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

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

Today, I am co-writing with my longtime friend and fellow intuitive eating dietitian (and yoga teacher!) Letal Garber, MS, RD, LD, RYT. Like myself, she is a registered dietitian nutritionist who sees nutrition through a non-diet lens and practices the original intuitive eating philosophy. Unlike myself, she is an expert in Diabetes (DM) management! So, we decided to join forces and explain how a non-diet, intuitive eating approach can absolutely be taken when it comes to man

Maybe like you, I grew up in a world of black-and-white perspectives: good food or bad food, being sedentary or excessively exercising, and hating your body or loving your body. Somewhere along the way—in the midst of my own healing process—I learned about gray areas, and, when it comes to body image, body acceptance is that in-between place. If you're someone who is working on letting go of negative body image or deep body dissatisfaction, it can feel like intense pressure t