You're listening to Nutrition Matters podcast with Paige Smathers, registered dietitian nutritionist.

Hi everyone, it's Paige, your favorite nutrition podcaster and dietitian. Nutrition Matters podcast

aims to explore what really matters in nutrition and health with a sensitive

and realistic approach. This podcast relies on the support of listeners like you and needs donations

to keep this project running. To help support the podcast, please consider making a donation

at Nutrition Matterspodcast.com. If you find this episode interesting, engaging, or helpful in your life,

please consider donating, sharing with friends and family, and leaving your review on iTunes.

You can also find me on Instagram and Facebook if you'd like to have a little more food for thought.

Thank you for listening.

Hi, Paige. I've been listening to your podcast religiously for the last few days. They pissed me off. Thank you for pissing me off. The first time I heard stop dieting, I was immediately in attack mode. Why the heck would I quit trying to improve? How in the world would I be able to quit? The more I listened, the harder it became. Confessions from a fitness model

hit too close to home. I put down my no-bred lettuce and avocado sandwich and took a good, hard look at my

history. Vegan, gluten-free, paleo, fasting, binging, over-exercising. In pursuit of what?

I'd been a certain weight at one point and I still could lose just a bit more. So I listened

and cried for hours this weekend, fully absorbing and accepting what you and these wonderful

psychologists and dietitians were telling me.

Yesterday, for the first time in years, I bought bread at the supermarket.

I need you to understand how important your work is to listeners.

I've been insecure from an early age, reading self-help and writing about how I felt I could be more than I was.

My father left when I was young and my stepdad and I never bonded.

I never felt safe in relationships and neglected friendships to maintain my routine.

I felt trapped.

I contemplated suicide even, but I'm past that.

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