🥬 So About That Lettuce...

Community Happenings

⭐ Did you know that on the second Sunday of every month, there's free live music at Sunnyside Mall? The next one is September 13!

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🎉 Happy Friday, Friends!

Last week, we talked about why commenting on Ariana Grande's body isn't the body positive win it might feel like. Today, let's get back to that lettuce I mentioned. Lettuce is kind of a big deal these days.

What we're seeing culturally is a perfect carrot/stick situation when it comes to getting smaller.

🥕 The carrot: you're going to be so skinny! We have tons of GLP-1s now that can help you finally become your "best self!"

🏏 The stick (bear with me, there's no real stick emoji): if you eat produce, you're going to get some kind of horrible virus and it's going to give you explosive diarrhea.

The thing is... neither of these things is wrong.

Yes, you can take a GLP-1 and lose a bunch of weight. Yes, you can get sick eating produce now, since we have almost no food regulation in this country in order to continue funding wars against the general public's opinions. These are real issues that need to be taken seriously.

The carrot and the stick take different forms, but the end result is that it feels easier to chase smallness than ever before. It's easier to prioritize self-starvation when you're scared to eat a piece of lettuce. It's easier to believe that weight loss is more achievable and lasting when you're supported by a medication.

I'm not saying there's an insidious group of ruling elite that wants you small, hungry, and too petrified to take care of yourself. (Even though that is true!)

What I'm saying is that the perfect storm is even more than that. The fitness industry has boomed in the last few years, especially with some of the new wellness trends costing so much money (think peptides, Pilates memberships, those kinds of things).

This is the core issue behind the problem that I'm describing as the lettuce/GLP-1 carrot and stick:

Someone who feels bad and wants to change their body is more likely to spend money.

We cover some version of this almost every single week in this newsletter. But it just keeps taking new forms and reaching new horizons! More money, more weird, useless, or harmful products, more "skinny" messaging... It's endless.

So next time you feel uncertain about eating that lettuce, try one of these practical solutions instead of just not eating:

⭐ Make sure you have a good primary care doctor that you trust. If you get sick, you're going to get better. I promise.

⭐ Remind yourself that food is not your enemy. Eating adequately does not mean you're going to gain weight, if that's what you're worried about. If you do gain weight, you're going to be okay.

⭐ Try eating with a friend! Eating together can help you feel like the stakes are a little lower. Food is more than fuel – it's a social activity, and that can help take the edge off the fear you might be feeling.

With you as we eat anyway,
Dana