How Do You Take Care of Your Nutrition WITHOUT Falling into Diet Culture?

 

You’ve done the work.

You’ve ditched the calorie-counting apps.
You’ve rejected the toxic messaging that says your worth is tied to your weight.
You want to eat in a way that feels nourishing, not punishing.

But… it’s still complicated.

Because even if you’re not chasing a number on the scales anymore, you still have days where you wonder:

“Should I eat cleaner? Maybe I need to get back into control…”

And yet — the thought of going back to old patterns of restriction, obsession, or all-or-nothing rules makes your whole body contract.

You’ve been there before.
You know it’s not the answer.

But here’s the tricky part:

You’re also tired. Your energy’s flat.
Your mood is up and down. You struggle to focus.
There’s that constant brain fog, maybe even some niggling health concerns you’ve been quietly ignoring.
And — if you’re honest with yourself — you know your nutrition needs some care.

You're not looking for a plan. Or a perfect protocol.
But you also don’t want to be left in that vague, well-meaning limbo of “just listen to your body”…
Especially when you don’t always feel connected to your body in the first place.

So where do you go from here?

The problem isn’t you. The problem is the paradigm we’ve been sold.

 

🌿 The Middle Way: A More Empowered, Embodied Approach

So what’s the alternative?

It’s not swinging to the other extreme. It’s not pretending none of this matters.
It’s about choosing something more true. More spacious. More sustainable.

It’s about gently turning towards your body — not with rules or restriction, but with reverence and curiosity.

Because when we really listen, we start to see that our bodies aren’t “out of control.”
They’re intelligent. They’re doing their best with the inputs we’re giving them — physically, emotionally, hormonally.

Instead of chasing the next diet or punishing ourselves for “failing” again, we can begin to nourish ourselves in a way that balances our hormones, supports our mood, and stabilises our energy.

And we do this by empowering ourselves with knowledge — not shame.

Like understanding how food impacts our gut biome (which plays a huge role in mental health and immunity), or how repeated blood sugar spikes can lead to mood swings, fatigue, and cravings that feel hard to override. Or recognising that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) — while convenient and often emotionally comforting — don’t give our bodies what they truly need to thrive.

But most importantly?

We begin to honour the truth that women are beautifully complex.
Our needs aren’t static — and our nutrition and self-care shouldn’t be either.

Our bodies change across the menstrual cycle. Our hormones shift as we enter perimenopause and postmenopause. And yet we’re often taught to eat, train, and live as if we’re still in our 20s — with zero regard for how our biology evolves.

No wonder we feel burnt out. Or like our efforts no longer “work” the way they used to.

Learning to adapt how we eat and care for ourselves to match our cycle and life stage is one of the most empowering gifts we can give ourselves. It’s not about perfection. It’s about tuning in.

And this isn’t just about food.

Because it’s almost impossible to eat well if we’re exhausted, under-resourced, and constantly rushing.

If you’ve slept terribly and had to sprint out the door to work, it’s no surprise you end up downing three coffees and grabbing the nearest Danish between meetings. This isn’t about willpower — it’s about survival.

That’s why nutrition can never be looked at in isolation.

We need to take a whole-person approach. To zoom out and ask:

“What’s really going on here? What am I needing more of… or less of… in my life?”

Only when we tend to the bigger picture — stress, sleep, boundaries, nervous system support, hormones — can we make sustainable, body-led shifts.

This is the middle way. Not all-or-nothing. But a return to relationship. To rhythm. To respect.


🧩 What If There’s a Reason You Keep Getting Pulled Off Track?

But even once we know all this…
It’s not always easy to do it.

Sometimes we still find ourselves reaching for what we said we wouldn’t.
We feel stuck. Frustrated. Or like two parts of us are pulling in opposite directions.

And that’s because — quite often — they are.

In this work, we explore what we call Parts.

The part of you that wants to nourish your body and feel strong and energised.
And the part of you that wants to check out and eat the whole pack of biscuits when things feel too much.

The part that gets excited to eat clean and start fresh.
And the part that whispers “It’s not worth it. You always fall off anyway.”

These parts aren’t bad.
They’re protective. They formed to keep you safe, soothed, and in control — often a very long time ago.

When we try to “get rid” of them, we create more internal resistance.
But when we learn to listen to them with curiosity and compassion, something shifts.

The shame begins to dissolve.
The inner tug-of-war softens.
And instead of fighting yourself, you begin to lead yourself — with clarity, confidence, and calm.


🌸 A Gentle Place to Begin

If this is resonating, I want you to know:
You don’t need to overhaul your life to start changing your relationship with your body.

You just need to take one brave, curious step toward understanding it more deeply.

So I’ve created a short Reflective Guide to help you explore what’s really going on beneath your eating patterns — physically, emotionally, and hormonally.


✍️ Reflection Guide: Get Curious, Not Controlling

This isn’t a checklist or a challenge.
It’s a moment of pause.
A chance to get curious about your body’s deeper needs — not just what you eat, but why, when, and how.

This isn’t about fixing or diagnosing. It’s about insight.
You don’t need to have the answers yet. You just need a starting point.

Try choosing one or two of the following prompts and journaling on them gently — maybe with a cup of tea, or while sitting outside. Come back to others over the next few days.


🌱 Reflective Prompts:

  1. What does my body feel like it's truly needing right now?
    (Not just in terms of food — but energy, rest, connection, space?)

  2. Are there parts of me that feel drawn to restrict, control, or “fix” my eating?
    What are their fears or concerns? What do they really want for me?

  3. Are there parts of me that reach for food for comfort, excitement, or relief?
    Can I explore these moments with compassion, rather than judgment?

  4. What impact does my lifestyle have on my eating patterns?
    (For example: Do stress, sleep, or rushing influence what I reach for and when?)

  5. What kinds of foods am I naturally drawn to at different points in my menstrual cycle?
    Are there patterns I notice? Are there stages where I need more grounding, more protein, more rest?

  6. Is there one meal, snack, or food item I regularly reach for that’s ultra-processed or high in sugar?
    Could I experiment with swapping it — even just once — for a whole food or more savoury alternative?
    Remember: Change is best done one small step at a time.

  7. If I could nourish myself from a place of care — not control — what might change?


💬 This is just the beginning.

If this stirred something in you — if you're beginning to see how much your eating patterns are shaped by deeper rhythms, beliefs, or unmet needs — you don’t have to explore it all alone.

This is exactly the kind of work I support women with in my 1:1 somatic coaching.

Book a free 30-minute consultation here.
No pressure, no sales pitch — just a calm space to get clarity on what you truly need, and explore what support might feel right for you.

Alice Fletcher