Rethinking “Good” And “Bad” Foods (EP 102)

This episode is for anyone who has ever counted calories, tried the next “miracle” diet, or gone to bed mad at themselves because of what they ate… or didn’t eat. I talk with registered dietitian and eating disorder specialist Jessica Setnick, who has spent decades in the trenches of those hard conversations, about why so many of us feel like food is running the show and why “I’m fine” usually translates to “feelings I’m not expressing.” We start with that little word fine, move into the awkward “so what do you do” conversations about being a dietitian, and quickly land in the uncomfortable truth that a lot of what we call “healthy” is shaped by culture, social media, government, and marketing long before we ever sit down to eat. Jessica breaks down why there isn’t one “normal” way to eat and why those neat little plate diagrams and public health messages can actually make us feel more broken, not less. She explains how the same tools used to help people with full-blown eating disorders can help the rest of us who are “just trying to eat better” but keep getting stuck in the same cycles of rules, rebellion, and regret. We get into intermittent fasting, processed food fear, and the way people brag about their diets as if food has become their whole personality, and she doesn’t hold back on what’s actually harmful versus what just sounds good on TikTok. Chapters 00:28 Fine Means Feelings Unexpressed 04:38 Dietitian at the Dinner Table 07:03 Glutening Over Identity 10:55 What Really Counts as Disorder 13:06 The Myth of Normal Eating 18:12 Finding a Career in Eating 22:28 Healthy Diets and False Bragging 28:33 Rebuilding Your Food Relationship 35:52 Night Eating and Old Habits 41:35 Rethinking Healthy Eating === Guest: Jessica Setnick Website: https://www.jessicasetnick.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicasetnick Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/understandingnutrition === Resources / Companies / Books / Podcasts Understanding Nutrition: https://www.understandingnutrition.com Healing Your Inner Eater: https://healingyourinnereater.com/ === MUSIC LICENSE CERTIFICATE: Envato Elements Item Item Title: Healthy Eating Item URL: https://elements.envato.com/healthy-eating-VNN4M4P Author Username: CrazyTunes Licensee: Marvin Bee Registered Project Name: Unhealthy Podcast License Date: January 3rd, 2026 Item License Code: XPFS6HD54W === About the Unhealthy PodcastHosted by Marvin Bee (Uncle Marv), the Unhealthy Podcast dives into real conversations about health, wellness, and everyday habits that impact how we live, work, and age. From nutrition myths to stress management and tech-life balance, Uncle Marv brings humor, insight, and honesty to every episode.Visit our website: https://www.unhealthypodcast.com/ Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamunclemarvConnect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvinbee/Follow and Subscribe: Stay updated with new episodes every week on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more. Join the conversation about real-life health, fitness, and personal growth from the lens of an everyday guy striving to be healthier.