Smash the Wellness Industry

[ESF]

This is a great read.

www.nytimes.com/2019/06/08/opinion/sunday/women-dieting-wellness.html

An excerpt :


The diet industry is a virus, and viruses are smart. It has survived all these decades by adapting, but it’s as dangerous as ever. In 2019, dieting presents itself as wellness and clean eating, duping modern feminists to participate under the guise of health. Wellness influencers attract sponsorships and hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram by tying before and after selfies to inspiring narratives. Go from sluggish to vibrant, insecure to confident, foggy-brained to cleareyed. But when you have to deprive, punish and isolate yourself to look “good,” it is impossible to feel good. I was my sickest and loneliest when I appeared my healthiest.

[pugz]

fantastic article! I'm glad intuitive eating is getting more press. I've been in therapy at an eating disorder clinic since January working with a therapist and dietician and learning about intuitive eating and it has been so life changing for me. And now that I am aware of diet culture I see it EVERYWHERE. I had no idea how pervasive and harmful it was. And how may lies we are being told

[ESF]

Jun 9, 2019 12:10:21 GMT -5 pugz said:

fantastic article! I'm glad intuitive eating is getting more press. I've been in therapy at an eating disorder clinic since January working with a therapist and dietician and learning about intuitive eating and it has been so life changing for me. And now that I am aware of diet culture I see it EVERYWHERE. I had no idea how pervasive and harmful it was. And how may lies we are being told

I’m glad you have found good help.

I will admit that I’m disturbed by how “intuitive eating” is now being marketed as a diet and will probably be bastardized and used to shame people. But it’s also something I want to read more about because it sounds like a very helpful philosophy.

[pugz]

Jun 9, 2019 12:48:09 GMT -5 ESF said:

Jun 9, 2019 12:10:21 GMT -5 pugz said:

fantastic article! I'm glad intuitive eating is getting more press. I've been in therapy at an eating disorder clinic since January working with a therapist and dietician and learning about intuitive eating and it has been so life changing for me. And now that I am aware of diet culture I see it EVERYWHERE. I had no idea how pervasive and harmful it was. And how may lies we are being told

I’m glad you have found good help.

I will admit that I’m disturbed by how “intuitive eating” is now being marketed as a diet and will probably be bastardized and used to shame people. But it’s also something I want to read more about because it sounds like a very helpful philosophy.

yeah there are people definitely trying to hijack it, but it's pretty obvious what's the real deal and what is not. If it talks about intentional weightloss, it's not IE. 

[fumbalina]

I feel like it is more than just the diet portion of the wellness industry that can cause a great deal of harm. Food and body image are huge problems, but there are more. I know most times I have seen a doctor the first thing I hear about is how a drug or side effect might affect my weight. It is something that should be notated, but the fact that something might cause heart palpitations, breathing issues, cause you to break out in a rash seem far more important to me.

The push for wellness programs through the workplace is another issue that I think causes a big divided between the haves and have nots in regards to health. There are usually recipes recommended, that are often culturally inappropriate, have ingredients that are common allergens, or focus on those who have the time and energy to shop every few days. The bigger concern I have with them is that they focus on exercise in ways that leave out those who are differently abled. My workplace has contests that count the number of steps that you take and then offer prizes based on this. This means that those who do not have the ability or time to spend hours on exercise end up getting left out. And of course, every event has tons of signs saying "research shows that workplace health initiatives create a happier work environment." I suspect that they say that because people who do not fit the mold end up leaving quickly because they do not feel invited to participate in work events, or even completely accepted.

I am a reasonably able-bodied adult who has few food concerns but I do notice the issues with all of these things and they annoy me.

[MrsAxilla]

“I no longer define food as whole or clean or sinful or a cheat. It has no moral value.“ ❤️❤️❤️

[yentl]

I love this. It's so true.

It reminds me of how much self care is being commercialized. I noticed it when I first followed a mindfulness author on twitter and every other post of his were promotions for his book. It's crazy to me how the simple idea of taking care of yourself has been so easily co-opted into fancy water bottles and face masks.

[ESF]

Jun 9, 2019 14:00:25 GMT -5 fumbalina said:

I feel like it is more than just the diet portion of the wellness industry that can cause a great deal of harm. Food and body image are huge problems, but there are more. I know most times I have seen a doctor the first thing I hear about is how a drug or side effect might affect my weight. It is something that should be notated, but the fact that something might cause heart palpitations, breathing issues, cause you to break out in a rash seem far more important to me.

The push for wellness programs through the workplace is another issue that I think causes a big divided between the haves and have nots in regards to health. There are usually recipes recommended, that are often culturally inappropriate, have ingredients that are common allergens, or focus on those who have the time and energy to shop every few days. The bigger concern I have with them is that they focus on exercise in ways that leave out those who are differently abled. My workplace has contests that count the number of steps that you take and then offer prizes based on this. This means that those who do not have the ability or time to spend hours on exercise end up getting left out. And of course, every event has tons of signs saying "research shows that workplace health initiatives create a happier work environment." I suspect that they say that because people who do not fit the mold end up leaving quickly because they do not feel invited to participate in work events, or even completely accepted.

I am a reasonably able-bodied adult who has few food concerns but I do notice the issues with all of these things and they annoy me.

This reminds me of another thing that drives me crazy, and it's the way that the wellness industry sells judgment about exercise. I'm so fucking tired of hearing that cardio is both the only thing that really works or doesn't really make a difference because weight loss is about dieting not exercise. I'm tired of "well it's good you do yoga, but to lose weight, you really need to get your heart rate up." It's one thing if someone is asking for suggestions on how to get more out of the gym, but rarely are these generic pieces of advice actually all that helpful. It's exhausting to see that kind of messaging just everywhere when you aren't seeking it out.

If someone enjoys yoga and it makes them feel good about their bodies and more in tune with their dietary needs, then it's a helpful part of a "diet" even if some chart you saw on pinterest shows that you burn more calories running.

Like eating what is appropriate for you, exercise really should be about what feels good and appropriate for your body.

[rubytue]

This was tweeted by my favorite twitter oncologist last weekend, it seems fitting here. Food shaming needs to end.

Attachments:

[pugz]

Jun 9, 2019 14:36:35 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

“I no longer define food as whole or clean or sinful or a cheat. It has no moral value.“ ❤️❤️❤️

this is SO important! And hard to internalize after all these years!

[pugz]

Jun 9, 2019 15:19:56 GMT -5 ESF said:

Jun 9, 2019 14:00:25 GMT -5 fumbalina said:

I feel like it is more than just the diet portion of the wellness industry that can cause a great deal of harm. Food and body image are huge problems, but there are more. I know most times I have seen a doctor the first thing I hear about is how a drug or side effect might affect my weight. It is something that should be notated, but the fact that something might cause heart palpitations, breathing issues, cause you to break out in a rash seem far more important to me.

The push for wellness programs through the workplace is another issue that I think causes a big divided between the haves and have nots in regards to health. There are usually recipes recommended, that are often culturally inappropriate, have ingredients that are common allergens, or focus on those who have the time and energy to shop every few days. The bigger concern I have with them is that they focus on exercise in ways that leave out those who are differently abled. My workplace has contests that count the number of steps that you take and then offer prizes based on this. This means that those who do not have the ability or time to spend hours on exercise end up getting left out. And of course, every event has tons of signs saying "research shows that workplace health initiatives create a happier work environment." I suspect that they say that because people who do not fit the mold end up leaving quickly because they do not feel invited to participate in work events, or even completely accepted.

I am a reasonably able-bodied adult who has few food concerns but I do notice the issues with all of these things and they annoy me.

This reminds me of another thing that drives me crazy, and it's the way that the wellness industry sells judgment about exercise. I'm so fucking tired of hearing that cardio is both the only thing that really works or doesn't really make a difference because weight loss is about dieting not exercise. I'm tired of "well it's good you do yoga, but to lose weight, you really need to get your heart rate up." It's one thing if someone is asking for suggestions on how to get more out of the gym, but rarely are these generic pieces of advice actually all that helpful. It's exhausting to see that kind of messaging just everywhere when you aren't seeking it out.

If someone enjoys yoga and it makes them feel good about their bodies and more in tune with their dietary needs, then it's a helpful part of a "diet" even if some chart you saw on pinterest shows that you burn more calories running.

Like eating what is appropriate for you, exercise really should be about what feels good and appropriate for your body.

yes! I still haven't find the kind of movement that I enjoy (they say movement instead of exercise in therapy, lol).  Mostly because I get sweaty easily and hate being sweaty.  

[pugz]

I was just listening to a podcast about how bad all the popular diets are for people with PCOS (keto, weight watchers, low cal). Even WW own studies only show that 20% of participants keep off the weight after 2 years. And many gain back MORE than they lost in that time. For other diets the stats are even worse, more like 5% success at 2 years.

[rubytue]

Jun 9, 2019 15:37:04 GMT -5 pugz said:

Jun 9, 2019 15:19:56 GMT -5 ESF said:

This reminds me of another thing that drives me crazy, and it's the way that the wellness industry sells judgment about exercise. I'm so fucking tired of hearing that cardio is both the only thing that really works or doesn't really make a difference because weight loss is about dieting not exercise. I'm tired of "well it's good you do yoga, but to lose weight, you really need to get your heart rate up." It's one thing if someone is asking for suggestions on how to get more out of the gym, but rarely are these generic pieces of advice actually all that helpful. It's exhausting to see that kind of messaging just everywhere when you aren't seeking it out.

If someone enjoys yoga and it makes them feel good about their bodies and more in tune with their dietary needs, then it's a helpful part of a "diet" even if some chart you saw on pinterest shows that you burn more calories running.

Like eating what is appropriate for you, exercise really should be about what feels good and appropriate for your body.

yes! I still haven't find the kind of movement that I enjoy (they say movement instead of exercise in therapy, lol).  Mostly because I get sweaty easily and hate being sweaty.  

I started swimming last summer for this exact reason. I hate sweating! 

[ESF]

Jun 9, 2019 15:37:04 GMT -5 pugz said:

Jun 9, 2019 15:19:56 GMT -5 ESF said:

This reminds me of another thing that drives me crazy, and it's the way that the wellness industry sells judgment about exercise. I'm so fucking tired of hearing that cardio is both the only thing that really works or doesn't really make a difference because weight loss is about dieting not exercise. I'm tired of "well it's good you do yoga, but to lose weight, you really need to get your heart rate up." It's one thing if someone is asking for suggestions on how to get more out of the gym, but rarely are these generic pieces of advice actually all that helpful. It's exhausting to see that kind of messaging just everywhere when you aren't seeking it out.

If someone enjoys yoga and it makes them feel good about their bodies and more in tune with their dietary needs, then it's a helpful part of a "diet" even if some chart you saw on pinterest shows that you burn more calories running.

Like eating what is appropriate for you, exercise really should be about what feels good and appropriate for your body.

yes! I still haven't find the kind of movement that I enjoy (they say movement instead of exercise in therapy, lol).  Mostly because I get sweaty easily and hate being sweaty.  

I like the word movement! I think it is more inclusive and less loaded. Exercise is so tied up with dieting and having the end goal of weight loss that I think it contributes to self-loathing. I know for me personally, there is nothing that makes me hate myself more than trudging away on an elliptical for an obligatory 30-60 minutes. 

Finding things you like to do is so overwhelming, and so much of the fitness industry is not set up for all bodies. I found one plus size yoga class at some local studio here, and I wish there was more stuff like that. 
 

[pugz]

Jun 9, 2019 15:42:45 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Jun 9, 2019 15:37:04 GMT -5 pugz said:

yes! I still haven't find the kind of movement that I enjoy (they say movement instead of exercise in therapy, lol).  Mostly because I get sweaty easily and hate being sweaty.  

I started swimming last summer for this exact reason. I hate sweating! 

I am a horrible swimmer 😭 but i may try water aerobics with the old folks

[joenali]

Jun 9, 2019 16:19:47 GMT -5 ESF said:

Jun 9, 2019 15:37:04 GMT -5 pugz said:

yes! I still haven't find the kind of movement that I enjoy (they say movement instead of exercise in therapy, lol).  Mostly because I get sweaty easily and hate being sweaty.  

I like the word movement! I think it is more inclusive and less loaded. Exercise is so tied up with dieting and having the end goal of weight loss that I think it contributes to self-loathing. I know for me personally, there is nothing that makes me hate myself more than trudging away on an elliptical for an obligatory 30-60 minutes. 

Finding things you like to do is so overwhelming, and so much of the fitness industry is not set up for all bodies. I found one plus size yoga class at some local studio here, and I wish there was more stuff like that. 
 

I like the idea of movement as well.

I was severely anemic about 5 months ago. I still wanted to workout and knew I couldn’t like I was used to I told myself I’m there to move. All movement is good. My moving might look different than someone else’s, etc.

[AndyCohen]

Jun 9, 2019 16:19:47 GMT -5 ESF said:

Jun 9, 2019 15:37:04 GMT -5 pugz said:

yes! I still haven't find the kind of movement that I enjoy (they say movement instead of exercise in therapy, lol).  Mostly because I get sweaty easily and hate being sweaty.  

I like the word movement! I think it is more inclusive and less loaded. Exercise is so tied up with dieting and having the end goal of weight loss that I think it contributes to self-loathing. I know for me personally, there is nothing that makes me hate myself more than trudging away on an elliptical for an obligatory 30-60 minutes. 

Finding things you like to do is so overwhelming, and so much of the fitness industry is not set up for all bodies. I found one plus size yoga class at some local studio here, and I wish there was more stuff like that. 
 

I got into spinning this year since my gym has a Peloton and I am just viewing it as something good for my heart and am not expecting or trying for any weight loss. It’s really helped take the pressure off. I have not lost weight, but my endurance is better and that makes me feel so good.

[Deleted]

Jun 9, 2019 16:31:26 GMT -5 pugz said:

Jun 9, 2019 15:42:45 GMT -5 rubytue said:

I started swimming last summer for this exact reason. I hate sweating! 

I am a horrible swimmer 😭 but i may try water aerobics with the old folks

I did water aerobics in law school for a while because I fell down some stairs and destroyed my foot. It was fun! I then got really into lap swimming. Some day I’d like to get back to swimming laps, but I just don’t have time right now.

[raangoli]

Jun 9, 2019 16:53:40 GMT -5 AndyCohen said:

Jun 9, 2019 16:19:47 GMT -5 ESF said:

I like the word movement! I think it is more inclusive and less loaded. Exercise is so tied up with dieting and having the end goal of weight loss that I think it contributes to self-loathing. I know for me personally, there is nothing that makes me hate myself more than trudging away on an elliptical for an obligatory 30-60 minutes. 

Finding things you like to do is so overwhelming, and so much of the fitness industry is not set up for all bodies. I found one plus size yoga class at some local studio here, and I wish there was more stuff like that. 
 

I got into spinning this year since my gym has a Peloton and I am just viewing it as something good for my heart and am not expecting or trying for any weight loss. It’s really helped take the pressure off. I have not lost weight, but my endurance is better and that makes me feel so good.

This is why I work out. It makes me feel good and if I lose weight, great. I like feeling strong. But it took me a looooong time to come to terms with that.

[rubytue]

Jun 9, 2019 16:31:26 GMT -5 pugz said:

Jun 9, 2019 15:42:45 GMT -5 rubytue said:

I started swimming last summer for this exact reason. I hate sweating! 

I am a horrible swimmer 😭 but i may try water aerobics with the old folks

I was too! I took 3 months of lessons (June-August) before moving on to semi-private coaching (Sept-April). I’d still be doing it, but I’m not allowed in pools for 8 weeks bc of surgeries  

[mskitkat]

Yes! I am on a very strict non-dairy diet for medical reasons. I’ve definitely noticed I binge on the treats I can have (Oreos, vegan cookies) to make up for feeling so restricted in my day-to-day eating. I am FULLY intending on binging on as much pizza and Brie as I can get my hands on when I’m off this diet.

My exercise is restricted to swimming due to my bad hips. I still hate it, but the more I do it, the less bad it is.

[bears]

Jun 9, 2019 15:37:04 GMT -5 pugz said:

Jun 9, 2019 15:19:56 GMT -5 ESF said:

This reminds me of another thing that drives me crazy, and it's the way that the wellness industry sells judgment about exercise. I'm so fucking tired of hearing that cardio is both the only thing that really works or doesn't really make a difference because weight loss is about dieting not exercise. I'm tired of "well it's good you do yoga, but to lose weight, you really need to get your heart rate up." It's one thing if someone is asking for suggestions on how to get more out of the gym, but rarely are these generic pieces of advice actually all that helpful. It's exhausting to see that kind of messaging just everywhere when you aren't seeking it out.

If someone enjoys yoga and it makes them feel good about their bodies and more in tune with their dietary needs, then it's a helpful part of a "diet" even if some chart you saw on pinterest shows that you burn more calories running.

Like eating what is appropriate for you, exercise really should be about what feels good and appropriate for your body.

yes! I still haven't find the kind of movement that I enjoy (they say movement instead of exercise in therapy, lol).  Mostly because I get sweaty easily and hate being sweaty.  

I hate being sweaty so much. I live in North Carolina, so it's an inevitability that I'll get sweaty a lot... But there's so much embarrassment and shame in my mind associated with being a sweater.

[humpforfree]

Jun 9, 2019 16:31:26 GMT -5 pugz said:

Jun 9, 2019 15:42:45 GMT -5 rubytue said:

I started swimming last summer for this exact reason. I hate sweating! 

I am a horrible swimmer 😭 but i may try water aerobics with the old folks

My gym has lanes for water walking!! I can swim, but am not super strong and do not have a lot of endurance for it.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Jun 9, 2019 16:56:14 GMT -5 @angryharpy said:

Jun 9, 2019 16:31:26 GMT -5 pugz said:

I am a horrible swimmer 😭 but i may try water aerobics with the old folks

I did water aerobics in law school for a while because I fell down some stairs and destroyed my foot. It was fun! I then got really into lap swimming. Some day I’d like to get back to swimming laps, but I just don’t have time right now.

The community pool in my town has a lazy river and they have a morning workout class that's basically just swimming or walking against the current for like an hour.

I'm SO tempted. A woman in my book club did it when she was pregnant last summer and said it was amazing.

[sillygoosegirl]

I just joined one of these workplace/health plan sponsored programs, and it started today. I already hate it. It counts exercise in "steps", but I hardly got any "steps" for the hour I spent outside working my ass off doing landscaping and heavy weeding (the horrible weeds you have to dig out long tap roots with the full-sized shovel). I think I worked hard and I don't think I should feel guilty about not wanting to go out any do more exercise tonight just for exercise, but of course now I do.

I wanted to join up because I feel like I'm starving myself and exercising, and still gaining weight. And I can tell already that this whole tracking meals thing is going to lead to even more starving of myself because I don't want to write shit down. What's worse is the meal tracking in this program is totally no discreet, it's just "vaguly describe what you ate" and then describe it as "large, medium, or small" and 1-3 stars of "healthy". So if I'm gaining weight because I'm overeating without realizing it, it's not going to help me spot that. It seems to be 100% about making me feel guilty about eating. After all, there's no universally accepted idea of what a healthy diet is. I felt like I did eat a healthy diet until doing the AIP diet for a month last year after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. (AIP is like Whole 30 on steroids and with more restrictions. The diet didn't do shit for me, except make me second guess whether or not I should eat... well... food.) It's... hard to see this making a positive change to my relationship with food.

[sillygoosegirl]

@@@

Jun 9, 2019 19:03:47 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Jun 9, 2019 16:56:14 GMT -5 @angryharpy said:

I did water aerobics in law school for a while because I fell down some stairs and destroyed my foot. It was fun! I then got really into lap swimming. Some day I’d like to get back to swimming laps, but I just don’t have time right now.

The community pool in my town has a lazy river and they have a morning workout class that's basically just swimming or walking against the current for like an hour.

I'm SO tempted. A woman in my book club did it when she was pregnant last summer and said it was amazing.

Being in the water is amazing when pregnant. Practically the only times I wasn't in pain during my 3rd trimester was when I was in the water.

[raangoli]

A reminder to watch the @ mentions, I don’t want anyone to be caught off guard in a thread about wellness trends.

[winecat]

I have so many feelings about this. PDQ.

I definitely don't have a healthy relationship with food. It makes me sad because I love it so and it's my profession. I went on my first diet at 10. I've tried my best not to "diet" anymore but then I saw pictures of myself and that went out the window when I thought I was going to be on a TV show. It's a big reason why I don't try to date. It's all sorts of messed up.

Daily I have people tell me that they're going to be "bad" and get a cupcake. Or people who have made gluten evil. Someone said something to me about gluten; calling it unnatural. I said "It's a protein." They were shocked.

The role socioeconomic status plays in these borrowed problems drives me nuts too. When you're food insecure you're not worried about any of this nonsense.

[goldengirlz]

The other thing about the fitness industry is that it’s really easy to be intimidated if you don’t already look the part. Most places around here even sell the high-end gear in the lobby (in tiny sizes, natch). Obviously the employees and class instructors are all fit and beautiful as is most of the clientele. And at $30-40/class ... well, the article is right that they’re selling an image to people who are able to afford it.

That said ... while I recognize how insidious the diet and fitness industries are and how damaging they are to us as women, I still wonder if I’ll ever stop wanting to be thin. Like I may indeed get to the point of “self-love” because aging and hypothyroidism have forced me to accept “this is it. This is your body now.” But “self love” is still about accepting myself flaws and all without getting past the idea that if you’re not skinny and toned that’s a “flaw” you need to “accept.”

[pugz]

it's okay not to love your body, what is important is respecting it. When you respect it you can treat yourself with compassion! Many people never get to the point of loving their body, it's a huge challenge. I don't really love mine but I respect what it has done and is capable of doing, and I know that my value has nothing to do with my body.