Diet Culture and Christmas Adverts

In the UK, our TV is famous for our Christmas adverts.⠀
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John Lewis, McDonalds, Aldi, Asda, Very.⠀
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Advertising companies pull out all the stops to make the Christmas adverts the biggest, most emotional, and the most spectacular.⠀
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The Tesco Christmas ad got me feeling funny though, to be honest.⠀
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“There is no naughty list, so tuck in!”⠀
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Basically, the advert says that because 2020 has been such a pants year for everyone, you are allowed to and deserve to eat everything you want for Christmas. ⠀
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Fair do’s. I will eat what I want anyway because food is yummy, thanks.⠀
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Turkey, roast potatoes, Lebkuchen. Yummy yummy in my tummy.⠀
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I still call bullshit, though.
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If you scroll on Instagram you can already see posts from “fitspo’s” and personal trainers on how to have a “guilt-free” Christmas and how to portion your Christmas pudding. ⠀

The newspapers and magazines now have articles on how to diet this Christmas, how to “burn off” those excess calories, and how to, “earn” your mince pie by doing 100 burpees while saying, “Forgive me Father for I have sinned by putting sugary pastry in my mouth.”
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Come January, your TV and your social media will be full of adverts of how to “lose the lockdown weight”, “detox”, or shift those stubborn pounds because you were naughty for overeating over Christmas, weren’t you?⠀
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January is bad enough most years for pushing detoxes, diets, and gym memberships without the extra burden many people feel by their bodies changing because of all the stress of this year.
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Why am I ranting about this?⠀
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First, because it pisses me off.⠀
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I had an eating disorder as a teenager and it took me many years to learn to love my body and have a happy relationship with food where I wasn’t obsessing over it. ⠀

I used to devour the magazines looking for diet tips to trick myself not to eat or not to put the cookie in my mouth. I would beat myself up for, “failing” when my hunger took over or for comfort eating when I was stressed,
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Second, because I know how common this is for so many womxn, and men too. ⠀

Eating disorders are on the rise, largely thanks to social media, photoshop, and impossible beauty standarsds.⠀

Third, because that worrying about your body and your body image has a direct impact on your ability to have enjoyable sex and intimacy. ⠀

You can’t let go and feel all of the pleasure if you’re worried about how your bum or belly looks, or if you can’t bear to be seen naked.
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And I know that when you really learn to adore and celebrate your body just as it is, right now, not trying to change it in any way, not only do you gain sexual confidence but you gain confidence in every area of your life.⠀
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You stand taller⠀
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You sashay rather than walk⠀
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You strip off without feeling ashamed or embarrassed⠀

Before I finish, I am not against fitness or good nutrition. I love exercise to build strength and resilience, to feel happier, to release stress, and to feel good. I love to eat food that I know nourishes me.

What I do stand against, though, are diets and diet culture that tells you that your body isn’t good enough and it needs to be changed to be acceptable.

I stand against weight stigma and fat-phobia.

I stand against making food the enemy and surrounding it with rules and guilt.
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If you want the opportunity to really, really love your body, harness your sexual energy, and feel turned on in every area of your life, then I have some super duper exciting shit for you in 2021.⠀
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Fuck detoxes. Fuck fitspo. Fuck New Year’s Resolutions. Fuck dry January. ⠀
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Sound fun to you? To be the first in the know, hit this link to join the waiting list.⠀
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