Along the Intuitive Eating journey, there often comes a time when we begin to reclaim co-opted foods—and certain types of body movement—back from diet culture. This usually happens several months into the work, or sometimes much later for those in eating disorder recovery. It unfolds after we’ve reconnected with hunger and fullness cues, befriended some of the “bad for us” foods, established adequacy and consistency with eating, and begun to feel a sense of Body Trust emerging.
Once this foundation is settled, we turn our attention back to those “good for us” foods. It can be helpful to get curious about why we let go of certain health-promoting or so-called “diet” foods in the first place. Was it due to a true dislike? A fear of triggering the restrict–diet cycle? Or sheer food fatigue from eating the same thing every day? Perhaps it was the wear and tear of incessant rules from diet-plan-next that led us to avoid anything cauliflower. I mean, cauliflower optimization was everywhere for about a decade! So yes, I completely understand if you’re darn tired of adding riced cauliflower to everything like it’s some form of food glitter.
Or maybe we let go of certain foods because we truly don’t enjoy the texture—like massaged kale—but are perfectly fine with kale in soups. What is your unique truth?
Clients often share concerns about eating remnants of diet culture past. Will the recovery community or my providers think I’m upholding diet culture if I order a salad, green smoothie, or vegetable soup? Does this signal a relapse? Does it mean I want to diet again? Am I pursuing weight loss if I ask for a gluten-free menu option? Or is my body’s truth simply leading the way because digestion feels better without gluten, or because more fiber genuinely helps me feel well?
My personal and professional view draws from client-centered care frameworks and Health at Every Size® principles. Ultimately, the discernment belongs to the individual. I trust your wisdom and support your agency and autonomy in identifying what is true for you. Only you can know whether weight loss or thinness thoughts are activated when you order a side salad with a burger instead of fries. Only you can tell whether a protein shake on the go reinforces diet culture or simply reflects the busy, capitalistic grind of a workweek. Only you know whether six Oreos was too much, not enough, or just right.
What I—and other fabulous eating-disorder-informed dietitians—offer are thoughtful, curious questions to help you gain clarity and confidence around body-food choice congruence (a fancy way of saying that the foods you choose align with your body). You get to define what alignment means here—because you’re an adult, and adulthood comes with this solid perk.
When we don’t allow ourselves to explore all types of foods again, we limit the opportunity for nuanced conversations about our full food truth and body wisdom to emerge. We remain in food fear—not of the “bad for us” foods this time, but of the ghosts of diet culture past. This doesn’t negate the importance of examining our whys to ensure they aren’t rooted in covert health performance, lingering thinness pursuits, or straddling dieting while wanting body liberation. Getting curious and clear about the root systems of our food and body thought patterns is essential for fortifying Body Trust® in a way that’s values-aligned and sustainable long-term.
Those who skip this step often end up waffling in doubt—feeling food-policed, this time by the anti-diet community—or living in chronic discomfort from eating foods that don’t feel good in their body, simply to perform liberation from diet culture. In the latter case, this can lead to abandoning Intuitive Eating prematurely because the body is saying, “I can’t keep eating like this. I feel unwell.”
For example, someone may continue eating regular ice cream to prove food peace, despite experiencing diarrhea every time. They might do this to meet recovery expectations, appease their treatment team, or because they genuinely love ice cream—but hate the side effects. Our work is to explore a happy-medium alternative that supports body, mind, and pleasure. This might include trying lactose-free ice cream, a dairy-free option, or using a digestive enzyme.
Now listen—not all diet food needs to be resurrected. I personally never want a crumb of SnackWell’s to enter my body, nor do I want cauliflower pizza. I don’t need to challenge those foods back into my foodscape to confirm I’m not a fan. But someone else might genuinely enjoy the texture of cauliflower pizza or the nostalgia of SnackWell’s. Not my jam—but it might be yours.
In this food and body liberation journey, I want you to feel less burdened by guilt and shame around food choices, and more flexible in how you nourish your body. I want you to feel clear and confident about your preferences versus diet culture’s rules. My role is to walk alongside you as you explore and rediscover your truth with food and body.
Often, the most potent truths are simply your own undeniable wisdom being reflected back to you—where you get to hear just how wise you really are. Like knowing, without question, that SnackWell cookies are nowhere near as satisfying as a traditional chocolate chip cookie.
As you stay centered in this work, I’ll co-pilot with you as you reclaim food preferences, texture preferences, meal preparation styles, and your own sense of body-food choice congruence. Together, we’ll pay attention to how food lands in your body—your digestion, energy, satisfaction, and overall sense of ease—without turning those observations into rules or requirements. This is not about getting it “right,” but about developing fluency in listening and responding to what your body is communicating over time.
Along the way, there may be health concerns asking to be tended to—digestive discomfort, fatigue, blood sugar swings, food sensitivities, or simply the desire for meals that feel both nourishing and doable within your life. These experiences deserve care and curiosity, not dismissal or moralization. We can explore them thoughtfully, in ways that honor your values and protect the trust you’re rebuilding with your body, rather than sacrificing it in the name of optimization, control or performative food liberation.
