If you've spent any time exposed to toxic gym culture—whether that's scrolling through social media, following fitness influencers, attending group exercise classes, working out at a gym, or exercising at home—you've probably heard phrases like: "No pain, no gain." "Sweat is just fat crying." "Pain is weakness leaving the body." "The only bad workout is the one you didn't do." Comments like these have become so common that many people barely notice them anymore. They are ofte

When I think about body changes after miscarriage, my mind always goes back to approximately 1:30 PM on July 10, 2023—the worst moment of my life, when I realized my baby was dead. I was lying in the ultrasound room, holding my husband’s hand. We were staring at the large projector screen, showing the inside of my uterus, which looked drastically different compared to only a couple of weeks before when all was well, and we got to joyfully glimpse our first little one (named F

Why is prenatal care important? As I learned about two years ago when I was pregnant with my son, the quality of that care matters just as much as receiving it. “You need to buy a scale” were some of the first words out of my new gynecologist’s mouth before I even conceived him. I had told my doctor I didn’t know my weight but that I did know and trust my body. Instead of inquiring more, he judged my explanation and insisted I start weighing myself. Little did he know, I spen

The benefits of dessert may surprise you. When people learn I am a registered dietitian, they automatically assume that I must eat a very specific way. They think I must not enjoy diet culture’s latest nutrient victims, namely carbs, and certainly not anything sweet, soft and gooey (the way I like my chocolate chip cookies). I love the surprise on their faces when I share I eat everything, including an abundance of carbs (it’s our body’s preferred fuel source, after all) and

If you're in the middle of eating disorder recovery, you already know that some days the hardest thing in the world is just getting through the next meal. On those days, the right words can do something quiet but meaningful. They can remind you that what you're experiencing is real, that healing isn't linear, and that you're not as alone in this as it can feel. That's exactly why we put together this collection of eating disorder recovery quotes, drawn from the themes we come

Yoga for eating disorders can be a powerful, supportive tool in the recovery journey when practiced with intention and alongside professional care. While many people think of yoga as simply physical movement, its deeper practices of breathwork, mindfulness, and self-reflection can help rebuild trust between the mind and body. This post explores how yoga can support recovery, what to watch out for, and how to integrate it safely and thoughtfully within an eating disorder tre

Recovering from anorexia nervosa is undoubtedly life-changing and often life-saving, but it can also be a difficult journey, especially when navigating weight gain after anorexia. Committing to treatment has the power to improve the lives and well-being of both the individual and their family, yet it’s important to recognize the common challenges that may complicate this process. For many, the hardest part of recovery is coping with recovery weight gain. Gaining weight duri

Discovering your pregnant often marks the beginning of an overwhelming flood of information, especially regarding what to eat or avoid. This period, already filled with emotional intensity, can become even more complicated for those with a history of eating disorders. During my own pregnancy, I found comfort in relying on intuitive eating—an approach that helped me stay grounded and connected to my body throughout those transformative nine months. Although intuitive eating du

The first time I encountered the term "mechanical eating" was during my nutrition studies. It was presented as a clinical, somewhat rigid method—primarily used in treating acute eating disorders and supporting eating disorder recovery. The approach was portrayed as formulaic: a strict mechanical eating meal plan that had to be followed precisely for any progress in eating disorder recovery to be made. But through my experience as an eating disorder dietitian, I’ve come to see

Most agree—the dating world is already daunting and confusing—but dating with an eating disorder or in recovery adds another layer of complexity. I always remember the time a guy I had just started dating invited me over for dinner and said he was making chicken and salad, but was intentionally leaving carbs out of the meal. Then there was another guy who, while enjoying a hearty Mexican meal, admitted his biggest fear in life was gaining weight. At that point, I was many yea

When I first began working as a dietitian in an eating disorder treatment center, patients were frequently called "resistant," "stuck," or "non-compliant." Like many providers, I felt frustrated when clients seemed unable to follow their meal plans or kept slipping back into disordered behaviors—despite access to therapy, nutrition sessions, and support groups. Patients themselves were often confused too. They knew that eating enough and using coping tools would help—but some

'Tis the season for social media (and the media, in general) to fire away fear-mongering, oppressive and nonscientific messaging as we...

As human beings, it's only natural to develop identities out of what we do and the roles we take on during our time on earth. I believe...

Feeling all of our emotions and dealing with them in life-supportive ways is hard work. The other option? Try to ignore, suppress or numb...

Did you have to cancel your dream vacation before the world shut down in 2020? Chances are good there was at least one trip the pandemic prevented you from taking. Although COVID is still with us, it is now much safer to travel, international borders are open, and world travel has a proceed-with-caution message, since places have different risk levels and entry/exit testing requirements, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Whether you are staying nea

Navigating emotions may be the hardest part of being a human. Over the last couple of years, it's safe to say we have been collectively living in a particularly emotionally turbulent time. In my work as a registered dietitian and nutrition therapist, I have certainly seen the use of disordered eating behaviors increase in attempts to manage hard emotions since the pandemic started. Today, I'd like to talk specifically about emotional eating, a concept that is often misunderst

In light of it being Eating Disorders Awareness Week, I am re-sharing a post I wrote for Yoga for Eating Disorders, a wonderful online...

Hi there & thanks for reading. This is a post for any human, and particularly those who are in the midst of healing relationships to...

Hi and thanks for reading! I have taken a hiatus from blogging over the summer and I’m happy to be back writing about the things I’m...

In light of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, I am choosing to share some of my own journey, in hopes that someone will be...