As a Gen-Z college student, I grew up with the toxic diet trends of the early 2000s. Miracle protein shakes, drugstore diet pills, and zero-carb diets were everywhere. When the body positivity movement gained momentum in the late 2010s, it was refreshing to see a shift toward health and well-being over physical beauty standards. But lately, thanks to celebrity and internet culture, there has been a troubling return to those old, harmful habits.
This made me wonder: why is living a genuinely healthy lifestyle not as popular as it should be for young adults?
Let us begin with celebrity culture and the Ozempic craze. Ozempic, a pharmaceutical drug meant for diabetics, has been widely endorsed and promoted by celebrities. Much like the weight loss drugs of the early 2000s pushed by the elite, Ozempic quickly became a Hollywood must-have. So, the public has followed suit, assuming that being skinny is back in style because celebrities are using Ozempic to slim down.
Ozempic is often advertised as a quick-fix weight loss drug. As a result, those who can not access the drug for its intended purpose, particularly Gen-Z, have turned to restrictive diets. This has fueled the rise of pro-anorexia content online, echoing the toxic 2014 eating disorder Tumblr era. This era glorifies thigh gaps, cigarettes instead of meals, and the now-resurrected hashtag #thinspo.
What is even more alarming is how mainstream these restrictive eating trends have become. Although platforms such as TikTok have banned hashtags promoting eating disorders, harmful content disguises itself as mainstream trends. For example, “What I Eat in a Day” videos, originally meant to showcase balanced diets, are now promoting restrictive eating guides.
With the fall semester now in full swing, how can we steer clear of toxic diet culture while still living a healthy lifestyle? In this article, licensed dietitian Lena Bakovic from Top Nutrition Coaching shares five essential tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle this semester without falling into the trap of restrictive eating fads.
1. Consider Intuitive Eating
“Intuitive eating can help you to lean in to your hunger and fullness cues, so that your body becomes your guide in helping recognize when you’ve had enough to eat, and also when you have not had enough food.
Intuitive eating may involve scaling- as an example, on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is starving/no energy/weak and 10 is extremely stuffed/nauseous, you can scale yourself before and after each meal to help with getting a sense of you’re at, and tune in closer to your body’s needs. What this will help with eventually is portion control, moderation, and fueling your body properly to help optimize metabolism and functional status.
We work so hard in our day to day lives, and during college especially! So, it is important to sometimes disengage from certain “rules” we may have for ourselves which can sometimes feel stressful, and instead follow our own intuitions and cues.”
-Dietician Lena Bakovic
As Bakovic advises, listen to your body’s needs! When you are hungry, eat. Aim for balanced meals that provide the energy you need with fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein. As you embark on your journey toward healthy habits this fall, prioritize wellness over fitting into beauty standards.
2. Practice Mindful Eating
“Follow your hunger and fullness cues with the aim of preventing under or over-eating. This practice is wonderful because it encourages having a healthy relationship with food.
Examples of mindful eating practices include: avoiding distractions while eating, such as television or cell phones, and taking small bites of food to help savor the smells, tastes, and textures of each bite.
There is some research supporting that mindful eating can help to ease the stress surrounding mealtimes, and help with the many food decisions we make each and every day.”
-Dietician Lena Bakovic
Food does not just have to be fuel! Eating should be an enjoyable and satisfying experience, so let it be! Stay in tune with your body and mind by practicing mindful eating habits during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
3. Try Meditation
“Meditation is a process that takes a little bit of time to develop before it becomes a daily habit, but it’s definitely worth it.
The premise of meditation is training one’s mind to focus and/or redirect negative or intrusive thoughts, or actually any thoughts at all except for breath and/or breathing. It helps with staying grounded, living in the present moment, reducing stress levels, increasing concentration, promoting healthy sleep habits, and can also can improve your mood.
A great place to start is what is called a guided meditation, and it only takes a few minutes! There are many great 5- or 10-minute guided meditation videos on YouTube that are definitely worth checking out.”
-Dietician Lena Bakovic
When developing healthy habits this fall, remember that true wellness includes both physical and mental well-being. Especially in college, your mind needs to be in sync with your body to function effectively. Meditation is a process, and you might not succeed in clearing all of your negative thoughts or emotions the first time. However, you will immediately feel better simply by taking the time to connect with your mind and body. I recommend incorporating meditation into your morning or night routine.
4. Avoid Fad Diets
“There are SO many fad diets out there that it can be very difficult to discern truth from reality! They are especially prevalent on social media platforms.
Any diet or individual promoting or promising quick results should be taken with a grain of salt. In actuality, there are no quick fixes. A diet which promotes the elimination of an entire food group is one easy way to tell if the diet is a fad diet.
When we eliminate an entire food group (such as dairy products/dairy alternatives), we risk developing nutrient deficiencies and messing up our metabolism.”
-Dietician Lena Bakovic
What I hate most about the return of toxic diet trends is their obsession with ‘results.’ As a college student, I need my body to sustain energy through a long work and school day. Fad diets promote unrealistic expectations for how your body should look. Instead, focus on strength, not trendy, unrealistic aesthetics.
5. Try Not to Put a Label on Certain Foods
“You may believe that certain foods are “bad”, whilst other foods are perceived as “good’. In actuality, food is food! It’s about navigating around those kinds of thought patterns, and considering that all foods can fit into a healthy diet and lifestyle.
It is worth it to try to think of food in that way: there are no “good” or “bad” foods, just some foods which hold more nutritional value than others.
The 80/20 rule works quite well with this thought process- it’s what we do 80% of the time that counts. It is also important to allow yourself emotional permission to be free from feeling like you are “cheating” if you are not eating a “healthy” or “good” food.”
-Dietician Lena Bakovic
By not labeling any foods as ‘bad,’ you can avoid restricting yourself. And remember, you do not have to earn a treat or a meal – your body needs food to function! Eating is a wonderful experience, so focus on a balanced diet that satisfies you.
And Remember…
As you prepare for this upcoming semester, do not be too hard on yourself. Unlearning harmful diet trends is challenging, especially for Gen-Z, who has grown up with them and is now facing trends like the current Ozempic craze.
However, it is not impossible. It takes time to start seeing food as something that nourishes and fuels you, rather than something to label with calories or fats. The truth is that we need fats, carbs, and calories to live and stay energized. So, prioritize yourself this fall – you owe it to yourself for working so hard in college!
*If you or anyone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please reach out to the National Alliance for Eating Disorders (The Alliance) at 866-662-1235. It is never too late or too early to receive support.
