[Chat] Relationships and body change; a conversation about Love Chub

·30 min·3 clips

Julie explains why 'love chub' sets the stage for staying guarded instead of enjoying love and food.

["Episode 418 of Find Your Food Voice is a team conversation with host Julie Duffy Dillon and her colleagues Colleen Bremner and Rachel Poppock.", "The episode focuses on the topic of body changes within relationships, prompted by Colleen overhearing the term 'love chub' used as a warning.", "Colleen explains that 'love chub' is similar to the 'freshman 15,' framing weight gain during life transitions like new relationships as a negative.", "The hosts begin with a grounding exercise called 'chips and dip,' sharing personal updates on therapy, boundaries, and weightlifting.", "Rachel expresses initial anger at the concept, then reads from a blog article sent by Colleen that pathologizes bonding over food in relationships.", "The article advises women to serve themselves a third of what their male partner eats to avoid weight gain.", "It also cites research claiming happy people are less likely to succeed at weight loss, promoting misery as a tool for thinness.", "Julie, as a registered dietitian, critiques the article clinically, noting bodies naturally gain weight over time and the article reinforces fear of rejection.", "She argues 'love chub' messaging tells people to stay guarded and vigilant rather than enjoy love and food.", "The conversation explores how these comments are repackaged diet culture narratives prioritizing thinness over happiness.", "Colleen and Rachel discuss the importance of knowing your worth and not settling for partners who don't value you beyond appearance.", "Julie shares a strategy she teaches her kids: telling people 'no one appreciates hearing how their body looks.'", "Rachel reflects on being in a smaller, malnourished body when she started dating her husband versus her current larger, happier body.", "She emphasizes health is expansive and includes mental and emotional well-being, not just size.", "Colleen shares her experience of body changes after having a baby, including stretch marks and a C-section scar.", "She reads a quote from her husband found on Instagram, which describes her post-baby body as a symbol of sacrifice, safety, and captivation.", "This moment moves the hosts deeply, offering a powerful counter-narrative to 'love chub.'", "The hosts conclude by encouraging listeners to flip the script, rejecting demonization and embracing body changes as part of love.", "Julie promotes her book 'Find Your Food Voice' and her Substack for deeper discussion on PCOS and intuitive eating.", "The episode ends with a call for listener feedback and community connection."]

As heard by us

A direct team conversation about how weight-loss advice can distort partnership, shared meals, and happiness.

Body change can strain a relationship, especially when diet culture turns shared meals into a quiet test of who should eat less. Episode 418 of Find Your Food Voice looks at that pressure through a team conversation with host Julie Duffy Dillon, Colleen Bremner, and Rachel…

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You want to eat with a partner without turning portion size into a referendum on your body.

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