• Home
  • Start Here!
    • Subscribe
    • Topics
    • Top Tips!
  • About
    • Services
    • Contact Us!
    • Media
    • Disclaimer
  • Blog
    • Popular Posts
    • Recipe Index
  • Books
    • RD Book Coaching Services
  • Podcast
  • Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • RSS Feed

Maryann Jacobsen

Independent Author & Family Nutrition Expert

  • Home
  • Start Here!
    • Subscribe
    • Topics
    • Top Tips!
  • About
    • Services
    • Contact Us!
    • Media
    • Disclaimer
  • Blog
    • Popular Posts
    • Recipe Index
  • Books
    • RD Book Coaching Services
  • Podcast
  • Privacy Policy

3 Reasons Dieting is Bad For Moms (and what to do Instead)

March 18, 2009

Tweet
Pin
Share
Yum
Email
Share

Moms come in all different shapes and sizes. Some are still having a hard time losing the baby weight – even years after birth. Others weigh the same as they did before pregnancy but feel their fat has redistributed to all the wrong places. And there are those who didn’t give birth at all but because they are now a mom, they lack the time to really do anything about their weight.

I might as well let you know my bias up front: I don’t believe in dieting. I’m not just referring to popular weight loss diets. I’m talking about following any set of strict “food rules” — even those that are self-made. But when it comes to moms, I think dieting is an especially a poor fit. Let me explain why.

Jump Ahead

  • 1. Diets don’t work
  • 2. Moms don’t have time to diet
  • 3. Dieting can influence kids
  • So what can moms do?

1. Diets don’t work

A 2007 review in American Psychologist revealed that up to two-thirds of people following restricted-calorie diets gained the weight back. This is often seen in the literature – weight loss is doable over the short term but maintaining it is a different story. You probably know plenty of people who have lost weight only to regain it back. Even celebrities like Oprah, with all their advantages, admit to having a hard time.

2. Moms don’t have time to diet

Following a specific diet requires you to eat differently from your family. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard enough time preparing one meal for dinner much less two. As moms we are already in charge of feeding our families – and it’s too much of a strain to prepare two meals. And when you add in the extra cost in a tough economy, it just doesn’t make sense.

3. Dieting can influence kids

Parents serve as food role models for their children, especially mothers to their daughters. According to a 2000 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 5-year old girls with dieting moms were more than twice as likely to have ideas about dieting than girls without dieting moms: 5-years old! I don’t think any mom wants their children to ever diet, much less be at increased risk for future disordered eating.

Remember, it’s our job to teach children how to eat a variety of foods, including fun foods that are higher in calories. If we can’t eat such items in moderation, how can we expect them to do so?

So what can moms do?

The first step is letting go of the dieting person you used to be. Instead of using strategies that may have worked for you in the past, embrace your mom role and actually use it to your advantage. In fact, the best diet coach in the world happens to be your child – and they don’t charge. In all seriousness, we can learn a great deal from our little ones.

Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full: When my two-year-old daughter snacks more than usual before dinner she ends up picking at her meal for two minutes and then exclaims “all done!” She reached her calorie quota for the day and she’s full. I don’t insist she eat more because she’s listening to her body and that’s a good thing. Moms can benefit from listening to, and honoring, their own hunger signals. When you take the time to eat and really enjoy it you’ll notice that moment you start to feel full – and satisfied– and that’s a good time to tell yourself “all done.”

Get immersed in your life: A woman I used to work with had lost quite a bit of weight and was getting a ton of attention. I usually avoid asking people how they lost weight but when she sat next to me in a boring work meeting the subject came up. Instead of saying she cut sugar or followed some popular diet she said “I’m happy.” She went on to explain that she had started acting again, even got into a play, and lost interest in overeating. Children are the best example of this: they are so excited about life that they have to be reminded to eat. As moms, sometimes we forget about our personal passions because of the demands of the job. But if you can slowly pick them back up, or take time to discover what they are, vigorous eating can lose its luster.

Use love as a motivation to put health first: It’s hard to describe the love a mother has for her child. I still can’t get over this powerful force. But many of us make the mistake of putting all the energy into our child’s health while ignoring our own – and it can backfire. Instead of using guilt and “shoulds” to eat better (which don’t work by the way), think about how you want to be around when your children get older. The key is to start loving yourself as much as you love your little one. Put the same type of care into what you eat and you’ll get double back.

Related Posts

  • moms on the floor playing with their kids
    Why Moms Need Other Moms

    I lived in Los Angeles when I had my first child and most of my…

  • 5 Ways Parenthood Can Transform Your Health

    With the New Year approaching, it's the perfect time to assess where you are in…

  • How I Fall Back in Love with Health Again (and Again)

    I've been conscious of my health since I graduated high school. This was the time…

  • best way shape
    The Best Way for Moms to Get Into Shape

    I was a little cocky going into my six-week postpartum doctor’s appointment. After gaining the…

Tweet
Pin
Share
Yum
Email
Share

Categories: Midlife Health & Nutrition 2 Comments

« Should Children Take Multivitamins?
How to Prevent or Fix (Most) Toddler Eating Problems »

Comments

  1. diaperbaglady says

    June 14, 2011 at 7:48 am

    What a wonderful and insightful article. I’ve often looked at my kids and thought that if I ate like them I would have no trouble! Why? Because as their mom I make sure they get all the right things, and by the time they eat the right things they have little room left for the “wrong” things. They’re active and moving most of the time. I make sure they get their vitamins (but can’t seem to remember my own). And when they’re done eating, they’re done eating. I often have to “fight” to get them to finish a meal…as they are both quite small for their ages. But in the end, the body knows what the body needs, and as kids they are still in tune with that. Eating is not an emotional crutch for most kids… or something to fill a void. Its not just “something fun to do” just to have something to do. Kids don’t need to eat to find something fun to do…they’re too busy living! That’s not to say we stop nourishing and controlling what our kids eat…however kids are indeed a great model for eating for a purpose. Get what your body needs, no more no less, and move on! Great article!

    Reply
  2. Jenni says

    January 10, 2013 at 2:21 am

    Great article 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi, I’m Maryann…

Hi, I’m a registered dietitian who focuses on developmental stages. Here, you won’t get one-size-fits-all advice. Instead, you’ll get information based on your (and your family’s) age and stage. Make your choice between family and midlife-focused newsletters below and subscribe. Find out more!

Recent Posts

  • Yes, Every Midlife Women Should Take a Multivitamin (And Here’s Why)
  • 10 Signs Intermittent Fasting Doesn’t Live Up to the Hype
  • What do the Latest Vitamin D Studies Really Tell Us?
  • 3 Breathing Exercises That Will Change Your Life with Nick Heath [Podcast]
  • 6 Dietary Supplements Most Teenagers Need

Random Posts

  • Fall Dinner Rotation 2016Fall Dinner Rotation 2016
  • The Guilt-free Guide to Becoming a Positive (Food) Role ModelThe Guilt-free Guide to Becoming a Positive (Food) Role Model

Categories

Get the books!

The Alliance of Independent Authors - Author Member

Join the Newsletter

Sign up for Maryann’s E-mail Newsletter and get her ebook The Landmines of a Healthy Relationship with Food for FREE. Subscribe now!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list. You're not done. Check your email to confirm your address. After you do that, you'll receive a link for the free e-book.

.

Copyright © 2023 — Maryann Jacobsen • All rights reserved • Powered by Femme Flora. Designed & Developed by BinaryTurf Privacy Policy

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.OK Privacy Policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT