Weight-Loss Drugs, Sugar Addiction and More

It’s been a while since I shared a round-up of some of the content I’ve been consuming lately.

I hope you find the following pieces illuminating and helpful. Once you check out the ones you're interested in, I think you'll be as grateful as I am for these incredibly smart and gifted content creators.

Ozempic
There’s been a lot of buzz regarding the new weight-loss drugs in the past year. In this episode of Maintenance Phase, Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes do a deep dive into the research and discuss the (often problematic) discourse surrounding these medications. 

It’s an informative, balanced and thoughtful review—one you’re unlikely to get from mainstream media.

What’s the Deal With GLP-1s?
On her Find Your Food Voice podcast, registered dietitian Julie Duffy Dillion explains how GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic and Wegovy, work, explores some of the research and unknowns, and discusses their potential side effects and contraindications. 

Why Sugar Isn’t As Bad As You’ve Been Told
In this Rethinking Wellness podcast episode, registered dietitian Christy Harrison talks with sociologist and Sugar Rush author Karen Throsby about the demonization of sugar despite scientific uncertainty, the connection between anti-sugar sentiment and anti-fat bias, the research behind sugar addiction, and more.

Similar to Christy, I was also trained years ago by my health coaching school to teach people to be hyper-vigilant about sugar. Thankfully, I also changed my ways as I gained a better understanding of the research, diet culture, disordered eating, the harms of binary thinking and food moralism, social determinants of health, and more.

The Burnt Toast Guide to Kids and Sugar
Speaking of sugar, Virginia Sole-Smith recently published this comprehensive guide to kids and sugar, which covers topics like sugar highs and sugar addiction and provides guidance and resources on how to navigate your own and your kids’ relationship with sugar. 

Even if you don’t have kiddos in your life, I think you’ll find much of the information to be helpful.

Eugenicists Shaped the Pathologized Way Many Americans Think About Nutrition Today
In this fascinating and infuriating article, writer and public health dietitian Anjali Prasertong examines the connection between early dietetics and eugenics. 

“The science of modern nutrition was born deeply entwined with the ersatz science of eugenics, a tangle that mixed up morality with food choices, blending ‘eating white’ and ‘eating right.’ And as much as today’s nutrition community would like to distance ourselves from the harmful teachings and practices of [the Progressive Era], many of the ideas about dietary choices and health born during this time are still alive and well.”

What’s the Cultural Significance of a Calorie?
I’ve shared before how counting calories really messed with my head. On this Getting Curious podcast episode, Jonathan Van Ness discusses the history and politics of the calorie with Dr. Athia Choudhury, including how this metric represents so much more than a number on the back of a chip bag.

Last but not least, in case you missed it, in June I shared my summer reading list. I was fortunate to have the time to read every book and highly recommend them all.

To empowering yourself with knowledge!

I Have a Love-Hate Relationship With Food

How would you describe your relationship with food?

When I ask people this question, one of the most frequent answers I get is “I have a love-hate relationship with food.”

Some other common responses include:

• Bad

• Complicated

• Obsessive

• Unhealthy

• Stressful

• Guilt-ridden

• Difficult

• All-or-nothing

• Controlling

• Compulsive

• Anxiety-filled

• Unsatisfying

• Negative

• Judgmental

• Fearful

• Punitive

Do any of these descriptors resonate with you?

I See It Differently Now
Many years ago, when I was restricting my eating in an effort to lose weight and be a "clean eater," I probably would have described my relationship with food as good, healthy, disciplined. 

As I was so entrenched in diet and wellness cultures, I couldn’t see how disordered my eating had become. I thought I was being good, doing the right thing. 

This belief was often reinforced by many of the people around me, who often praised my eating. I don’t blame them; we live in a culture that normalizes and celebrates disordered eating. 

Ironically, I also considered myself to be a passionate foodie even though I rarely ate anything that wasn't on my diet-approved safe list. Instead, I took a lot of joy in watching others consume the foods I was excited about it.

Looking back now, I would describe my relationship with food as all-consuming, hypervigilant, calculated, rigid, black-and-white, moralistic, fraught, tense, isolating and utterly exhausting. 

I feel sad and regretful when I reflect on that time, and also incredibly grateful I got out of such an awful relationship.

Of course, some aspects of it were pleasurable, at least for brief moments until I reached the point of uncomfortable fullness (overeating is a natural response to food deprivation), and before my inner Food Police started shouting at me (“You were so bad! You need to make up for it!).

What Do You Want?
In addition to asking folks how they would describe their relationship with food, I also like to ask what type of relationship they would like to have.

Easy, guilt-free, peaceful, positive, pleasurable and neutral are just a few of the words that come to mind.

"I just want food to be food" is a common refrain.

When you reflect on this question, what comes up for you? 

And what’s standing in between where you are now and where you would like to be?

It's OK to Eat Ice Cream in Bed—And Hate Exercise

I find it so helpful to remember that, despite what diet and wellness cultures want you to believe, it’s completely okay to…

Eat when you’re sad, stressed, lonely or bored

Crave something sweet after a meal

Get seconds

Dislike cooking

Eat while watching TV

Enjoy bread

Use food to help you focus

Eat cheese and crackers for dinner

Hate exercising

Clean your plate

Eat chips straight from the bag

Snack late at night

Buy processed foods

Eat freely on days you don’t work out

Go for dessert first

Turn to food for comfort

Eat ice cream in bed

Unnecessary Suffering
Like most of us, diet and wellness cultures have likely made you believe you’re being bad, naughty or unhealthy if you don’t adhere to their constantly changing and often contradictory food and exercise rules.

As a result, you may experience a lot of anxiety, guilt or shame when you don’t do the “right” thing. I certainly used to! 

My food and exercise “sins” would often keep me awake at night as I fretted over how I messed up and how I would make up for it the next day. 

A big part of Intuitive Eating is about identifying and challenging all the unhelpful rules and beliefs that cause you so much unnecessary suffering and prevent you from having a flexible, comfortable, satisfying and peaceful relationship with food and movement. 

I encourage you to pause and reflect on what some of your rules are. Most of us have a pretty long list!

It’s such a relief when you fully believe you’re not doing anything wrong, a bad person or morally inferior if you snack when you’re stressed, skip your workout or eat ice cream in bed.