"On Jillian Michael’s T.V. Show Losing it With Jillian, the fitness guru visited a Native American tribe, the Yavapai Apache, to help them lose weight and be healthier. Their community is struggling with high rates of obesity.

Jillian stepped on a few toes when she expressed horror and outrage that the community was eating traditional Fry Bread (click here to see what is in it). In fact, a teenager threw food on Jillian and called her an “idiot” when she put the Fry Bread in the trash. She called it “poison.” It is no surprise that Jillian felt as strongly as she did. Jillian is passionate about her job and about helping people manage their weight. Each week, she expresses her commitment to this goal on the show.

Jillian discovered that her stance on cultural foods is a controversial topic. This was pretty clear by the reaction of the community. Jillian’s stance was unwavering. She seemed to suggest that you should nix culturally infused foods if they aren’t the healthiest. No matter what culture you come from, it’s likely that you have particular foods that are part of your heritage. So what do you do? Give up your Knish, tamales and handmade perogies?

This is where mindful eating can be helpful. You can still eat foods important to your culture but in a new way. It is about savoring them, eating mindful portions and balancing it in your life."

Get the Story:
Susan Albers: The Horror of Fry Bread? The Truth about Mindful Eating (Psychology Today 7/13)

Related Stories:
Losing It With Jillian heads to Yavapai-Apache Nation in Arizona (7/7)