This is NPR's Life Kit.

I'm Andy Takele, one of the producers of this show,

and it's New Year's.

A big time for weight loss resolutions, gym membership deals,

and pressure all around to lose that so-called holiday weight.

So, I have an uncomfortable question for you.

Are you truly happy with your body?

The odds are, probably not.

As a country, we spend $33 billion on diet products annually,

and every year an estimated 45 million Americans go on a diet.

I have, and if you're listening to this episode, you likely have to.

So, follow up question, why do we want to change our bodies?

There are a million different personal ways to answer this question.

A New Year's resolution, baby weight, bullying, medical issue, sex,

life, high school reunion, your gym buddy, your bathing suit, your family,

your partner, social media.

But the real culprit?

The puppet master pulling it every single one of these personal strings

is diet culture.

Our collective set of social expectations.

Telling us that there's one way to be and one way to look and one way to eat.

That we are a better person, we're a more worthy person.

...