My Monday morning ☀️ newsletter is here to help you enjoy food again, improve your health, and stop the cycle of stress-eating and restrictive diets. With practical tips and compassionate guidance, you’ll strengthen your relationship with food, your body, and yourself, one week at a time.
The ghost of diet culture past👻
Published 7 days ago • 3 min read
October 31, 2016. Our little 16-month old teapot was just thrilled to be in costume that day... Sorry, Nate, this is going out to a lot of subscribers LOL!!!!
Hey Reader, so I had this funny idea the other day (and I might still do it on my socials).
What if I reenacted what answering the door on Halloween might have looked like with diet culture through the decades?
I’m 42, so I’ve got some prime material to work with.
Sad but funny, I guess? 😅
Anyway, it would go a little something like this...
You open the door to trick-or-treaters.
But instead of you, it’s the ghost of diet culture past.
1980s: “Don’t worry kids, these Snackwells are low-fat!”
1990s: “Too many carbs in those Kit-Kats, try an Atkins bar.”
2000s: “Who wants to detox with lemon and cayenne, nature’s best candy?”
2020s: “UgH!! Too many artificial dyes. Too many seed oils. Too many toxic, poisonous garbage, in fact, I think my CGM just spiked from smelling your Skittles.”
I might actually do this skit to share a little humor in what’s, honestly, kind of heartbreaking.
Because every decade, diet culture just puts on a brand new costume and SOOOO many people are drinking the (diet) Kool-Aid.
Let it not be you, your family, or your kids.
What’s actually scary about Halloween
The real fright isn’t in the candy. It’s in how we think about it.
Most of us were raised to see candy as a test of willpower.
So when we can’t “control ourselves,” we assume we’re the problem.
But it’s not the candy.
It’s our relationship with it.
You could apply this everywhere: it’s not the scale, the tracker, the phone, or even the glucose monitor. Ahhh, but I digress. As usual...
I believe “the problem” (whatever that may be), isn’t the food or the tool.
It’s what happens when we hand our power to it.
If candy feels “addictive,” try these first two steps
1️⃣ Drop the labels. Stop calling candy “good” or “bad.” It’s just food. The moralizing makes it magnetic.
2️⃣ Experiment with actually eating it. Eat some candy, intentionally. Notice what happens.
My latest Halloween reel
If you need a smile, I shared a short video on why a bag of candy doesn’t phase me anymore. Not a flex. This took years in the making...
Here’s how we celebrate at my house (and what I shared on Instagram Stories this past week):
Halloween looks like a pretty normal day: regular meals and snacks so no one heads out starving.
After trick-or-treating, my kids dump it all onto the carpet, trade, and enjoy together.
The rest goes into canisters in the kitchen. They know it’s theirs, and it’s not going anywhere.
Some families prefer total freedom; others need more structure. If someone in your home has a tough relationship with food, it’s okay if your approach looks different.
Have a great week ahead, Reader,
P.S. Quick practical tip: if you’ve already hit your insurance deductible this year, now’s a great time to schedule your nutrition sessions. Most plans cover several visits (sometimes unlimited) and it’s often little or no cost before benefits reset in January.
If you’ve been thinking, “I’ll start after the holidays,” this is your gentle nudge to start now. Future-you will thank you!
Step off the all-or-nothing rollercoaster. Build steady patterns, better labs, and more ease with food, without another crash plan. Sounds like me if: I’ve “started over” more times than I can count.
Move from “knowing” to living intuitive eating. We’ll (re)build consistency, attunement, satisfaction, and gentle nutrition, at your pace. Sounds like me if: I’m ready to “fully heal” my relationship with food.
Eat smarter, not harder. We’ll work together to improve lab markers, reduce symptoms, and build habits that feel doable. Sounds like me if: I do not want a restrictive diet but want Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT).
Compassionate care with coordination across your team. Reduce symptoms, improve fueling, and rebuild body trust. Sounds like me if: I have symptoms or a diagnosed ED and want outpatient treatment.
FBT-informed virtual care that supports your teen and you. Better structure and skills for hard moments, and steady guidance parents can use at home. Sounds like me if: I’m at my wits end and need help for everyone.
Let’s figure it out together. If your concern doesn’t fit neatly into the services listed here, reach out. Sounds like me if: I have some unique concerns and unsure where to start.
Heal eating behavior challenges, eating disorders, and weight struggles.
My Monday morning ☀️ newsletter is here to help you enjoy food again, improve your health, and stop the cycle of stress-eating and restrictive diets. With practical tips and compassionate guidance, you’ll strengthen your relationship with food, your body, and yourself, one week at a time.
