The Summer I Tuned Out Diet Culture

Send us Fan MailSummer can feel like a spotlight you never asked for. The beach, the pool, family photos, patio dinners, and travel routines can crank up body image anxiety, diet culture thoughts, and old eating disorder patterns even when you truly want to have fun. We talk honestly about what makes this season so activating and how to create more memories than regrets, without pretending it’s easy.We get practical about vacation prep: packing outfits that support your real body on real days, trying clothes on ahead of time, and using mantras that bring you back to the moment. We also dig into a key reframe for social settings: most people aren’t watching you the way your anxiety says they are, and even if they are, their opinions don’t get to run your trip. We zoom out from food, too, so meals stay part of the experience instead of the whole storyline.Then we tackle the added pressure many people feel this year with GLP-1 medications (Ozempic and others) showing up everywhere, from ads to friend groups. We name the comparison spiral, the grief and anger that can surface, and how to protect your peace when someone else’s choices collide with your recovery. Finally, we share a stepped exposure approach for beach days and summer events, plus why intention matters when a behavior could be either supportive or avoidant.If you’re working on body acceptance, eating disorder recovery, or simply wanting a calmer relationship with food and your body this summer, hit play, share it with someone who needs it, and please subscribe, leave a rating, and review so more listeners can find us.Show notes:Trigger warning: this show is not medical, nutrition, or mental health treatment and is not a replacement for meeting with a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Mental Health Provider, or any other medical provider. You can find resources for how to find a provider, as well as crisis resources, in the show notes. Listener discretion is advised.Resource links:Alliance for Eating Disorders: https://www.allianceforeatingdisorders.com/ ANAD: https://anad.org/NEDA: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/NAMI: https://nami.org/homeAction Alliance: https://theactionalliance.org/NIH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/How to find a provider: https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/https://www.psychologytoday.com/ushttps://www.healthprofs.com/us/nutritionists-dietitians?tr=Hdr_BrandSuicide & crisis awareness hotline: call 988 (available 24/7)Eating Disorder hotline: call or text 800-931-2237 (Phone line is available Monday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm ET and Friday 11 am-5 pm ET; text line is available Monday-Thursday 3-6 pm ET and Friday 1-5 pm ET)If you are experiencing a psychiatric or medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.Support the show