What I learned on my Monterey farm tour
Last week, I got to tour several farms in California (berry, artichoke, celery, romaine and iceberg). Here, I share what I learned.
Recipe: Greek Bulgur Summer Salad
This salad is kind of like a riff on tabouli, with the addition of white beans for a bit of protein (and more fiber) and oregano instead of mint.
Are you sabotaging your best intentions?
Do you find that you have the best of intentions about, say, eating more mindfully or going for more walks, and maybe actually start to make a few changes, only to resume the very behaviors that are getting in the way of living a satisfying, fulfilling life?
Recipe: Protein Power Crunch Salad
This light-but-hearty, highly textured salad that is refreshing and satisfying when the weather is hot, but substantial enough to be a good year-round go-to. One of my favorite parts? It keeps well for lunch leftovers.
Why are we suppressing joy and creating barriers to health?
Want to know what simultaneously breaks my heart and makes me want to punch something? When I hear the stories of stigma, shame and self-doubt my clients experience simply because they have the audacity to walk this earth in a body that is deemed larger than what’s appropriate.
Why summer produce is a reason to celebrate
When you try to eat as local and seasonal as possible in northern climates like the Pacific Northwest, summer is a gift. Our Northwest summer produce is bursting with flavor and. Even better, it’s packed with nutrients. Your taste buds get what they want and your body gets what it needs.
Beauty myths and domestic goddesses
One of the original ideals of feminism was that we were supposed to stop evaluating women on the basis of their physical appearance. Instead, society has continually upped the ante. This can lead to eating disorders.
Perfectionism: setting the stage for eating disorders?
Perfectionism can be strongly related to eating disorders because the drive to be (or appear) perfect can trigger disordered eating patterns at various points along the spectrum. This could mean anything from occasional emotional/stress/comfort eating to orthorexia to full-fledged eating disorders.
What seeds are you sowing with your words?
I don't have kids, but I feel super strongly that parents, doctors, teachers and other adults should not comment on children's weight. Here are the many reasons why.
Can exercise backfire? Depends on why you exercise
There are a billion reasons to exercise. When weight and appearance is your prime exercise motivation, what happens might not be what you wished for.
Let’s talk about fiber…especially prebiotic fiber
Fiber. We need it, but most of us are not getting enough of it. Why we need it (especially prebiotic fiber) and where to get it...even if you have IBS.
10 ways to use white beans (with recipes!)
Are white beans the little black dress of the pantry? Maybe! Lately, I've been using dried beans as much as possible, but I always keep some canned white beans on hand for the 10 reasons I'm going to tell you about.
Top 3 Intuitive Eating mistakes (and how to avoid them)
There’s a lot of interest in Intuitive Eating, and while learning to become an intuitive eater again can be hard work, it’s unnecessarily hard, not to mention frustrating, when would-be intuitive eaters fall into one of these three common traps.
Does a healthier diet start with an organized fridge?
Just as a disorganized, cluttered kitchen can discourage you from cooking, so can a disorganized, crowded fridge. My top reasons to be more of a minimalist in the refrigerator-stocking department.
Product Review: Bob’s Better Bars
I like my bars to be as “real food” as possible—ideally, when I look at the list of ingredients, I think to myself, “I could make something like this at home if I had the time and inclination.” Bob's Better Bars fit the bill.
My origin story, on the latest episode of Food Psych
I'm thrilled to appear in the current episode of the Food Psych podcast, hosted by fellow Intuitive Eating and anti-diet dietitian Christy Harrison. In this interview, I talk about the origins of my own food and body issues that began in early childhood, my history of chronic dieting, and my movement to a Health At Every Size philosophy.
Why default behaviors “rule” over rules (they’re kinder, too)
Are you a rules follower? For most people, setting rigid nutrition rules can do more harm than good. In some cases, the harm could be physical. In other cases, the harm could be mental/emotional. Having default behaviors is a better, gentler alternative to rules.
5 myths about registered dietitians
As a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) who sometimes writes about controversial nutrition topics, I’ve noticed a pattern to some of the online comments I receive. Namely, they dismiss me and my words because I’m a dietitian. Often, they go further and dismiss all dietitians. Here are five of the biggest myths I hear.
How to fill the vacuum created by not dieting
If not dieting, then what? That question tends to loom heavy in your mind when you've decided it's time to get off the diet rollercoaster, but aren't sure what life after dieting would look like. And there are many reasons for saying goodbye to dieting, a.k.a. the intentional pursuit of weight loss.
For your reading list: Red Pen Reviews
There are a lot of books about nutrition and health that offer big claims. Red Pen Reviews offers nuanced reviews of those claims, by highly qualified reviewers
Cultivating self-compassion: One key to true health
Research shows that self-compassion is important for mental and emotional health and well-being as well as for physical health. Learn how to cultivate more self-compassion in your own life.
Trust Yourself: Go Red For Women 2019
Here's the text of the speech I gave for the 2019 Seattle Go Red for Women luncheon, in which I talk about the importance of trusting ourselves and our bodies
The high costs of weight bias and lack of trust
If this blog were to have a theme this week, I would have a tough time deciding between “weight bias” and “trust.”
Fresh squeezed: Learning about citrus from grove to glass
Last week I traveled to Florida, which was fabulous because I’m a bit sick of
The failure of self-esteem and the rise of self-compassion
Self-esteem isn’t new, but a “self-esteem movement” of sorts started back in the 1970s, predicated on the idea that many of society's problems were due to individuals’ low self-esteem. Well, this was a failed experiment, and there are a few reasons why.
Embarking on a Body Positive journey
I'm heading to sunny San Diego to attend the Be Body Positive facilitator training. But what does it mean to be "Body Positive" and is that realistic for everyone?
Mindful eating definition: Questions & Answers
To wrap up this series on mindfulness and mindful eating (which grew from four posts to five, because I realized I had a lot to say), I’ll take a stab at answering some common questions I get about mindful eating.
Behind the scenes…in my temporary kitchen
I love to cook, but I’m also busy, and sometimes those two facts of life don’t merge neatly. Especially when working out of a small galley kitchen in a rental apartment, for the time being.
Getting started with mindfulness meditation
In my second post in this five-part series, I talked about the benefits of mindfulness, and how mindfulness meditation is the most important practice to help you build your “mindfulness muscle.” Mindfulness meditation is at its heart a form of attention training. With regular practice, meditation makes it easier to return your attention where you want it to be.
Mindful eating tips: Strategies for real life
In my first post in this series on mindfulness and mindful eating, I talked about the benefits of mindful eating. In this post, I get into some mindful eating tips and strategies you can try immediately.
What is mindfulness, and how can it benefit you?
When asking, “Why cultivate mindfulness?” first consider that when our default is mindlessness, it’s easy to be controlled by our thoughts and not even notice.
The true benefits of mindful eating
It’s no secret that mindful eating—and mindfulness, generally—is hot, hot, hot. But to view mindful eating as the latest trend is to ignore that mindfulness itself has a very long tradition—2,500 years or so—and has a lot of modern science to back it up. I look at some mindful eating benefits, and explain why some purported benefits aren't in line with the science on—or the spirit of—mindfulness.
Exercise to stay strong, not to become less
I have a mantra when I exercise: “Exercise to be strong, not smaller.” It’s what gets me through on those days when body image is not exactly in peak form, as I dare say is the case for everyone, at least from time to time. It’s also a way of continuing to deprogram myself from decades of believing that the primary benefit of exercise was weight loss.
Why it’s high time to stop blaming bread for everything bad
My thoughts on modern bread myths and modern breadmaking, with a link to a very comprehensive article I wrote recently, plus resources if you want to make your own awesome bread at home.
The pros and cons of cooking beans from scratch
My latest column in The Seattle Times is about grain bowls. While grains are the featured player in this food symphony, beans also play an integral part in the bowls I prepare at home. Does it matter if you used canned beans, or cook your own beans from dried? Let's discuss.
Just start again…the key to habit formation
My recent house move meant a dip in physical activity, which left me a bit deconditioned. How I got back to fighting form, without injuring myself or falling prey to mental traps, and how this is important for any type of habit formation.
Where I’ve been…and where I’m going
It’s been a long time since I’ve posted on my poor, long-suffering blog. Let me tell you about why that is, why that is about to change—and why I’m finally walking my talk. Some updates on where I've been, and where I'm going.
Beyond Health at Every Size: A body manifesto
I attended the Association for Size Diversity and Health conference a few weekends ago. I've been processing ever since. My thinking about sizeism and how it intersects with racism, sexism, classism and a whole lot of other -isms certainly evolved in this weekend, in part because of the words of Linda Bacon.
Celebrating diversity…and Health at Every Size
I'm in Portland this weekend at the Association for Size Diversity and Health conference, which I'm totally excited about, and not just because the speakers include Linda Bacon, author of Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight, and Christy Harrison, host of the "Food Psych" podcast.
Hey! There’s a Body Kindness research study!
Are you pregnant or the mother of a young child? Consider participating in some research my dietitian friend Rebecca Scritchfield, author of Body Kindness, is doing regarding body image healing after pregnancy. If those parameters don't apply to you? I recommend reading her book, anyway!
Healthy For Your Life is published…time to celebrate!
It's official...my book Healthy For Your Life is published. I received the proof copies on Wednesday, and they looked good, so I approved them for printing (and we drank some Prosecco to celebrate).
While I was away…I wrote a book
Yikes...it's been a while since my last post. Like. That time went by thisfast. Among other things, I've been hard at work finishing my book, which had been languishing in 95-percent-done mode for several months. Naturally, I decided to rewrite parts of it, and add a bunch of new material. Well, I'm happy to announce that "Healthy for Your Life: A holistic approach to optimal wellness" is done!
This is why you’re confused about how to eat
I'm in Boston at the Nutrition & Health Conference, put on by the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Before his talk yesterday, center founder Dr. Andrew Weil showed this video, which sums up perfectly the confusion (and frustration) so many people feel in response to changing dietary advice. Enjoy!
Nutrition for Writers and Readers
To state the obvious, I have not been blogging regularly, and that's largely because I
On wellness, weight and whitewashing
Addressing some comments about my latest On Nutrition column in The Seattle Times, which took aim at Weight Watchers' targeting of teens but also carried the broader (and somewhat overlooked) message that wellness should be promoted for everyone, at every weight.
Weight Watchers: A wolf in sheep’s clothing
Weight Watchers announced last week that it would offer free memberships to teens ages 13 to 17. Yeah...I have a few thoughts on that.
The joy of the angry email…really!
So, I was minding my beeswax the other night when an angry email from a researcher popped into my inbox. He did not appreciate the vague reference (I did not mention the title, the publication, or the researchers names) to one of his studies in my Seattle Times column that had JUST been posted to the Times website that day. Dude must be part bloodhound.
Why be mindful? Let me count the ways
I am notorious (at least in my own mind) for signing up for online summits, attending almost none of the sessions, and feeling guilty and stressed. To my great joy, the Mindfulness & Meditation Summit I've been listening to for the past week is completely different. I'm excited to share some highlights.
The problem with weight loss outliers
I recently had a rather heated discussion with someone near and dear to me about the alleged association between higher body weights (body mass indexes, or BMIs, in the "overweight" or "obese" ranges) and health problems. Let's just say that if our walking route had taken us a little closer to Lake Washington, I might have tossed him in.
New! The Nutrition By Carrie 2018 Book Club
I've toying with the idea of doing an online book club. Well, this is the year for less toying, and more doing. Welcome to the Nutrition By Carrie 2018 Book Club!
Why you are worthy, just as you are
I want to talk about something that I've been thinking about—a lot—and that's been bothering me...a lot. Namely, the idea that you (or anyone else) needs to change your body to meet someone else's ideals.
Matcha madness: making matcha green tea at home
I’ve been wanting to try proper matcha green tea at home for a long time—and not just because I was mesmerized the first time I watched someone add water to the beautiful green powder and whisk to create the tea—but never had. I finally got off the matcha fence when Kiss Me Organics offered to send me some of their USDA Certified Organic Ceremonial-Grade Matcha to try, which I did...with my own cute little bamboo whisk.
6 healthy holiday foods
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and in many of my patients, I see a mixture of joy and angst. Much of that angst is because holiday meals have a reputation (often earned) for being indulgent and less-than-nutritious. But when you stop and take a closer look, there are many perfectly nutritious foods that we traditionally serve during the fall and winter holidays.
True Lemon: A New Way to Drink Water
I have a confession to make: I'm a water drinker. Still water by day, sparkling water after work. It is my beverage of choice. But I know that not everyone feels the same about water. If that's you...I have a solution.
A Dirty Little Secret About Nutrition Science
In my article this month for The Washington Post, “The totally unsexy path to healthy eating (and why we’re not following it),” I touch on an unfortunate fact about nutrition science. Namely, that more often than not it’s not exactly groundbreaking.
The Toxin Lurking In Your Inbox
I was checking my email and raised an eyebrow at one of the subject lines: "This harmful ingredient lurking in everyday foods!" After, "How in the hell did I get on this woman's email list?" My next thought was, "What is this alleged harmful ingredient, and how irritated will I be when I find out what it is?" Allow me to debunk this nutrition pseudoscience.
More Thoughts on ‘What the Health?’
As I expected, I received quite a few emails related to my column in Sunday's Seattle Times on the documentary "What the Health?" Rather than answer the emails individually, I'm turning them into this admittedly rather loooong blog post.
5 Mediterranean Diet Myths…Busted!
As with most ways of eating, there are a lot of Mediterranean diet myths. And if you are a reader of my blog and newspaper/magazine articles, you know I love busting myths! Here are some of the biggest misconceptions I hear.
Recipe: Ratatouille
There are certain Mediterranean dishes that just scream "summer" and ratatouille is one of them, although honestly this dish will work any time of year, even if the staple ingredients—eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes—are not in season. I enjoy making a big batch that I can eat for days, especially when it's too hot to want to cook every evening.
This Weekend…
Getting ready to make #ratatouille (one of my most favorite summer Mediterranean dishes) for Monday's blog post (and various breakfasts, lunches and dinners this weekend). So good!
Musings on ‘What the Health?’
If' you've watched the pseudo-documentary "What the Health?" or have heard an earful about it from friends or family, check out the interview I did on the "All Sides with Ann Fisher" radio show on Ohio's WOSU NPR affiliate.
Why Exercise? Forget About Weight Loss
One of the unfortunate side effects of living in a dieting, weight-centric culture is that much of the value of eating well and being active gets wrapped up in the question, "Will this help me lose weight?" Our bodies are complex things, and there is never any guarantee that positive inputs (nutritious food, regular movement, adequate sleep, self-care) will lead to weight loss.
Food and Religion: Questioning Food Beliefs
The reaction to my latest On Nutrition column, "Has your diet become your religion? How to balance your food choices," has been interesting, as I suspected it would be. I've had some lovely emails, and a few that were, well, less lovely. Not surprising, since food and religion are both hot-button topics for some.
Recipe: Summer Sorghum Salad
I love it when I see an intriguing recipe and I have everything for it on hand! When the latest email from Oldways landed in my inbox last week with the subject line "Fruit can be savory, too" I was hooked. I clicked on the link and saw the recipe for the Sorghum & Blues Salad and I said "I must make this."
Cooking with Olive Oil vs. Coconut Oil
My latest On Nutrition column in The Seattle Times, "Coconut oil: It's really not that good for you," is my attempt to set the record straight on whether we should be eating coconut oil with abandon (hint: we shouldn't). As a result, I received a number of questions via email regarding my suggestion in that column to use olive oil as a primary cooking fat.
Recipe: Fresh and Easy Rustic Gazpacho 2.0
I blogged about my recipe for rustic gazpacho when I first adopted it into my repertoire back in 2014. Much like ratatouille (more on this soon), it inexplicably fell out of favor after a few intense years. How fortuitous that I was re-inspired to make this fresh, lovely, easy soup as I was flipping through Nancy Harmon Jenkins "Virgin Territory: Exploring the World of Olive Oil" before giving a talk on the Mediterranean diet.
Turkish Delight In the Morning
I have a handful of regular breakfast options in my rotation, but one of my favorites is what I call "Turkish Breakfast," which is inspired by the hotel breakfast we had during our stay last year in Istanbul. It's not only flavorful and satisfying, but quite nutritious!
Tough Choices? Let Self-Kindness Rule
Do you sometimes feel that you are pulled between two choices: one that satisfies an immediate impulse and one that you know in your heart of hearts will bring you greater benefits, even if you don't feel the effects immediately? When you feel that internal tug-of-war, ask yourself "What would be the kindest choice?"
Why to Hygge
I don't remember exactly when I first heard of hygge (HOO-geh)...sometime last year I think. My first thought was that this was the next trend to replace the "life-changing magic of tidying up." My second thought was that I was intrigued.
Inspiration Friday: Mindfulness
Happy Friday! I had every good intention to put together a "Links I Like" post
Where in the World Have I Been?
Hello there, it's been a while. I didn't intend for it to be a while, but all the extra moving parts in my life since mid-April (speaking engagements, lots of travel, a new puppy) on top of my usual moving parts (work, home, writing) kept blogging on my "to-do" list instead of on my "done!" list.
Why I Don’t Calculate Nutrition Info
When I create a recipe for my blog or my newspaper column, I could calculate calories, carbs, fat, protein and so-on, but after a significant amount of thought, I decided not to, and here's why.
Recipe: Coconutty Banana Carrot Bran Muffins
These delicious, satisfying muffins are dense without being heavy, and very moist and flavorful. While the whole-wheat pastry flour packs fiber of its own, I’ve bumped it up with the addition of oat bran and whole oats.
Recipe: Tuna & White Bean Salad
This salad is my favorite “I have no leftovers for my work lunch, what am I going to do?” meal, because I always have tuna and beans in the pantry, and capers and olives in the fridge.
Embrace Your Body
One of the things I love about spending time on a beach in Hawaii is the bodies on display. All kinds of bodies. It's a really good reality check about your own body...namely, the fact that, yes, you have one and it's carried you this far in life. I kind of got that Hawaii feeling when I watched Embrace. We all have bodies, and those bodies are not one-size-fits-all.
The Problem with Poodle Science
Humans come in all shapes and sizes, and I dream of a day when we collectively become more accepting body diversity. If we don't expect everyone to have brown eyes or a wear a size-7 shoe, why would we expect everyone to have the same body size?
Progress, Not Perfection
"Progress, not perfection." Three important words that I invoke pretty much daily with my patients (sometimes I use the variation "perfection is the enemy of progress"). That's one reason why I was delighted by the Washington Post article, "A weight-loss expert changes his tune: focus on enjoyment, not perfection."
Clean Eating Gone Wild
I heard about the BBC documentary, "Clean Eating—The Dirty Truth" the other day and finally sat down to watch it yesterday. Really good stuff, and part of it dovetails nicely with my article in yesterday's Seattle Times, "Avoiding gluten? Odds are you shouldn't."
2017 Pantry Challenge
OK, I've decided it's high time to do a pantry challenge. Mostly because MY pantry has become extremely challenging, full to the point where we sometimes don't know what we have because we can't see it. This has lead to buying duplicate items, which is not only annoying but makes the problem worse!
Q&A with Julie Duffy Dillon
I confess that I subscribed to Julie Duffy Dillon's "Love, Food" podcast months before I started listening to it. But once I started listening, I couldn't stop, and I recommend it to anyone who feels like their relationship with food could use a little (or a lot of) healing. Here's a Q&A with Julie herself.
Mindful Eating Day
It's International Mindful Eating Day! I've been increasingly mindful about being mindful, because this year I'm really working on further cultivating mindfulness skills. If you feel like you could benefit from a little more mindfulness in distracted times, I have a few resources for you.
Eating Mindfully With Mealtime Rituals
When was the last time you actually sat down and really savored a meal? We’re talking about really tasting the food on the plate in front of you, while being aware of exactly what you’re eating and what it’s doing for your body.
A Few Thoughts About Sugar
I write about sugar from time to time, most recently in The Seattle Times, previously on this blog, and here and there elsewhere. It's clear that eating or drinking excessive amounts of sugar is detrimental to health. But is sugar poison? No.
Set Your Intentions
I had a wild hair of an idea a few weeks ago when I was out for a walk. I've have some small tweaks to my life that I've been intending to make for a while now (ahem), mostly in the area of stress reduction, but it just hasn't happened. An accountability group, I thought, is just what I need!
The World’s Healthiest Diets
I like this infographic not just because it mentions olive oil (!) but because it makes the point that healthy diets may include different ingredients (i.e., foods), but what they have in common is the vital nutrients we need to keep us healthy. As I say often, there are different ways to eat nutritiously, but all nutritious, health-promoting diets have some common denominators.
In Defense of Mindfulness
Mindfulness is experiencing some backlash lately, but I think the dismissal of mindfulness is based on the unfortunate co-opting of the term, which in many people may contribute to the pursuit of being “perfect” about being mindful. As in other endeavors, don't let perfection be the enemy of the good.
More Facts About Olive Oil
Outtakes (otherwise known as great information I couldn't fit in my Seattle Times column) on olive oil. These olive oil facts will hopefully replace some common myths, helping to make you a savvy shopper and home cook.
Gathered Table: A Better Meal Plan
I've recently expressed my opinion about the futility of creating a static meal plan (eat this on Monday, this on Tuesday, and so on...with no deviations!) for anyone other than myself. But dynamic plans, where you have a chance to easily make substitutions, is another thing entirely.
Thanksgiving Tidings
If you have any food fears about what is arguably the most food-focused holiday of the year, I'll tell you four things I've been telling many of my patients the past few weeks. Plus, some bonus links to help you enjoy the holiday on your terms.
Save the (Food) Environment, Part 4: When Food and Fun Collide
Does your social life revolve around happy hours, restaurant dinners, lunch dates, coffee-and-pastry meetups and Sunday brunches? This can interfere with your healthy eating goals—but it doesn’t have to.
Save the (Food) Environment, Part 3: Eat Healthy on the Go
If you are making a commitment to eat healthier, that commitment shouldn’t get tossed out the window the minute you experience a change in your daily routine. It’s pretty easy to get in the habit of eating healthy at home and bringing healthy brown bag meals and snacks to work. What’s a bit trickier is extending those good habits to what you eat when traveling upends your normal routine.
What You Need to Know About Iron
Happy Friday! No links post this week, as I'm traveling to visit family on the East Coast and had writing deadlines up until the nanosecond I left for the airport. But please enjoy this week's column in The Seattle Times, appropriately titled "What you need to know about iron." Stay strong!
Save the (Food) Environment, Part 2: The Workplace Minefield
If you work outside the home, a huge chunk of your day is spent in the workplace, which makes that your second most important food environment (after your home). It’s also an environment that can be unpredictable in what temptations it sends your way. If your job is stressful, and stress makes you want to eat, that’s one more factor you need to consider.
Save the (Food) Environment, Part 1: The Home Front
Why is it important to be master or mistress of your food environment? To begin with, most of us lead busy lives, with multiple demands on our time. If we get hungry, and healthy food isn’t easily accessible, but non-healthy food is, guess what we’re probably going to eat? That's right, the non-healthy, easy-to-grab food.
I’m Your Dietitian, Not The Food Police
It’s a refrain I hear a little too often: “I just need someone to tell me what to eat.” In today’s age of rampant nutrition confusion, I sort of get it—but on another level I don’t get it, not at all. I'm not your boss, I'm not your mother, and I'm definitely not the food police. As adults, we need to be able to make decisions about the things that are important to our health and happiness.
Nordic Cooking with Siggi
Last week, 20-or-so local dietitians gathered at Blue Ribbon Cooking School to learn how to cook Nordic cuisine with Siggi Hilmarsson, the man behind Siggi's yogurt. The food was delicious and nutritious...just the way food should be!
Down On The (Walnut) Farm
Whenever possible, I like to know where my food comes from, on both a geographical and personal level. Personal, as in whose hard work do I have to thank for the tasty, nutritious foods on my plate. Last week, I was fortunate to be able to take that behind-the-scenes look at the California Walnut harvest.
The Care and Storage of Walnuts
I love walnuts and eat them pretty much every day, partly because they are delicious and versatile, but also because they are rich in the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid alpha linolenic acid, or ALA. As with other omega-3s, ALA is extremely healthy, but it’s also a more fragile oil. In other words, it can go rancid easily if not stored properly. Here's what you need to know.
Recipe: Packable Kale/Quinoa/Feta Salad
I try to brown bag my lunch everyday, and my favorite brown-bag lunch, hands down, is some sort of a salad. This salad is tasty and healthful and reasonably hearty, although you could absolutely add some leftover chicken or salmon, or part of a can of tuna. I often do. And it goes without saying that this salad will taste better when packed in a mason jar.
Die, Diets, Die!
Last week, I was sitting with a group of my Menu for Change patients at an event, and one of my long-time patients said that whenever she tells someone about Menu for Change, they ask her, "So, what's the diet like?" She looked at me, and we laughed, and I said, "I would rather die than put someone on a diet." And that's the truth. Because diets don't work.