In our diet-crazed culture, we have drifted so far from what it means to be healthy, and the consequences of this are directly impacting families and our future generations. Health has become distorted to mean something that is reflective of body size, eating less or being on some kind of diet.

But let’s be real here and call this out for what it really is - dieting disguised under the umbrella of “health” is a trap into lifetime destruction, set for the most vulnerable among us.

Negative Impact of Dieting

Research is clear on the negative impact of dieting, and there is a reason why the dieting industry profits multi-billion dollars per year. For too long now, we have believed the lies that thinness equates to health and that the size of our body somehow determines our worth and value as a human being.

As a result, we have suffered devastating consequences, including damaged relationships with food and body, years of precious time and moments sacrificed due to chronic dieting, and the development of disordered eating and eating disorders.

But it doesn’t stop there. Sadly, families and generations are being impacted by this pervasive diet culture, and children are growing up to believe the same lies that have been perpetuated for years.

Taking a Stand Against Diet Culture

Generations have been lost to dieting, but it doesn’t need to be this way. By taking a stand against diet culture, it can stop with us - the distorted beliefs about health, the lies that are pushed about how body size equals health, the moments that are lost when food and weight preoccupy your mind and mental space. It can all stop here and now.

Because as parents, as mothers, our children’s health and wellness start with us. It begins with the messages that we are communicating to them about their bodies and how they take care of themselves.

It starts with how we feel in our own bodies and how we take care of ourselves. Research studies have also found that mothers may serve as the primary models of body regard and eating practices for their children.

Raising Children To Have a Healthy Relationship With Food

So how we can we raise a generation of healthy eaters? How can we encourage and nurture our children to become confident in their own bodies and in their ability to eat intuitively according to what they need? How can we prevent our children from experiencing the distress that comes with chronic dieting, low-self esteem and body insecurity?

While we cannot escape diet culture, we can protect our children from falling into a vicious cycle of being at war with their bodies and food. It starts with mamas who are confident in their own bodies and how they feed themselves, enjoying a peaceful relationship with food that is both nourishing and pleasurable.

It begins with mothers who say a resounding no to diet culture and commit to living their most authentic selves, in body, mind and spirit.

Our children, these future generations, deserve nothing less than a life of abundance, unhindered by the limitations that dieting brings. It starts with us, mamas.

So take the time to honestly and compassionately examine your own relationship with food and body. Remember that we can only take our children as far as we’ve taken ourselves. If you find yourself struggling with a poor relationship with food and your body, know that there is hope for healing. The incessant thoughts of food and body image can end with you and not carry over to your children. Let's embody the habits we desire for them ourselves and together, build a generation of confident, capable children.