The American diet, although widely diverse, is often less than ideal. America is the leading nation in obesity and we are now at the first point in history in which a generation of parents are expected to live longer than their children will. Although there are a series of complex explanations as to how we got to this point, today I want to focus on the role that the diet industry has played. The media has been under series scrutiny lately, but the diet industry is and has always been “fake news.”
Many Americans struggle to lose weight, whether it be for their health or because they are trying to live up to the unrealistic expectations that they have been force fed through our culture and the media. Americans are overweight for a number of reasons; Americans eat bad food and the government encourages this (I recommend watching the documentary Fed Up if you want to learn more about the government’s role in what we consume,) Americans are less active than people in many other countries, and most related to my topic of discussion, our culture promotes immediacy. What do I mean by this? We love fast food because it saves us the time of shopping and cooking, we communicate via text message and expect a response within minutes, we love things that give us immediate gratification.
So what does this desire for immediacy have to do with the diet industry, and why do I call this industry “fake news?” The diet industry consists of programs, books, rules, quick fixes, miracle pills, drinks, and anything that promises to make you lose weight fast, often also promising that minimal work will be involved. The diet industry preys on people’s desires to save time and look thin and promises consumers immediate weight loss. Although I know that many people want to lose weight solely because they want to look thin (which is a problem for another time, but a serious problem nonetheless) many also care about their health. So shouldn’t an industry centered around weight loss be selling and promoting products that are good for the health of their consumers?
Yes, they should. However, many of us know this isn’t the case. Eating “healthy” does not require a program, a pill, or a miracle drink. Unless you have a preexisting condition that requires a special diet, eating healthy is easy enough that I can tell you all you need to know in one sentence. You ready? Eat real food. Yes, it really is that simple. Eat foods in which you can not only read but recognize all listed ingredients, and you’ll never have to count another calorie again. Let me say it again for the people in the back, IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT’S IN YOUR FOOD DON’T EAT IT. Our food in this country is horrible, and the diet industry wants to keep us in the dark about how simple it truly is to lead a healthy lifestyle. They want to fill our bodies with more chemicals and convince us that we need them in order to control our own bodies because that is how they profit. If Americans were to wake up and realize that all we need is to stop eating the shit food that we’ve become addicted to (yes, this is real, additives found in food are addictive) and be more active. Stop eating “sugar-free” “diet” foods. Eat foods that don’t need to have a “diet” version because they are made of whole ingredients already.
There is so much more to be said and done about the way Americans think about and eat food, but debunking an industry that has lied to its consumers is a great place to start. You don’t need more products to help you lose weight, you need less. If a program claims you can eat all the same foods and still lose weight, it’s bullshit. You might lose weight, but you’ll likely gain it all back and it will not improve your health. One important reminder: your outward appearance is not a reliable indicator of your inward health. We all have been given amazing bodies that are capable of so much, and worth so much more than an image. So, start caring for that body of yours, and stop reading “fake news.”
