Nutrition by Dawn - Blog

So many women are searching for some kind of magic trick or spell that will transform their bodies and their health once and for all. So many times, I’ve found myself scrolling through social media and seen the message being spread that there’s one small thing you can give up to quickly reach your goals. Whether it’s carbs, wine, fruit, or some other ingredient of the week, there are so many people shouting from the rooftops that if you would just give up that one thing, your goals would all fall into place. 

Anytime I see someone declaring this loud and proud, I feel like I should climb up on my own soap box and say the truth even louder: there is never an occasion where you should give up a food group.

All food groups have a place in our diet, and yes, for me, that includes my glass of wine with dinner, too (just drink the clean-crafted variety). But to even consider giving up something like fruit is to deprive your body of the micronutrients it needs. Giving up a food group for the purpose of “dieting” is never going to be healthy. 

Weight should not be our main goal for our health. It’s a data point, and it can help us track our progress, but our internal health is what we should really focus on. Our external health will follow!

I love all sorts of fruits and veggies, and I also enjoy things like meat and wine. That doesn’t mean that you have to enjoy meat and wine if those aren’t your things, but if you are also enjoying those, make sure you select options that are good for your body. I get grass fed beef and fresh eggs delivered once a month; I get fresh fish delivered weekly, and I look for produce that is fresh and local so that it has plenty of nutrients in every bite. I drink clean-crafted wine from Scout & Cellar so that there’s no added sugar or sulfites. It even comes with a nutrition label on the back, so I can feel good about what I’m drinking because I know what’s in it. 

Giving up food groups that should be a part of a balanced diet is not healthy and will not help you reach your goals faster. It most certainly is not serving your soul. 

I know that every other social media post and dozens of magazines on grocery store shelves are shilling ideas for what magic potion you can take so that you can squeeze into a smaller pair of jeans. I know that it’s so difficult to ignore the voices in the media and choose the road less traveled to reach your health goals. But the truth is that restricting isn’t the healthy choice or even the fastest choice to a healthier life. 

I encourage you to stand up against toxic diet culture, do things that feed your body and your soul, and be healthy without giving up a single thing. 

Do you have any questions about practical ways to shut down toxic diet culture? Let me know in the comments!

If you need some inspiration for healthy living, please join me in my Facebook group Never Diet Again for a great community filled with great discussion!