International No Diet Day: How focusing on nutrition changed the game for me

SATURDAY, May 6 marks International No Diet Day – an annual celebration that highlights the concept of health at any size. And this is me to a T.

Like a lot of women who grew up in the 90s, when rail-thin was in, I was constantly striving for a smaller size, and it was totally unnecessary. While I was never one to follow a particular diet, I was always restricting certain foods. But, this all changed when I discovered a passion for nutrition* and my focus shifted from diet don’ts to diet dos.

Instead of thinking about foods to restrict or avoid, I began to enjoy understanding the nutritional value of different foods and how they served my body. This has led to a lot of fun experimentation in my kitchen as I look for more nutritional meal swaps.  For example, adding some plain yoghurt to a coleslaw adds probiotics, calcium, protein, potassium, and iron – to name a few.

Also read: National Banana Day – is it a fruit or a herb?

This small swap led me to create a yoghurt sauce that has become a staple in my kitchen, often replacing other condiments with little nutritional value. I combine plain yoghurt with fresh chillies, lemon juice and a little salt. There are many variations to this simple concept – add fresh coriander or mint to the mix – or sweeten it with some immune-boosting honey.

Here are three more ideas to add nutrients to your meals. 

• Add veggies

Instead of cutting out pasta, why not add vegetables to the dish? Carrots, spinach, zucchini, brinjal, tomatoes and mushrooms are great additions to a bolognese while mushrooms or zucchini can complement a dish of macaroni and cheese. There are even vegan recipes that replace cheesy sauces with vegetable-based options.

• Add a side salad

Adding a side salad to a meal is a great way to add nutritional value without compromising on your favourite foods. It also means you will be filling up on the good stuff. I enjoy a side salad with a pizza – and I end up having a few slices left over to enjoy another day.

• Add fruit, nuts or seeds

Adding a handful of berries or a banana to my breakfast has made the meal so much more appealing to me, and it keeps me fuller for longer. Try overnight oats with banana and cocoa or apple and cinnamon for a more nutrient-dense meal.

Also read: Four fab, festive and healthy snacks to devour

By changing my mindset – I have discovered a much bigger and brighter world of food, and it’s all in the name of health. This is exactly what International No Diet Day is all about – letting go of worry, de-emphasizing diets, and thinking about your overall health journey day by day. So here’s to good health. What’s for lunch?

• According to daysoftheyear.com, International No Diet Day was first started by Mary Evans Young of Diet Breakers. It’s a day to take a break from a diet and celebrate body-shape diversity.

*This is an opinion piece – the author is not a nutrition expert.

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