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Body Liberation After 60: Letting Go of Diet Culture & Rewriting Your Body Story with Deb Benfield

  1. Body Liberation After 60: Letting Go of Diet Culture & Rewriting Your Body Story with Deb Benfield Jane Leder 39:19

Oh, boy, this is an episode that a ton of older women need to hear, and that includes yours truly!

In this episode, my guest is Deb Benfield, registered dietitian, nutritionist, and author . Our focus: how older women can break free from decades of body shame, ageism, and diet culture—and begin rewriting their relationship with their bodies with compassion, dignity, and truth.

For many women over 50, body image struggles don’t disappear with age—they often intensify. Shaped by lifelong cultural messaging, Family influences, and societal expectations around beauty and thinness, these internal narratives can impact emotional Health, Mental Health, self-worth, and overall well-being across the lifespan.

Together, Deb and I unpack what it really means to pursue Aging well—not by controlling the body, but by caring for it. We also explore the growing pressures facing women in midlife and beyond, including the rise of weight-loss drugs, unrealistic beauty standards, and the persistent belief that our value is tied to how we look.

🌿 In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How your “body story” was formed—and how to begin rewriting it with awareness and self-compassion
  • Why diet culture and internalized ageism continue to affect women well into later life
  • The powerful shift from trying to control your body to learning how to care for it
  • Practical, research-informed tools to reduce negative self-talk and improve emotional and mental health
  • How to build a more compassionate, supportive relationship with your body as a lifelong partner
  • Why self-care is essential—not indulgent—for personal Growth, resilience, and fulfillment
  • How to navigate cultural pressures and reclaim your sense of purpose, Wisdom, and self-worth

Whether you’re exploring reinvention, seeking deeper self-awareness, or simply tired of the exhausting cycle of body criticism, this episode offers a refreshing and realistic path forward.

✨ This is a conversation about more than body image—it’s about reclaiming your life, your voice, and your freedom as a woman.

It’s never too late to embrace aging, redefine what it means to live well, and choose a path of self-respect, confidence, and unapologetic authenticity.

https://www.debrabenfield.com/book

https://www.debrabenfield.com/

Jane Leder Podcaster & Author

I am an award-winning author of books about teen suicide, siblings, and men and women during WWII. My feature articles have appeared in publications from Psychology Today to the Chicago Sun-Times. I enjoy the journey of writing, the process. But as I celebrated my seventy-seventh birthday, I wanted a change of focus and turned my creative energies into launching "Older Women & Friends," a podcast. The challenge has been exhilarating and will certainly help me make it through the dead of winter in the Midwest.