This final episode celebrates a decade of connection, healing, and advocacy. While the podcast concludes, the work of nourishing bodies and minds continues through community, creativity, and compassion. Thank you for being part of this journey.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (00:01)

Hey there, welcome to episode 434 of the Find Your Food Voice podcast. Today is the last episode and we have so much that we wanna say. Let’s get to it.

 

Hey there, I am Julie Duffy-Dillon, registered dietitian and your host of the Find Your Food Voice podcast. Welcome, I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since we started this podcast. And as we have been telling you for the last few months, this is also our last episode. We know that it’s time to pass the baton to someone else or to many other people rather, as we continue to divest from diet culture, recover from eating disorders and help

 

build a world where everyone feels at home in their body. So this episode is for you listener. We wanna provide you with more tools, more insight as you are continuing to build what is next. And you’re gonna hear a letter from me to food. Coleen Rachel also have their letters. And then we have some submissions from people who are listeners. We have a voice note to share and then also a note to share from a listener.

 

that just lets you know a little bit about how the letters to food have helped them to recover from what was complicated in their life as it relates to food. And as I’m kind of transitioning to that part of the episode, something I want to mention to you is that even though the show is ending, you can always write a letter to food, always. You can always do this.

 

It’s something we talk about, it’s a hard thing to do because it is very emotional and it may be surprising how emotional it is, but it is such good work. And at the same time, if you’re needing help, these episodes will be there. And also the Find Your Food Voice book, which has chapters that lead you through the process of repairing your relationship with food and then gives you prompts to write letters to food based on that.

 

one particular spot of the recovery process. So you can get the Find Your Food Voice book wherever books are sold. I also have a link in the show notes below. And we mentioned also in the show to stay connected because even though this podcast won’t be dropping every week, we still are gonna be around. We’re still gonna be doing this work. We’re just trying to figure out what is next for each of us. And one way to stay connected is through the sub stack,

 

findyourfoodvoice.substack.com. There I will be continuing to write about a complicated history of food as it relates to living with PCOS. But I’m not on much social media, so that’s the best way to stay connected. So let’s make sure we don’t lose touch. I feel like this reminds me of when I was graduating from college and saying goodbye to all my friends at the pub. I’m like, let’s make sure we stay in touch. We need to make sure.

 

man, that was really hard back then because that was 1998. We didn’t have, ⁓ we had like baby email. So that’s basically how we did it. So you can email us to stay connected and then of course stay in our kind of circle on Substack. And that is findyourfoodvoice.substack.com. All right, we’re gonna take a very quick sponsor break and then you’re gonna hear my letter to food.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (03:28)

Dear Food, When I first wrote you, I was concerned. Food was confusing, trapping people in a swirl of shame and blame, yet promising cutting you out was the answer. When I first wrote you, I was an exhausted, married mom of a toddler and a seven-year-old. I sat with clients as they vulnerably shared how scared they were to eat. While everyone had their own unique stories and complicated histories with food,

 

impacted by anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or at diet rock bottom. Yet clients didn’t know how common their story was. Everyone felt so alone and couldn’t find a way out. That is why I wrote to YouFood. None of us are alone. We are all struggling with how to eat and not for lack of information. We had so much information back when I first wrote and I cannot believe how much more information we have. It is even more out of hand.

 

than it was in 2015, unfortunately. I will say though, I thought we were coming along food, intuitive eating, body positivity, racial justice, queer rights, and so much more were on the forefront of conversations. It was not perfect, yet we were coming along. And food, did you see how we were all starting to feel a little more at home in our bodies? Then well, know, culture has looped back.

 

We are struggling again. I’m afraid things are worse. Things are so hard and I feel like I’m saying the earth is flat when I say I’m an anti-diet dietitian. I see the nuance. I know you do too food, but so much of diet culture relies on sound bites, concrete blame games, and whoever is shouting the loudest. Since I first wrote, I got divorced, I stopped seeing clients, I closed my membership.

 

My kids are now teenagers and I’m not as exhausted from lack of sleep.

 

I find community is saving me. It’s the soft place to land with the increasing pressure to focus on weight loss and anti-aging. I started dating and met someone who I think is pretty great. One thing that has been fun has been the long sobremesas with him. Dining and enjoying food, then talking and talking about whatever. Connection, laughter, joy. Finding another soft place to be myself.

 

I notice that my oldest has been joining me more often for these sobremesas which I am cherishing each night after dinner. She will leave for college soon. I pray she stays grounded in her truth, repelling diet culture and making space for those who don’t know about diet harm. It’s time for me to stop writing food. I will miss our exchanges, yet I need to make space for what’s next. I’m sure I’ll be writing and creating somewhere.

 

enjoying a bowl of Tillamook ice cream. I can’t believe how good their sea salt and honeycomb toffee ice cream is. While we are discussing yummy foods, thank you for arugula. I can’t believe how much I love this green lettuce for its crunch and spiciness, which seems to hit the spot when I feel myself wallowing in how tough the world is right now.

 

And while I am still learning Spanish, I’m going to try to say thank you for this next one. Thank you for the papas con cochinada , I don’t think I said it right, but I’m learning. They’re potato chips with Valentina salsa and lime that I ate as I strolled through Mexico City’s welcoming neighborhoods.

 

Thank you for steak. The favorite food my youngest likes to make. My eyes swell with happiness watching him carefully monitor the food for doneness the way he likes and sweetly make one for me too.

 

I never thought I would get through those tough toddler years with my kids, and I have found parenting older children has been satisfying. I wish I never dreaded them getting older. I need to stop writing to you food because it’s time to pass the baton to whoever is next. I know there are many

 

advocates, therapists, and everyday people.

 

already fighting for body liberation. We have so much work to do and we will only free everyone when we are fed working together. I am proud to be part of this fight and won’t stop. Will you keep fighting with us food? Love, a concerned and seasoned dietitian All right, listener, that is my letter to food. And now I’m going to welcome Coleen and Rachel

 

⁓ We’re going to unpack all the things that we need to unpack, and then you’re also going to hear their letters to food as well as letters from two listeners. So let’s get to it.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (08:30)

Hello, welcome team.

 

Coleen (she/her) (08:32)

Hi.

 

Rachel Popik (08:33)

Hey! Pauline, we said that so in sync.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (08:33)

Welcome,

 

Coleen (she/her) (08:35)

know. So start your as a friendship.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (08:38)

It is. It’s so weird

 

that that’s the last time I’m gonna say it. Welcome team. Well, that’s true. That’s true. Thank you. That’s true. I’m so glad to be with the three, the three, the two of you. And yes, the three of us together. And yeah, just put a bow on this chapter.

 

Coleen (she/her) (08:44)

at least in this space. That’s true.

 

Rachel Popik (08:45)

Yeah, yes, yes.

 

Coleen (she/her) (08:52)

The three of us together. Yes.

 

Yeah. So I feel like, I mean, I’m excited to put a bow on this chapter and talk a little bit about how being a part of this podcast has really impacted us and impacted our lives. So I would be happy to start and then maybe I can pass the baton over to Rachel. But I, I think it’s interesting because Rachel is actually the person who

 

like introduce this podcast to me at a time that I was starting to slip back into a diet culture. We had just moved across the country. I had been on my like anti-diet journey since 2017 and in 2019, it just felt like in moving like our whole lives and moving to DC, I was starting to really obsess over food again and

 

I think trying to find comfort in a way that wasn’t the best choice for me. And so I don’t know if Rachel knew this actually, but she suggested this podcast at a time that I was really considering like getting back into dieting and to find comfort in that kind of, that known of being in a place of unknown.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (10:13)

Mm-hmm.

 

Coleen (she/her) (10:15)

and so she flipped this my way and was like, it’s great for commutes or it’s great. And I was commuting at the time, into the office. So I was like, great. She’s like, they’re 20, 30 minute episodes. They’re like, Julie’s voice is just so soothing and calming. And she’s like, you know, some, some will resonate more with others. And at the time that was the, dear food podcast. That was before we, you know, made these all the different changes and change things around, but it really helped.

 

reignite my passion for body neutrality. And like, it was the reminder I needed in that moment that like, dieting was not for me. And it was by listening to other people’s letters to food, like, yeah, gosh, I remember that I remember counting the calories. I remember I don’t want to do that again. I don’t want it to take like it just, it came at such a crucial time. And then

 

Not too long after that, Julie put out a call for a virtual assistant and that was around COVID times. And I was like, wow, that would be an amazing opportunity to really like dig my heels in more to my anti-diet journey and in a way that I could potentially help others because that’s really where my passion lies. And so I submitted a video to Julie, which I’m sure she still has of me.

 

eating and being like, hi there. And, and that’s how I got hired. And that’s how I ended up being a part of this amazing, beautiful, wild journey. And then, I was alongside Yeli Cruz and, Yeli ended up stepping away and we had a spot to fill. And I was like, I can think of no other better person than Rachel for this. So I think that’s a great segue to go to Rachel.

 

Rachel Popik (11:58)

yeah, I mean, I think Coleen alluded to this, but I found the Love Food podcast kind of when I was starting my anti-diet journey and it was so impactful for me to like, you know, I had these feelings like I don’t want to be dieting anymore, but I don’t really know how and like, you know, everyone around me is still like so steeped in this diet culture stuff that like,

 

hearing perspectives and letters from people who felt the same way as me was just so helpful to be like, wow, I’m not the only one and there is a way to do this. And so, you know, when Coleen reached out and was like, you know, do you want to consider joining the team? Of course I was like, absolutely.

 

and just being able to be a part of the podcast and be a part of this team and kind of hopefully do for others what the podcast did for me all of those years ago has just been like really fulfilling and special and wonderful. And also the, the episodes that the three of us record together where we’re like dissecting different diet culture.

 

trends and topics and things is also just like a really like selfishly a really great place for me to like process some feelings about what’s going on in the world. So yeah, it’s just a wonderful wild journey.

 

Coleen (she/her) (13:21)

Yeah.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (13:29)

Sure is. Totally. yeah. And the podcast for me has definitely fulfilled a lot of spots in my life that I’ve always wanted to do and also has helped to surprise me and that I wanted to do them. know, like I was one of these kids growing up that was like super shy, like painfully, like I was so good in a classroom to like

 

divert my eyes so the teacher wouldn’t see me, you know, like I could hide my body somehow so then they couldn’t see me so they would not make me talk in front of the class. So using my voice was always something that was really scary for me as a kid. And then as I was working with clients and you know, the things that you two were unpacking as you were talking, like that’s what I was seeing with clients is they were sharing like how hard it was in the day to day and

 

my clients and I would always laugh about like in the client sessions, like in my like office and then also in their therapist office, it was almost like this bubble and then you would go out into the world and then diet culture would be like flinging shit at you, right? When you lock out the door, you know, it was just like there was a need to bring the conversation and Laura Burns who I’ve talked about so many times on this podcast, but

 

Coleen (she/her) (14:39)

Yeah.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (14:50)

you know, she’s someone that I’ve done a lot of work with in the PCOS space. She always talks about like, build your bubble, you know, so ⁓ your community, your safe spaces, your whatever like helps you feel how you want to feel in your body, like build those up. And that’s what this podcast was built for is like, let’s build a way to take the connection and the healing that was happening in the therapy room outside of the therapy room. But then

 

Coleen (she/her) (14:56)

Mm-hmm.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (15:19)

selfishly for me. It allowed me to like have this like way to be creative, you know, and I don’t know if I’ve ever talked about this on the podcast. And I don’t know if the two of you know this, but like, there’s something that’s really great once you are over 50, and you’ve been doing this job for a long time that you kind of just like fuck it about a lot of things. When I was choosing a major, I really wanted to be an artist or a therapist.

 

possibly a teacher. And I had chose one particular college that I wanted to go to. And my parents didn’t really want me to go there. They wanted me to go to a place that was kind of closer to home. And I was like, no, I want to spread my wings. I want to get out of this place. And they’re like, OK, then you need to choose a major. And it can’t be any of those three. It has to be something else. So I opened the catalog of majors because it wasn’t online yet.

 

And I just opened it up randomly to a page. And then I said, I’m going to have a major in this. And that was dietetics. That’s how I chose my major. That’s how I chose this profession. I didn’t have this love for nutrients and amino acids and stuff like that. But then I found there was, I was able to teach, I was able to be creative. And I liked science. I wasn’t good at it, but I liked science.

 

right? So building this podcast has helped me to do what suits me, you know, like that teenager who was leaving high school and wanting to do something. This is what I was picturing myself doing. It wasn’t wearing a lab coat, hanging out with doctors. Although I really liked working in a hospital, like all the people and, you know, watching the Pitt it like reminds me of all the, all the like, the energy of it.

 

Rachel Popik (16:57)

Ha ha ha.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (17:01)

Anyway, so that’s part of it is to help me to fulfill this creative outlet and create something out of nothing, which I have learned from this process over the last 10 years. That’s what I love is creating something out of nothing. So thank you, podcast, for giving me that. But the other thing that I didn’t realize when I started it, but then after a couple of years, I told all my colleagues, I was like, you should make a podcast. Because basically,

 

Coleen (she/her) (17:01)

Yeah.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (17:27)

How else am going to call up Elyse Resch or Evelyn Tribole or any other person who has all this esteemed quality and authors books and stuff and be like, hey, let’s chat. That just doesn’t happen unless you have a reason. And so the podcast was the reason so I could connect with all these people that I’ve always wanted to connect with. And so that has been really amazing.

 

connecting with different people and listeners, it also helped me to do all these other fun things that I’ve been able to do. So yes, and the thing that we’ve talked about already, but podcasting is changing. It’s just not the same. Anybody can still make one, but it’s hard for people to find you, so much harder than it was 10 years ago. Another podcast that I listened to just announced it’s shutting down. And I was like, really? Is this the trend?

 

Coleen (she/her) (18:12)

Yeah.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (18:20)

And so I look forward to like connecting with listeners and colleagues in a different way, like whatever that’s going to be. I feel like there is another one. There’s another thing that’s going to be like podcasting. just

 

just don’t know what it is yet. So that’s what this podcast has, how it’s shaped me. what we want to do now, though, is turn to another direction and Coleen.

 

Coleen (she/her) (18:34)

Yeah.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (18:51)

Are you ready to read a letter or should we let Rachel do it first? Okay. So we’re going to listen to some letters now.

 

Coleen (she/her) (18:53)

I am. I am. Yes.

 

Yeah. All right. So, we were just talking about the love food podcast. So we thought it would be a really nice way to package up the final show of the find your food voice podcast if we each wrote letters. So that’s what I’m going to read to you now. Dear food. Wow. We’ve come a long way together. You and I.

 

I remember a time where I used to track everything I put on my plate and then into my mouth. I used to use you as a way to try and reduce the number on the scale. Around 2017, there was a shift in our relationship. I started to realize that you were there for me to nourish me, that you didn’t have to take up my every waking thought while I obsessed over you. Our largest dynamic shift happened in 2023 when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter.

 

You turned into the fuel that would carry not only my life in your hands, but my little ones. That’s when we became true partners. I didn’t limit our partnership during my pregnancy. I leaned into the warmth and comfort that was you as I grew another soul within myself. I knew you were vital then, but we fast forward to the day she was born and I knew I wanted to nurse her. I was ravenous as my body produced her own food.

 

I recognized you were continuing to fuel myself and my little girl in ways that made me feel strong and almost invincible. For one year after she was born, you and I were on a steady path of recognizing the importance of finding comfort in you. We leaned into you as a family to help us grow. I watched as my daughter took her first taste of you once our nursing journey ended and squeal in delight at her first taste of watermelon as she mashed that one piece around with her gummy smile.

 

I don’t know when I stopped trusting you or myself in our relationship, but watching her react to her first steps with you healed something in me. I flourished into a leader for you, a warrior, a champion, vowing that her relationship with you would be better. In that moment, I saw our entire future with you, that in our household, we wouldn’t label you as good or bad. We would describe you as nourishing. We would ask how we felt when we ate you.

 

We would recognize the joy around meals and the memories that brought us together. She would never see me eat less of you or something different than the family was eating because I was restricting you. She would never hear me tell her to finish all of you during a meal, but rather to trust herself with you, to find a way to lean into all you have to offer. So food, I want to apologize to you for all the pressure I put on you and myself. Not only is this a love letter to you, but a letter of forgiveness because all along,

 

You were there for me and I was doing the best I was able to in each season. And I have so much more compassion for us both now. Love, Coleen.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (21:48)

That was so beautiful.

 

Coleen (she/her) (21:50)

Thank you.

 

Rachel Popik (21:52)

just need a minute to compose myself.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (21:53)

Like

 

Wow. Yes. So beautiful. Thank you, Coleen. Transitions are hard when I’m emotional. So how do I transition? I need to.

 

Rachel Popik (21:57)

That was beautiful.

 

Coleen (she/her) (22:05)

I wasn’t expecting

 

to like be emotional myself, but.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (22:10)

think that’s a really common experience when you write a letter to food though, because it is like this, I don’t know, like the psychoanalysts who are listening, they’re like, yes, of course. Because it goes to the unconscious and it goes so deep into so much of who we are and what we struggle with and things that we can put so deep in there, right?

 

Coleen (she/her) (22:12)

Yeah.

 

Rachel Popik (22:20)

Yeah.

 

Coleen (she/her) (22:30)

It’s funny too, because when I started writing that, I didn’t know how it was going to go. I don’t know if you have this experience when you’re writing that you just start, I just like started and then I was like, I was not expecting it to go this place, but it feels right.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (22:43)

Yes. And for any listener who has never written a letter to food, that’s exactly how I encourage you to do it. And at some point, we put up letter guidelines because people would ask questions like, how do I write a letter? I don’t understand. And so much of it really, I know sometimes people need some guidelines. But really, yeah, just start. And when I was writing the letter that listeners have already heard,

 

Coleen (she/her) (22:48)

you

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (23:07)

I kind of struggled with it for a few days. And I was like, I just need to sit down and just start writing and see what comes out. And then boom, it all came out. What we’re going to do now, though, is transition to a voice note that a listener left for us. We had a call for folks to submit what they got out of the podcast or whatever they wanted to share just to help us tie this bow. And so Annie left us a voice note. So I’m going to try to play it using my phone.

 

and see oh there he is.

 

shot to you a while back is as I mentioned I found out about you through an interview that you did with Katie Harvey.

 

since. really enjoy the Find Your Food voice has been immensely helpful to me. I really appreciate your engaging and inclusive approach. And I mentioned this because I’m actually blind and I’m so grateful that you have the options at the end of each chapter, like the various activities. I have, I’m a writer and a creative writer at that. So I’ve been not only loving writing the Dear Food letters, but it’s really helped me to

 

unpack the complicated relationship I’ve had with food probably since I was a teenager. I’m sure it was, it goes further back than that, but I am, was very sad to learn that your podcast is coming to an end, but I wish you and Coleen and Rachel the very best in whatever comes next. Thank you again for all the wonderful work that you’ve done. And if I may say, the show has truly been a blessing to me. So thank you.

 

Thank much for all you do. I get so excited and hey, go Buckeyes. I’ll think of you every time I have a Buckeye. And yeah, all of you, I wish you nothing but the best and whatever is coming next. And ciao for now. Thank you so much, Annie. That was so sweet. So sweet. And I don’t know. I don’t know if there’s anything we need to unpack from.

 

Annie’s note, but just it means a lot to like build something that different people who have different abilities can then use to like help them with their complicated history with food.

 

Coleen (she/her) (25:07)

Yeah.

 

Yeah. It feels really special to be a part of that.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (25:11)

Yes, for sure.

 

Rachel Popik (25:12)

Yeah.

 

Yeah.

 

Coleen (she/her) (25:15)

Well, I am very excited and I was chatting with Rachel about this last night when we were at dinner, but I’m excited to hear her letter because I and I have a feeling it’s going to make me emotional too. without further ado, Rachel’s letter to food.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (25:27)

Ha ha ha!

 

Rachel Popik (25:31)

Let’s do this. Let’s get through it in one piece. Dear food, when Julie first asked me to write this letter to you many, years ago, it felt too heavy. Our relationship was still something that I was trying to untangle and grapple with. Not that we have a perfect relationship now. Even healthy relationships have their ups and downs, disagreements and arguments. But damn, it’s so much more positive than it once was. Growing up, I was surrounded by delicious morsels of you.

 

My dad was a chef and everyone in my family appreciated incredible food. We didn’t have a super tight knit family, but when we did get together, those events centered around the meal. Delectable beef Wellingtons, Caesar salads topped with mountains of Parmesan cheese, luscious creamy soups with the most incredible asparagus picked directly from my uncle’s farm, and so much more. But even at those gatherings, where it was clear how much love was in the room, love for each other and love for you food,

 

Diet culture was still there, lurking in the shadows. My aunts comparing their bodies to each other’s, telling my much more petite sister how she should eat more, more, more because she quote unquote could and they quote unquote couldn’t. But not me though, that message was implicit. Rachel, you’re built like us. You can’t eat that without guilt. You can’t eat as much as you want. At the time I was jealous of my sister.

 

But with time and reflection, I now see how that was also harmful to her. For a really long time after that, you and I had a pretty rocky relationship food. I loved you, but I also hated you. And I hated myself for loving you. Fast forward through years of yo-yo dieting and eating disorders, with the support of some really loving and wonderful friends and my amazing partner, I found the Find You Food Voice podcast, then the Love Food podcast.

 

and started to hear others letters to you food. I realized I wasn’t alone in having a messy relationship with you, but wanting to change that. In seeing how others were breaking free of diet culture and repairing their relationship with you, it gave me the strength to do the same. It wasn’t a smooth or easy road, but looking back and reflecting, I realized how far we’ve come. I’ve learned how magical you can be food.

 

how you could bring me so much joy, satisfaction, and creativity, a way to care for myself and care for others. And now feels like we’re no longer at odds, but we’re walking a parallel path. These days, you and I spend all of our time together, and I’ve really gotten to reflect because I know I’ve really gotten to reflect on how powerful you are, how you can be used as a tool for so much bad, culture, white supremacy, classism, but also so, so much good.

 

nourishment, community, storytelling, cultural preservation. I count myself so lucky now to be able to walk alongside you, but my job is to show and give others that joy, creativity, and nourishment. So thank you, food. Thank you for nourishing me. Thank you for healing me. Thank you for loving me.

 

Coleen (she/her) (28:40)

That was beautiful, Rachel.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (28:41)

I know,

 

I know. I agree so much too. Like food is so much, like it has so much power, right? Just like all of us, right? We have, we can do good and we can do not so good. And same with food, right? So what’s next? You know, I think we have a letter from someone else. Yes, calling, I was saying.

 

Rachel Popik (28:50)

So, so much power.

 

Coleen (she/her) (28:56)

Yeah.

 

a letter from someone else. Julie, are you going to read

 

Rachel Popik (29:03)

Yeah.

 

Coleen (she/her) (29:05)

it? Do you want me to read

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (29:05)

I was like,

 

yeah, was like, Coleen, could you read it? Okay. Do you have it handy?

 

Coleen (she/her) (29:09)

Sure. I’m happy to. ⁓ person that wrote

 

this in. Yes. Thank you for letting me read your letter. I am honored. Okay. Amy. Thank you. Okay. So I remember the last diet I was ever on when I was defining my why I stated that I wanted to take control over food instead of having it control me. Little did I know that I would find that piece many years later.

 

just not the why I initially expected. In 2015, I was diagnosed with PCOS. When I shared this with my therapist in 2017, she recommended I look at Julie’s website. This suggested, this suggestion changed my life forever. I binged love food, a little skeptically at first, but excited by the possibility of not having so much mental and physical energy consumed by dieting. I started taking steps away from dieting.

 

During my second pregnancy, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and felt so overwhelmed. I was not far along enough on my journey to not be consumed by guilt and fear, so I wrote a letter to Julie. She explained things in such a compassionate and helpful way that it helped me continue on my journey and release the guilt I was feeling. The podcast and Julie’s coursework, groups and advice,

 

helped me divest from diet culture and process all of the emotions that came along with realizing how much misinformation I had been given all my life. Learning and internalizing that food choice and food choices are morally neutral, drastically improved my mental health, and I have a whole new definition of what it means to take care of myself. Now, I pay attention to my internal signals regarding rest, food, and movement, and can listen to them with curiosity instead of judgment.

 

I have so much more space in my life for what actually matters. This was a very important podcast and I am grateful for the opportunity to reflect on its impact. I wish everyone all the best in what comes next. Sincerely, Amy.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (31:07)

I love you, Amy. Yes, I know. and listening to you read this, Coleen, it reminds me how fucking amazing it is to find the tools that as an individual you need to divest from diet culture because then it becomes this ripple effect. By you divesting, it’s not contributing in the way that if everyone’s doing it, and then you’re leading by example.

 

Rachel Popik (31:07)

Thank you, Amy.

 

Coleen (she/her) (31:08)

Thank you, Amy.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (31:33)

whether you have kids or not, but just like going through this life without relying on dieting, it just ends up impacting other people in such a wonderful way. So yeah, and that’s something that I think a lot about with ending this podcast, know, hearing her talk about that. I’m like, oh, like there’s this tool that’s not going to be around. And at the same time, the three of us are not the only people who can create these tools, right? Like we can pass the baton and

 

Coleen (she/her) (31:44)

Yeah.

 

Yes.

 

Rachel Popik (32:00)

Yes, yes.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (32:02)

And like I was saying earlier, I think there’s going to be something else outside of podcasting that’ll be a tool to connect and to help us divest from diet culture. And I just don’t know what it is yet. So, but in the meantime, you know, yeah, like there’s lots of people continuing to divest and building things. So yes. But anyway, thank you, Amy.

 

Coleen (she/her) (32:14)

Yeah.

 

Yes. And so now I guess we chat about what’s next, right? This is kind of we’ve we’ve we’ve packaged this up with a bow almost. There’s one more little tasty morsel treat at the end. But, Rachel, do you want to chat?

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (32:32)

Woo!

 

Rachel Popik (32:33)

Yeah.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (32:37)

Hehehehe

 

no! ⁓

 

Rachel Popik (32:42)

no!

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (32:43)

She froze on the cutest face. there you are.

 

Coleen (she/her) (32:46)

Rachel, do you want to chat about what’s next?

 

Rachel Popik (32:49)

Yes, of course I’m happy to chat about what’s next. So for me, I am going to be continuing doing what I’ve been doing, feeding and nourishing people in and around Philadelphia, having my private meal prep clients, doing pop-up events. So if you’re in the Philly area, you can find me in person at some of those.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (32:51)

You

 

Rachel Popik (33:12)

I’m trying to get back into newsletter writing and a more, my once weekly newsletter that has never actually once been sent out two weeks in a row. And for the past few months has been sent out like once a month. I’m trying to get back into doing that more regularly. And you can also find me still working with Julie in whatever form that takes, whether that be over on Sunstack or elsewhere.

 

Coleen (she/her) (33:23)

Hahaha

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (33:23)

you

 

It’s all right, it’s all right.

 

Coleen (she/her) (33:28)

Yeah.

 

Rachel Popik (33:40)

We’re not going away, we’re just evolving into something different.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (33:42)

Mm-hmm.

 

Yes, I love that. What about you, Coleen?

 

Coleen (she/her) (33:49)

Yeah. So kicking around a few things, Rachel and I have been chatting about one of my own ideas for something I’d like to do in the future, but right now, there’s a lot of unknown in my life. So I’m really just sitting into that, sitting into wrapping this up and kind of not knowing what comes next. And I’m feeling really at peace with it. I, I feel like I’m in a place now where I know an adventure is on the horizon.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (33:52)

You

 

Coleen (she/her) (34:15)

not quite ready to share that yet with you listener. But if you want to follow me on my Instagram, Abroad Abroad, you are welcome to, know Rachel probably and Julie link it in the show notes, but I, I’m excited about not really knowing what’s next. Of course, still going to be working with Julie and Rachel, figuring out what’s next in terms of how we’re going to be connecting with each of you down the line and just excited to be along for the journey.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (34:42)

I love that. And you know, since we kind of appreciate more details that the listener doesn’t know, like, I’m so excited for you too. You know, like, yes. And I agree, like, the unknown, it’s so like, this is so existential, and like, Gestalt and stuff. Like, the unknown is so scary, but it’s also so exciting. Like, it can be like frightening, but hopeful. And like holding both of those. I feel like that’s probably been the last three years for me.

 

Coleen (she/her) (34:51)

Thank you.

 

Rachel Popik (34:52)

Yes.

 

Coleen (she/her) (35:02)

Yes.

 

Rachel Popik (35:02)

Yeah. Yeah.

 

Coleen (she/her) (35:05)

Yeah.

 

Yeah.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (35:11)

Oh my God, this is so scary, but like, oh, this could be amazing. Like, why not let it be amazing? You know? So yes. Oh my goodness. Well, let me fill you in a little bit about what’s next for me. And it’s similar to like what you said to Coleen, like, I’m not really sure what’s next, but I do, you know, I was talking to my partner the other day about this. I’m like, I’m not really sure what I’m going to do next, but I just know something else is going to be there.

 

Rachel Popik (35:15)

Yeah.

 

Coleen (she/her) (35:16)

Yes.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (35:38)

and I’m excited about it and I’m trying to like not rush it, you know, just to like let it happen, you know? And I’m also was hoping I would have the ability to like name something in particular that I’m gonna be working on. And this will be like, I was explaining to my daughter the concept of vague book, you know, because she’s not on Facebook, she’s almost 18. So, you know, they don’t do that anymore.

 

But it’s like, you know, when someone posts on their other social media, something that’s kind of like a little passive aggressive or like has some code to it because they don’t want to say explicitly what they’re wanting to say. And so I’m having to be a little vague book here. But I’m working on something that’s related to PCOS that I can’t announce yet, yada, yada. But but with that being said, I would love

 

Rachel Popik (36:02)

you

 

Mm-hmm.

 

Coleen (she/her) (36:15)

and

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (36:26)

for you listeners to stay connected with me. And I don’t do a lot of social media anymore. Like I was on TikTok, but then when they like had this new thing where they were like, we’re gonna track your documentation status and your gender identity and where you are, even when you’re not on that. I’m like, yeah, no, that’s a hard no for me. Goodbye TikTok, along with all of Meta. So I’m just hanging out on Substack and LinkedIn if you’re there, but I mean, that’s boring there.

 

Rachel Popik (36:43)

Yeah, yeah.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (36:53)

stay connected on my website, but then also I’m sub stack. That’s like closest that I am with social media. And, you know, I’m mostly writing about having a chronic condition like PCOS and trying to also reject diet culture or recover from your eating disorder. And if you have PCOS or insulin resistance, or just kind of need to have more of that language about how to add things to your

 

life without going back to diet culture to manage a condition, then I’m writing for you. And yeah, I don’t know what’s next. mean, my children are like, one’s flying the coop soon and the other one’s gonna be going to high school. like, I don’t know. And that’s again, like calling, I’m like, I’m kind of excited. Like what is gonna happen? But more than anything, listener, I hope that you can stay connected. And then,

 

Rachel Popik (37:37)

Yeah.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (37:43)

Also, those of you who, I haven’t mentioned this and I wish I would have said it earlier, but those of you who’ve written to us and wrote letters, holy shit, thank you. Because for Rachel and Coleen, the actual writing a letter is so emotional, right? It’s an energy drain. It’s an expression. in some way, it feels cathartic, but it also is, it’s some bandwidth to write a letter. ⁓

 

Rachel Popik (37:53)

Yes.

 

Coleen (she/her) (38:09)

Yeah.

 

Rachel Popik (38:10)

Yeah.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (38:11)

Thank you for being vulnerable, if you’ve ever wrote a letter in and sharing your story because that was the whole vehicle to promote healing was like, both mentioned like, hearing the letters helped you to know you weren’t alone and by knowing you weren’t alone, helped you to recover, which that’s it right there. So even if we’re not listening to a letter, you’re not alone. We have proof, we have hundreds of episodes.

 

Rachel Popik (38:33)

Yeah, yeah.

 

Coleen (she/her) (38:41)

Yeah. Yeah.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (38:41)

Over 400 to

 

share with you that like, I think there’s probably closer to 500, because not all of them were numbered, FYI. But you’re never alone. Like we’re with you on this. And Coleen and Rachel’s work will continue to add to the conversation. So make sure you’re connecting with them also in their socials or newsletter or whatever they’re creating. We’re going to let that evolve. I don’t know, before we end, which as I say this,

 

Rachel Popik (38:43)

Mm-hmm.

 

you

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (39:09)

The very end of the episode is going to be a letter back from food. So this is not the end to end. before we move to that, Coleen, Rachel, any final thoughts, anything that you want to share before we sign off?

 

Coleen (she/her) (39:22)

I think as we close this chapter, if you have been considering creating something, getting involved in community, you have been thinking about this for a long time or listening to us, or just take this as like your sign from the universe that you can do it. And we’re cheering you on from the sidelines. And if you want to reach out to us for any reason, like Julie said, stay connected, reach out to the info inbox and we would love to hear from you.

 

cheer you on in all the ways that we can.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (39:51)

That’s right.

 

Rachel Popik (39:52)

Yeah, I’m just, I’m filled with so much gratitude and love for both of you and for everyone who’s written in and listened to the podcast over the years. Yeah. Thank you.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (40:02)

Yes, that’s a great place to stop. All right, team, we’re gonna sign off.

 

Rachel Popik (40:06)

Bye.

 

Julie Duffy Dillon (40:08)

So there you have it. I hope you enjoyed the conversation with Rachel and Coleen. We certainly were all in our feels, but also it felt really good just to be able to have closure. So we hope it helps you also to have that same closure. Like I mentioned in a minute, I’m going to share a letter back from food to all of us. And before I get to that, again, I just wanna say thank you so much for all the folks who have contributed to

 

love food and find your food voice. ⁓ Folks in particular that I wanna name, of course, are Rachel and Coleen. This podcast would not have been able to continue without you. Also, Yeli Cruz, who we mentioned earlier. We hope you’re doing well, Yeli And someone you may not know is Laura King. She’s a dietitian that also helped me behind the scenes for many, many years. There were lots of other folks that ⁓ I can’t name every single person, but lots of other folks who have helped me behind the scenes.

 

including guests who have been willing to be vulnerable and share their expertise and their own relationship with food. And then of course, most of all to you, the listener who have written letters in and been able to make this show. Like without you, we wouldn’t have the show. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be in your ears. It’s a very, very like dear spot to be in. Thank you for trusting me.

 

and I hope we can stay connected. Like I said, ⁓ stay connected over on Substack, findyourfoodvoice.substack.com. And I don’t know exactly what’s next, but I just know I wanna stay connected to you. All right, and in the fall of all that, like I said, I’m gonna read a letter back from food and then it’s time to say goodbye. So until next time, take care.

 

Dear listener, you’ve been through so much and it has been hard work. I see your exhaustion, yet I also see how far you have come. I appreciate you may not see your growth, but from our point of view, you have created space for your intuition, relied on community and built safer spaces for those without support. Each time you reject diet culture, you build a better world. Don’t lose sight of what you are building, especially when the world feels scary.

 

especially then. Use your voice to advocate for others even when your voice shakes, especially then. Nourish yourself and your neighbors with satisfying, pleasurable food, even when food is scarce, especially then. Your voice will be what eliminates diet culture and the need for it. It may seem impossible for one person to cause that change, yet without you, nothing changes.

 

Stay in community and stay fed. Love food.