Ex-Dieter | Harvard-Trained Nutritionist | Non-Diet

Kripa Jalan

I spent years hating my body, constantly disgusted with myself, and prioritizing being skinny over everything else – including my health and relationships.

So, I can safely say I've been there and done that. I've gotten rid of everything “bad” in my kitchen, spent hours overtraining, and devotedly following all that was prescribed, getting a little adrenaline high every day that I successfully stuck to the rules. I lived like a robot for years, meticulously counting carbs and calories. When each "proven, life-changing, and simple plan to “unlock all my dreams" didn’t work, I restricted further and trained harder. And, each time I told myself “this would be it.”

Spoiler alert! It never was. Even if I got to where I wanted to be, it was never, ever enough. I didn’t feel skinny, happy, healthy, worthy, or confident. And the moments that I did feel skinny? I was mostly panicked that this wouldn’t last.

As my health deteriorated, I reached out to various practitioners. However, at the time, there was sporadic research on eating disorders in the Indian context, mental health remained heavily stigmatized, and there was a dearth of specialists in the field. Consequently, I didn’t get the care that I needed.

So, I started to research all of the reasons why dieting didn't work. I armed myself with every bit of scientific information I needed to keep trusting that not putting my body through so much turmoil was the right path. Most importantly, I decided I was going to learn to like and accept myself at whatever weight I ended up. Fast forward to now, I can’t recognize who I was back then.

In a sense, my interest in preventative healthcare stemmed from my personal experiences as a devoted dieter with a deep-rooted fear of food coupled with an advanced education in nutrition science.

I do believe in the power of food as medicine. And, having coached thousands of individuals from different walks of life, I’ve realized that most people benefit from a type of coaching that is free from authoritative pressure. Because in the end, eating well is only a tool to improve and enhance happiness and lead a healthy life. If thinking about food takes away from our ability to feel joy, is it worth it to begin with?

It’s abundantly clear to me, that restrictive diets don’t work; and wish for anyone and everyone who adopts our philosophy to eat whole, live well and feel amazing – because that’s something we all deserve, no matter who we are or what our health history is.