Other than the obvious health fears and concerns, why are we MORE vulnerable to diet and wellness culture as we age? Let's get into it.

We live in a culture with a clear body hierarchy. Youth is highly valued, and as we get older, we feel less relevant.

Our culture also values thin and fit/able bodies.

Please hear me-you are the expert on your body, and I respect and affirm that. I trust that you know what is best for you.

If you have a health concern or medical diagnosis impacted by your eating, this does not mean you cannot pursue body liberation. Being anti-diet/wellness doesn't mean you have to eat all foods. It means you get to make choices about how you nourish and care for your body that is rooted in your attunement with your body, not diet/wellness culture rules. Discovering this sweet spot is a game-changer!

Midlife means Change. Heck, menopause was actually called "The Change" when I was a kid. Most of what is familiar in your life, including your body, begins to shift under your feet. Most, if not all, of these changes, are outside your control.

The last thing we need is societal pressure to manipulate our behaviors in order to stop the natural changes in our bodies. Instead of feeling pressured to freeze our bodies in time, wouldn't it be liberating and comforting to hear:

Life is long; bodies change, and that's okay. We have to remind ourselves and one another of this truth.

Lapsing into your old ED thoughts and behaviors is understandable.

What's different this time? You may feel like your ED behaviors are hiding in plain sight. No one seems to notice; it is your secret.

Eating disorders in midlife and beyond are rarely recognized as the serious problem they are for several reasons:

Body Grief is a term that describes intense sadness when our bodies change, which revolves around a deep sense of loss. Coping with this grief means mourning, and eventually letting go of attachment to the bodies we once had or our appearance and body function from an earlier time in our lives.

It is common to experience yourself just as you did at a much younger age or during a different period of your life. When you see your reflection in a mirror or your image in a photograph, it can be jarring and may trigger the feeling of deep longing for the body you once had, or Body Grief.

I'll need some magic as I respond to one of the most challenging questions you've sent me:

As a newly single (after 30 years of marriage, and three kids) 63-year-old, how do I get comfortable being naked in front of a man with this older body? No prospects yet; just thinking ahead.

Your authentic girlhood self is waiting for your attention.

Puberty likely pulled you into a mishmash of becoming more conscious and aware of your body, the force of changes in your body, and how others responded to your transformation. You also learned from the pressures of your culture that your body and appearance equaled your worth, and proximity to love, acceptance, and power.

You may have been surprised or even shocked when you suddenly noticed a sign you were aging. I share the moment I woke up to the reality that my body was aging, and I was embarking on midlife.

This is an unpopular opinion: Women in midlife do not need to calculate, worry, and manipulate their diets, so they eat a specific number of grams of protein each day.