Diet culture has a sneaky way of showing up everywhere. From weightloss plans disguised as “lifestyle changes” to wellness trends promising to heal everything from your skin to your soul. In this encore episode, I’m joined by Christy Harrison, MPH, RD—author of The Wellness Trap and Anti-Diet—to unpack how diet culture infiltrates the wellness world and impacts women’s health in ways that are anything but healthy.

Christy explains how the multi-billion-dollar wellness industry often sells us pseudoscience, dubious diagnoses, and rigid food rules that can lead to disordered eating and body-image struggles. We talk about why so many people—especially women—get caught in this cycle, how eating disorders aren’t always obvious, and why scientific literacy is one of the most powerful tools for protecting your health.

You will learn...

• Why diet culture’s obsession with weight loss harms physical and mental health
• How wellness trends exploit fear to sell ineffective or harmful solutions
• The connection between restrictive eating, binge eating, and long-term health issues
• Why women are extra susceptible to falling into diet culture and wellness trends
• How social media and our political climate contributes to wellness mis- and dis-information

Remember: Your worth isn’t measured by your weight, your diet, or how “well” you follow health trends. Real wellness is about freedom and self-compassion.

Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified intuitive eating counselor, and journalist who has been covering food, nutrition, and health for more than 20 years. She is the author of two books, The Wellness Trapand Anti-Diet, and host of the podcasts Rethinking Wellness and Food Psych. Christy’s decades of work in journalism, nutrition, and intuitive eating have helped thousands break free from the false promises of diet culture and find a more compassionate, evidence-based approach to food and health. Whether you’ve struggled with dieting, fallen into the wellness trap, or simply want to support women’s health in a more sustainable way, this conversation will help you see wellness culture in a whole new light.

Get Christy’s latest book: The Wellness Trap: Break Free from Diet Culture, Disinformation, and Dubious Diagnoses and Find Your True Well-Being

Learn more about Christy at christyharrison.com and follow her on Instagram @chr1styharrison

Mentioned in This Episode: Fears About Food Additives, article by Christy Harrison Is Red Food Dye Dangerous?

If you’re enjoying this self-love podcast, share it with the women in your life to combat diet culture, promote body positivity, and spread self-love.

You can’t truly love yourself if you’re lying to yourself.

And you certainly can’t find peace in a version of you that’s not real.

Because when you try to love a version of yourself that isn’t true, it feels empty. It’s like people-pleasing: if you sacrifice authenticity for approval, then who are they really approving of? Not the real you. And the same goes for self-approval. If we dress up a lie and call it self-love, we’re building a facade that will inevitably crumble.

In this episode, you will learn…

• Why women, in particular, tend to lie to themselves (even more than they lie to others)
• What all major religions and spiritual teachings say about truth-telling
• 3 simple but profound ways to use honesty as a daily practice of loving yourself

We’ll also explore ideas from authors like bell hooks, George Saunders, Don Miguel Ruiz, and Tara Brach, whose teachings remind us that honesty is the foundation of love.

If you’ve ever felt like self-love doesn’t “work” for you, or that you’re doing everything but still feel disconnected, this episode might reveal why and inspire you to honestly love yourself.

Remember: telling the truth isn’t about sharing every secret, it’s about staying rooted in what’s real. And what’s real—no matter how messy—is worthy of love.

Deepen your self-love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook that will help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and learn to love who you are.

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

If you’re enjoying this self-love podcast, share it with the women in your life. Your support helps keep this show—and the message of self-love, confidence, and mental health—alive and thriving.

🫖 P.S. This self-love podcast episode pairs beautifully with:

• Ep. 212: How To Be Honest With Yourself
• Ep. 213: Sick of People-Pleasing? Listen to this.
• Ep. 242: How To Stop Comparing Your Current Self to Your Past Self

A lack of self-confidence doesn’t always scream at you—sometimes it whispers in the background of your day. Today, Mary shares 5 not-so-obvious signs that your self-confidence might be quietly taking a hit… signs she’s personally working through, too.

These confidence red flags are common, especially amongst women. From seeking validation in the wrong places to constantly doubting your decisions, exploring self-confidence struggles can also help you shift them. If you’re ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start trusting your own inner wisdom, this episode is for you.

You will learn how to...

• stop trying to fill inner voids with external things (AKA build self-worth from within)
• start trusting yourself more, even when life feels uncertain
• break out of a victim mindset and reassure yourself that you are enough

Because here’s the truth about confidence: no amount of success, praise, or “shiny new thing” will give you lasting confidence or a truly positive mindset. You’re the only one who can create those feelings within yourself. And while that might sound daunting, it’s also incredibly empowering.

And make sure to get Mary’s books two on self-love:

• The Gift of Self-Love: https://maryscupoftea.com/gift-of-self-love. This is a self-love workbook that will help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
• 100 Days of Self-Love: maryscupoftea.com/journal. This is a guided journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and learn to love who you are.

If you’re enjoying this self-love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Just don't say Mary's Cup of Tea is the best self-love podcast for women ;)