Diet Culture, Menopause, and Finding Your Voice with Susan Hyatt

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Susan Hyatt about the realities and myths of diet culture, beauty standards, and the rise of "menopause culture." Broadcasting from Indiana in the Midwest, Susan shares her journey as a life coach and author, unveiling the motivations behind her anti-diet philosophy and the process of publishing her book, "Bear." Together, Amy and Susan candidly explore the evolving influence of social media, the challenge of visibility for women, and how aging and menopause are newly commodified—and what it means to choose self-support instead of self-policing.

About Susan Hyatt: Susan Hyatt is a Master Certified Life Coach, Bestselling Author, and TEDx Speaker. She’s on a mission to ignite 'Big Yes Energy' in women everywhere. From boosting your bank account to supercharging your self-confidence, from elevating your energy levels to amplifying your joy, Susan is the go-to expert for women who want more.

With 18 years of coaching experience under her belt, Susan has guided thousands of women through their personal revolutions. She's a crusader against diet culture and a vocal advocate for closing gaps – in wages, confidence, and yes, even orgasms.

She is also the creator of BARE - a groundbreaking process that’s inspired women all over the world to stop shrinking their bodies and start expanding their lives.

Susan's impactful work has graced national TV, leading podcasts, and top magazines including O: The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, Woman’s World, and Call Her Daddy. Her dedication to women's empowerment and entrepreneurship also earned her a spot as a finalist for the prestigious Athena Award.

When she's not hyping up her clients, leading epic retreats, or making a scene, Susan can be found weightlifting, marathon training, globetrotting, or cozying up in her hygge corner. She’s also not shy about advocating for equality at home, regularly reminding her husband about the importance of sharing the "invisible workload," so she can continue to earn big and play big.

Main Topics Covered:

1. How Susan’s anti-diet philosophy was born from personal experience and coaching hundreds of women.
2. Navigating the publishing industry: the challenges, rejections, and creative solutions Susan found on her way to releasing "Bear."
3. Unpacking "diet culture," "beauty culture," and "menopause culture"—what these terms mean and how they impact women.
4. The emotional risk and motivation behind becoming a visible voice for body freedom and wellness.
5. The backlash and online criticism women face when sharing their stories—and how to use privilege for advocacy.
6. Aging, menopause, and influencer advice: noticing the parallels between traditional diet culture and new "menopause fixes."
7. The importance of quality information, body intuition, and skepticism amid wellness fads and changing research.
8. Creating sustainable health and strength in midlife, beyond competitive extremes and compliance for its own sake.
9. Building offline and online communities for support and connection in the age of instant digital feedback.

Quote from the Episode: "I'm not gonna shut up because I have big boobs and blonde hair and blue eyes. Like, that's...