Your body is precious—but the world wants you to believe otherwise. Toxic diet culture wants you to believe that your body isn’t slim enough or strong enough, and in order to get the “body you’ve always dreamed of,” you need to pay for a highly restrictive 30-day meal plan, or 14-day juice cleanse. While the before-and-after photos advertised by these companies look enticing, the truth of the matter is, fad diets, detoxes, and other “quick fixes” do not work for long-term weight loss. There is no conclusive evidence that shows how a restrictive diet can actually help you lose weight in the long term. And yet, the weight loss industry is flooded with customers hoping that this particular purchase of this particular program will finally change them for good. But all it does is tell you to seriously restrict what you eat, making it the worst possible way to lose weight.

But…the before-and-after photos are real, right? Don’t be so easily fooled. Even doctors say that long-term, sustainable weight loss can’t be achieved with fad diets, and most of the time, those people in the photos will almost always gain their weight back.

Adrienne Youdim, MD, FACP, an internist who specializes in medical weight loss and nutrition, and author of Hungry for More, specifically focuses on how diet culture and the weight loss industry continue to notoriously lie to you about what it means to actually be healthy.

“Unfortunately, a common approach is to heed fear-based messaging and false promises from fad diets and quick fixes and take us away from what we know intuitively to be true—that we have what we need within us,” says Youdim. “Often these approaches are overly restrictive and not durable. They set unrealistic expectations which promote sabotage and they catastrophize weight gain or regain which only results in self-judgment and shame.”

Forget the program—focus on you.

Her advice? Focus on yourself and no one else. Forget the false messaging that toxic diet culture is trying to get across, and instead, focus on how you can better your relationship with food outside of some crazy, restrictive weight loss program.

“Look within yourself and explore your relationship with food,” says Youdim. “What does your hunger represent? Maybe you are feeling isolated or distressed, maybe you are anxious or bored. Maybe you are not setting the necessary boundaries for time to care for yourself. Use this information to nourish yourself with what you need emotionally.”

Youdim says the best way to set healthy boundaries while also properly nourishing yourself is to create an “environment for success.” You can do so by creating “new routines around healthy meals and daily movement.”

Here are some of Youdim’s recommendations on how you can start setting healthier routines at home that will help you lose weight for the long term, instead of relying on fad diets and quick fixes. Then, be sure to check out our list of The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.

“Create the environment for success by having healthy options stocked in your fridge and pantry,” says Youdim.

When your fridge and pantry are stocked with healthy go-to items, it’s a lot easier to follow a nutritious diet without having to think too much about it. Snag these healthy grocery essentials, fill your freezer with these healthy frozen foods, and get your pantry ready-to-go with these healthy pantry staples.

“Remember you don’t need to spend all day in the kitchen to prepare a healthy meal,” says Youdim.

Eating healthy does not mean spending hours in the kitchen! In fact, there are many prepared foods you can turn to that easily work well for a healthy diet. You can meal prep these 21 Easy Lunch Ideas Made With 3 Ingredients or Less for easier workdays, and cook up these 100 Easiest Recipes You Can Make when it’s time to prep a meal. Or why not keep it simple and stock up on a few of these 25 Best Frozen Dinners when you don’t feel like cooking?

“Studies show that sleep deprivation revs up hunger hormones,” says Youdim.

It may not seem like it, but it’s true. One study published by the Journal of Sleep Research shows that even a single night of sleep deprivation can increase ghrelin levels, the hormone your body produces that makes you feel hungry. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says the average adult should get at least 7 hours of sleep every night for optimal health, so be sure to catch those zzz’s to avoid mindless snacking the next day.

“And finally remember to be kind,” says Youdim. “It is a process but with self-compassion and dedication you will get there!”

Positive affirmations really can go a long way. According to Psychology Today, affirmations can be used as a tactic to get your subconscious mind to change your outlook on particular topics—weight and body image included.

We know that fad diet, quick fixes, detoxes, and any other food-restrictive activity of the sort do not work for long-term, sustainable weight loss. These types of activities have always promised a one-way ticket to a “slimmer you,” as long as you don’t screw up and get off track.

But what if you do? What if you eat that extra cookie or decide on a bowl of pasta instead of a salad? Is that so wrong?

Of course not. As Youdim suggests, be kind to yourself. Eating a healthy diet means finding healthful ways to include all the foods you love into a nutritious diet because food restriction clearly is not working. With a little self-compassion, you’ll find yourself not only physically happy with your new way of eating, but mentally happy in your body as well.

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Most people think of weight loss as a formula: Burn more calories than you take in. However, there are other factors that also play into it—some of which may be preventing you from reaching all of your weight loss goals. Gary Foster, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at WW, and author of The Shift: 7 Powerful Mindset Changes for Lasting Weight Loss reveals to Eat This, Not That that many of the fundamentals of losing weight have nothing to do with food or exercise. Read on for Dr. Foster’s tips for losing weight—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You Have “Long” COVID and May Not Even Know It.

People think being tough on themselves is helpful: the tougher the better. However, Dr. Foster points out that self-compassion always wins over self-criticism. “Being hard on yourself leads to more anxiety, less confidence and feeling less motivated,” he says. Practicing self-compassion has many wellness benefits. “For instance, it can help you better maintain a healthy diet, take care of your health (e.g., eat well, be active) even when you’re ill or stressed, and feel more motivated to be active for positive, internal reasons (e.g., it’s fun, it makes you feel good) rather than feelings of guilt or external pressure. You are your most important ally.” 

Dr. Foster warns against buying into societal belief that your weight or shape is an indicator of your value. “Your worth cannot be measured on the scale,” he says. Additionally, many people believe that the more critical they are of their bodies, the better they’ll do on a weight loss journey. But that’s not the case. “Negative body image stops you from engaging in health-promoting behaviors and activities,” he points out. To help develop a more positive body image, he suggests celebrating all the things your body does. “Placing value in your body’s utility rather than its appearance will help you not only be less critical about your physical self, but also less fixated on weight and shape as the sole measures of health and well-being. For example, instead of saying my arms or legs are too this, or too that, focus on what your arms can do for you, such as hugging your kids or loved ones, or what your legs can do for you, like helping you climb stairs and move throughout the day.”

You don’t have to go on the weight loss journey alone. “Having a community of like-minded allies is a key component to helping you to reach your health and wellness goals,” notes Dr. Foster. “They can be a source of inspiration and a sounding board for when you do face setbacks.” He notes that there are multiple studies finding that those with a social support system are more likely to engage in healthy eating and physical activity behaviors, less likely to regain weight or turn back to unhealthy eating or physical activity behaviors, and more likely to lose weight than those that go it alone.

Goal setting is key, and the more specific, the more likely you are to achieve it, Dr. Foster reveals. “Think about the what, when and where. Deciding ‘I’ll walk more this week’ won’t be as effective as a specific plan like, ‘I’ll walk on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5:30-6:00 pm at the park,'” he explains. Pick goals that are reasonable rather than dramatic or draconian. “So instead of ‘I will never have dessert,’ commit to something more reasonable like, ‘I will limit dessert to 1 night each week.’ Small, realistic changes lead to sustainable results over time.”

When the actions we take are rewarding or satisfying, we’re more likely to keep doing them, Dr. Foster notes, citing research. In other words, the actions are reinforcing. “By making activity more reinforcing, we can start to be more active —and make it a habit.” When you can’t find an activity you enjoy, making the experience of being active enjoyable can help you repeat it. “There are many ways you can make the experience more enjoyable. For example, enlisting a family member or friend to do it at the same time. Or, saving something you want to do for a time when you are being active, only watching your favorite show when you’re on the treadmill, only listening to the new music you downloaded or your favorite podcast when you’re walking.”

Setbacks to not equate to failure. “It is not about IF you have a setback, it’s about WHEN you have a setback and HOW you respond to it,” Dr. Foster explains.  There are two keys to effectively managing setbacks. The first? Recover quickly. “Just because you did something in the afternoon that goes against your initial goal, doesn’t mean you have to throw the rest of the day away. For example: if you ate more than you wanted to at lunch, you can get back on track at dinner, you don’t have to wait until the next day or ‘I’ll get back on track on Monday.’ One slip (no matter how big you think it is) can’t derail your journey. Get back to your regular routine as soon as you can and put the setback in your rear-view mirror.” Also, learn from your setbacks. “Think about ‘how’ it happened and what you can learn from the experience,” he urges. “Avoid asking ‘why’ it happened since it usually leads to self-critical thoughts that are inaccurate and not actionable (ex: I have no willpower). Identify what got in the way and how you can try something differently next time.”

RELATED: The #1 Key to Weight Loss, According to Experts

By recognizing your eating habits, you can change your environment to make it easier to manage, notes Dr. Foster. “For instance, if you work at home, try to separate your eating area from your working area, or put food away from your pantry, to avoid mindless eating. Research shows that people who consistently behave in ‘healthy’ ways do so by relying on habits—skills—not willpower. That’s because they don’t spend lots of time deciding whether or not to make a healthy choice, or struggling with urges that can pull them off track. They’ve set up their environments in this intentional way or chose such environments to help set them up for success.” And now that you’ve got a great foundation, don’t miss these additional 19 Weight Loss Foods That Really Work.

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If you noticed that you gained a little bit of weight during the pandemic, do not worry—you’re not alone. According to a recent survey supervised by Google, around 38% of participants found that their eating habits had changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, some of them averaging 1,500 extra calories a day (which can add up to five pounds a month). If we were to apply this percentage to all Americans, that would mean an average of 100 million Americans also experienced changes to their eating habits over the past year—which could have easily resulted in some pandemic weight gain.

Naturally, some will say you need to diet in order to lose weight—probably because diet culture has been saying the same thing for years. Diet culture says the solution to weight gain is to restrict your eating and workout like crazy in order to drop the pounds. And yet, after these survey results came out, one doctor says the complete opposite—dieting does not work. Glenn Livingston, PhD and author of Never Binge Again, says the worst way to handle pandemic weight gain is to go on a diet.

“Many are planning to fix the problem by dieting their weight off when this is all over,” says Dr. Livingston in a recent press release. “Unfortunately, using food to soothe trauma during the pandemic creates a strong link between emotions and overeating that may last long after COVID ends. Dieting after this experience can stress the individual and trigger the link, thereby creating even more overeating episodes.”

Here’s why going on a diet would be the worst way to handle pandemic weight gain, along with healthier solutions to take care of your body, straight from Dr. Livingston. And if you’re looking for even more healthy tips, be sure to check out our list of The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.

Living through the COVID-19 pandemic was a stressful time, and it can be easy to turn to comfort foods in order to soothe worried emotions. Why is that? UT Southwestern Medical Center published a study showing how our “hunger hormone” ghrelin is released in stressful situations, meaning we can feel emotionally hungry when we’re stressed out. Meanwhile, the Journal of Consumer Psychology published another study showing how those comforting “indulgent” foods can help alleviate a bad mood.

If you were reaching for your favorite snacks during the pandemic or cooking up some of grandma’s classic comfort foods (which another study shows can be a reaction in stressful times), the reaction was a natural one.

Understanding your emotional eating triggers is the first step into making healthier choices, according to Dr. Livingston.

“To correct for COVID-19 overeating, don’t diet right away, instead focus first on modifying the overeating behavior,” says Dr. Livingston. “Working with over 1,000 binge-eating clients has taught me even if you’re bingeing every day, you can quickly retrain yourself to experience those negative emotions without the urge to overeat.”

Here are 5 Ways to Quit Emotional Eating for Good.

How many times have you reached for a snack bag when you’re stressed? As we explained, it can easily happen if your hunger hormone is flipped on. But what if your body isn’t even hungry for it?

Dr. Livingston suggests shifting from that “eat on a whim” model and instead, focus on a “eat and snack by design” structure.

Take a few days to evaluate the times you feel hungry. When is the best time to eat your three square meals? Do you need a snack between lunch and dinner? Is there a time you crave something sweet where you can incorporate a healthy dessert or a small bar of dark chocolate?

Having structured times for meals can make it easier to say no to those overeating practices, because your body will fall into a rhythm that works for you, rather than eating whenever you feel like it.

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Diet culture tells you to restrict your eating. Dr. Livingston says you should eat all of your favorite healthy foods.

In fact, he even suggests you “overstock” your kitchen with healthy food, that way you always have something on hand that’s delicious and nutritious to eat.

The easiest way to make this happen is to look for healthy non-perishable items that you can turn to in a pinch. Frozen produce will last longer than fresh (but you should still get fresh produce if you love it), whole-grain products, beans, legumes, cans of fish and vegetables, lentil- or chickpea-based pasta, healthy frozen dinners, can all fit into a healthy diet.

Here are 20 Healthy Pantry Staples That Belong in Every Kitchen.

One of the easiest ways to ensure you are always eating a nutritious meal is to follow the USDA MyPlate Guidelines, straight from the Dietary Guidelines from Americans. This formula breaks down the exact way you should set your plate every time you sit down for a meal.

The guidelines tell you to set half your plate with vegetables and/or fruit, a quarter of your plate with a lean protein, and a quarter of your plate with a fiber-rich carb or whole-grain. Incorporating some dairy every now and then, as well as some healthy fats (like olive oil, or avocado) will ensure that you are getting all of the nutrients you need.

So…will this help with your pandemic weight gain? Clearly, Dr. Livingston’s suggestions are not a crash diet, and they don’t come with some kind of ultimatum. Nevertheless, these tips will help you create healthier eating habits for the long term that will help you tear away from any emotional eating practices you may have picked up during the pandemic. And according to numerous health professionals, following these types of practices will result in some weight loss and help you to live a long and happy life.

Here are 17 Healthy Eating Habits To Start Today, According To Our Medical Experts.

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These days, it seems like everyone’s a doctor. From nutritional advice to various diagnostic testing services online to natural remedies for everything, it’s easy to find a treatment to almost every problem online.

Sites like WebMD and HealthLine can allow you to quickly look up your symptoms to determine the most likely trigger. Self-diagnosing can be helpful in a pinch (when you need a quick way to bandage a small cut or advice on how to subside a headache), but it may be doing you more harm than good.

Here are five reasons why you might want to seek the advice of a medical professional, rather than self-diagnosing.

1. Online Credibility Can be Questionable

Sure, nerdygUrl684 on that well-established health forum has great advice on coping with depression, but you have no idea who she is. Is she really a licensed therapist? Did she really suffer from depression? And even if so, how can you be sure the natural treatment plan that worked for her will help you?

The truth is, you can’t. Every individual is different and if you’re suffering from a mental illness, working out a treatment plan with a therapist is your best course of action. They can unbiasedly assess your progress and work on goals that best fit your health goals.

The same goes for physical symptoms. Just because a so-called doctor online recommended dietary changes to improve your gut issues, doesn’t mean you should skip the doctor. You might need immediate treatment to help improve your problems, along with making nutritional changes.

2. Home Remedies Can Be Dangerous

Natural remedies are great. Many people want to avoid taking antibiotics, since they can hurt your immune system and cause other problems. And if you can avoid antibiotics and get better, that’s awesome! But don’t forget that antibiotics save lives every day and are a valid form of treatment.

This is particularly important when dealing with women’s health issues. There are many natural remedies online for yeast and other vaginal infections that can be downright scary or even painful to try out. And many of these remedies can make your problems worse or lead to new issues.

Natural remedies are great, but try working with a naturopath or physician who is open to alternative medicine, instead.

3. You Can’t Be Objective About Yourself

Many times psychological illnesses have physical components that people misdiagnose on their own. Those stomach ulcers are physical, without a doubt, but they may be linked to severe anxiety.

Your acne might be helped with topical creams from stores or your kitchen cupboard, but your might be overlooking a problem on the inside that a doctor would catch.

You can’t be objective about your own health or state of mind, no matter how logical you are. Not visiting a doctor can be severely detrimental to your health and can lead to even worse problems down the line.

4. You Can Make Yourself Sick

We’ve all hopped on WebMD and typed in our symptoms, fearing for the worse. It’s hard to find a string of symptoms that doesn’t indicate that you might have cancer or another serious disease.

Even when the odds are likely that you don’t, worrying about the threat of disease can lead you to thinking every mental or physical ailment is a sign of the worst.

That headache? Obviously a brain tumor. Your nervousness about a big interview? Crippling anxiety. That pain in your chest? You’re having a heart attack.

Constantly searching for answers to strange symptoms can lead us to believe we’re always sick or developing worse problems. Googling your symptoms can turn you into a hypochondriac and make you paranoid about every sneeze, cough, or hiccup.

5. WebMD is a Database, Not a Doctor

It’s great having access to medical information whenever you want it, but remember, WebMD and similar sites are databases with stored information. Just look at some of the symptoms of the diseases you’re looking up: headache, nausea, dizziness… they’re common symptoms for so many diseases, both mental and physical!

Talking to your doctor and allowing them to run tests, if needed, is the only way to be sure about your diagnosis and this certainty will allow you peace of mind.

Stop making yourself sick by self-diagnosing and make an appointment with your family doctor, instead.

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I’m a lifer—depression for life. It’s hard to remember a time when I didn’t feel depressed. I was diagnosed for the first time at 14, and so began my journey of medication and therapy.

But I was lucky. At 14, my mother was the one who noticed the symptoms and took me in to the doctor’s office for help. I didn’t have to do that myself. I’ve carried the depression diagnosis (plus more) with me ever since then. It’s just a part of me now.

Not everyone has the luxury of being taken for help when they start experiencing depression. The icy, lonely, isolating nature of the illness makes talking about it feel impossible—let alone talking with a doctor you barely know.

The only way you’ll start feeling better, though, is by asking your doctor for help. If you do have clinical depression, lots of treatment options are available to you. Many who are diagnosed with this condition live happy lives due to successful management of their symptoms.

Symptoms of Depression

It’s normal to be sad, lonely or uninterested in life once in a while. When these feelings last for a long period of time and begin affecting your everyday life, you might be experiencing depression.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Society of America, Major Depressive Disorder affects approximately 16.1 million American adults in a given year. Here are some of the many symptoms caused by depression:

• Extreme fatigue
• Constant sadness
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness
• Irritability
• Pessimism and hopelessness
• An “empty” feeling
• Sleep disturbances (sleeping too much or too little)
• Loss of interest in activities you enjoy

If you notice you’ve been feeling one or more of these symptoms for a long time, don’t brush them aside. Get yourself some help.

Why You Should Ask for Help

Depression isn’t something you can just talk yourself out of. If you’ve been experiencing strong negative feelings for a long time, they’re not going to disappear with the snap of a finger. 

Clinical depression causes physical and emotional symptoms that can get in the way of a successful life, or even threaten your life. Most of the time, someone diagnosed with depression needs medication, therapy or both to manage their symptoms and feel better.

Nobody should go through the isolation of depression alone, without help. The first place to start is your family doctor or general practitioner. These guys are your first line of defense against depression.

Your doctor can run tests to find out if a physical condition is causing your symptoms. He can also get you started on medication and refer you to other specialists if necessary.

Opening up Is Hard

Depression is a tricky monster because the disorder itself can make asking for help seem impossible.

Depression has a funny way of telling me little lies like, “you don’t deserve help,” “you’re just being a big baby” or “your doctor can’t help you with this problem.” It’s really hard to see through these lies and do the right thing to take care of yourself.

You might not be close with your doctor and have trouble opening up about this problem. You’re probably embarrassed to talk about it at all.

I recommend reading up on the illness to prepare yourself. It will help you realize that this is a clinical disorder, that requires clinical treatment.

How to Talk to Your Doctor About Depression

You’ve decided to make some changes and have a talk with your doctor, but you have no idea how to do it. Something as simple as telling your doctor you’re sad all the time feels like baring your soul to the universe.

You might not be comfortable talking about your feelings, let alone with a near stranger. So how do you break through the barriers and get the help you need?

1. Make the Appointment

First, make an appointment with your doctor. This step alone can be terrifying when you’re facing depression. Call your main doctor’s office to make an appointment, and when asked what the appointment is for, simply say “mental health” or something similar.

That’s all it takes to get on the road to recovery. You can also bring up your suspected depression at an appointment for another issue.

2. Start Talking

You’re at the appointment, and now you have to get the words flowing. Start by simply telling your doctor the symptoms that are affecting your life. This will get the conversation started and spark some questions for your doctor to ask you. Some example conversation starters:

• “I’ve been spending too much time sleeping lately. I’ve slept for entire days at a time and missed important events or appointments.”
• “Lately, I’m having trouble making myself accomplish simple things. It feels so draining to do even the most everyday tasks.”
• “I’ve been much more irritable than usual. It seems like every little thing and person sets me off.”
• “It’s been hard to eat lately. I usually have such a great appetite but it’s completely gone.”
• “I’m having trouble enjoying life and feeling weighed down by something. It feels very empty lately.”

It may be extremely difficult to get those one or two sentences out. But if you can get that far, you’ve won half the battle. Now your doctor can take over by asking you more questions and assessing your mental health.

3. Mention Other Symptoms

Now the conversation is flowing, and your doctor is assessing whether or not you might be experiencing depression.

To make the most accurate assessment, your doctor needs to know all your symptoms and history, both physical and mental. This way, she can explore any underlying health issues that could contribute to your depression.

Be sure to mention any of the following, which can help identify underlying health problems:

• All medications you are currently taking
• Family history of mental illness
• Substance abuse
• A chronic illness
• Big life events

It’s best to paint the whole picture so your doctor can screen you for depression with as much information as possible. This will lead to a more accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

4. Ask Questions

You’ve gotten through the hard part. You’ve taken the most important step and asked for help. Now the conversation should be flowing, and you should make sure to ask questions.

Take control of your health by asking the questions that are surely on your mind. Here are some example questions to ask your doctor:

• “Will I need medication to manage my depression?”
• “Could any underlying health issues be causing me to feel this way?”
• “When do you expect me to begin feeling better?”
• “What should I do in an emergency?”
• “When should I follow up with you?”

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Your mental health is just as important as any other aspect of your health, so it deserves the same amount of attention and care.

What to Expect Next

If your doctor diagnoses you with depression, there are a few treatment routes he may take. First, any underlying health problems will be treated. Then, depending on your type and severity of depression, the doctor may:

• Refer you to a psychiatrist, psychologist or therapist
• Prescribe medication
• Adjust current medications
• Link you with community resources

If you begin taking medication, it’s wise to follow up with a psychiatrist who specializes in mental health medications. That way, you’ll ensure you are taking the appropriate medication and receive care specialized to mental health. Make sure to continue your treatment, even if you’re feeling better.

Living With Depression

Your mental health is as important as your physical health. If you were diagnosed with a heart condition, you’d take medication and see specialists. Why treat depression any differently?

If something seems off, trust your gut and tell your doctor. If you’re still uncomfortable talking about it, bring someone you trust with you to the appointment. They can help explain how you’re feeling to the doctor or just serve as moral support for you.

Your life depends on the proper treatment and management of depression. Seek the help you need and keep faith that you’ll find an effective treatment option.

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