Why Adding In, aka The Addition “Diet”, Not Taking Away Food, Builds a Better Food Relationship!
How the Addition Diet, or Adding in foods or OTHER health practices, make menopause life fuller.
Have you heard of the Addition Diet yet?
(why does everything get turned into a diet?)
By the end of this blog post, and podcast episode, you will understand:
What the Addition Diet ACTUALLY is.
How adding in helps you feel less deprived.
How adding in helps you increase nourishment.
How adding in helps you decrease GUILT.
How NOT to turn this process into a DIET.
How to EXTEND this beyond FOOD.
Even if you HAVE heard all the things about adding in, or the Addition “Diet”, my take on it will help YOU have a much BROADER concept that can be applied to your life, NOT JUST FOOD.
This post and episode will also help you make sure you are not creating a deprivation diet out of adding in.
This will help you lead a fuller, and more satisfied life in menopause.
Are there ANY things I would take away?
Well, yes, and they might surprise you. That’s coming up in another episode, so please subscribe to the podcast, and join my email community here, so you don't miss them!
Got ideas for the podcast? Leave them in a review on iTunes for me!
Adding in foods AND other supportive health behaviours, is a kind, and sustainable way, to make changes in your midlife, for your health and well being.
The Addition “Diet” or adding in foods, is thought process, a shift in thinking, that reframes food in a way that creates CHOICE, when it comes to the desire to eat.
Doesn’t it sound more fun than hearing someone tell you to cut out this and cut out that?
If you're listening to this, or reading this, through the holiday season, or what I called Eating Season in my last episode, this thought process will help you enjoy all the season has to offer, while decreasing the guilty diet talk in your head!
If you are tied to New Year’s resolutions, THIS is a kinder AND MORE EFFECTIVE practice than making a resolution to go on some crazy unsustainable cabbage soup type diet!
What IS the Addition “Diet”
In the Non Diet, Mindful Eating, Intuitive Eating world, the Addition of Foods is a process of adding in supportive, AND FUN TO EAT foods, and not taking away or restricting food.
Yet, when I googled the term “add in, don't subtract food” I got a lot of ADD (attention deficit disorder) tips to eating!
After reframing the search to “addition of foods” I got some sites describing The Addition Diet.
UGH. Are people turning THIS into a diet, too?
The word diet means: the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community HABITUALLY eats. The word diet comes from the Greek diaeta, a word meaning WAY OF LIFE.
Dieting, or calorie counting, is woven into life as we know it in menopause.
The Oxford Dictionary says that diet means: a special course of food to which one restricts oneself either to lose weight or for medical reasons.
AKA "I'm going on a diet"
Now, I do know that not all people can eat all things.
I’m not advocating for people with food sensitivities or allergies to add in things that might make them sick.
You know your body and your current health status.
BUT: If you're cutting out foods because you are hoping that this will lead to weight loss, and then eating these foods due to cravings and deprivation, the Add In Approach might be for you!
Adding in can be done in so many different ways, including adding more water, servings of veggies you like, all while including foods, or activities, that SATISFY YOU, emotionally, and physically.
The practice of adding in foods, (or habits or activities) that support YOUR own health needs or desires is the OPPOSITE of calorie counting or restrictive dieting.
It shifts the focus from removing foods that are perceived as offenders, to adding foods that may boost your well being.
I love the Add In thought process, because YOU add in things that make sense to YOU. You choose the things you desire, that you love, and that MAKE SENSE to your life.
The concept of ADDING IN creates CHOICE rather than rules. This fits with a Non Diet approach.
Adding in is a common tip in the Non Diet world of food and nutrition, to help you BREAK FREE of the restrictive mentality of dieting.
HOWEVER, I do see some language on the internet and on social channels that says that adding in helps you choose the RIGHT thing to eat, or avoid the “bad” stuff.
First, this is diet talk. It's part of the diet mentality.
If you want to work on your relationship to food, in menopause, or perimenopause, understanding that you have adopted some type of diet mentality talk is part of the non diet approach.
Diet talk can frame foods as “good or bad”, “healthy or unhealthy” and we do this almost subconsciously.
I grew up with Seventeen Magazine, with recipes for low calorie watermelon smoothies and dieting for going back to school.
I also went to weight watchers, after I had my baby, and all these things felt like the thing to do at the time.
Back then, I would NOT be open to how this was diet talk. Diet Culture was not really on the mainstream radar. Hah, it WAS the mainstream radar!
Once I learned the Non Diet approach, I also learned that there is a body of research supporting the ill health effects of weight cycling. Weight cycling is the outcome of going on and off diets.
Weight goes up, weight goes down, and weight goes up, many times with more weight added on.
ADDING IN health behaviours, that are sustainable and doable, becomes a logical action when you are looking to decrease health risks of weight cycling.
And it seems WAY MORE LOGICAL in menopause, when our bodies are changing, and our weight DOES change too.
Second, the “right thing” for one person for one person is not right for another.
This seems obvious from one perspective.
If you are lactose intolerant or have a true food sensitivity or allergy, then YES some foods that are right for one person will not be right for another.
Who is to say what IS right or wrong in the food department? While food has become so processed, it has also become so polarized. Food can have different meanings at different times.
It's all a matter of situation and timing, in my humble opinion.
Let’s break this food thing down further.
Some people position yogurt as a “bad” food.
It’s “bad” because it’s dairy.
Fruit flavoured yogurt becomes “bad” in some circles, because of the sugar content. Or because it is a processed food.
For others, this yogurt is thought of as a delicious and “healthy” snack. It has protein, maybe some probiotics, some quick carb energy and the taste is appealing.
The type of yogurt may also put it in the good or bad category.
Is it organic?
Is it unsweetened?
We could go down this yogurt rabbit hole for a long time.
A food like this could be a great food IF it may be the only thing between be really hungry for a while and satisfying that hunger to get through a long afternoon at work!
It’s all about food context
You can apply this food context idea to ice cream, cookies and other things that you may crave. Have you ever stopped to think about the labels you have around certain foods?
As we age, we accumulate ideas, beliefs, and thoughts that stay with us even though they don’t serve us into our 50’s. These ideas, beliefs and thoughts may not even be TRUE, yet through conditioning, they still persist well into our 50’s and beyond.
Beliefs like:
all sweets bad for you
all veggies good for you
I should be this pant size
I’ve let myself “go”.
Here’s a self reflection point:
What would happen if you just looked at foods as caloric energy?
Is this hard for you to do? Why?
What thoughts come creeping back into your head?
The role of food can be so interchangeable.
Let's go back to that yogurt: To one person, that caloric energy may seem like it sustains them at a time of a day where they need some energy, even though they may believe that this available food isn't the most nutrient dense food. They are hungry and will eat the food, cause its just yogurt, maybe not they’re preferred kind, but they're not fussed about it.
To another, that yogurt, and it’s caloric energy, isn’t enough, and they may see it as something that will give them a crash of energy later, and they will decide to choose a food that will be more sustaining.
To another, the food won't be optimal, if it isn't organic.
For another, it would be too expensive.
It’s all a matter of food perspective.
And this perspective is a WINDOW to your relationship to food.
Your relationship to food can show up in how you label foods: good or bad, healthy unhealthy.
An all or nothing category, just like dieting.
Food labeling can create so much conflict.
What if you’re applying negative labels to cultural foods that your family celebrates with, like pasta, rice, or special baked goods?
This creates so much conflict around the social and connective aspect of eating doesn’t it?
Letting go of food labels creates room for CONSCIOUS CHOICE based on individual need, be it physical, social or emotional.
It's easier said than done for us over 50 women.
We are so used to that inner voice telling us that eating a cookie is BAD for us. AND, when we are in our fifties, our bodies do change, and hormones like estrogen and progesterone do affect how our bodies respond to insulin. Blood sugar balance can be harder to maintain, and more sensitive, in perimenopause and menopause.
I am experiencing this myself right now. This is where that inner wisdom, weighed against outer wisdom, comes in handy.
Just quit depriving yourself.
My last episode talked about this common tip from Intuitive Eating and Non Diet coaches to just stop deprivation. For some, this is hard to do. Deprivation is an action, and a mentality, that stems from diets.
It can also stem from health issues too.
You may have to put more thought into your meals, like when you eat something, and what you eat it with, when it comes to certain foods, because of things like blood sugar issues in menopause.
The thought process of adding in can
STILL support you.
At the start of this episode I said I would help you understand:
What the addition diet ACTUALLY is. Done ✅
How adding in helps you feel less deprived.
How adding in helps you increase nourishment.
How adding in helps you decrease GUILT.
How NOT to turn this process into a DIET.
How to EXTEND this beyond FOOD.
How adding in helps you feel less deprived.
It’s no secret that diets leave us feeling deprived. Diets take favourite foods out of our usual rotation. Women decrease social connections so they are not faced with certain food choices they feel they have no willpower against.
Dieting takes away more than food.
Self reflection:
How does thinking “hmm where could I add in more colourful veggies for fiber and nutrients?” feel to you?
Does it feel, or sound better than: “I eat too much sugar, I need to cut it out and eat ONLY veg and protein.”
Does it feel more manageable? Enjoyable? FLEXIBLE?
Adding in foods like veggies, or protein, or even resistant starches like rice, helps you increase your nutrient dense options in your day. And don’t think about this as eating good foods at dinner to get dessert if your crave food is chocolate.
If you have cravings, (and who doesn't have cravings!), experiment with incorporating some of your crave foods with your meals. ADD THEM IN.
Adding in your crave food TO a meal, rather than denying it, and then having evenings where you over consume chocolate, creates a food struggle and a SELF struggle.
You end up feeling unwell, and guilty. I advocate for looking at an eating experience as a LEARNING experience NOT a guilt experience. This can help you normalize your desired foods, and help you feel less deprived.
What if you put a few pieces of chocolate on a plate WITH your meal?
Who says you CAN’T?
Not only can you slow a spike in blood sugar, but by eating sugar foods with other foods that contain fat, and fiber, you lessen the impact that sugar can have on your ORAL HEALTH.
In menopause, saliva changes. The quantity and quality changes, and this can be a by-product of hormone fluctuations and stress. So if you are cavity prone, combining your sweeter food, your chocolate, with a meal, supports your dental health.
This also allows you to NORMALIZE your chocolate craving.
It also allows room for other nutrient dense foods, while still satisfying that chocolate desire.
Experiment to see if this action minimizes your feelings of deprivation, and see what happens to your cravings and eating patterns. You don’t need to put a limit on the amount of chocolate, or other crave food, you eat. Take your time to eat it, and tune into your hunger, and satisfaction when eating it. Let your own cues guide you to when to stop.
How adding in helps you increase nourishment
… and other things that support well being
By following the step above, and looking at where you can ADD IN certain things, instead of taking away, you are already increasing nutrient dense foods by default.
What you are doing is opening the door to identifying your own NEEDS, when it comes to nutrition. By default, you are increasing nourishment in a way that isn’t depriving you, because you haven’t taken things away!
Doesn’t it feel empowering to identify your OWN needs, rather than have a diet TELL YOU WHAT YOU NEED?
Many women don’t KNOW what they need, when it comes to food or self care. Are you one of those women?
Menopause is a time for slowing down and asking yourself what you need at this time. It’s an opportunity for reflection and rebirth.
With the ADD IN approach, and the Non Diet approach in general, you become more AWARE of what your own nourishment needs may be. Emotional, physical or even spiritual? You will increase your awareness of how certain foods fit into your life.
You will even become aware of your food habits and patterns.
THIS helps you identify and increase the things you want to support your own health journey in menopause.
Awareness is a foundation of Mindful Eating.
How adding in helps you decrease GUILT
Notice I said, decrease guilt and not get rid of guilt?
In menopause, we’ve spent A LOT OF YEARS in the diet world, experiencing shame if we eat something that others deem junky, or processed or devoid of nutrition.
Have you ever been out with friends, who talk about their own dieting, and point out that they’ve cut out sugar, or lost some weight doing xyz? Does this trigger shameful thoughts about what you eat, and even what you look like?
You can’t get rid of guilt. It creeps up. But you CAN recognize it and take steps to minimize it.
By adding in, you are shifting your feelings from guilty to supportive.
If you are adding in OTHER THINGS that support you, maybe even new relationships that may not be so diet focused, you’re shifting your menopause attitude around food and your body!
Decide what part to focus on, that will help you feel less guilt, and more empowerment.
Maybe you will add in nutrient dense foods more regularly. Maybe you will add in more walks, or use simple meditations because you heard this can decrease stress. And you heard stress is not good for blood sugar balance. Maybe you need more protein, but struggle to fit it in. Maybe it’s more hydration.
It's your choice.
When you start this process, focus on the things that meet your identified needs first.
Maybe you need to allow yourself the time to notice how MUCH guilt you have around food you choose? To notice where the guilty thoughts come from, what they mean, and how often they appear in your head in one day?
Thoughts of guilt can come up before, during, and after eating takes place. You may be adding in some of that chocolate to your dinner plate, but your mind is telling you you shouldn’t have it. Or maybe you're eating that chocolate on the dinner plate, but your inner critic is telling you that you should have just put more green beans there instead.
By noticing, you are able to trade in your self criticism for support skills.
After so many years of dieting, this is part of you, part of many of us. It doesn’t go away overnight. By focusing on adding in things that make you feel energized, empowered or free, you are making choices based on what you value and not a diet.
How NOT to turn this thought process into a DIET.
If you leave this podcast or blog post looking for the Addition Diet, take the awareness of your food attitude with you. There are many coaches and registered professionals who say they are Non Diet, but still talk about foods as in being “right or wrong” “optimal” and “bad or good.”
Notice what your attitude is around certain foods.
Some of the advice I’ve seen from many professionals makes sense. Replacing thoughts like, “I am not having any desserts.” with “I will add a salad almost every day” is a great example of an add in or addition ”diet” approach.
Suggestions that tell you to swap the “bad” foods for the “right” foods = diet talk. Only you know what the right foods are for you.
And sometimes a “right food” is one that supports your taste, your craving and your physical and emotional need, at that time.
How to extend this beyond FOOD.
The Add in method can be applied way past the food you eat.
YOU CAN APPLY IT TO YOUR LIFE. What people, places, or activities do YOU want to add in to support your well being?
Are there movement based activities you enjoy, that make you feel good about life? Things like like dancing in your kitchen, taking long walks, yoga, running, or riding a bike. IT’S UP TO YOU.
Are there creative based activities, like knitting, taking painting classes, cooking or even blogging? Again, UP TO YOU.
Your well being is not just about the food you eat, or the size of your body.
Adding In may help you see food habits, patterns and mindless eating.
If you see patterns you don’t like, please don’t fret, or shame yourself. We do eat without hunger, and for emotional support, many times in our lives. This can be a form of nourishment.
Holistic health is all about your mind body and spirit connection.
It’s about the WHOLE of you.
A part of you may struggle with food, mindless eating and body size.
Adding in may make you more aware of this. This is a good thing, even though it may not FEEL like it. It means you have an opportunity to learn about your food relationship.
If food is the only form of nourishment, when it comes to tough emotions, this is an opportunity to dig into WHY.
This doesn’t have to be your FIRST step.
Start to ADD IN other things that nourish you, on a more holistic level.
Focus on this concept in other areas of your life, and add in time for reading, or skills in handling conflict that creates the emotions in the first place.
If you give yourself space to become aware of your food relationship in menopause, you are giving yourself a learning opportunity. An opportunity to understand your strong food cravings in the first place,
It’s an opportunity to rewrite your food story, the non diet way.