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Creating Your Best Life Outside the Diet World with Dr. Arasteh Gatchpazian
She let go of food rules & built her dream life
Vaishnavi Dixit
May 30, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
MEET TODAY’S GUESTArasteh Gatchpazian, A PhD & internet personality who inspires manyArasteh Gatchpazian is a Ph.D. In Psychology & and a content creator who inspires daily by living her best expression of life. She has overcome her own food struggles and built a life, a community, and a way of living that’s inspiring every single day. Her love for fashion, mental health, and wellness shows up in everything she shares. Based in Toronto, she’s created a healthful community that helps people overcome their mental health struggles and find their best expression of life. |  |
“My dream life is one where I don’t second-guess myself all the time. It’s expansive, intentional, creative. It’s filled with good food, deep conversations, community, and work that lights me up”.
THE INTERVIEW
Talking How Food Freedom Opens the Door to Life With Arasteh
We asked her about the key mindset shifts that helped her build a life that feels deeply aligned and free, especially after struggling with food and body image. Here’s what she had to say. 🚀
She revealed how moving from control to curiosity transformed her entire approach—not just to food, but to life. Instead of restriction, she started asking what she truly needs emotionally, physically, and mentally, and stopped tying her worth to how productive or “perfect” she looked. For Araste, food freedom isn’t about losing control—it’s about trusting your body to guide you with care, not guilt. She shared simple but powerful daily rituals—enjoying movement like Pilates and walking, journaling to hear her own voice, mindful meals without distractions, and actually scheduling rest—that keep her grounded and connected. And the most freeing truth? You don’t have to wait for the “perfect body” to live fully; joy, confidence, and freedom start right here, right now, with the body you already have.
Healing my relationship with food was a foundational part of that because it freed up so much mental space and emotional energy.
What were the key mindset shifts that helped you build a life that feels deeply aligned and free, especially after struggling with food and body image?
“For me, one of the biggest mindset shifts was shifting from control to curiosity. I used to believe that restriction was the key to success, not just with food, but with life. My healing journey required me to ask better questions: What am I really hungry for? What do I actually need right now: emotionally, physically, mentally?
I also stopped tying my worth to my productivity or appearance, which was a huge revelation for me! The more I started living in alignment with how I wanted to feel, and not just how I wanted to look, the more I felt free”.
I’d define food freedom as the ability to nourish yourself without guilt, to eat with presence, and to not let what you ate (or didn’t eat) determine your self-worth for the day.
BRINGING GLOBAL EATING DISORDER SUPPORT TO INDIA
Live from Canada
When I interviewed Arasthe for this, it felt like a full-circle moment. She’s been an inspiration to me since the early days of my recovery. Back then, I remember listening to her podcast episodes, hearing her talk about healing her relationship with food and hormones and it gave me hope.
She helped me believe that there is a beautiful life waiting outside of your food struggles. Just by living her dream life and sharing it openly, she showed me what’s possible. She taught me how to take the best care of yourself
It’s not just a regular Friday.
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What daily or weekly rituals keep you connected to your body and intuition?
“Movement that feels good to me and that I enjoy. You’ll never see me in a spin class, but I love Pilates, weight training, yoga, or walking. Journaling is also big for me. It helps me hear myself clearly again. I also try to eat at least one meal a day without distractions (no phone or laptop). Just me and my food. It feels so grounding and you get to enjoy the meal more. And lastly: rest. Actually scheduling rest like it’s as important as work has been a game-changer.”
Food freedom is about letting go of fear, and trusting your body to guide you.
What would you tell someone waiting to have the “perfect body” before living fully?
“I’d say: please don’t wait. The version of you who’s living fully isn’t waiting. She’s already here. You’re not going to remember what you ate when remembering your happiest memories. You’re going to remember how alive you felt. The truth is, the body you have right now is the one carrying you into the life you want. You don’t need to “earn” joy or confidence. You can access it now”.
The way I show up for myself. My past self wouldn’t have believe how kind I’ve become to myself. That’s probably what I’m most proud of and continue to work on everyday.
