Gut Feelings: How Dieting Messes With Your Digestion

You know that feeling when your jeans won’t button, your belly’s bloated, and your gut just feels… off?

For years, I blamed it on me.

I thought maybe I was eating the “wrong” foods or not drinking enough water or not trying hard enough. But what I didn’t realize back then was that the problem wasn’t my willpower — it was the dieting itself.

Yep. All those years of restricting, cutting out carbs, skipping meals, chugging celery juice, and overthinking everything that went in my mouth — it wasn’t healing my gut. It was making it worse.

So let’s talk about it, woman to woman. Grandma to (honorary) granddaughter. Here’s what years of dieting can do to your digestion — and what you can start doing instead.

I know “clean eating” sounds good on paper — but in real life, it often turns into obsession, rigidity, and fear around food.

People cut out gluten, dairy, sugar, and anything with more than three ingredients, hoping it’ll “fix” their gut. And sometimes, yes — a specific food sensitivity can be part of the problem. But way more often, the issue is the stress, the lack of variety, and the fear-based eating itself.

Your gut bacteria — those little microbes that help digest food, balance hormones, and keep your immune system humming — need diversity. They thrive on a wide variety of fiber-rich, colorful, satisfying foods. Not just bone broth and spinach.

When you’re constantly ignoring hunger, trying to “push through” cravings, or sticking to a rigid meal plan, your body starts to quiet down the very signals that are supposed to guide you — like hunger and fullness.

That disconnection can lead to:

• Skipping meals you actually need

• Overeating later because you were starving

• More bloating and discomfort because your body’s trying to catch up

It’s not just what you eat — it’s how, when, and why you eat that affects your gut.

Here’s what I wish someone had told me years ago:

You don’t need a “gut reset.” You need a reset in how you treat yourself.

Your digestive system is not a problem to fix. It’s a partner to care for. And it does best when you’re fed, hydrated, relaxed, and getting enough of the good stuff.

Let’s keep it simple. Here are a few gut-loving basics:

• Eat regular meals (no skipping!)

• Include fiber — fruits, veggies, beans, whole grains

• Drink enough water — not a gallon, just enough to stay comfortable

• Add fermented foods if you enjoy them — like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut

• Move your body gently — walking, stretching, dancing, whatever feels good

• Get out of fight-or-flight mode — deep breaths, rest, laughter, boundaries

No magic pills. No elimination diets. Just steady, simple nourishment.

If you’ve been stuck in the cycle of “fixing” your gut with new rules every month, I want you to know:

You don’t have to keep fighting your body.

You don’t have to keep fearing food.

And you don’t have to earn your way to wellness by being perfect.

Your gut — and your whole self — will respond to kindness and consistency more than any cleanse ever could.

Ready to reconnect with your body gently?

Download my free guide, 5 Steps to Tune Into Hunger and Fullness, and start building trust with your body again — one bite, one breath, one kind decision at a time.