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.
Why You Can Work Out Every Day and Still Not Lose Weight
A fit friend at the gym looked at the regulars who never seemed to change and said "what are they eating?" I've been one of those people — hitting the gym religiously, eating salads, and having nothing to show for it. Here's what's actually going on.
How Weight Loss Programs Sell You the Problem Before They Sell You the Solution
A friend confessed she'd signed up for Weight Watchers like she was admitting to a crime. But that's not what caught my attention. It was a Word Watchers commercial where a woman cheerfully explained how much food she'd "earned" through exercise. Right there. Out loud. Here's why that one word is the whole problem.
Why Fitness Trackers Are Giving You the Wrong Information About Your Body
I was in a hotel gym letting my body tell me what it wanted to do — low back said no to the bike, knees said no to the elliptical, treadmill felt right. Meanwhile back in the room, my husband was watching a segment on gadgets that track your every calorie. Here's why those devices are solving the wrong problem.
Why Diet Culture Works Exactly Like a Religion (And Controls You the Same Way)
I spent an afternoon with a friend discussing how religious institutions have used fear to control people for centuries. Then he told me I couldn't let women eat whatever they want or they'd all eat Big Macs all day. He couldn't see the irony. Here's what he missed.
How TV Health Segments Keep You Stuck in Diet Culture (Without You Noticing)
Before every commercial break, morning shows and health programs plant a hook designed to keep you watching. "Coming up — can this miracle berry help you lose weight?" Here's how those throwaway sound bites are quietly shaping everything you believe about your body.
The Difference Between Emotional Eating and Eating for Fun
I drove behind a Frito-Lay truck with the slogan "Food For the Fun of It" and thought — yes, exactly. But "fun" food gets misunderstood constantly, especially around the holidays. Here's the distinction that actually matters when it comes to emotional eating.