In today’s society and today’s media, it is heavily portrayed that to be considered pretty or beautiful or even just to feel happy, you have to look a particular way. You have to be appealing in our society's eyes to live life peacefully and happily. This unrealistic beauty ideal manifests feelings of insecurity and dysmorphia in many people, especially in adolescents and teenagers.
The internet has made it easy for people to access a plethora of information about different diets and weight-loss techniques, however, a large chunk of this information is inaccurate or false. Most of the fad diets that are popular online can be harmful to one's health. These fad diets have led to a trend of counting calories and cutting out important parts of one’s nutrition, which can not only lead to eating disorders but also to reduced cognitive function, fatigue and many such harmful issues.
Instead of prioritising your looks over your health and well-being, you should be focusing on your nutrition intake and simply just keeping your body healthy and functioning. Why do we feel this compulsive need to morph into society’s most desirable man or woman, instead of just being ourselves? Through the internet, we are inadvertently teaching young generations of teenagers and children that this is who they are expected to be, even at such a young age. 9% of the world’s population has gone through an eating disorder at some point in their lives, which is approximately 790 million people. 22% of children and adolescents have been found to have symptoms of an eating disorder.
Two different food items may have the same calorie count. For instance, a handful of almonds and gummy bears have about 200 calories each, however, gummy bears lead to weight gain while almonds do not. In general, nutrient-dense whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains are considered "good" calories. These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibre which are essential for good health. On the other hand, highly processed foods, sugary beverages and foods high in saturated and trans fats are considered "bad" calories. Simply counting the calories we intake does not help achieve a goal of a healthy body or weight loss.
Myth: "A simple calorie deficit is the only way to lose weight." The truth is that, in general, the very basics of weight loss do come down to reducing your calorie count and increasing your activity level. Everyone has a unique basal metabolic rate (BMR) that indicates the number of calories needed to perform basic functions. An individual’s BMR varies based on multiple factors including age, gender, height, and weight. Several factors can contribute to weight gain and loss, including genetics, hormones, sleep, stress, and medication use. For example, certain medications can cause weight gain as a side effect, and hormonal imbalances such as hypothyroidism can make it harder to lose weight.
If the body perceives it is being starved and does not have food to turn into energy, it enters "survival mode" that is, it continues to hoard fat, rather than burn it, in case more food is not coming.
Food is energy. Food is the main component we ingest for our bodies to be able to generate energy, the energy we need to perform everyday tasks, have fun, or even just survive. So depriving yourself of a proper nutritional diet will only be harmful in the long run, as with our busy and strenuous schedules, good food is the only thing that is keeping us going.
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