Diet Culture Rebel Podcast

"What we call healthy on the outside does not always reflect what is happening on the inside."
A missing menstrual cycle is often one of the body’s earliest warning signs that something is off beneath the surface. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Nicola Sykes, a leading expert on hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA), to talk about what it really means when your period goes missing, why HA can affect bodies of any size, and how normalized “healthy” behaviors and weight stigma often delay real support. This conversation goes beyond fertility to explore how to listen to your body, understand the signals it’s sending, and support your health in a sustainable way.
✅ What You’ll Learn:
Why habits like carb-cutting, intermittent fasting, and intense exercise can disrupt your menstrual cycle
How under-fueling, stress, and exercise multiply to trigger hypothalamic amenorrhea
Why anyone, regardless of body size, can experience HA, and what makes weight-based assumptions so harmful
What a disrupted cycle looks like and why tracking ovulation matters
How to start reconnecting with your body, tune into real hunger and fullness cues, and ditch shame in favor of curiosity
Actionable first steps for period recovery, including why eating breakfast is a big deal!

🔗 Connect with Dr. Nicola:
Instagram: @noperiodnowwhat
Website
Period recovery support group
Blog post mentioned: Diagnosing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
The Missed Menstrual Periods Study at Mayo Clinic Florida

✨ Struggling to know when to eat or when to stop isn’t a failure… it could be a byproduct of following diet rules instead of your body’s cues. The free Hunger & Fullness Scale Guide helps you ditch the noise and tune back into the cues your body is sending to build trust with your body and food. Get it at DietCultureRebel.com/hungerfullnessscale.
Come back next week for another episode and 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

"I love reframing cravings as a way that your body is trying to communicate with you, because to me that seems so much kinder than labeling them as something bad or wrong."
Diet culture has a sneaky way of showing up in our everyday lives, whether it’s feeling out of control around sugar, getting weighed at the doctor’s office, or worrying about how society’s obsession with thinness is impacting our kids. In this Q&A episode, I answer common Instagram questions with no blame or fear. We talk about what really drives cravings, how to advocate for yourself in medical settings, and how to support kids in building a healthy relationship with food and their bodies.
✅ What You’ll Learn:
How to understand intense sugar and chocolate cravings without shame or self-blame
Why eating enough and breaking food restrictions matters for intuitive eating
Ways to practice habituation and make peace with food you fear
Tools and scripts for advocating for yourself with weight-focused doctors
Tips for fostering a healthy relationship with food and body in your children, even amid diet culture pressures
Why compassion and small steps are the key to moving forward...no all-or-nothing thinking required

🔗 Resources:
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.
Ragen Chastain's Substack: Weight and Healthcare
No Weigh Movement
HAES Health Sheets

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.

"Diet culture and wellness culture are incredibly convincing. Every new trend is marketed as the most important thing you need to do for your health."
Electrolyte supplements and hydration drinks are everywhere right now, being advertised by everyone from TikTok wellness influencers to major podcast sponsors. But how much of this is actually helpful, and how much is just hype? In this episode, I break down the real science behind electrolytes, explain what sodium and potassium actually do in your body, and cut through the fear-based wellness messaging that keeps people confused and stressed. We’ll cover recommendations, controversies, and who might actually benefit from electrolyte supplements. You’ll get the context you need to understand the numbers without obsessing over them.
✅ What You’ll Learn:
What sodium and potassium actually do in your body, and why they’re so essential
Who might benefit from electrolyte supplements, and who probably doesn’t need them
Why the latest wellness trends are so convincing...and often misleading
How your body naturally regulates electrolytes (and when it needs support)
The truth about sodium recommendations, chronic disease, and where potassium fits into the picture
Why it’s possible to prioritize hydration and health without falling for diet culture’s fear-mongering

✨ Struggling to know when to eat or when to stop isn’t a failure… it could be a byproduct of following diet rules instead of your body’s cues. The free Hunger & Fullness Scale Guide helps you ditch the noise and tune back into the cues your body is sending to build trust with your body and food. Get it at DietCultureRebel.com/hungerfullnessscale.
💕 Come back next week for another episode and 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.

"It really isn't about food. It is about control...I wish I would have understood that a little bit earlier."
With thinness back “in” and diet culture louder than ever, I sat down with Ginger Zee, ABC News chief meteorologist and climate correspondent, for an honest conversation about food, body image, mental health, and the healing that reshaped her life and career. Ginger has spent decades in the public eye and a male-dominated industry. She opens up about her journey from childhood struggles with anorexia to thriving as a leader, parent, and public figure. This episode is about resilience, hope, and what becomes possible when food and body thoughts stop running the show.
What You’ll Learn:
How diet culture is louder than ever and what it means for us now
The impact of family, society, and trauma on our relationship with food and body
Why healing your relationship with food gives you more room to live meaningfully
The lessons Ginger learned about control, body image, and resilience through different stages of her life
How sharing personal stories breaks shame and reminds us that we are not alone
How taking up space and being vulnerable as women is a powerful act of rebellion against diet culture

Connect with Ginger:
X: @ginger_Zee
Instagram: @Ginger_Zee
Facebook Fan Page
Website
Good Morning America

Struggling to know when to eat or when to stop isn’t a failure… it could be a byproduct of following diet rules instead of your body’s cues. The free Hunger & Fullness Scale Guide helps you ditch the noise and tune back into the cues your body is sending to build trust with your body and food. Get it at DietCultureRebel.com/hungerfullnessscale.
Come back next week for another episode and 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.

“Yo-yo dieting, restrictive diets, and cutting out whole food groups is worsening insulin resistance more than carbs ever could.”
Carbs have been painted as the villain for far too long, and diet culture has convinced many of us that avoiding them is the key to health and happiness. But what really happens to your body and blood sugar when you restrict carbs may surprise you.
In this episode, I’m joined by Kristie Messerli, registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. We unpack the fear around carbs, diabetes, insulin resistance, and CGMs, and explain why restriction creates more stress, guilt, and metabolic harm. We also share science-backed ways to support both your health and your relationship with food.
What You’ll Learn:
How restriction and yo-yo dieting actually make insulin resistance worse, and how lifelong dieting can backfire metabolically
Why eating sugar does not cause diabetes, and what actually contributes to diabetes development
The pros and cons of using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), and when they’re helpful versus harmful
Why blood sugar spikes are often misunderstood, and how hormones, stress, and sleep play a role
How to add to your plate (not take away!) for better blood sugar regulation and more satisfying meals
Practical ways to rethink carbs and food neutrality to promote both your health and your relationship with eating

🔗 Connect with Kristie:
Instagram: type2diabetes.nutritionist
Free Masterclass: 7 Mistakes That Are Wrecking Your Blood Sugar (and what to do instead)

✨ Struggling to know when to eat or when to stop isn’t a failure… it could be a byproduct of following diet rules instead of your body’s cues. The free Hunger & Fullness Scale Guide helps you ditch the noise and tune back into the cues your body is sending to build trust with your body and food. Get it at DietCultureRebel.com/hungerfullnessscale
Come back next week for another episode and 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.