Theme: celebrating body acceptance and self love.

International No Diet Day was created by Mary Evans Young, director of the British group “Diet Breakers” in 1992. After personally experiencing anorexia, she worked to help people appreciate themselves for what they are, and to appreciate the body they have.
It is an annual celebration of body acceptance and diversity. International No Diet Day on May 6 is also dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle and raising awareness about society’s unhealthy obsession with diets, weight loss, and body shaming. It is a reminder that all bodies are different sizes and shapes, but equally valuable. Let’s break down negative beauty standards together.

For so many people, and especially women, unattainable body standards and pressure have prompted eating disorders, low self-esteem, bullying, and unhealthily restrictive diets. The symbol of No Diet Day is a blue ribbon.

GOALS TO THE INDD:

• Celebrate the beauty and diversity of ALL our natural sizes & shapes.
• Declare a personal one-day moratorium on diet/weight obsession.
• Learn the facts about weight-loss dieting, health, and body size.
• Recognize how dieting perpetuates violence against women.
• Honor the victims of eating disorders and weight-loss surgery
• Help end weight discrimination, sizism and fatphobia.

HOW TO CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL NO DIET DAY

• Take a break from dieting and enjoy some of your favorite dishes that you normally wouldn’t eat. From pizza to ice cream, don’t be afraid to indulge.
• Post your food (and show self-love)
• Spend the day at the spa being pampered with a massage, facial, or manicure and pedicure. Not only will you feel relaxed and refreshed, you will also feel confident in your body.
• Invite your friends and family over where everyone brings their favorite dish. Enjoy a night of good food and company with no worries about calorie counting.
• Do not cook at home rather go out to that restaurant you’ve been wanting to try. Order whatever you please without worrying about calories or fat content.
• Browse on how to cook new meals or sign up for a cooking class to learn how to make delicious, healthy meals without sacrificing flavor. You’ll be able to create balanced meals that don’t require restrictive dieting.
• Appreciate your body, as it is even though you promised you’d lose 15 pounds before you put on that adorable sundress, wearing it out and celebrating your form as you are will make a positive impact on you and others. Confidence is a practice and this is a great day to start. Remember, self-love is all mental and not physical, so today start removing thoughts that you’re too fat or aren’t good enough and start appreciating yourself as you are.

MYTHS ABOUT DIETING

• Avoid eggs: Contrary to what some diets preach, eggs don’t confer unhealthy cholesterol. They are safe and healthy to eat as they don’t typically raise the level of cholesterol in the body. Truth is, studies have shown that they don’t hurt heart health and are very nutritious!
• Skipping Breakfast: Studies show that breakfast skippers are more likely to be overweight than those who don’t skip the first meal. It’s also a myth that breakfast boosts metabolism.
• Supplements, a solution to all health problem: Though many desperate dieters turn to supplements to shed the pounds, they may be throwing their money down the drain. Very few actually work, which can be frustrating and expensive. Even the best ones can only help you lose a small amount of weight.

WHY INTERNATIONAL NO DIET DAY is important

• We appreciate International No Diet Day for its body positivity and self-acceptance, but we also sure do appreciate some good meals
• It lets us focus on other things. Focusing on constantly limiting and shaming yourself in the name of a diet steals focus from things that are proven to improve your life far more than being skinnier ever will.
• It teaches self-love and acceptance. INDD reminds us that that’s okay. There is beauty in every size and shape.

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