How to Stop Dieting and Quit Diet Culture for a Healthier Life

There can be advantages to dieting, like losing weight, managing diabetes, and preventing heart disease. However, limiting your food intake can have negative consequences as well. 

It can cause mood changes, extreme hunger, and overeating. And restrictive diets often only work in the short term — once you stop the diet, you’re likely to gain the weight back. 

Instead of dieting, some nutritionists recommend focusing on balanced eating habits instead. So if you want to live your best life and kick dieting to the curb, keep reading.

How to stop dieting for good

No matter what your weight goals are, these strategies can help you maintain a healthy relationship with food and promote good physical and mental health.

Balance your meals

Combine protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and vegetables for your main meals, recommends Danielle Crumble Smith, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian nutritionist. This ensures you eat a balanced diet. For snacks, include protein with fruit or vegetables.

“Doing this naturally fuels your body with what you need so that you won’t find yourself craving sweets,” Crumble Smith said.

Listen to your body

Learn your body’s cues for hunger and fullness instead of following diet rules. This is called intuitive eating. 

“Intuitive eating involves rejecting the diet mentality, honoring hunger, respecting fullness, and enjoying the pleasure of eating,” Crumble Smith said. 

Challenge dieting rules

“Let go of the idea that you need to be on a diet to be healthy or aesthetically pleasing,” Crumble Smith said. “If thoughts pop into your head that aren’t healthy, actively evaluate them and tell yourself the truth.”

You may also want to avoid diet-focused social media sites and publications.

Accept your body 

“Work toward accepting your body as it is and appreciating it for all that it has done for you,” Crumble Smith said. Identify things you like about yourself and acknowledge them. This is sometimes referred to as body neutrality.

Work with a dietitian 

A dietitian can guide you as you switch from a diet-based approach to a healthy, balanced relationship with food. They can help you create nutritious menus based on what your body needs.  

Consider a therapist, too

If you struggle with your relationship to food, you may want to work with a therapist who specializes in disordered eating, eating disorders, or body image issues. This directory from the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) can help you find someone to talk to. 

Reframe your health goals 

“Focus on behavioral changes like increasing physical activity, enhancing sleep quality, and managing stress, rather than achieving a certain weight,” Crumble Smith said. 

“This can be really helpful for reframing how you view yourself and can be a great way to boost confidence as you recognize the positive impacts that healthy changes can have on your quality of life,” she said. 

Practice mindful eating

Mindful eating is a way to enjoy food without judgment. Don’t label your food as good or bad. Instead, pay attention to what you’re eating and savor it, and choose foods that provide joy, satisfaction, and energy.

Build a support system

Surround yourself with friends, family, or online communities who focus on health and wellness over dieting and weight loss. 

Take your time

“Recognize that moving away from dieting is a process that involves unlearning many ingrained habits and beliefs,” Crumble Smith said. “Be patient with yourself as you make these adjustments.”

Why ditch the diet?

Diets are generally unsustainable and can foster disordered eating patterns and/or an unhealthy relationship with food,” Crumble Smith said. “They usually don’t actually teach you how to eat to maintain a healthy weight.”

Crumble Smith recommends ditching diets in favor of a nondiet approach to eating. 

“Learning how to listen to your body and fuel it with real food has a host of benefits that aid in long-term success, rather than cycling on and off various diets,” she said.

Negatives of diet culture

Diet culture promotes the idea that skinny bodies are better than other body types. People who get hooked into this idea often turn to disordered eating or eating disorders to lose weight. 

“Diet culture often promotes unrealistic beauty standards and an ideal body type,” Crumble Smith said. “This can lead to widespread body dissatisfaction and poor self-esteem among individuals who don’t meet these standards.”

Can dieting be bad for you?

Diets that restrict calories or entire food groups can negatively impact your health. They can cause:  

Nutrient deficiencies

Diets that limit certain food groups can lead to deficiencies in essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. 

“This can affect overall health and lead to problems like weakened bones, poor skin health, and compromised immune function,” Crumble Smith said. “If entire food groups aren’t eliminated, calorie restriction alone can also lead individuals to choose lower calorie, less nutrient-dense foods out of fear of gaining weight.” 

Disordered eating patterns

“Diets that involve strict rules about when and what to eat can lead to disordered eating behaviors, such as binge eating, emotional eating, and an unhealthy preoccupation with food and body weight,” Crumble Smith said.

Eating disorders

For some people, dieting might increase their risk for developing eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. This is even more of a risk if you try to lose weight by skipping meals or fasting. Plus, the pressure to diet to become skinny can lead to depression, anxiety, and body dissatisfaction.

Physical side effects

You could experience a wide range of physical symptoms due to restrictive dieting, such as:

• Fatigue

• Constipation

• Dehydration

• Poor sleep

• Increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes

• Weakened immune system 

• Hormone imbalances

Social and emotional isolation

“Dieting can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness due to avoiding social gatherings that involve food,” Crumble Smith said. “It can also strain relationships with friends and family who may feel rejected or unable to share food-based experiences.”

Tips for maintaining nutritious eating habits

As we mentioned above, it will take time to switch from dieting to a more balanced approach to your food. Crumble Smith gave these tips to get you started in maintaining nutritious eating habits:  

• Plan your meals ahead of time to ensure you have nutritious options on hand.

• Stock up on healthy snacks like fruits, nuts, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and shelled edamame.

• Store a variety of foods so you get a balance of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Plus, variety also helps prevent palate fatigue.

• Prepare meals at home so you can control ingredients, cooking methods, and cost.

• Watch portion sizes to avoid overeating. Using smaller plates can help you manage portions without making you feel deprived.

• Take time to chew your food thoroughly and eat more slowly to help improve digestion and give your brain time to recognize when you are full.

• Drink water throughout the day to help manage hunger and boost metabolism.

• Limit processed foods, which often lack fiber and contain higher levels of sugars, unhealthy fats, and additives. Focus on whole, minimally processed foods.

• Eat protein with every meal. Protein can help you feel fuller longer, stabilize blood sugar levels, and maintain muscle mass.

• Create a positive atmosphere around eating by sharing meals with others and focusing on the enjoyment of eating. “Eating shouldn’t be stressful or a chore,” Crumble Smith said.

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Written by:

Ana Gascon

Ana Gascon has over 15 years of writing and editing experience, with 8 years in health and medical content work. She is a versatile health and medical content creator who writes about acute conditions, chronic diseases, mental health challenges, and health equity.

Edited by:

Renée Fabian, MA

Renée Fabian is the senior pet health editor at GoodRx. She’s worked for nearly 10 years as a journalist and editor across a wide range of health and well-being topics.

Reviewed by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician in a variety of clinical settings. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

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