Lydia Treat Nutrition Newsletter #56

Another Ozempic (Semaglutide) Side-Effect, How to Handle "Bad" Emotions, Improve Your Health and Live Longer with One Simple Daily Change, and More

“It’s never healthy to not eat.”

― Dr. Janice Jin Hwang, the division chief of endocrinology and metabolism at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

A quotation that I think about a lot is, “Be the teacher you needed when you were younger.” In many ways, the work I do today with clients is fulfilling that sentiment.

You may or may not know that prior to becoming a dietitian, I modeled professionally for about five-ish years. (I still dabble.) During that time, I had my own journey of dieting and all the trials and tribulations that come with that pursuit. My motivation was to be successful as a model; and unfortunately, in that profession, the two are intimately correlated. The thinner I was, the more jobs I got.

After a couple months of professional dieting (I mean, modeling), I started to experience extreme bloating and digestive woes. At the time, I did not connect my restrictive eating habits with my digestive issues. Now, I know that what I was experiencing was gastroparesis (slow stomach emptying - hello, Ozempic!) and co-occurring constipation that were a direct result of prolonged food restriction. These symptoms occur in about 70% of those who restrict food below their daily needs.

Many of the symptoms my clients experience today, I have experienced myself, including the psychological side-effects of dieting. A successful clinician does not have to have gone through the same experiences as the people they work with, but I find the insight invaluable. I’ve also had clients tell me that they feel more seen when I self-disclose some of my own struggles.

However, where I felt lacking in my understanding was the motivation or “cause” of food restriction outside of professional success. I think it’s safe to say that most people’s incomes are not entirely dependent on them being a size 0. (However, I’m not naive to the fact that getting hired and job success can be influenced by appearance.)

It is not necessary to understand the “why” when dealing with disordered eating, but it can be helpful. And after doing my own research and working with clients, I have a better comprehension on why we (primarily women, but also men) diet.

There is a whole explanation related to consumer culture thriving off of female (and male) insecurities. But putting that influence aside for the moment, it’s safe to say that many people believe that changing their body will change their life in some meaningful way. For some people, this may absolutely be true. If you have diabetes, heart disease, or another condition that is the direct result of weight gain, then losing weight will improve your health and quality of life.

However, there is a large percentage of the population who are trying to manipulate their weight to below their biologically appropriate set-point in hopes that it will solve many of their problems. Dieting can seem like a way to gain control over aspects of our life that seem out of control.

The catch is that the more you diet, the more the diet controls you. Therein lies the “out of control” nature of an eating disorder. Oh, did I mention that the #1 predictor of developing an eating disorder is chronic dieting?

The root of this perceived solution is that we think our appearance determines or influences work success, general happiness, thriving friendships, intimate relationships, etc. If only we could fit into this pair of jeans, then I will be happy… the thinking goes.

When working with clients, I try to get to the real meaning behind, “I feel fat.” I ask my clients what they REALLY mean by “fat” or “I can’t fit into this pair of pants.” Some of the answers I’ve received include feeling unworthy, invisible, un-disciplined, undesirable, less than, etc. As if our body is the sole source of our identity and purpose. Fun fact: it’s not.

Oftentimes, we try to manipulate our body to process or mute various emotions that come up, instead of dealing with the source or cause of those feelings. With Summer coming up, we may start to compare our body to others. But just remember, changing your body won’t change your life. If anything, it may make it worse and less fulfilling.

Instead, try to focus on the things in life that will make a meaningful difference in your overall happiness, such as finding your purpose and pursuing that. As Dan Buettner has found in his research on the longest living people (see below), having a meaningful pursuit (hint: it’s not losing that last 5 lbs) can do more for your overall health and quality-of-life than dieting every will. Believe me. I’ve lived it.

Lydia

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