What Diet Culture Doesn't Talk About

Vicki Sheerin
4 days ago
4 min read

Welcome back, my friend. It's been a minute since I last shared a post, and I'm so glad you're here. Whether you're just discovering fasting or you've been walking this path for a while, today's message is something I hope resonates deeply with you.

We're diving into what diet culture doesn't talk about — and how that truth can radically shift your experience with fasting.

But first, let me say: Thank you. Truly. Thank you for your patience, your trust, and for being here. I wish I could wrap you in the biggest, warmest virtual hug. This journey, for both of us, has been filled with highs, lows, and so many in-betweens. And I'm just grateful to be walking it with you.

Fasting is Not a Diet

Let’s get this part clear upfront: Fasting is not a diet.

Say it with me in your mind: Fasting is not a diet.

It’s a lifestyle. That’s why I call this space "The Fasting Focused Lifestyle." Because this practice goes far beyond weight loss. Yes, many of us (myself included) may have started fasting to lose weight. I began with over 200 extra pounds on my body. But the longer I stuck with it, the more I realized this was never just about the weight.

Fasting isn't about restriction or punishment. It's about consistent curiosity. It's about rediscovering your body, your habits, your emotions, and your life.

Approach fasting with the wide-eyed wonder of a child and ask yourself:

What can I learn today?
How am I growing?
What small shift can I celebrate?

The more you let go of rigid rules and the diet industry’s noise, the more you realize: this lifestyle is about freedom, not control.

Diet Culture is Loud, But Shallow

Let’s be real. Diet culture is noisy.

It tells us to eat six times a day. To swap real food for processed, packaged substitutes. To call food "good" or "bad."

It promises magic results in 30 days. It demands that we measure, count, restrict, punish.

I lived in that world for years. I tried every "solution" diet culture sold me. But none of it created sustainable, joyful, or empowered change.

Fasting did.

Fasting allowed me to stop obsessing over food. To stop waking up and going to bed with food on my mind. To end the cycle of secret eating and emotional spirals.

And no, it wasn’t perfect. At first, it felt strange not to eat all day. But over time, as I practiced 16:8 (fasting for 16 hours with an 8-hour eating window), something shifted. My body responded.

My mind cleared.

My self-respect grew.

This wasn't about restriction. It was about rest. A rest my body had been begging me for.

Fasting is an Ancient Healing Tool

Here's a fact diet culture doesn’t talk about:

Fasting is the oldest healing modality in recorded human history.

Not a fad. Not a trend. A biologically wired, instinctive behavior.

When you fast, your body begins to heal from the inside out. You allow it to use the fuel it has brilliantly stored as body fat.

You allow it to reset. To breathe.

Fasting doesn't require special products, apps, shakes, or supplements. It just asks for consistency, patience, and a bit of self-compassion.

The Emotional Side of the Journey

When I started fasting, I didn’t change what I ate. Just when I ate. I didn't give myself food rules. I gave myself grace.

And then, life hit hard. Midway through my journey, I became a widow. My world flipped upside down.

But because of fasting, I had tools. Tools that helped me stay present, emotionally grounded, and physically strong. It became not just a way to lose weight, but a way to live.

Fasting helped me navigate grief through new widowhood, parent as a single mom, and rebuild from the ground up. This is why I say, and will always say:

Fasting is my ticket to live.

It's not about abs or a number on a scale. It's about presence. It's about power. It's about purpose.

Let It Be Slow

The truth is: healing is messy. Change is not linear.

And growth? Growth takes time.

Diet culture wants urgency. I want longevity.

So take it slow. Be weird. Be patient. Reframe your approach:

You get to do this.
You choose this.
You are building something sustainable and soulful.

And if you're here, I promise you: you are already on the right path.

You're Not Alone

If you’re just starting or needing a reset, I invite you to download my Free 7-Day Fasting Jumpstart Plan at TheFastingFocusedLifestyle.com.

And if you're looking for deeper encouragement, connection, and support, come join my Fasting Support Club, this community is here to walk with you, cheer for you, and remind you that you're never alone in this.

From the deepest part of my heart: I believe in you. Even if you don’t.

So keep going. You’ve got this.

With love and support,

Vicki

If you are in need of support, I am here, I care and know you can succeed.

I believe in you, even if you don't.