“Okay, if these people believe in me, then I need to maybe learn to believe in myself, even just a little bit, or at least have hope that things can change.”
Have you ever stopped to wonder what food struggles take away from you? It’s tempting to simply focus on food itself, but it is actually so much more than that. Food struggles don’t just change what we eat; they change how we show up in our lives.
Today’s guest, Joshua Hills, is about to give you one of the most hopeful, heartwarming perspectives I’ve ever heard on healing from food struggles. Joshua is a registered associate nutritionist and the author of “You Can Eat That.” His mom has lived with anorexia nervosa for over four decades, and growing up, he watched firsthand how her relationship with food shaped not only her life, but his entire family’s as well. What makes Joshua’s story so unique is the way he supports his mom and how he chose to approach his mom’s struggle with curiosity and empathy. Joshua reminds us of the importance of understanding another’s perspective, and how opening up about personal struggles is the way to healing and giving others hope for change.
Although Joshua’s story centers around anorexia nervosa, I couldn’t help but notice how many pieces of her story exist on a similar spectrum to chronic dieting, disordered eating, and the everyday food struggles I hear from rebels like you all the time. This can look like avoiding meals with family, feeling anxious before going out to eat, believing you have to earn your food, missing out on experiences because food feels overwhelming, or thinking about food far more than you want to. Wherever you fall on the scale of food struggles, today’s conversation is going to give you so much inspiration about your way forward with compassion for yourself and for others.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why food struggles affect far more than just what we eat
- How opening up about food struggles can create connection, reduce shame, and become a powerful step toward healing
- What recovery can make possible, from enjoying family meals and social events to rediscovering excitement for life and food
- How to approach difficult conversations with loved ones about food using compassion, empathy, and healthy boundaries
- The role diet culture plays in reinforcing food guilt, body judgment, and the belief that food must be earned
Whether you or someone you know struggles with diet culture, chronic dieting, disordered eating, or just everyday food struggles, this conversation will bring insights, encouragement, and hope. Because while food struggles may exist at varying degrees from person to person, the guilt, shame, isolation, and hope for something better are often more similar than we realize.
Resources:
- Connect with Joshua @joshuhillsnutrition
- Read Joshua’s book You Can Eat That
- Grab the Hunger & Fullness Scale Guide at DietCultureRebel.com/hungerfullnessscale and take your next step toward building trust with your body and food
- Connect with me over on Instagram at @diet.culture.rebel
Struggling with food, but not sure where to start?
You don’t have to feel 100% ready to get support. If you’re tired of obsessing over food or feeling stuck in the diet cycle, my team of Registered Dietitians is here to help. We offer one-on-one nutrition counseling—and we accept insurance! Spots are limited, so head to https://dietculturerebel.com/insurance to see if we’re covered in your state and learn how to get started.
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