You have a powerful voice. It’s important to know what to say

Join our mission to drive a cultural shift –where health and well-being are the priority–leaving diet culture and body ideals behind, to prevent eating disorders and for the benefit of the young people who look up to you.

What to Say is for You

What is Diet Culture and “Body Ideals”?

Diet culture is cultural patterns and messages that value body shape and size (thin or lean/muscular) over genuine health.

Diet culture promotes weight loss (or “bulking up”) to achieve higher status. It sets external rules about eating and exercise, chasing an impossible body ideal. This pursuit can be harmful or even deadly. Diet culture’s pervasiveness has normalized the pursuit of the “body ideal” through restrictive diets and exercise and it has become so common it is often encouraged.

Recognizing diet culture’s prevalence unlocks your potential to enact change, particularly for the young people who look up to you. Foster this change by refraining from discussing diet and weight around children. 

We encourage adults to practically make this shift away from diet culture by refraining from discussing diet and weight around kids and teens.

What is Diet & Weight Talk?

Diet Talk

This includes any conversation about restricting or villainizing foods or food groups for the sake of wanting to change one’s body weight, size, or shape.

Weight Talk

This is commenting on yours and others’ (even a stranger or someone on TV) weight or body size/shape as something of value. Instead, imagine weight as one piece of information about someone–similar to a blood type. Do we comment on other people’s blood type in a way that indicates the person is more or less valuable?

Our What to Say Pledge to stop diet and weight talk is a great first step. We know dieting and body/weight dissatisfaction can lead to a host of mental health concerns and are the top two predictors of children and teens developing eating disorders.

Or check out our full library of resources for parents, coaches, and health care professionals. All the resources provided here are based on substantial research, created to meet the specific concerns facing your child.

Our What to Say Pledge to stop diet and weight talk is a great first step.

Join concerned adults from 20+ countries and stand with What to Say as we work to prevent eating disorders and inspire well-being. You’ll receive our Simple Guide for What to Say and a monthly tip to help protect kids’ positive body image and food relationships.

Help Make This Possible

Want to help bring these What to Say resources to millions of adult role models, who can create health-and-well-being-first environments for young people around the country? Your gift of any size will make a huge impact today.

What to Say Coaches Challenge

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Take The Pledge

THE PLEDGE: I believe that words matter. I want to make a positive impact on the kids in my life by stopping harmful diet and weight talk. I am committed to making sure that every child gets a chance to develop healthy relationships with food and body.

 









Coming Soon!

Shannon assists with the logistics of development and operations and making every day run as smoothly as possible. Her day-to-day focuses on our Recovery Support Program, budget management, events, and administrative support. She enjoys being part of the nonprofit world and finding ways to help enhance the organization. She has a heart for serving others and helping people succeed.

Shannon has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health & Exercise Science from Gustavus Adolphus College and a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from Walden University.

Outside of work, you can find Shannon chasing her two girls around, attending sporting events and finding the next brewery or winery to explore.

Lindsay leads our operations, programming, fundraising, and communications to better fulfill our mission. She enjoys engaging with our supporters and stakeholders to build stronger connections to our work. Outside the office, you can find her planning her next trip, exploring the Twin Cities, or reading her book club’s latest pick.

With ten years of experience in nonprofit and foundation administration, Lindsay is a creative project manager working to strengthen all our operations. She loves being a part of a team deeply dedicated to discovering innovative and effective strategies to end eating disorders and is excited to invite others into this important work. Efficient and collaborative, she executes activity across all operations, including fundraising, events, communications, and programming. Lindsay has a bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Northwestern, St. Paul, and a fundraising certificate from the University of St. Thomas. She and her family live in Richfield, MN.

As Executive Director, Lisa leads WithAll’s strategic growth as a sustainable social enterprise dedicated to the prevention of and healing from eating disorders.

Lisa has more than 20 years of experience in public affairs, community relations, and law, and nearly 15 years of experience in non-profit leadership, most recently at Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media. She is a graduate of Mitchell Hamline School of Law, a member of the Minnesota Bar, and a Minnesota Supreme Court appointee to Minnesota’s Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board. She volunteers with her daughter’s school and with youth sports.

Lisa does this work because she knows eating disorders are not a choice; they are deadly, and they are everywhere. She also knows kids are not born with harmful thoughts and actions around food or their body—and it’s our job as adults to keep it this way so they can focus their precious brains and time on things that matter.

Lisa finds laughter, all children, and the numerous variations of sparkling water to be delightful.