ATX Nutritional Counseling Featured in The Daily Texan
We're excited to share that our owner, Maggie Stenson, MCN, RD, LD, CEDS-C, was recently featured in a The Daily Texan opinion piece, "Let's Prioritize Balance," written by Sara Sayed. The Daily Texan is the official newspaper of The University of Texas at Austin. In this article, Sarah highlights the growing pressure faced by so many individuals to achieve the "perfect" body and encourages readers to instead focus on taking compassionate care of their bodies and viewing food as fuel.
As an eating disorder dietitian who is passionate about working with college students, Maggie was honored to contribute to a conversation that reaches so many in this age group. This stage of life is often filled with messages about changing your body, following the latest diet trend, or striving for unrealistic standards. Unfortunately, these messages can make it difficult to trust your body and develop a positive relationship with food.
Why Balance Matters
Social media, wellness culture, and diet trends often suggest that health is all-or-nothing. You're told to eliminate certain foods, eat "clean," or constantly optimize your diet. While these messages may seem harmless, they can contribute to guilt and shame around eating and potentially trigger disordered eating or eating disorders.
True health is much more than following a perfect meal plan. Balance means:
Enjoying a variety of foods without guilt.
Nourishing your body consistently.
Recognizing that no single meal determines your health.
Making room for flexibility, celebrations, and the foods you genuinely enjoy.
Learning to listen to your body's hunger, fullness, and satisfaction cues.
For many people, finding this balance requires unlearning years of diet culture and rebuilding trust in their bodies.
Our Philosophy at ATX Nutritional Counseling
Whether we're working with someone recovering from an eating disorder or simply trying to improve their relationship with food or their body, our goal is never perfection. Instead, we help clients:
Build sustainable eating habits.
Reduce anxiety around food.
Challenge food rules and diet culture.
Develop confidence in making nutrition decisions.
Create a relationship with food that supports both physical and mental well-being.
We're Grateful to Be Part of the Conversation
We're thankful to The Daily Texan and writer Sara Sayed for highlighting such an important topic. Conversations like these help shift the focus away from appearance and toward overall well-being, especially for young adults who are constantly surrounded by messages about what they "should" look like. To read the full article, click on the link below!
If you're working to heal your relationship with food, know that you don't have to do it alone. Recovery doesn't require perfection, it starts with small, compassionate steps toward balance. We are here to support you in any way we can. Go to link below to schedule an appointment.