Eating Disorders

Diet culture is sneaky. It’s learned how to rebrand into “wellness”.

Instead of pushing obvious weight-loss fads, it now hides behind words like “clean eating”, “reset”, “detox”, and “lifestyle change.” These terms sound positive—even aspirational—but they often promote the same restrictive, guilt-driven thinking that fuels disordered eating and body shame.

So how do you know if something is truly about well-being or just diet culture in disguise? Let’s talk about it.

What Is Diet Culture, Really?

Diet culture isn’t just about going on a diet—it’s a belief system that:
🔸 Equates health with thinness
🔸 Combines food with morality. It labels some foods as “bad” and others as “good”…and implies that you’re “good” or “bad” based off of eating them.
🔸 Emphasizes shame through making you feel guilty for eating “wrong” or not exercising “enough”
🔸 Convinces you that your body needs constant fixing

Even when these ideas show up under the guise of “health,” they still push the same message: You are not enough as you are.

How to Spot Diet Culture Disguised as Wellness

1️⃣ If It Promises to “Fix” Your Body

❌ “Tired of (enter generic and usually normal “symptom” presented as a problem here)? Balance your hormones with this eating plan!”
❌ “Reset your metabolism fast!”
❌ “Burn fat naturally by only eating at certain times!”

🚨 Reality Check: Your body isn’t broken. Hormones, metabolism, and digestion are complex, self-regulating systems. They don’t need you to micromanage them with rigid food rules.

2️⃣ If It Glorifies Willpower Over Enjoyment

❌ “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”
❌ “The first few weeks are tough, but you’ll get used to it.”
❌ “It’s all about dedication. If you want it, then work for it.”

🚨 Reality Check: If your “lifestyle change” revolves around ignoring your body, forcing yourself through hunger, or constantly battling food guilt, it’s still a diet. A sustainable approach to well-being shouldn’t feel like punishment.

3️⃣ If It Turns Food and Health Into a Moral Issue

❌ “You are what you eat”
❌ “This ingredient is ruining your health!”
❌ “Clean eating is the only way to feel your best!”

🚨 Reality Check: No single food is inherently “good” or “bad.” There are so many factors that go into making food decisions and that influence our food systems. AND at some point in our lives, we all will experience health struggles. Whether it’s being sick, general aging, living with chronic disease, accidents, or any of the many many things that influences health status beyond our control…health status cannot determine how good or bad you are as a person.

4️⃣ If It Pushes Weight Loss as a Side Effect of “Health”

❌ “This isn’t about weight loss… but most people lose 10 pounds in a month!”
❌ “Get healthy, and the weight will naturally fall off.”
❌ “Love your body, but also shrink it.”

🚨 Reality Check: Weight is not the best measure of health. Any approach that subtly (or not-so-subtly) ties well-being to body size is still rooted in diet culture.

5️⃣ If It Makes You Feel Like You’re Failing at “Health”

❌ “You’re not really prioritizing wellness if you eat processed foods.”
❌ “If you care about your body, you’ll cut out sugar.”
❌ “Eating intuitively is just an excuse to be lazy.”

🚨 Reality Check: Health isn’t an exclusive club with impossible entry requirements. It’s individual, flexible, and doesn’t require you to sacrifice your joy, your culture, or your peace of mind.

What Does True Wellness Look Like?

Instead of rigid rules, real well-being honors your body’s cues, needs, and preferences. It doesn’t ask you to shrink, restrict, or deprive yourself—it asks you to trust yourself.

✅ What a Non-Diet Approach to Health Looks Like:

✔️ Encourages body attunement instead of external rules
✔️ Makes room for joy, satisfaction, and flexibility
✔️ Supports mental and emotional health, not just physical
✔️ Celebrates health at every size instead of centering weight loss

You Deserve Better Than Diet Culture in Disguise

You don’t need detoxes, resets, or rigid plans to care for yourself. Your well-being should be built on trust, nourishment, and self-compassion. Wellness does not have to come with guilt or fear.

If you’re ready to let go of restrictive wellness trends and embrace a more sustainable, intuitive approach to health, we’re here to help. Schedule a FREE discovery call here.

🔗 Read More on the Blog

The first step towards seeking help with your nutrition can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. Food is personal and finding a dietitian can feel vulnerable. If you’ve been poking around websites or checking out RDs on social media, we want to help you take the next step! So here’s what to expect…

1. Free 15-Minute Discovery Call

Before diving into the nitty-gritty details, we want to get to know you and understand your unique needs and goals. That’s why we offer a complimentary 15-minute discovery call where we can chat about your concerns, answer any questions you may have, and determine if our approach aligns with what you’re looking for.

2. Initial Session: Getting to Know Each Other

Once you’ve had your discovery call and decide to move forward, we’ll schedule your initial session. This session is all about getting to know each other, establishing trust, and gathering information about your health history, dietary habits, lifestyle, and goals. We want to create a safe and supportive space where you feel comfortable sharing your story.

3. Follow-Up Sessions: Tailored Support Every Step of the Way

After our initial session, we’ll have follow-up sessions that fit your needs, preferences, and goals. We’ll explore gentle nutrition, intuitive eating practices, and your relationship with food and your body to help you develop a peaceful and more sustainable approach to eating and living.

We understand that nutrition is just one piece of the puzzle, and that’s why we’ll also explore other aspects of your life, such as stress management, sleep habits, movement, and mental health, to ensure that you’re thriving in all areas of your life.

Schedule you’re free discovery call!

Can’t wait to meet you!

If you’re looking for more support or trying to build your care team, check out this post on how to find care providers here.