Diet culture loves to hand out rules: don’t eat this, don’t drink that, don’t even think about dessert.
When I began my health journey, I didn’t have a detailed plan—just a blank canvas and one undeniable truth: the Standard American Diet had done me no favors. My meals were a steady parade of ultra-processed foods: boxed rice, deli sandwiches, chips, diet soda, rib-eye steaks, and takeout pizza, to name a few. They weren’t just unhealthy—they were killing me.
As women, we’re always counting something. Pounds. Points. Calories. Macros. Daily limits. I found it exhausting—and in my experience, futile. The calorie-restricted, point-counting fad diets I tried over the years weren’t the answer. They kept me trapped in a cycle of deprivation, guilt, shame, and eventual failure. I had damaged my body, and it manifested as a life-threatening illness, my rock bottom.
That’s what it took for me to finally realize that fad dieting wasn’t in my best interest, and I shifted my focus from weight loss to restoring my health. That one thing, like flipping a switch in my head, changed everything. My goal wasn’t to fit into smaller jeans. It was to recover from my illness, reclaim my health, and live a long, active, joyful life.
But the result was more than a healthier version of me. In the process of reclaiming my health, I became more connected to my body, I became a happier human, and I ultimately lost 140 pounds—and yes, I did end up fitting into smaller jeans.
A Different Kind of Solution
This approach isn’t about tracking numbers, chasing food trends, or following another rigid set of diet rules. While there are foundational principles that support health, the real shift goes deeper than that. It’s about rebuilding a sustainable relationship with your body, your choices and your life.
The first shift was simplifying my food in a way my body could finally work with. This wasn’t about jumping on a bandwagon or following a trend. It was a necessity. I started eating fresh whole foods. By moving away from heavily processed foods, excess sugar, flour, unhealthy oils, and chemical additives, my body finally had the space it needed to stabilize, communicate, and begin healing. That space changed my life.
With the food clutter gone, I started looking more closely at what “healthy” actually meant. I thought I understood nutrition, but the truth is, I didn’t really understand it at all. I went and got a nutrition certification and wow…my eyes were opened! Once I began learning about our food system, ultra-processed foods, what happens in the body when you eat those ultra-processed foods, and paying attention to how I felt after eating ultra-processed – actually in my body—things shifted for me.
Surprisingly, that knowledge didn’t feel restrictive at all. It felt empowering. For the first time, I could make informed choices that worked for my body instead of outsourcing my health to another diet-of-the-day program.
As my body calmed and my mind cleared, I also learned how to truly listen to it’s signals. Not in some abstract or performative way, but through everyday awareness—paying attention to how foods made me feel, when I was really hungry or not, how my habits shaped my energy, and what happened when I ignored my body’s signals. My body became my guide, not something to control or dismiss because I thought I knew better. I didn’t.
I even started intermittent fasting (before I even knew what it was). I choose not to eat for 12-17 hours every day. And I realized that sometimes no food was the best medicine! Over time, I leaned in to fasting a bit more. Not to lose weight, but because of the health benefits. I started doing 24 hour fasts now and then, just when my body told me to stop eating. And ultimately I did several 72 hour fasts (topping out at an 89 hour fast). No food what so ever, just water. It was like resetting my body and I actually felt better. I don’t do it regularly, I just do it when my body asks for it.
What emerged from all of this knowledge and experimentation wasn’t a temporary fix. It became a way of living. Nourishing my body, giving my body a break from food, moving daily, resting, supporting my nervous system, and choosing habits that support long-term health and resilience. Food was the entry point, but it was never the whole story.
All of that is where this blog, this website, and ultimately my book The Awakened Body were born—by living this experience and getting healthy myself, I wanted to help others who may be struggling the way I once did. And social media and my book helped me get the information out to the world in a way people could actually use it.
Now, when I’m asked, I’m the gal telling you why a neon-blue energy drink is basically liquid chemicals or why your “healthy” granola bar has more sugar than a typical donut. I’m also the gal people come to when they think they want the truth about what’s in their food or drink—deep down, they really want to know, but not really. Because once you know, you know. And it’s hard to unknow what you’ve learned. Because knowing almost always leads to change—and change, even good change, can feel uncomfortable and scary.
And that’s exactly why the “don’ts” of mainstream diet culture don’t deserve all the attention we give them. When it comes to building a healthier lifestyle, there’s far more power in focusing on the do’s.
A Menu of Healthy Do’s
So what if we stopped thinking about the “don’ts”—what we can’t do or have—and instead focused on the “do’s,” the things we can do or have that support our health and help us feel better in our bodies?
Here are twenty-five simple ways to start.
- Add another veggie or leafy green to your plate
- Drink another glass of water—first thing in the morning or between meals are great times to sneak more water into your system
- Give your body a break from food for at least 17 hours (just water, and lots of it)
- Add a handful of microgreens to salads, vegetables, or smoothies
- Include healthy fats in your diet, such as avocado, extra-virgin olive oil, or a few walnuts
- Choose quality protein—plant-based or animal, depending on what works for you
- Take a breath break during the day—take several slow, intentional breaths to reset your nervous system (you can do this anywhere and no one will even know it but you)
- Eat more fiber-rich foods like veggies, berries, or seeds
- Enjoy probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, or kimchi
- Set a timer and sit in silence for 5 minutes and just listen for signals from your body. When your mind wanders, focus on your breath
- Take a yoga class—or spend ten minutes stretching at home
- Go for another walk—bonus points with a friend, your dog, or a great playlist
- Practice meditation—even five quiet minutes counts
- Write a journal entry—get the thoughts out of your head and onto the page
- Use fresh herbs or spices in your meals
- Explore root vegetables like beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, ginger, and turmeric
- Take a moment to think about all the things in your life that you are grateful for
- Sip a cup of tea—chamomile, ginger, or antioxidant-rich green tea
- Spend time outside in the sunshine—barefoot if you can
- Learn how to read food labels so you know what you are eating
- Use resistance bands for a quick strength session
- Snack on a small serving of nuts or seeds
- Chew your food at least 30 chomps before you swallow (your digestive system will thank you)
- Give your body a break and watch the healing begin, don’t eat anything for 24 hours (drink a lot of water)
- Take a dance break—no choreography required
Think of this list like a menu. You wouldn’t order everything on a menu at once—you choose what sounds good. Try picking a couple of these “do’s” each month or each day, and see how they feel in your body. Small shifts like this often build momentum, and momentum is where real change begins.
If you’re ready to ditch diet culture and focus on what truly supports your health, start with do’s instead of don’ts. It’s not a one size fit’s all perspective. Every body is different and that’s why trying something and seeing how it feels in your body and your life is a great approach to healthy lifestyle changes. These simple shifts can build momentum and grow into lasting habits, better health, and a life that feels more aligned. I know that to be true because I lived it. And I share more about this approach in my book The Awakened Body.