Psychology research in terror management theory has shown that when people are primed with thoughts of mortality, their behaviors change, but not necessarily in helpful ways. Tune in as I talk with dietitian Michelle Alison (the Fat Nutritionist) about how she was able to extrapolate Ernest Becker’s research from the 1980s to today’s diet culture which is full of “wellness” messages about saving your life with every bite of food, every minute of exercise, and every pill. Acceptance of mortality doesn’t mean that you suddenly stop caring about your health and your life. In fact, you may appreciate and celebrate life even more after accepting that perfect health, weight, and bodies don’t actually exist.
Listen here to Episode 100 here:
About Michelle
Michelle Alison, also known online as The Fat Nutritionist. She is a registered dietitian with the College of Dietitians of Ontario. She has an accredited degree (BASc) in nutrition from Ryerson University. She works online to help people stop dieting, deal with picky eating, and relearn normal eating. She’s a member of Dietitians of Canada, and the Association for Size Diversity and Health.
She completed the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics-approved Treating the Dieting Casualty workshop, where she learned how to teach people eating competence. Prior to becoming a RD, Michelle worked in hospitals as a nutrition supervisor, and then a clinical diet tech. All told, she’s worked in nutrition for over a decade.
Links mentioned
- How Goop’s Haters Made Gwyneth Paltrow’s Company Worth $250 Million (New York Times)
- Eating Toward Immortality (The Atlantic)
- People Obsessed With Wellness Can’t Accept That We’re All Gonna Die (Tonic)
- Body Kindness Episode 16: The Religion of Diet Culture
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