Description

For decades, Weight Watchers was more than just a diet, it was a cultural institution. A meeting, a mindset, a “lifestyle” disguised as empowerment. But what happens when we look underneath the success stories and start asking harder questions? In this episode, I take you back to the beginning of Weight Watchers and walk you through how it shaped our beliefs about food, our bodies, and ourselves. From living room weigh-ins to GLP-1s and Oprah, this is the story of how a billion-dollar brand taught women to distrust their hunger and how we unlearn it.

In this episode, you will hear:

• 01:40 - Jean Nidetch's story and the emotional roots of Weight Watchers
• 06:16 -  The rise of points culture: when food became math
• 08:55 - How the points system taught us to negotiate, not nourish
• 13:13 - The rise of body positivity and the cultural shift Weight Watchers couldn’t keep up with
• 15:17 - Curbo and food tracking for kids: what happens when restriction starts at 8 years old
• 19:41 — Enter GLP-1s: the pivot from community to medication
• 24:34 — Capitalism’s role in keeping us “not enough”

Ready to gently start unlearning this system? My self-paced program Food Freedom in a Weekend is designed to help you begin healing without restriction, shame, or another set of rules. 

If today’s episode hit close to home, I want you to know you’re not alone - send me a DM on Instagram to share what came up for you. Listen to Episode 11 for a deeper dive into GLP-1s, body image, and the emotional side of hunger. It pairs beautifully with today’s conversation. 

Anti-Diet Holiday Club https://meredith-mackenzie.mykajabi.com/club-waitlist.

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