New year, new diet?

The first days of January arrive like a breath of fresh air. Or that’s what we like to think when, with high expectations, we develop a plan to achieve our new goals. The one that persists at the top of the list of goals is losing weight. This is reflected in The figures in the increase in consultations with nutritionists during the first trimester and in full gyms which then return to normal occupancy.

Although in recent years we have had fundamental advances and conversations to recognize body diversity normalize stretch marks, cellulite and varicose veins and understand that we grew up admiring unattainable beauty standards, The desire to lose weight – just to lose weight – is still relevant. Sometimes it is hidden under the guise of health and self-care. For others, it is a more latent and guilty desire that constantly clashes with personal acceptance.

Andrea Valenzuela, nutritionist at Clínica Alemana, notices this behavior in some of her patients at this time of year. However, for her, Trying to lose weight without taking other steps is a mistake and is likely to fail.

“The goal, more than losing weight or starting a new diet at this time of year, should be something else,” he believes. It’s not related to weight: improve overall health , Explain. “We need to look for solutions to exercise more, improve self-esteem, take steps to prevent disease and feel better about ourselves,” she adds.

According to a probe According to Forbes, a New Year’s resolution – one of the most mentioned of which is to lose weight – typically lasts 3.74 months. Only 13% of those who set a goal stick to it for four months.

Goals are often poorly set, Valenzuela explains, because they respond to social pressure surrounding physical appearance and appearance. belief that being thin is synonymous with good health.

“From a health point of view, there are thin people who can have altered blood sugar levels, with high cholesterol levels. Being thin isn’t always healthy. Being overweight can make it more prevalent, but this is not 100% the case. There are people who are overweight and who are in good health,” he says.

Slimming remains an imperative associated with health, well-being, success and even happiness, while fat is automatically associated with ugliness, disease and discomfort explains Linda Urbano, psychologist and activist from the La Rebelión del Cuerpo collective.

Nutritionist Valenzuela explains that what to pursue is a a healthy weight, which depends on each person and has nothing to do with physical appearance. “A healthy weight is a weight in which there are no associated metabolic alterations or associated diseases. It has to do with health, not pounds or your aesthetic appearance. You also have to think about mental health, because you can be thin but suffer a lot because it requires a lot of exercise, it requires you not to eat,” he says.

It is important to understand how, despite all the advances, the goal of being thin remains firmly anchored. One of the reasons is that we continue receive thousands of messages from advertising, media and social networks which suggest to us that the path to happiness is thinness.

At first glance, one could argue that things have changed when it comes to talking about the body, says Tania Libertad, an advertising expert with a gender perspective. But this would be an analysis that remains superficial, since it does not take into account the fact that The tone and the words have changed, but not the message.

“Although they don’t literally tell you to be skinny anymore, the message is still there in the people they show you in the campaigns and among those who do not show up. Even in the way these people are arranged on a plane. Who is in front and who is behind? “How many seconds do they appear?” he explains.

For Libertad, we must not forget that advertising is communication and that communication creates realities.

“What we say, show and do not show in advertising influences society, reinforces stereotypes and transmits violence. » Explain. “Children grow up thinking that being thin is healthy, that cellulite is bad, that dark armpits are bad, that getting old is bad, a pressure that seeks to sell, but ultimately affects our collective mental health” , he adds.

These messages, loaded with what we call symbolic violence, tend to be exacerbated before and during the summer. Expectations about the body are increasing due to activities that involve greater exposure: beaches, walks, swimming pools and vacations. “Socially and culturally There is a belief that we must have a certain body type to be able to enjoy summer activities. “, explains Jessica Fernández, psychologist at Body Rebellion.

It was at this time that diets, gym programs, beauty treatments, slimming massages, surgical interventions and medications began to be promoted, a “series of actions aimed at obtaining a body ‘worthy’ of ‘be shown in public space: slim, toned, without cellulite, without stretch marks, shaved, without imperfections, without wrinkles” Fernández explains.

This “bombardment” of information has caused historic damage to people’s mental health, says clinical psychologist specializing in erectile dysfunction, Bárbara Velarde. “This directly affects and “It can even trigger mental illnesses such as eating disorders and also exacerbate illnesses such as depression and anxiety.” he rocks.

The problem with diets, Valenzuela explains, is that they have a beginning and an end. On the other hand, the only things that will have a positive effect on health are changes in daily habits that can be lasting over time.

The key to achieving this is to integrate them with a certain measure of realism and above all according to our wishes. “We should think about what we like. If I like to dance, I dance. If I like to walk, I walk. If I like to ride a bike, that’s what I do. I need to find something I enjoy so I can do it long term,” he says. The same thing happens with food. “If you don’t like fruits or vegetables and only eat processed foods, you should make it a goal to change this habit. For example, start with a fruit at lunchtime and make it a goal, find one you like and try new things. To be healthy, you don’t have to stop eating, you have to eat healthier. » said.

In short: don’t go on extreme or miracle diets, and don’t stop eating. We also don’t rely on “superfoods” that promise wonders or list forbidden foods. “Be happy with my body, feel healthy, prevent disease, have more energy, improve health. Have a good coexistence and less stress. If we achieve these goals, we will achieve a healthier weight. Valenzuela said.

Restrictive diets, Bárbara Velarde points out, are the main trigger of dysfunctional disorders around the world. One piece of advice he always gives to his patients is Be especially careful with social media, accounts and people we follow. “If something makes you anxious, if something makes you uncomfortable, eliminate it. It’s important to start being selective about the information we receive because social media establishes beliefs that can be triggering and harmful. We meet people who talk about weight loss and who are neither informed nor qualified,” he explains.

To have a better relationship with our body, it is important to become aware of how We have been socialized and educated according to standards of beauty and youth that are difficult to shake.

Understand that “our perception of beauty and body image It is shaped by these messages (…) that tell us ‘how our body should be,'” Urbano explains.

understand that we are more than a body and that our body image does not define us.