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 Pleasure Curve.
Published 14 days ago • 2 min read
Why’s it so hard to stop eating something when it tastes soooo good?
Let’s talk about the “Pleasure Curve.”
Happy Monday, Reader,
I tried something new this week. I made a long-form video.
(And by “long-form,” I mean… 6 minutes. Don’t get too excited).
Apparently, I’m physically incapable of saying anything in under 90 seconds, and yes, I know reels are now 3 minutes, but still. It’s hard to stop talking when there’s nuance involved!
But I challenged myself to condense one of the biggest food misconceptions I hear all the time:
“I can’t stop eating because it tastes so good.”
We tend to assume that the reason it’s hard to stop is because food is too pleasurable.
That it’s addictive.
And that if something tastes too good, we’re doomed to overeat it.
But in this video, I explain why that’s not true, what’s really happening in your brain, and how you can start experimenting with something I call the Pleasure Curve.
I’d genuinely love to hear your feedback, positive and constructive. Don’t be shy. I’m experimenting not just with content length but with format, and trying to bring the nuance I use in client sessions to a broader audience.
So pour a hot drink, take 6 minutes, and tell me what you think. 😉
FNCE 2025: my quick take
As promised, here’s a little FNCE recap!
I’ve been to my fair share of FNCEs (the annual Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo for RDNs and students).
I still remember my first one (Denver, 2009) when I was studying for my RD exam, and, when I thought I was going to become a sports dietitian (here I am at the Denver Broncos cafeteria and training center):
Full-circle moment 🏈 Years ago, I turned down a job with EXOS in Denver because I couldn’t leave NY. I took a corporate wellness path instead, and somehow, it led me right back west again. Maybe it was always meant to be!
What always stands out to me at these events isn’t just the sessions, the posters, or even the trends (though those are fun too).
It’s the people.
I love attending with my bestie-RD (she knows who she is 😄), and we’ve turned FNCE into our annual mini-reunion. I also love reconnecting with colleagues I’ve known for years and meeting new ones.
I simply love meeting new people.
Maybe that’s why I enjoy counseling so much, too.
I’m endlessly curious about what drives people: why they eat the way they do, how they think, what makes them tick.
Every person is so unique, yet there are these fascinating patterns that emerge over time.
FNCE always reminds me how small (but mighty!) our field really is, and how energizing it is to be surrounded by people who care about evidence-based, compassionate nutrition just as much as I do.
While I was searching for photos from the 2009 FNCE, this gem came up :)
Have a wonderful week, Reader!
P.S. If you liked the video, hit subscribe on YouTube. I’m planning to build up this channel so I can offer longer videos (the kind that actually fit my style of content creation a little better than trying to motor-mouth my way through 😅)
P.P.S. Not saying the word podcast (yet)… but let’s just say I have a bunch of ideas already percolating. Would love to hear your thoughts on this video first.
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.
