This is a strange time to be a conscious, anti-diet culture nutrition pro.

The wellness industry loves this time of year. New year, new me! New habits! New health! New diet! It thrives on our resolutions to be healthier in the new year. And while I’m allll about being healthier all year round, new year’s resolutions tend to reek of diet culture.

So I have a tough time navigating this. Do I sit back and scoff at all the diets and cleanses and detoxes everyone is jumping into come January first? Do I rail against diet culture and the predatory marketing tactics that make you think your body is the problem and you need to fix it with a coffee enema? (PLEASE do not do this it is horribly unhealthy and dangerous no matter what the trendy tik-tok influencers are saying) OR do I, as a business owner and nutrition expert, join in the noise because I know people are out there searching for a way to get healthier and I don’t want them (you) to fall prey to these restrictive tactics that (1) never last, (2) aren’t based in science and (3) can easily lead to disordered eating patterns?

In the past, I’ve always just opted out. Sit back, relax, watch everything happen from afar while quietly reminding followers and readers that your kidney and liver are all the detox you need and they’re free! But at the urging of my friends, coach and followers, I’ve decided to attempt to approach it differently.

In late November I announced that my signature program, Feed Your Bliss, would be starting it’s Winter cohort in January. I started a free Instagram accountability challenge in December to build healthy habits. And I soft launched the 21-Day Refresh (which is essentially 3 weeks of tasty balanced recipes laid out in a nice meal plan format you can follow).

I’ve put out a LOT of free and paid ways to choose healthier in the new year without dieting, restricting, counting anything — and it’s working?

Yeah, it is. You’re picking up what I’m putting down – at least, you’re joining the groups, buying the meal plans and engaging in the content. But I still feel uncomfortable promoting these awesome offerings on a wider or louder scale because I’m so weary of the noise that comes from the NEW YEAR, NEW ME wellness grifters.

I’ve also had a lot of unsubscribes and unfollows in the last month. Which, I get, but at the same time, this isn’t just me shooting the shit and talking nutrition – I do that a LOT and push out a ton of highly actionable, quality free information and education. But this is a business. And I think there’s an interesting dichotomy with having a personal brand but also being a business owner and selling things. I have 4 kids and a massive rent every month and grocery bills (omg my boys eat so much these days) and giving out free content doesn’t pay those bills. Wish it did – truly. But there’s also a level of commitment one puts in that’s aligned with the investment. How many times have you downloaded a free guide and never opened it? Or never actually did the thing? Too many times to count. But when you’re financially invested in something, you’re more likely to not only participate in it more fully, but actually see the results you’re looking for!

It’s funny to me to look at all the free content I’ve given out in the last year – workshops, downloads, meal plans, recipes, instagram posts, newsletters, podcast episodes – and I can draw a very clear line through it all and see how someone listening, reading, etc can get from stuck, uncomfortable, confused, frustrated with their health and their body to thriving, feeling sexy af and super healthy. And yeah, there are some that do (which I love, btw)! I have messages all the time in my DMs sharing stories of success just by following me and that’s amazing! But for most, the investment (whether it’s time, finances, whatever) has to be there in order to take that information and make the change.

So, that brings me back to New Year’s … is it ethical to jump into the wellness industry diet culture bandwagon and add to the noise of the cleanses and detoxes and “healthy” changes? Is it ethical to sit back, stay silent and watch people I respect and care about get sucked into these when I know I have a better option?

You don’t have to buy my products or services to achieve your goals. You can do a cleanse or a detox or 75 hard if you want a quick fix. Go for it. I truly truly hope you succeed. But on the other hand, there are a lot of evidence based practices proven to improve your health, reach your body composition goals, stay on track with your healthy habits, and keep going for the long haul — and another round of whole30 isn’t it.

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If you’re looking for a “quick start” (not fix because this is truly just a starting point), I recommend the 21-Day Refresh

If you’re looking for a solid plan to understand your body, nourish it properly with every nutrient it needs without dipping back into restrictive eating, diet culture and disordered patterns, within a super supportive community, I recommend Feed Your Bliss.

If you’re looking for guidance and education and deep dive coaching to lose weight sustainably and keep it there healthily, manage nutrition around a formal diagnosis like endometriosis, PCOS, Type 2 Diabetes, thyroid issues, and really take control of your health, I recommend Individual Food Therapy.

If you’re looking to support your hormonal health and the shifts throughout your menstrual cycle through food, I recommend the Hormone Support Program.