Why We Accept Aging But Not Our Bodies
I finally went to the optometrist and was annoyed that my eyesight was changing with age. Then I noticed something ironic. We accept aging as something we can’t control — but we carry enormous shame about our weight and bodies because we believe we can control them. What if that belief is the problem?
Does Your Body Trust You? (And What Dieting Does to That Trust)
I saw someone post about “the eating plan I’m on now” — now being the operative word. Every month, a new plan. And I thought — does her body trust her? Because here’s the thing about dieting that nobody talks about: it’s not just ineffective. From your body’s perspective, it’s disrespectful. Here’s what I mean.
What the Body Image Movement Gets Right — And Where It Falls Short
I finally saw Embrace by Taryn Brumfitt and left feeling grateful — grateful that I’m free. The film does important work. But it operates from within the same model that creates the pain in the first place. Here’s what the Body Image Movement gets right and what it’s still missing.
The Real Power You Have Over Diet Culture — And How to Use It
Three conversations in one week — all about feeling powerless against corporations, marketers and unrealistic beauty standards. But here’s what we keep forgetting: we are the ones with the real power. Here’s how to use it.
Why Renaming Diet and Exercise Doesn’t Actually Change Anything
“No problem can be solved by the same level of consciousness that created it.” Einstein said that — and it perfectly describes why calling your diet a “lifestyle change” or your workout “enjoyable movement” doesn’t actually heal anything. Real transformation requires changing the underlying paradigm, not just the vocabulary.
What Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning Taught Me About Body Image
Someone once told me my book reminded them of Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. I had to reread it to understand what they meant. What I found was that Frankl and I — a holocaust survivor and a woman who survived an eating disorder — were essentially saying the same things about suffering, meaning, and the freedom that comes from changing yourself when you cannot change the situation.
Are You Putting Your Faith in a Diet Culture Fantasy?
Faith and fantasy can look identical from the outside. Both keep us going despite the odds. But one grounds us in reality and the other keeps us stuck. Here’s how I finally understood the difference — and why it changes everything about how we relate to our bodies.
What If You Treated Your Body Like a Friend Instead of an Enemy?
Your body and I have something in common — we both want you to want us. Not because of a flashy headline or a before-and-after photo. Because of a real relationship. Here’s why starting with “not hostile” might be enough to change everything.
What Binge-Watching Weight Loss Commercials Taught Me About Diet Culture
I spent January cuddled on the couch mainlining television — and accidentally conducted the most revealing experiment in diet culture I’ve ever done. When you watch weight loss commercial after weight loss commercial with a critical eye, something becomes very clear. Here’s what I noticed.
Real Eating Disorder Recovery Means Complete Freedom — Not a Life in Management
I saw a meme that said “Yes, I have an eating disorder. No, I can’t just get over it.” And I called B.S. Not because eating disorders aren’t real and painful — I know firsthand that they are. But because that belief is exactly what keeps people stuck. Here’s what real recovery actually looks like.