What does it look like to leave diet culture behind — to truly walk away from it?Lotta Dann did it with alcohol. Then, a few years into sobriety, she found herself deep in a diet hole — losing weight, receiving praise, feeling like she was "floating on a cloud of thin." Inevitably, it all fell apart.In this conversation, Lotta and I talk about what happened next: how she found anti-diet content, what helped her see the lies diet culture has her believe, and what it actually took — emotionally, practically, and culturally — to leave.This is a conversation I have wanted to have for a long time. In this episode we coverHow Lotta went from sobriety to a strict diet — and why the language of addiction made it seem like the answerWhat "floating on a cloud of thin" was so compelling, and what it costThe moment she stumbled across anti-diet content and why it clicked so fastThe biggest lies diet culture tells us — and the one Lotta found most heartbreakingHow leaving dieting compares to leaving alcohol — and where it is much harderWhy weight gain is almost always part of the process, and how to navigate itThe behaviours to stop immediately, and the practical steps that actually help"Thinness is highly valued in our culture — you're deemed a success regardless of your mental health or how you're actually functioning day to day.""I refuse to feel bad about my body size. I've built a fierce defence against it — and it took time, mantras, and a lot of practice to get there."— Lotta DannMentioned in this episodeMrs D is Not on a Diet — Lotta Dann's book on leaving diet cultureLiving Sober — Lotta's free online community for people quitting drinking@mrs_d_alcoholfree — Lotta on InstagramMidlife Body Image Guide — Emma's free guide for women ready to stop fighting their bodiesEmma's website · Follow on LinkedInIf this episode resonated with you, please share it with a woman you love. The more we talk about leaving diet culture, the more women get to stop fighting themselves and start living the way they want to.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.