Mary's Cup of Tea: the Self Love Podcast for Women – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Diet culture has a sneaky way of showing up everywhere. From weightloss plans disguised as “lifestyle changes” to wellness trends promising to heal everything from your skin to your soul. In this encore episode, I’m joined by Christy Harrison, MPH, RD—author of The Wellness Trap and Anti-Diet—to unpack how diet culture infiltrates the wellness world and impacts women’s health in ways that are anything but healthy.

Christy explains how the multi-billion-dollar wellness industry often sells us pseudoscience, dubious diagnoses, and rigid food rules that can lead to disordered eating, body image issues, and mental health struggles. We talk about why so many people—especially women—get caught in this cycle, how eating disorders aren’t always obvious, and why scientific literacy is one of the most powerful tools for protecting your health.

You will learn... 

• Why diet culture’s obsession with weight loss harms physical and mental health
• How wellness trends exploit fear to sell ineffective or harmful solutions
• The connection between restrictive eating, binge eating, bulimia, and long-term health issues
• Why women are extra susceptible to falling into diet culture and wellness trends
• How social media and our political climate contributes to wellness mis- and dis-information

Remember: Your worth isn’t measured by your weight, your diet, or how “well” you follow health trends. Real wellness is about freedom and self compassion.

Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified intuitive eating counselor, and journalist who has been covering food, nutrition, and health for more than 20 years. She is the author of two books, The Wellness Trapand Anti-Diet, and host of the podcasts Rethinking Wellness and Food Psych. Christy’s decades of work in journalism, nutrition, and intuitive eating have helped thousands break free from the false promises of diet culture and find a more compassionate, evidence-based approach to food and health. Whether you’ve struggled with dieting, fallen into the wellness trap, or simply want to support women’s health in a more sustainable way, this conversation will help you see wellness culture in a whole new light.

Get Christy’s latest book: The Wellness Trap: Break Free from Diet Culture, Disinformation, and Dubious Diagnoses and Find Your True Well-Being

Learn more about Christy at christyharrison.com and follow her on Instagram @chr1styharrison

Mentioned in This Episode: Fears About Food Additives, article by Christy Harrison Is Red Food Dye Dangerous?

If you’re enjoying this self love podcast, share it with the women in your life to combat diet culture, promote body positivity, and spread self love.

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You can’t truly love yourself if you’re lying to yourself.

And you certainly can’t find peace in a version of you that’s not real.

Because when you try to love a version of yourself that isn’t true, it feels empty. It’s like people-pleasing: if you sacrifice authenticity for approval, then who are they really approving of? Not the real you. And the same goes for self-approval. If we dress up a lie and call it self love, we’re building a facade that will inevitably crumble.

Self love requires radical self honesty.

In this episode, you will learn…

• Why women, in particular, tend to lie to themselves (even more than they lie to others)
• What all major religions and spiritual teachings say about truth-telling
• 3 simple but profound ways to use honesty as a daily practice of loving yourself

We’ll also explore ideas from authors like bell hooks, George Saunders, Don Miguel Ruiz, and Tara Brach, whose teachings remind us that honesty is the foundation of love.

If you’ve ever felt like self-love doesn’t “work” for you, or that you’re doing everything but still feel disconnected, this episode might reveal why and inspire you to honestly love yourself.

Remember: telling the truth isn’t about sharing every secret, it’s about staying rooted in what’s real. And what’s real—no matter how messy—is worthy of self love.

Deepen your self-love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook that will help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and learn to love who you are.

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

If you’re enjoying this self-love podcast, share it with the women in your life. Your support helps keep this show—and the message of self-love, confidence, and mental health—alive and thriving.

🫖 P.S. This self-love podcast episode pairs beautifully with:

• Ep. 212: How To Be Honest With Yourself
• Ep. 213: Sick of People-Pleasing? Listen to this.
• Ep. 242: How To Stop Comparing Your Current Self to Your Past Self

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A personal solo episode where I (Mary) share my “small joys” i.e. little acts of self-care that have made a big difference. Each one has become a gentle anchor, a little nudge to remember who I am and what I need. And through them, I’m realizing how the act of keeping promises to myself—no matter how small—has become a declaration of self-worth.

You will hear about... 

• 6 teeny tiny self-care practices that have made a big difference in my mental health
• the books I’ve been reading lately (including my unpopular opinion about The Women by Kristin Hannah)
• reflections on relationships and making new friends
• how to cultivate a positive mindset

At the core of this episode is the idea that keeping promises to yourself is a declaration of self-worth. Every time you follow through on taking care of yourself, you are signaling that you are WORTHY of the time, energy, money, and attention self-care demands.

Tune in for a gentle invitation to remember that your life is YOURS to shape, nurture, and enjoy. A positive mindset could be just a small step away.

Deepen your self-love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook that will help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.

2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and learn to love who you are.

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

If you’re craving more conversations like this—about self-care, mental health, positive mindset, relationships, women's empowerment, and living in alignment with your authentic self—make sure to subscribe to this self-love podcast and leave a review. Your support helps this show reach more women and spread the gift of self-love.

Mentioned In This Episode... 

• Hilary Hahn performing J.S. Bach: Partita for Violin Solo No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002 - 4. Double (Presto)
• Ep. 243: How to Stay Hopeful, Joyful, and Soulful with Victoria Hutchins on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube
• Ep. 234: Finding Myself in the Unlikeliest of Places (Cuba) on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube

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Being lost is not just necessary. It’s inevitable. Everyone feels lost at times, most of us feel slightly lost all of the time. Whether you’re going through a transition in your career, questioning your purpose or feeling confused about your next steps, this episode will give you glimmers of hope amidst uncertainty.

You will learn...

• the 2 manifestations of feeling lost and where they stem from
• how to feel less agitated and more excited
• mindset shifts and ways to deal with your un-lived potentials
• how to surrender and trust that you are exactly where you need to be

Remember: You can look for yourself in people, places, careers, hobbies, experiences, and things, but the core of who you are is already within you. Clarity will come when you try new things and put yourself in positions to meet new opportunities.

This episode is supported by Big Heart Tea, my favorite certified-organic tea, wrapped in sustainable packaging made from plants (not plastics), and produced with the utmost regard for the farmers who grow it. I love Big Heart Tea because their company is female-founded and mission-driven. Their Farmers Collection is a growing line of intentionally-sourced, direct trade teas, which you can really taste with every sip. I’m currently drinking their signature Cup of Sunshine herbal blend which is great for the afternoon when you don’t want caffeine. Stock up on your own tea by going to bighearttea.com and use code MARY20 for a discount!

If you enjoyed this episode, screenshot it and tag @maryspodcast on social media! And make sure to get Mary’s books two on self-love:

• The Gift of Self-Love: https://maryscupoftea.com/gift-of-self-love. This is a self-love workbook that will help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
• 100 Days of Self-Love: maryscupoftea.com/journal. This is a guided journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and learn to love who you are.

Mentioned In This Episode...
Cheryl Strayed’s book, Tiny Beautiful Things: https://amzn.to/43ebyUt
Oliver Burkeman’s book, Four Thousand Weeks: https://amzn.to/439aT6F

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Christy Harrison, a pioneer in the anti-diet movement, has transformed the way I see food, weight, and health. Now she’s coming on the show to talk about THE WELLNESS TRAP, a hodgepodge of diet culture, disinformation, and dubious diagnoses. Many wellness solutions that promise “health and healing” are really just promoting a standard of health that’s unattainable, problematic, and harmful to your health.

You will learn...

• why diets and weight loss are NOT the solution to most all health concerns
• how the wellness world tricks us into dubious diagnoses and harmful approaches to “healing”
• who often falls into the wellness trap (and why YOU might have at times too…)
• how to think critically and employ scientific literacy

Remember: a healthy amount of skepticism will keep you from falling into the wellness trap. Not everything needs to be cured or healed, especially if the methods are scientifically unsound.

Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified intuitive eating counselor, and journalist who has been covering food, nutrition, and health for more than 20 years. She is the author of two books, The Wellness Trap and Anti-Diet, and the producer and host of the podcasts Rethinking Wellness and Food Psych, which have helped tens of thousands of people around the world think critically about diet and wellness culture and develop more peaceful relationships with food. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, SELF, BuzzFeed, Refinery29, Gourmet, Slate, the Food Network, and many other publications, and her work is regularly featured in national print and broadcast media. Learn more about Christy and her work at christyharrison.com

Follow Christy on Instagram: @chr1styharrison
Learn more about Christy’s new book, The Wellness Trap: https://christyharrison.com/the-wellness-trap

And if you enjoyed this episode, screenshot it and share it on social media! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @christyharrison

Mentioned in This Episode:
Fears About Food Additives (article written by Christy): https://christyharrison.ck.page/posts/fears-about-food-additives
Is Red Food Dye Dangerous? https://www.parentdata.org/p/is-red-food-dye-dangerous?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’ve ever struggled with binge eating, you know how difficult it is to stop. You might have tried everything from strict dieting to intuitive eating, wishing that something would help stop your battle with food for good. Mary has been on this journey herself after nearly a decade of struggling with bulimia and binge eating. In this episode, she shares the mindset that helped her FINALLY stop binge eating… forever. Tune in for some refreshing encouragement + a mindset shift for overcoming binge eating.

Remember: binge eating is symbolic of how we function overall. That frantic, compulsive energy around food translates into other areas too. Where else does this binge/ restrict/ self-hate pattern show up in your life?

If you’re interested in Mary’s 4-week program for conquering body-image struggles, breaking the diet cycle, and learning to love yourself, get it Beyond Body here for 75% off: https://maryscupoftea.com/beyond-body

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ED recovery and body acceptance influencer Brittani Lancaster joins us for an honest conversation about online dating, working a 9-5 AND being a TikTok influencer, and what life is like as a content creator.

Remember: it’s okay to keep your personal passion separate from your intellectual passion. You are a multi-faceted human being.

Follow Britt on IG/ TikTok: @brittanilancaster

And if you enjoyed this episode, screenshot it and share it on social media! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @brittanilancaster

On that note, I’m going to take a dramatic sip of tea... Big Heart Tea, that is! My favorite certified organic tea, wrapped in sustainable packaging made from plants (not plastics), and produced with the utmost regard for the farmers who grow it. I love Big Heart Tea because their company is female-founded and mission-driven. Their Farmers Collection is a growing line of intentionally-sourced, direct trade teas, which you can really taste with every sip. I’m currently drinking their signature Cup of Sunshine herbal blend which is great for the afternoon when you don’t want caffeine. Stock up on your own tea by going to bighearttea.com and use code MARY20 for a discount!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You might have friends that you think you’re close to, but are you really? Most people say they don’t want surface-level friendships, but I think because of capitalism, hustle culture, and the individualistic way in which we live, our friendships have inevitably become surface level even if both people are actually rather deep! It’s just hard to translate that depth to another person unless you know how to intentionally take it there. In this episode, Mary talks about how to make your existing friendships stronger.

You will learn about...

• the importance of having fulfilling friendships and how to foster them
• some friend date ideas that are much more fun that your typical lunch date
• tips for getting your friends together in a wholesome way

Remember: it takes a village for you to thrive. We are not meant to walk through life alone.

If you enjoyed this episode, screenshot it and tag @maryspodcast on social media!

And make sure to get Mary’s books two on self-love:

• The Gift of Self-Love: https://maryscupoftea.com/gift-of-self-love. This is a self-love workbook that will help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
• 100 Days of Self-Love: maryscupoftea.com/journal. This is a guided journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and learn to love who you are.

Mentioned In This Episode...
We’re Not Really Strangers card game:
Priya Parker’s, The Art of Gathering:

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If you have children in your life, whether they’re your own kids or perhaps your siblings/ nieces/ nephews/ students, then hopefully you want to create a body positive environment for them. Zoë Bisbing, MSW, LCSW is here to teach you HOW.

You will learn...

• what to say if a child asks, “Am I fat?”
• how to approach a conversation about “healthy eating” with kids
• what if your kid has a real health condition? how should parents approach their child’s food and weight then?
• what to say to stop family members from commenting on your child’s weight

Remember: building a body positive home starts with your own mindset first. As a parent, it’s important to heal your own beliefs about food, fat, weight, and health.

Zoë Bisbing, MSW, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist, speaker, and content creator. Zoë holds a Master of Social Work from New York University, a Bachelor of Arts from Smith College, and a certification in Family-Based Treatment from the Institute for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders. She is the director of Body-Positive Therapy NYC and Body-Positive Home (formerly The Full Bloom Project), an educational resource offering workshops and body image workouts for the whole family. She loves teaching parents and professionals how to creatively build spaces where children of all ages, sizes, and gender expressions can naturally boost immunity to our appearance-obsessed culture and decrease risk for disordered eating and body image injury. Follow Zoë on Instagram: @mybodypositivehome

And if you enjoyed this episode, screenshot it and share it on social media! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @mybodypositivehome

This episode is sponsored by Big Heart Tea! My favorite certified organic tea with direct-trade ingredients, wrapped in packaging made from plants (not plastics), and produced with the utmost regard for the farmers who grow it. I love Big Heart Tea because their company is female-founded, intentionally-sourced, and mission-driven which you can really taste with every sip. I’m currently drinking their Cup of Love tea and I also love their herbal blends for the afternoons. Stock up on your own tea by going to bighearttea.com and use code MARY20 for a discount!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mary’s HUSBAND is joining us for a special podcast episode sharing aaalllll the details of their wedding + how it feels to be married!

You’ll hear about…

• a fight they had during the early stages of wedding planning
• feelings before, during, and after the big day
• their favorite and funniest moments of the wedding
• how they approached friends, family, and finances
• what their backyard wedding looked like
• advice to couples considering having a wedding
• thoughts on pre-nups and what it means to be married

Remember: most people want to have a wedding, but aren’t clear on what marriage looks like. Make sure you and your partner are on the same page before going into a life-long commitment.

And if you enjoyed this episode, screenshot it and share it on social media! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast

Mentioned In This Episode...
The Art of Gathering (Book): https://amzn.to/3MCKHfE
101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged (Book): https://amzn.to/3mn2IUG
Mary’s Wedding Planning Notion Template: https://www.notion.so/maryscupoftea/Wedding-Planning-Template-f5c3e7b8d4d746ccabac42babc334669?pvs=4

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.