Fall's drinking culture can feel relentless—from tailgate kegs to festival wine tastings, the pressure to sip (or over-sip) is everywhere. In this episode, we explore how diet mentality sneaks into our relationship with alcohol, creating the same restriction-rebound cycles we see with food.

Drawing on neuroscience from Annie Grace's This Naked Mind and evidence-based research, Cheryl Hall unpacks why fall drinking pressure feels so intense and offers three core principles for freedom: unconditional permission, tuning into body signals, and respecting emotional needs without numbing.

Whether you choose mindful drinking, alcohol-free alternatives, or skipping entirely—this episode empowers you to own your choices with zero regrets.

Attend one fall event this week and practice full permission—choosing whatever feels genuinely right (alcohol, AF, coffee, or nothing). Check in before, during, and after to notice what comes up.

• This Naked Mind by Annie Grace
• Athletic Brewing IPA is my favorite!!
• Carbine, K. A., et al. (2019). The relationship between dietary restraint and binge eating: Examining eating-related self-efficacy as a moderator. Appetite, 127, 126-129.
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (2023). Alcohol Facts and Statistics.
• Sirois, F. M., & Hirsch, J. K. (2021). Self-compassion and adherence in five medical samples: The role of stress. Mindfulness, 12, 2205-2213.
• Garland, E. L., et al. (2020). Mindfulness training targets neurocognitive mechanisms of addiction at the attention-appraisal-emotion interface. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 617.
• Stockwell, T., et al. (2016). Do "moderate" drinkers have reduced mortality risk? A systematic review and meta-analysis of alcohol consumption and all-cause mortality. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 77(2), 185-198.

Disclaimer:

The insights and tips shared in this podcast are based on my personal journey and are for informational and motivational purposes only. They are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have specific health concerns or questions related to your medical condition, please consult with your healthcare provider. Remember, your health journey is unique, and what has worked for me might not be suitable for everyone. The content here does not aim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and results from following the strategies discussed can vary.

Fall is here, and with it comes all the food-centered traditions we love—harvest festivals, tailgates, bonfires, and football Sundays. But if you've been stuck in diet culture, this season can feel complicated. Should you restrict before the big event? Feel guilty about the caramel apple or the beer? Push through fullness because everyone else is still eating?

In this special preview episode, I'm introducing a brand-new three-part series: Undieting Through Fall. We're going to explore how to show up at all those amazing fall experiences without the pressure to overeat OR over-drink, and without the restriction and guilt that diet culture imposes.

This isn't about perfection. It's about reconnecting with your body's wisdom and making choices that feel good physically AND emotionally. It's about being present at that bonfire, actually tasting that apple cider, and enjoying the experience without mental gymnastics.

Get ready for practical strategies, real-world examples, and the mindset shifts that will help you navigate this season with freedom and ease.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why fall can feel so complicated when you're stuck in diet mentality
• What undieting actually looks like at festivals, tailgates, and bonfires (hint: it's not about eating everything or restricting everything)
• The difference between honoring your body and following food rules
• What we'll cover in the full three-part series, including navigating social pressure, handling seasonal foods, and what to do if you're choosing not to drink
• How to imagine a fall season without guilt, restriction, or the all-or-nothing cycle

Key Takeaways:

• Undieting isn't about having no boundaries—it's about reconnecting with your body's wisdom
• You can enjoy fall traditions without the mental gymnastics of "earning it" or "making up for it" later
• Social situations don't have to mean losing connection with your hunger and fullness signals
• It's possible to navigate drinking culture (or choose not to drink) without feeling left out or pressured
• This fall can be about presence, not perfection

Coming Up Next Week:

Join me for the first episode in our three-part Undieting Through Fall series, where we'll dive into practical strategies you can use right away.

Subscribe & Share:

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe and share it with someone who might need to hear this message. Let's help each other unlearn dieting and enjoy this fall season together.

Join me next time as we unlearn dieting, lose weight for good, and make this fall season about presence, not perfection.

unDIETING 101

Disclaimer:

The insights and tips shared in this podcast are based on my personal journey and are for informational and motivational purposes only. They are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have specific health concerns or questions related to your medical condition, please consult with your healthcare provider. Remember, your health journey is unique, and what has worked for me might not be suitable for everyone. The content here does not aim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and results from following the strategies discussed can vary.

In this episode, Cheryl talks about unDIETING your pantry – clearing out the old diet stuff and setting up your kitchen so eating is hassle-free, with less food noise in your head and more joy in eating and preparing meals for your family. Using everyday examples from people who've done it and basic research on how your setup affects what you pick, she walks through simple steps to stock and organize, making mornings less of a rush and family time around food more fun.

Some Key Topics Covered:

• How a messy or diet-stocked kitchen creates daily food noise and hassle
• Stories from people who cleared their pantries and got back to joyful eating and family meals
• The psychology of environmental cues: The power of suggestion – what we see daily is what we think about, do, eat, or follow; visibility and accessibility shape habits, like Reese's Cups in a drawer for intention vs. on the counter for mindless grabs, or habit-stacking collagen by coffee – our brains go for what's in front of us
• Basic facts on how home setups cut down food noise for easier, happier eating
• Straightforward changes: From forced meal plans to stocking what brings joy to your table
• Setting up a kitchen that makes sense for your routine, with room for favorites and family experiments

This Week's Challenge: Clean one shelf – get crazy and clean out the evidence of all failed diet products, those things that make you feel shame when you look at them, and toss them without a second thought. Add something simple like fruit in plain sight, make a meal from it, and take the Clutterbug quiz at clutterbug.me/quiz to figure out your organization style – see how it feels, less noise, more joy. Share if you want. 🧡

References:

• Wansink, B., & Hanks, A. S. (2013). Slim by design: Serving healthy foods first in buffet lines improves vegetable consumption among university students. PLoS ONE, 8(11), e78712. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0078712
• Glanz, K., Bader, M. D. M., & Iyer, S. (2012). Improving the nutritional resource environment: State of the evidence and next steps. Journal of Public Health Policy, 33(3), 377–390. https://doi.org/10.1057/jphp.2012.20
• Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery.

Disclaimer:

The insights and tips shared in this podcast are based on my personal journey and are for informational and motivational purposes only. They are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have specific health concerns or questions related to your medical condition, please consult with your healthcare provider. Remember, your health journey is unique, and what has worked for me might not be suitable for everyone. The content here does not aim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, and results from following the strategies discussed can vary.