FOOD, BODY IMAGE, AND THE WHOLE DIET-AND-EXERCISE DRAMA
There’s a lot more to our struggles with food and our bodies than calories, willpower, or trying harder.
Here, I explore the assumptions behind the traditional diet-and-exercise model, why so many familiar solutions keep us stuck, and what changes when we approach food, exercise, and our bodies from a completely different perspective.
Some posts are personal. Some challenge conventional wisdom. And some might make you laugh.
Browse the articles below. Start wherever you're curious.
Photoshop Isn’t the Problem — This Is
Everyone's blaming Photoshop for body image issues. But Photoshop isn't the problem — and neither are the magazines. Here's what's actually going on, and why it matters more than the retouching debate.
How Diet Culture Builds the Prison You’re Living In
Marianne Williamson once said something that stopped me cold: "Just because your prison is self-made doesn't make it any less of a prison." I think about that constantly when it comes to women and their relationship with food. Here's what's actually building those walls.
Why Emotional Eating Isn’t the Problem You Think It Is
Everyone treats emotional eating like it's a character flaw. But what if it's actually smart? Here's why eating to feel better might be the most natural, connected thing you can do — and why the "diet and exercise" model has it completely backwards.
Why “Eat Healthy and Exercise” Advice Keeps Failing Women
I found an old newspaper interview where I told a reporter the key to weight loss was overcoming "emotional and psychological resistance." I believed it at the time. I was wrong — and it took me years to figure out why. Here's what I learned.
Why Diet Culture Is So Hard to Escape (Even When You Know Better)
Here's something that used to drive me crazy with clients — they'd make real progress, then the culture would just... pull them back in. Not because they were weak. Because the messaging is relentless. Here's what's actually happening in your brain when diet culture keeps winning.