Old school marketing geared towards fear and negativity. Also (consciously or not) geared towards people who are likely already struggling with self-worth. There is nothing wrong with comforting ourselves. Comfort eating is a legitimate resource and when we have the understanding and tools to comfort ourselves in another way then we can choose. Bullying ourselves into submission never works. Getting to the root cause of unresolved trauma, learning to soothe our nervous systems and feel better though and changes occur naturally. There are no quick fixes though.
Wow, Karen! You hit the nail on the head (as we say here in the states). He’s praying on the fears of those who struggle with self-worth. Very well. There isn’t a quick fix to resolving some of the underlying issues behind that.
Reading about this "guru" filled me with alarm. His message sounds like part of some fictional cult, but I know unfortunately it's all real.
"By equating the consumption of certain foods with a lack of self-love and discipline, it feeds right into the old-school diet narrative (pre-Ozempic) that “poor” dietary choices are personal failings. "
This line of thinking is so harmful. A lot of what we do with food is society programming or food industry propaganda and influence, and NOT our decision, or fault.
Tim, he’s not one of the biggest names in the Palos space, thankfully. And I agree with you on the food industry’s influence on us. There are positives and negatives, but it feels like more negatives right now, especially in the U.S.
Kristi, I love reading your letters and how you call out the need to be thin message, that we are constantly being fed. You touch on well-being and our emotional needs and I agree with Karen below about the importance of awareness in this. I also have strong opinions on food/not food and the substances that are so cheap and easily available. I am curious as to where this fits in the non-diet world. Is non-diet different to weight acceptance? It feels like a complex subject.
These are great questions, and the answers are incredibly complicated. As a mother to two children who have recovered from anorexia, I feel strongly that there is a place for all foods, even those we don't consider "real food." I thank god for Coke, full sugar, because when my oldest daughter was in recovery, it was one of her "safe foods." In those early days, when every single calorie mattered, I could count on it as a source of fuel for her body. We/she/my other daughter subsisted on many, many safe foods that have questionable nutritional value. But I do think about the quality of food and nutrition value, especially on those easy foods, and I do think about the larger societal implications, access to grocery stores for poorer populations etc. It is complicated. That's why you'll hear people talk about how just being able to "do" intuitive eating comes from a place of incredible privilege. People who live with food insecurity cannot eat intuitively.
That said, for me personally, it has helped me reconnect with my body. I know how my body feels on some of those foods. Yes, I still may eat them at times, and I give myself full permission, but also I have more awareness about what feels good for my body.
👏👏👏 I particularly love “self compassion isn’t about loving yourself into a specific mound but to recognize your inherent worth.”
The deeper I’ve move into the weight inclusive space the more I feel viscerally I’ll by reading content that comes from the dude you describe. So much mental gymnastics that he must have himself twisted in a knot 🙄
Thank you thank you. You're doing such amazing work in shining a light on the ways diet culture influences us and how to counter it. I'm looking forward to hearing more about your plans for this year.
It's like the fish swimming in the water that they don't know they are swimming in! We are fed so many cultural messages that become part of our makeup and it's only by shining light on our thoughts and beginning to question if they are real, if they are our ideas or something imprinted on us from elsewhere, that we can change how we are showing up in the world.
You are absolutely right Kristi, self-compassion is not about loving ourselves enough to fit a certain mold. Thank you for continuing to shed light on this important topic which can spill out into all other aspects of personal growth.
Old school marketing geared towards fear and negativity. Also (consciously or not) geared towards people who are likely already struggling with self-worth. There is nothing wrong with comforting ourselves. Comfort eating is a legitimate resource and when we have the understanding and tools to comfort ourselves in another way then we can choose. Bullying ourselves into submission never works. Getting to the root cause of unresolved trauma, learning to soothe our nervous systems and feel better though and changes occur naturally. There are no quick fixes though.
Wow, Karen! You hit the nail on the head (as we say here in the states). He’s praying on the fears of those who struggle with self-worth. Very well. There isn’t a quick fix to resolving some of the underlying issues behind that.
Reading about this "guru" filled me with alarm. His message sounds like part of some fictional cult, but I know unfortunately it's all real.
"By equating the consumption of certain foods with a lack of self-love and discipline, it feeds right into the old-school diet narrative (pre-Ozempic) that “poor” dietary choices are personal failings. "
This line of thinking is so harmful. A lot of what we do with food is society programming or food industry propaganda and influence, and NOT our decision, or fault.
Tim, he’s not one of the biggest names in the Palos space, thankfully. And I agree with you on the food industry’s influence on us. There are positives and negatives, but it feels like more negatives right now, especially in the U.S.
Yes totally agree!
Kristi, I love reading your letters and how you call out the need to be thin message, that we are constantly being fed. You touch on well-being and our emotional needs and I agree with Karen below about the importance of awareness in this. I also have strong opinions on food/not food and the substances that are so cheap and easily available. I am curious as to where this fits in the non-diet world. Is non-diet different to weight acceptance? It feels like a complex subject.
Hi Ruth,
These are great questions, and the answers are incredibly complicated. As a mother to two children who have recovered from anorexia, I feel strongly that there is a place for all foods, even those we don't consider "real food." I thank god for Coke, full sugar, because when my oldest daughter was in recovery, it was one of her "safe foods." In those early days, when every single calorie mattered, I could count on it as a source of fuel for her body. We/she/my other daughter subsisted on many, many safe foods that have questionable nutritional value. But I do think about the quality of food and nutrition value, especially on those easy foods, and I do think about the larger societal implications, access to grocery stores for poorer populations etc. It is complicated. That's why you'll hear people talk about how just being able to "do" intuitive eating comes from a place of incredible privilege. People who live with food insecurity cannot eat intuitively.
That said, for me personally, it has helped me reconnect with my body. I know how my body feels on some of those foods. Yes, I still may eat them at times, and I give myself full permission, but also I have more awareness about what feels good for my body.
👏👏👏 I particularly love “self compassion isn’t about loving yourself into a specific mound but to recognize your inherent worth.”
The deeper I’ve move into the weight inclusive space the more I feel viscerally I’ll by reading content that comes from the dude you describe. So much mental gymnastics that he must have himself twisted in a knot 🙄
Thank you thank you. You're doing such amazing work in shining a light on the ways diet culture influences us and how to counter it. I'm looking forward to hearing more about your plans for this year.
*mould. Predictive text... ffs.. 🥴
It's like the fish swimming in the water that they don't know they are swimming in! We are fed so many cultural messages that become part of our makeup and it's only by shining light on our thoughts and beginning to question if they are real, if they are our ideas or something imprinted on us from elsewhere, that we can change how we are showing up in the world.
You are absolutely right Kristi, self-compassion is not about loving ourselves enough to fit a certain mold. Thank you for continuing to shed light on this important topic which can spill out into all other aspects of personal growth.