Blog - Barbara Spanjers | Cake Is Magical Wellness

Surviving the Holidays: Deconstructing Diet Culture Food Tips

by Barbara Spanjers | Diet culture, Non-Diet Approach

This post was originally published on December 16, 2015, and updated on December 9, 2019. Ah, the holidays - when people let their guard down around food. For many, it's like a weeks-long "cheat day," where the assumption is that this time of year is a wash, and you...

Telling Yourself You’re Not on a Diet? You Probably Still Are.

by Barbara Spanjers | Diet culture

I was sitting in a cafe, enjoying some boysenberry mascarpone toast (seriously, it was a great morning) and minding my own business when my ears were assaulted by Diet Culture. A woman seated at the table next to me commented as she perused the menu: I’m trying to eat...

The Biggest Misunderstandings about Intuitive Eating

by Barbara Spanjers | series, Non-Diet Approach

This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Intuitive Eating | The Basics

Frequently Asked Questions about Intuitive Eating

by Barbara Spanjers | Non-Diet Approach

This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series Intuitive Eating | The Basics

How to Start Intuitive Eating

by Barbara Spanjers | Diet culture, Non-Diet Approach

This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Intuitive Eating | The Basics

What Is Intuitive Eating and Why Is It Important?

by Barbara Spanjers | Non-Diet Approach, series

This entry is part 1 of 4 in the series Intuitive Eating | The Basics

Five Things Most People Don’t Understand about Emotional Eating

by Barbara Spanjers | Non-Diet Approach

One of the most common things I hear is "I'm an emotional eater!" And although I empathize with the experience of eating in a way that feels out of control, that isn't necessarily emotional eating. And while it's true that emotional eating can be troublesome, it...

Diets in Disguise | The Fit Fifteen Podcast

by Barbara Spanjers | Diet culture

Is it possible to be on a diet without knowing it? Well, I had the pleasure of chatting about that with personal trainer Catherine Basu of Fit Armadillo® for her The Fit Fifteen Podcast. We discussed diets in disguise - you know, those plans that don't use the actual...

How to Fail at Intuitive Eating in Three Easy Steps

by Barbara Spanjers | Non-Diet Approach

Raise your hand if you just "know" you'll fail at Intuitive Eating. Maybe you've already had that experience. At its heart, Intuitive Eating is a way to help you heal your relationship with food. Research studies indicate that this non-diet approach to eating can...

Dieting Is a Symptom of a Bigger Issue: The BodyLove Project Podcast

by Barbara Spanjers | Body Image

I was honored to be interviewed by Jessi Haggerty, RD. Jessi is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, and Certified Personal Trainer. She is the creator of The BodyLove Project podcast series, which asks the big questions about loving your...

Experts Be Damned – Just Eat the Cookie

by Barbara Spanjers | Non-Diet Approach

Are you as tired of these kinds of headlines as I am? Never Eat Anything You Can’t Pronounce! Never Eat These 5 Foods! If You Eat That Nutter Butter, You Are a Bad Mom! Okay, I made that last one up, but it’s definitely the subtext of a gazillion blog posts, articles,...

Intuitive Eating in Real Life

by Barbara Spanjers | Non-Diet Approach

Intuitive eating and mindful eating sound great, right? But what if your world doesn’t want to cooperate? Here are some personal examples of what intuitive eating in real life might look like. Hope it’ll help you see how these practices can work for you, even when...