What is non-diet nutrition?
Non-diet nutrition is simply eating in a way that enhances your wellbeing, without focusing on weight loss. As non-diet dietitians, we treat food as morally neutral, rather than labeling food as “good” or “bad”. Some foods we eat because they give us nutrients that help our body to thrive, others we eat because we enjoy eating them. Different eating patterns suit different people. No foods are off limits, and you don’t need to restrict how much you eat of certain foods.
Don’t believe what the billion dollar diet industry tells you: you CAN trust your body to tell you when it needs food, what food it needs, and how much it needs. You might have lost touch with these natural eating signals, but you can learn how to tune into them again and eat in a way that makes you feel good.
Human bodies naturally come in a range of shapes and sizes, and there is no right way to have a body. You can’t tell how healthy someone is simply by looking at them – fat bodies can also be healthy bodies, thin bodies can also be unhealthy bodies. Much of what influences our health is out of our control. You don’t need to eat a certain way just because of your body shape or size.
When you’re used to following the familiar rules of ‘healthy eating’ that we’ve all been taught, or relying on a diet or meal plan, it can seem a bit scary to think about not having any rules at all. Our dietitians are here to guide you through the recovery process in a safe and structured way, enabling you to reconnect with your body to eat more intuitively.
Yeah, but …
… won’t I just eat junk food and make myself sick?
When you first experience the freedom of allowing yourself to eat what you want, when you want, you might find yourself eating more of certain foods than you normally would. This is pretty normal. Over time, it’s like the novelty wears off. You’ll still enjoy those foods, but you won’t need to over-consume, because you trust that you can eat some again when you next want to.
… will I lose weight?
It’s normal for your weight to fluctuate when you start eating more intuitively. Eventually, your weight will stabilise at a point that you can comfortably maintain. Depending on where you are in the weight loss/gain cycle, the weight you eventually settle at might be higher or lower than your current weight.
… what do I eat to give my body what it needs?
There are five groups of foods which contain the nutrients we need for our bodies to function at their best. These are grains & cereals, vegetables, fruits, milk & milk products, meat & other protein sources. Different groups of people need a different balance of nutrients, so the recommendations for how much to eat of each group each day depend on things like your age and sex. Your dietitian will help you learn to nourish your body while also enjoying your eating.
… what if I don’t trust my body?
This is pretty normal if you’ve spent a long time taking your eating cues from external sources, like what the time is or when the plate is empty. It can take some time to reconnect with your body to work out what, when and how much to eat. Our bodies are constantly communicating with us – we just need to practice listening and responding in a way that makes us feel good.
… how will I know if it’s working?
If you’re used to measuring success by whether or not you’ve lost weight (or kept weight off), you might be wondering how it works if weight isn’t the focus. Your body is the best guide: if you’re feeling more energised, less uncomfortable after eating, enjoying your eating more etc. these are good signs that you’re making healthy changes. Your doctor might measure things like your blood pressure or blood sugar and track improvements over time.