Spoiler Alert For The Seeker: The Answers Can't Be Found In The Next Food Plan

• Hi, I’m Jill.

  
  

  Signs you’ve been running in diet circles as long as me:

  
  

  You remember the cardboard slider and the points books from when Weight Watchers still called themselves Weight Watchers—because back then, nobody was admitting that dieting didn’t work. (Side note: ever wonder why they rebranded as “WW”? Kind of hard to sell “watching” and weighing when the research—and the lived experience of 97% of us—proves it doesn’t work.)

  
  

  *You sweat to the oldies with Richard while he promised those pounds would melt away, VHS tape worn thin.

  *You ate way more cabbage soup than any sane human need

  *You drank liquid chalk in a SlimFast can and pretended to be full and satisfied.

  *You convinced yourself lettuce was a great bun substitute—logistics alone should've been our clue.

  *You made weird recipes, avoided 90% of the grocery store in the name of “cleansing” on Whole30.

  *Maybe you even tried keto—and if you survived the carb hangriness without your family staging an intervention, you’re stronger than I am! I narrowly escaped that particular disaster.

  I think you get the idea.

  
  

  Let’s Talk About The Seeker

  
  

  If you were nodding along last week when I told Emily’s story and her Controller ways, don’t be surprised if you also find yourself in Marcia’s journey below. Most of us are a little of this, a little of that, when it comes to “archetypes.” I’ve been a first-class Seeker (especially in my 20s and 30s); my Controller took the driver’s seat in my 40s. Enough about me—let’s get an inside glimpse at Marcia’s mental game.

  
  

  Meet Marcia: Always Searching, Never Settled

  
  

  Marcia could spot a new diet trend before most people could pronounce it. Her cabinets were a museum of every “revolutionary” program—from cardboard WW sliders and calculators, and Richard Simmons/Jane Fonda VHS tapes, to expertly blended green smoothies (vegan protein non-negotiable) and the ever-present backup Snackwells (remember those?). If a new plan or pseudo-expert promised that THIS time she’d finally get comfortable in her body—she was all in. Honestly, being late on her car payment felt worth it if the $400 Vitamix delivered lasting health… and skinny jeans.

  
  

  But beneath her relentless drive to shrink, what Marcia was really seeking was relief—from simmering anxiety about “not being enough” and the draining slog of Monday mornings at a job she had to squint to find any fulfillment in. Diet plans, with all their timelines and rules, were an easy focus. Instead of wrestling with Sunday scaries (or the question, “Do I even like my job?”), she could throw herself into researching protein powders or meal prep strategies.

  
  

  Chasing Change, Avoiding Discomfort

  
  

  Every time Marcia felt internal discomfort—restlessness at work, boredom, loneliness—her brain’s answer was always: “New plan, new hope.” If you’re busy perfecting a food log, you don’t have to confront the big, scary questions. Deep down, shrinking her body became a stand-in for something else: pride, safety, a sense of control when everything else felt out of reach.

  
  

  But that initial thrill always faded. Once the excitement wore off, Marcia was right back where she started: frustrated, anxious, and secretly wondering if anyone else truly felt as happy (and thin) as their Instagram made it look.

  
  

  Finding What She Was Really Hungry For

  
  

  Marcia’s turning point didn’t come with a “magic” program—it came from plain old exhaustion. She realized she’d been outsourcing her well-being to the next trend, never getting closer to what she truly craved: connection, purpose, a little peace. As a milestone birthday approached, she noticed all that effort wasn’t getting her closer to health goals or to feeling comfortable in her own skin. She started to wonder: “If I stopped looking for the answer out there, what might I find in here?”

  
  

  Her new approach: Less chasing, more noticing.

  
  

  She asked how she truly wanted to feel, in her body and daily life. She traded food punishment for self-kindness; meal plans for small acts that actually satisfied—calling a friend, noticing what (if anything) felt meaningful at work, and sitting with the uncomfortable stuff instead of numbing with kale (or Cheetos). It was not easy or familiar. Years of bouncing between plans and rebounds had convinced her she couldn’t trust herself; that not following a plan meant pizza boxes, takeout, daiquiris, and disaster. But slowly, with willingness and practice, she unraveled that myth.

  
  

  Who Marcia Is Now

  
  

  Marcia’s still curious, still a Seeker at heart—but now, her exploration is rooted in possibility rather than panic. She’s discovering habits that add joy, not rigidity. She’s tried things like tai chi, eats a wider variety of foods, and sleeps better than she used to. Sometimes she orders fish and salad because it honestly sounds good—not because it’s the lowest in points.

  
  

  She’s learning that health is about wholeness, not a number or a label. Surprise: her nervous system is a lot less frazzled when she isn’t at war with her body every day.

  
  

  The Invitation

  
  

  If you see yourself in Marcia—always seeking, hoping “one more fix” will finally make it click—I’ve got a question to help you dig deeper:

  
  

  What’s one thing you secretly wish all this dieting had fixed for you (besides your body)?

  
  

  Maybe your next move is to get curious about that. You don’t have to solve everything today—sometimes, just asking the question is where real change begins.

  
  

  In support of your next step,

• Jill