The Wide Angle April/May 1996 Volume 1 No 6

International No Diet Day

by Suzanne Szames

No-Diet Day is an international effort to bring the issues surrounding diet obsession into the public eye. This is the one day that we set aside to begin to accept our bodies as they are, fat or thin. It is a time to stop beating ourselves up for no t attaining the level of beauty that has been deemed acceptable in society's eyes.

Fat in our culture has become something to hate and fear. These feelings have been woven into the very fabric of our being. Dieting has become a cultural obsession as an extension to this fear. Many live their lives on diet roller coasters, yo-yoin g up and down the scale. Eating disorders have become common place, and have been reported in children as young as eight years old. Of course, the $33 billion diet industry has helped things along a bit. This obsession with thinness is harmful, physic ally and psychologically, but, it's big business. International No-Diet Day is a day to say "enough is enough." It gives us the power to break this diet circle and claim our place in society regardless of our body size.

So, when you tell your family and friends about International No-Diet Day, and they give you a copy of the latest Grapefruit Diet, gently explain that this is not International Pig-Out Day. It is your day to proclaim that your body is are okay as is. Celebrate your body, it's the only one you have.

Celebrate International No-Diet Day!

• Wear a light blue ribbon and spread the word.
• Feed the involuntarily hungry instead of buying that box of fat-free brownies.
• Donate your old clothes to homeless shelters.
• Enjoy a nice leisurely meal, guilt-free.
• Throw out all of those old diet programs.
• Be sure to get your light blue ribbon the weekend before INDD and plan for some fun at our picnic!