83 | Dieting for Social Acceptance and Health at Every Size with Kirsten Ackerman, RD

83 | Dieting for Social Acceptance and Health at Every Size with Kirsten Ackerman, RD Kirsten Ackerman is a non-diet Registered Dietitian and the creator of The Intuitive RD, and her goal is to help you stop obsessing over food and your body so you can start leading a joyful life. She’s straight real talk, no BS or beating around the bush when it comes to intuitive eating and diet culture. On today’s episode we’re chatting about how participating in dieting behaviors and hating on our bodies is a form of social acceptance throughout our lives, and how the underlying message in nutrition and dietetics programs drives us towards the mentality of “smaller body = healthier and better”. We’re also getting into a deep discussion of the Health at Every Size movement, not to be confused as health-Y at every size, both as a social justice movement, and as a health movement that is inclusive of all bodies. Check your ego, your judgement, and everything you think you knew about “healthy” behaviors and assumptions at the door. “Alright, we’re excited – first day of school, here we go, we’re ready to learn to get some knowledge.” that’s a finding nemo quote if you didn’t catch it. Here we go with Kristen Ackerman of the Intuitive RD!

On today’s episode we’re chatting about:

The role that diet culture has played in Kirsten’s own personal health journey
Sneaky dieting behaviors: could you be dieting without realizing it?
How dieting and hating on our bodies is a form of social acceptance, from when we are teenagers doing our first diets through the workplace as grown women
The underlying messages in nutrition and dietetics studies of: “being in a smaller body = healthier = better AND you can completely control the size of your body and therefore your health (or vice versa) by controlling your food.”
Wellness culture as diet culture in disguise
Health at Every Size 101 and the weight-centric paradigm
Why there is so much confusion about intuitive eating and overeating previously restricted foods
Instead of “making” moderation and balance happen through a restrictive approach, you arrive at moderation and balance naturally when you listen to how your body is responding to food.