Lift the Shame: Mothering Free From Diet Culture, Food Guilt, and Body Shame

As the holiday season rolls around, we're embraced by the warmth of family gatherings, yet often find ourselves confronting the frosty undercurrent of diet culture. In today's heartfelt episode of Lift the Shame, I, Crystal your intuitive eating dietitian, share my personal experiences and insights into arming our precious children against the ingrained food traditions and body image remarks that can sour our festive spir...

Ever wondered how to navigate the difficult terrain of parenting during the festive season while breaking free from the chains of family trauma and shame? This heartening episode of Lift the Shame is your guiding compass. Equipped with insights from a recent parenting conference and personal experiences, we tackle the high-pressure responsibilities that come with holidays and the compulsion to overcompensate. We stress on the neces...

Navigating the murky waters of food dyes and their potential impact on children's behavior can be overwhelming. It's a topic that has puzzled scientists and parents alike, stirring up a sea of mixed research and inconclusive results. As a mother of neurodivergent children, I've walked this path, wrestling with research studies, and trying to make sense of it all. I've been sharing my personal journey and learnin...

As mothers, we're not just feeding our children; we're helping them build a lifelong relationship with food, their bodies, and their self-image. This journey becomes particularly challenging during candy-centered holidays like Halloween. In this episode, we delve into the tools, strategies, and proactive understanding needed to navigate these sugar-coated occasions. We'll start by focusing on understanding our childr...

Are you ready to revolutionize the way your household perceives and interacts with candy? If so, our comprehensive discussion on understanding and navigating the world of sweets with your children is a must-listen. By breaking away from the societal stigmas surrounding sweets, we elucidate the significance of nurturing a healthy relationship with food, particularly candy. Rather than demonizing these treats, we highlight the import...

Ever wonder why we're so quick to snatch that Halloween candy from our kids? What if, instead of demonizing sweets, we use them as a tool for teaching self-regulation and a healthy relationship with food? This is the intriguing conversation we unpack in today's episode, challenging the tradition of the SwitchWitch and the potential negative implications it may pose.

We expose the potential pitfalls of the Switch ...

Are you feeling spooked by the avalanche of Halloween treats your child is about to encounter? As a dietitian and a mom, I understand your apprehensions. However, it's time to unmask the myths and fears around sweets. This week, we're starting a mini-series that's going to help parents like you build a healthy, guilt-free relationship between your child and sweets. We'll start by examining the fears around sugar...

What if diet culture in schools is more impactful than we think? That's what we'll be exploring today, holding up a magnifying glass to the subtle influences our children encounter and discussing how we, as parents, can support them in navigating these murky waters. We'll be examining the systemic issue of curriculum standards at a state and nationwide level, and asking the tough questions about the necessity of heal...

Are your children being influenced by diet culture without you even knowing? We're peeling back the layers on how diet culture sneaks into classrooms, curriculum, standardized tests, and sports teams. As parents, it's impossible to shield our children entirely from these harmful messages. Instead, we need to arm them with the ability to challenge these narratives with sound critical thinking. We'll talk about the imp...

Hey mama, ever felt disheartened seeing your child encounter diet culture outside of your safe home environment? Well, it's time to arm them with critical thinking skills to navigate this tricky landscape. We're about to set out on an exploration of diet culture in schools, understanding its layers, and sharing our thoughts on how to lift this shame together.

When was the last time you thought about the President...

Overwhelmed with the daunting task of packing your child's school lunch? Fear not, we're here to take on this challenge together. Equipped with tried-and-true techniques from my own experience and work with clients, this episode is a goldmine of practical advice to help you navigate the school year with a picky eater.

First, we share a simple and fool-proof approach to assembling school lunches that are nutritiou...

Ever felt like you're standing on the battleground every mealtime, with your picky eater child on the opposing side? You might be surprised to uncover that the roots of picky eating can be traced back to our own childhood experiences and narratives. This episode uncovers the deeper issues that influence our reactions to picky eating, urging us to look at our own food traumas and how they affect our attitudes towards our child&...

Celebrating a year of the Lift the Shame podcast, I, Crystal, am thrilled to take another lap around the sun with you as we tackle one of parenting's most intriguing dilemmas - picky eating. Have you ever felt like you're running in circles when it comes to feeding your little one? Trust me, you're not alone. Drawing from my personal journey in feeding my two selective eaters, we'll discuss various aspects of pi...

Hey Mama, ever been steeped in shame and guilt over your child's picky eating habits? Take heart; you're not alone on this journey. I'm Crystal, your intuitive eating dietitian and mom of five, here to help unshackle you from the burden of those misconceptions. My experience with my own picky eaters has given me insights I'm eager to share. Let's start debunking those myths together, shall we? You're n...

Welcome back, mamas, to another episode where we challenge the myths of diet culture and the standards imposed on our children. As a mama of five and an intuitive eating dietitian, I've seen first-hand the impact of these standards, especially with two of my own kiddos who are selective eaters. We're going to debunk some common misconceptions about picky eating that often lead to stress and guilt. It's time we redefi...

Ever been swallowed by the raging waves of shame when it comes to your child's body and eating habits? You're not alone, mama. Join me, Crystal, as we tackle this pervasive issue head-on, creating a safe haven of acceptance and unconditional love for our little ones. This empowering episode focuses on the immense weight of shame many mothers carry, especially those healing their own relationship with food and their bodies...

Ever grappled with your child's constant hunger pangs right after meals? Fear not, for this episode is designed to help you navigate those mealtime challenges and put your worries to rest. Together, we'll demystify why your child might be feeling hungry soon after a meal, helping you understand their needs better. We'll also delve into recognizing your triggers and finding ways to ensure your child knows that food is...

Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too? As your trusted family dietitian, I'm here to debunk the myth that sweets and a healthy relationship with food can't coexist for your children. In this enlightening conversation, we delve into the critical reasons behind children's obsession with sweets and its impact on their behavior and concentration. We shed light on the difference between simple enjoyment an...

What would it mean to you to finally break free from the generational legacy of body shaming and diet culture in your family? This is the thought-provoking question we're tackling today as we discuss the complex issue of supporting our children in building a better body image. During our conversation, we'll be answering a question from one of our listeners about their 11-year-old daughter who is currently struggling with ...