loss, your lifestyle goal.
- Give up, or better still, smash the scale
- Clean out your closet and get rid of all your “thin clothes” - donate these items to charity
- Ask local bookstores to display anti-diet and “Health At Every Size” books this month
- Stop focusing on appearance. Don’t make comments like “You look great! Have you lost weight?” Look for other praise-worthy comments to highlight other than personal appearance.
- Engage in physical activities for pleasure and health benefits, rather than regimented exercise for the primary purpose of weight loss
- End weight discrimination by celebrating size diversity. Beauty, health and fitness come in all sizes
- Check out downtown store windows hosting slogans promoting positive body image and size acceptance. Don’t let the fact that International No Diet Day is only one day of the year stop you from practicing the above on a daily basis.
For more background on eating disorders, size acceptance and the Health At Every Size movement, please visit the following websites: www.eatingdisorderscoalition.ca; http://www.haescommunity.org or www.nedic.ca