Confused by diet advice? A registered dietitian explains who “they” really are — the voices shaping food rules, trends, and confusion.
As we approach the New Year, a familiar pattern returns.
Suddenly, “they” are everywhere. Not a person or a pronoun — but the endless stream of diet rules, trends, and voices telling you what to eat.
“They” say you need a detox.
“They” say carbs are the problem.
“They” say skip meals.
“They” say this plan, this reset, this cleanse will finally work.
But who exactly is “they”?
And why does listening to them leave so many people frustrated, confused, and often gaining weight instead of losing it?
Who is “They,” Really?
“They” are not one person, one company, or one diet.
“They” are the constant stream of conflicting health and nutrition messages coming from everywhere at once — social media, headlines, influencers, friends, outdated advice, and marketing designed to sell quick fixes.
None of these messages are looking at the full picture of your life — your stress, sleep, hormones, medical history, culture, or relationship with food.
Trying to follow all of them at once doesn’t lead to clarity.
It leads to confusion.
How “They” Damage Your Relationship With Food
After more than 20 years as a registered dietitian, I’ve seen this pattern repeatedly.
People aren’t failing because they lack discipline.
They’re exhausted from trying to obey everyone at once.
Chronic restriction increases stress hormones and disrupts hunger regulation, which is associated with weight regain rather than sustainable weight loss. Research from the National Institutes of Health supports this finding.
Why Dieting Often Leads To Weight Gain
Your body is designed to protect you from starvation.
When food intake becomes inconsistent or overly restrictive, the body adapts by increasing hunger hormones, lowering resting metabolic rate, and encouraging fat storage.
Extreme diets often fail, and this is why consistency matters more than restriction.
Nutrition is Not a Math Equation
Nutrition isn’t about perfect rules. It’s about patterns, nourishment, and consistency. Digestive health plays a major role in appetite regulation and metabolism.
Rebuilding Trust With Your Body
If you eat a food and feel good two hours later, that matters. If you don’t, that matters too.
That’s information, not failure. This approach aligns with intuitive eating principles supported by research.
The Question That Changes Everything
Instead of asking:
What am I allowed to eat?
Ask:
How will this make me feel in two hours?
Fire “They”
“They” don’t know your body.
You don’t need another detox.
You don’t need another reset.
You need nourishment, consistency, and trust.
The only true expert on your body is you.
STOP DIETING. START LIVING.
