Nina Kaufmann

As the New Year is rapidly approaching, we’re all taking time to reflect on last year, noticing what went well, what we achieved and what would we like to achieve in the next year.
Often, at least some of our New Year goals are related to health. Unfortunately, oftentimes the health related goals aren’t truly healthy because they’re based on the harmful myths of diet culture. From weight-centric misconceptions to rigid food rules, these myths often create unnecessary stress and guilt, which has strong negative impact on health. Seems a bit counterproductive, right?
Let’s debunk them together so you can focus on what truly matters – feeling good in your body and nurturing your health in a way that works for your unique life.

1. Myth: Weight Loss Equals Health

For decades, we’ve been told that losing weight is the one and only way to better health. However, research shows that health is determined by many factors beyond body size, such as genetics, access to healthcare, income/job security and socioeconomic status. These social determinants of health have a far greater impact on overall well-being than the number on a scale, and some of them we cannot even control. (Making them much harder to sell, which is why we hear about million magical weight loss “solutions”, but nothing about other determinants of health.)
I discuss the social determinants of health (and much more) with each of my clients, which would be the perfect gift you can give yourself if you’re interested in cultivating long lasting, sustainable health!

Therefore, instead of pointless pursuit of weight loss, you can shift your focusing to practicing healthy behaviors like enjoying nutrient-rich foods, staying active in a joyful way, managing stress, and getting quality sleep. These practices will have a positive impact on your health regardless of weight changes. True health is about what you do and how you feel, not how you look.

If you’d like someone to guide you step by step in creating a healthy lifestyle tailored to your unique life, book your free discovery call with me and we can talk about how I can help you create your healthiest year yet!

2. Myth: You Need “Clean Eating” and Your Eating Needs To Be Perfect

The pressure to eat “clean” or follow a perfect and often weird, unsustainable diet (I mean I’ve seen influencers make “carnivore Oreos” – claiming they taste “just like the real thing”… honestly, if someone offers me those I’m calling the police!) can feel overwhelming, and it feels like we must do it in order to achieve life the influencers live.
Take a moment to notice how it really is just a diet culture disguising itself as “wellness” – the same way people now strive to eat (and exercise) like the influencers, hoping they’ll end up enjoying their rich lifestyles.

Weight loss was always marketed as a solution to all our issues. Diet culture always promises we will be happy, successful, laughing over a salad, loved if we just follow their meal plans. Let’s never fall for that again; if it worked, it would have worked for millions of people by now (including you and me.)

The truth is, nutrition doesn’t need to be all-or-nothing and you don’t have to eat “perfectly” (whatever that is since the “perfect” diet changes every 5 minutes) in order to nourish your health with nutrition.
Our eating worlds are big and complex and the binary simplification of “good food”, “bad food” doesn’t work because what’s healthy depends on the context.

My recent (rather embarrassing) experience at the dentist perfectly illustrates this principle. My blood sugar had dropped, and I was about to pass out. They helped me by providing me with the healthiest option for that moment – pure sugar. Within minutes, I felt much better, showing how context often determines the healthiest choice; broccoli would had been a terrible choice for my well-being at that moment! Perhaps you can think of more similar examples!

Therefore, rest assured you can enjoy your favorite treats while still incorporating nourishing foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins.

Enjoying a cookie doesn’t “cancel out” the vegetables you ate earlier.
Instead of striving for perfection, make balance your goal. Life is too short to stress over a dessert – what matters most is your overall pattern of eating, not a single meal or snack.

3. Myth: The Entire Fearmongering Around “Processed” Foods *insert eye roll here*

There is undeniably a trend on social media of people demonizing “processed” foods, recording themselves in grocery store aisles yelling how “toxic” everything is when the really toxic thing is their behavior.

The term “processed” is often used to instill fear, but processed foods are actually just any food or drink that has been changed in some way when it’s made or prepared (1), many times making the food safe to eat.

Not to mention the hypocrisy – while being embarrassing in the grocery store aisles yelling how “processed” and “bad” everything is, these influencers will often promote certain foods. Processed foods! Protein powders and bars, all sorts of supplements, nut butters, plant-based milk, packaged meals they promote are also processed. Because, as I’ve insinuated earlier, it’s not about helping you be healthy, it’s about money.

Processing doesn’t automatically make a food “unhealthy”; in fact, it often makes foods more convenient and accessible.

Canned beans, frozen vegetables, tofu, many frozen meals, nut butters and bread are great examples of “processed” foods that provide valuable nutrients while being affordable and time-saving.
Demonizing processed foods and shaming people for consuming them creates unnecessary barriers to eating well (or at all), especially for those with limited time or resources. Not healthy, not helpful either.

And also, processed foods like chips or cookies have their (important!) place in a healthy, happy life.

4. Myth: Carbs Are “Bad”

Carbs are another scapegoat of diet industry, often getting demonized in popular diets and “lifestyles” (which is just another name for a diet), but they’re actually your body’s preferred source of energy. Carbs are essential for brain function, fuel your workouts, and are crucial for processes like ovulation and hormone balance.

Our bodies thrive when carbs are included in our eating world. That’s probably why Mother Nature made them so delicious.

From whole grains to fruits and starchy vegetables, carbs are nutrient powerhouses. And yes, all carbs can fit into a balanced eating world. Restricting carbs unnecessarily can lead to fatigue, mood swings, nutrient deficiencies, and disordered eating so let’s give this vital macronutrient the love it deserves.

Naturally, there is some nuance here if you’re diabetic or prediabetic, but there are still ways you can include carbs into your eating world. Even when we talk about stable blood sugar (and we do, in my courses!), context is everything. Rarely anyone eats sugar (or carbs for that matter) by itself – unless you’re about to faint in your dentists office 🙂 – which, obviously, affects how sugar is digested and therefore its effect on blood sugar, but this fact is conveniently omitted when diet industry talks about carbs. Because if they’re not this horrible feared toxic thing, we pay less money for their low or no carb products. Diet industry math.

5. Myth: You Need “Detox”

January is around the corner, so your newsfeed might get flooded by all the juice cleanses and detox teas you “need” to cleanse yourself from all the food you’ve eaten during the holiday season.

This is not how bodies work. Your body is perfectly capable of detoxing itself by utilizing its own detox organs like liver, kidneys or skin. Your built-in detox system works around the clock to filter toxins and keep you healthy, which your loving, wonderful body does the whole year, quietly.

Therefore, instead of spending money on unnecessary products and suffering through actually consuming those, focus on gently supporting the detox processes naturally happening in your body the whole time.
Hydration, fiber-rich foods, getting enough quality sleep, stress management will help your body do its best detoxing work.

If you’d like to learn more, Nurturing Female Hormones includes many tips on the topic and it’s ridiculously affordable. You can also gift this course to your besties so all of you together can experience a non-diet glow up that will last forever.

Conclusion

Taking care of your health isn’t about following rigid rules or striving for diet culture’s unrealistic ideals. It’s about discovering what truly nourishes your body, mind, and soul. By leaving behind these health myths, you can create space for a balanced, joyful approach to sustainable wellness that supports your unique needs and lifestyle.

If you’re ready to make positive changes in your relationship with food and your body in the New Year, I’m here to guide you. Through my intuitive eating coaching, we’ll work together to unlearn the harmful messages that have held you back, embrace a compassionate, evidence-based approach to nutrition, and build lasting confidence in your choices.

Working with me isn’t about quick fixes – it’s about sustainable change that empowers you to live your healthiest, happiest life forever (without diets).

Start today. Book your free discovery call to learn how you can benefit from personalized coaching on your journey to food freedom and body peace. Let’s rewrite your health story together!