It's 2022 and not only are we not here for diet talk in January (new year's resolutions are the woooooorst), we are not here for diet talk all year round. We are anti-diet all year, every year.
Breaking up with diet culture is hard! We're constantly surrounded by negative, restrictive, shaming (at times gleefully so) messages about food and health and bodies that aren't helpful. They're also often flat out wrong. So if you've come this far, congrats! I'm proud of you.
Food is delicious, it keeps us alive, and we shouldn't be afraid of it or ashamed to enjoy it. Our bodies are awesome, they keep us alive, and they (and we!) deserve respect and care regardless of our health, our weight, or the kind of food we eat.
From boundary setting posters you can hang in your kitchen or workspace to shirts, stickers, and tote bags — these things will help you let the rest of the world you are not interested in hearing about their diets!!! No thank you!!!
If you're looking for plus size aprons, click here.
NOTE: Throughout this post I use the term "fat" rather than "plus size" or "curvy" or any other epithet. "Fat" is not an insult. It's neutral descriptor, no different from calling someone thin, tall, kind, or short. When we treat "fat" like an insult, we reinforce the idea that it's bad or shameful to be fat. It's okay to be fat! [Read more: "Fat Isn't a Bad Word" by Aubrey Gordon]
1. "The BMI Is Trash" - Maintenance Phase T-Shirt (Up to 5X)
If you haven't listened to the Maintenance Phase podcast yet, what are you even doing here right now!? Stop, drop, and roll yourself directly to your nearest podcast app and fire it up with the latest episode. It's not just an anti-diet podcast; each episode tackles a different health or wellness trend as hosts Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes debunk, deconstruct, and analyze where they came from, how true they are (and how true they are not), with humor, thoughtfulness, and so much good ol' fashioned research.
As if the Maintenance Phase podcast wasn't a gift enough, they have also been kind enough to release official podcast MERCH. Like this "THE BMI IS TRASH" candy hearts t-shirt (available up to size 5X). Because the BMI is truly trash.
Don't want it on a shirt? "THE BMI IS TRASH" design is also available on stickers, totes, hoodies, etc. Oh and there are plenty of other rad fat positive and anti-diet culture designs to choose from in their shop — this one is my personal fave.
2. "Body Positive Zone" Art Print
Want to let people know your kitchen/home/office/space is a body positive zone? There's a poster for that! Bodies of Shapes on Etsy has a bunch of rad body positive and anti-diet merch available, but these posters are a great way to set boundaries without having to keep saying "IDGAF about your diet, Susan."
I recommend hanging it in your kitchen, so you can point to it with your favorite wooden spoon the next time Susan starts talking about her diet.
This is NOT a digital download — this Etsy listing is for the actual physical Body Positivity Zone poster, which is available in multiple sizes, with or without a frame.
3. "The Only Things I'm Weighing Are Ingredients to Bake a Cake" Art Print (digital download)
This anti-diet digital art print does double duty; reminding you that weighing yourself doesn't matter but weighing ingredients for baking absolutely does!
This instant digital download printable file (.pdf or .png) is less than $5 and will look great in your kitchen.
4. "All Bodies Are Good Bodies" Camping Mug
Just because you leave diet culture behind doesn't mean it goes away in the rest of the world (if only!). So what better way to ward off any impending diet talk than with a hot coffee served up in a 12 oz stainless steel camping mug emblazoned with the repeating affirmation: "all bodies are good bodies"?
5. "No Guilt or Food Shame" Donut Sticker
One of the most revolutionary moments in any anti-diet journey toward unlearning the toxic messages of diet culture happens when you're finally able to let go of the guilt or shame associated with certain types of foods. Do you want a donut? Enjoy a donut! Do you love pizza? Eat the dang pizza! There's no reason to be ashamed or feel guilty for eating the foods you love.
This illustrated donut sticker is available in four different sizes and three different finishes so you can put it exactly where you want it.
6. "You Are in a Body Positive Space" poster
This is the second body positive zone poster featured on this list, but this anti-diet poster has a very different aesthetic from the floral pattern of the earlier one, AND this one is also available in Spanish! Perfect for your kitchen, community spaces, offices, and anywhere else you're looking to help direct the conversation around food and bodies.
This body positive zone poster from Nalgona Positivity Pride is 11x17" is available in three different colors, and this listing is for a physical poster which will be mailed to you. If you want it in a different size, contact the shop owner!
7. "Diet Culture Dropout" Baseball Hat
One of the ironic truths about putting this list together is just how few anti-diet clothing items fit sizes 4X and up. So if you're looking to add an anti-diet culture message to your wardrobe can't find ones in your size or just aren't into text-on-shirts, well, that's what hats are for.
This embroidered "Diet Culture Dropout" 100% cotton twill baseball hat is available in three colors (black, navy, or maroon), and comes with a sturdy adjustable back strap with metal closure. (Free U.S. shipping!)
8. "The Calories Aren't Empty if They're Filled With Joy" Art Print
I've added a bunch of new art to my kitchen this year, but this simple line drawing of a crocodile enjoying its dang food has to be one of my favorites. Snark is my default response to just about anything and diet culture is no different, so this just very much appeals to my particular sensibilities. The little "you turd" kicker makes me laugh every time I see it.
I love this in particular because the phrase "empty calories" is one of my biggest pet peeves. There's no such thing as an empty calorie. Calories are energy, calories fill you up, calories are delicious. And to say that certain foods "don't count" because they're not "healthy" well... joy isn't empty! A delicious experience isn't empty either!
Eating food because you enjoy it can be a completely fulfilling, revelatory, or even mundane experience, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Especially not Barbara (Apologies if your name is Barbara #NotAllBarbaras).
This is a physical print, unframed, which will be mailed to you. Available in three different sizes.
9. "You Can't Save the World on an Empty Stomach" Anti-Diet Sparkle Sticker
NO LIES DETECTED. This shiny, sparkly anti-diet sticker was "created to remind people to eat and look after themselves because nothing good comes from hangriness!" Stick this message anywhere you'll see it as a reminder to listen to your body and feed yourself.
In order to take care of others, in order to change the world, you need to take care of yourself too. So make sure you're getting enough food to eat. Because if you've been dieting for a long time, you might have trouble remembering just what "enough" feels like.
(Spoiler alert: That common daily caloric intake number recommended by so many diet plans? Yeah, that's the recommended daily caloric intake for kids ages 2-3. Adults need to eat more than that!).
10. "Bodies Just Are" Tote Bag
If the "every body is beautiful" messaging of body positivity works for you, great! But if you find the pressure to feel beautiful just as limiting as the pressure to conform to beauty standards and be beautiful, this "BODIES JUST ARE" tote bag is for you. I know you thought you didn't need another reusable tote bag, but you thought wrong! We are so much more than our bodies. And isn't that just so freeing?
11. HAES-Inspired "Health is Not A Size" Anti-Diet Monstera Leaf Sticker
If you've ever grown a monstera plant you know there's nothing more thrilling than watching a new giant leaf unfurl into its full, spectacular splendor. And yet, when it comes to bodies, we spend so much time trying to shrink ourselves, to keep ourselves from unfurling fully and taking up the space we deserve. The truth is there is no "healthy" body size that applies to all human beings!
Stick this 3.5" waterproof HAES-inspired ("Health at Every Size") monstera leaf sticker somewhere you'll see it (or where other people will see it) as a reminder that health and size are not the same thing.
12. "Riots Not Diets" Retro T-Shirt (up to 5X)
Wear this shirt to let everyone know if they try to talk diets with you, you will RIOT. It's a great way to shut down those uncomfortable conversations before they even start. And if someone tries to start a conversation about diets with you, flip a table, point to your shirt and walk away. You can't say you didn't warn them!
This shirt is available up to a size 5X and you can get it in white or in black. There are a few other "riots not diets" shirts on Etsy, but I couldn't find any others that went over 5X. If you're a cat person, try this version, and if you're in the UK or want more shirt colors to choose from, try this version.
13. "Fat Babe" Butter Enamel Pin
I'm a pastry chef so I know I'm biased but I LOVE BUTTER. It's one of my most used ingredients. I even got into making my own homemade stand mixer butter last year.
Butter is delicious, it's versatile, it's super functional, and it's fatty as f*ck. That fat is what makes pie crust and cakes and cookies so delicious! And have you ever made brown butter? Those nutty toasted milk fat particles can totally transform a dish.
This 1" enamel pin is perfect for all you fat babes who love butter too. It's okay to be fat just like it's okay to love butter — and this pin is the perfect way to celebrate reclaiming both of those things.
14. "Stop Pretending Fat Shaming is About Health" T-Shirt (Up to 5X)
"Stop pretending fat shaming is about health." Can this shirt BE any more obvious? The message is simple, straightforward, and a great way to end conversations with those pesky concern trolls trying to disguise their fat hatred as benevolence.
Spoiler alert: They don't actually care about fat peoples' health. They don't actually care about fat justice, fat politics, or ending the stigma that fat people face.
This shirt is available in 7 different colors up to size 5X. Printed on Bella + Canvas eco-conscious, sweatshop free jersey t-shirts, which I can personally vouch for as being extremely comfy.
15. "Riots Not Diets" Tattoo-Style Prints (Set of 3)
This trio of tattoo-style art prints features a slice of pizza with the word "riots," donuts with the word "not," and a dripping ice cream cone with the word "diets."
Available in three different sizes, this anti-diet artwork would look great in your cubicle, hanging behind you on a Zoom call, or in your kitchen. Perfect for the days when your favorite "riots not diets" t-shirt is in the laundry.
16. "Fat is Not a Bad Word" Embroidery Hoop (5")
I said this earlier in the post, but fat is not a bad word. Full stop. Unlearning the idea of "fat" as an insult is where so many people have started their journey toward fat positivity, fat acceptance, fat politics, and rejecting diet culture. "Fat" is simply an adjective, just like thin or tall or short or happy. Normalizing the word fat also normalizes fat bodies.
Hang this fat positive 5" embroidered hoop adorned with pink and red floral designs on your favorite gallery wall or anywhere else you need to be reminded: fat is not a bad word.
17. Fat Positive Pencils (Set of 5)
Digital who? For you rad fatties who prefer an old school aesthetic, this set of standard no. 2 pencils has been laser etched with five different fat positive messages:
- Fat and happy
- Thick and thriving
- Riots not diets
- Thick thighs, thin patience
- Take up space
When you take notes with one of these fat positive pencils, everyone around you will have no choice but to also take note of just how pointless diet culture is. Right? Right.
18. "Eat all Body Shamers" Anti-Diet Donut Sticker
This sticker is the "male tears" mug of body positivity. It gladly takes the dumb stereotype that fat people eat everything and happily encourages taking a bite out of the very same body shamers who perpetuate it. It's cute, it's a little bit vicious, and it'll look great wherever you decide to stick it.
"Eat all body shamers" anti-diet sticker is 3.25" and made of water resistant vinyl. Ships free in the US!
For more of my product roundups, reviews, and gift guides click here. For a master list of my favorite kitchen tools click here.
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