# Virginia Sole-Smith

> Virginia Sole-Smith is an award-winning journalist, NYT-bestselling author, and creator of Burnt Toast - a newsletter and podcast with 66,000+ subscribers dedicated to dismantling diet culture and anti-fat bias. Her books 'The Eating Instinct' (2018) and 'Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture' (2023) have made her one of the most influential voices in fat liberation and body-positive parenting. She writes with unflinching clarity and warmth, blending rigorous investigative reporting with deeply personal narrative.

- **Role:** Creator at Burnt Toast
- **Organizations:** Burnt Toast, NAAFA, ASDAH
- **From:** Connecticut, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Beauty/Cosmetology Certificate, Beauty School
- **Known for:** New York Times Bestselling Author (Fat Talk, 2023), 66,000+ Burnt Toast newsletter subscribers, Bylines in 40+ publications including NYT, TIME, Scientific American, Slate, Harper's, Glamour, Elle

## Career timeline

- **1990s-2000s** — Started career writing for women's magazines covering health, nutrition, and fitness
- **2010s** — Contributing editor at Parents Magazine; bylines in Glamour, Harper's, Elle, Scientific American, NYT
- **2015** — Daughter Violet diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, underwent three open-heart surgeries - sparked reckoning with diet culture
- **2018** — Published 'The Eating Instinct: Food Culture, Body Image, and Guilt in America'
- **2021** — Launched Burnt Toast newsletter on Substack, later expanding to Patreon
- **2021** — Launched Burnt Toast podcast
- **2023** — Published 'Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture' - became NYT Bestseller
- **2023** — Fat Talk named Book Riot best book, Science Friday best book, Audible best well-being audiobook
- **2024-2026** — Continues Burnt Toast with 66,000+ subscribers; regular contributor to TIME and major publications

## Achievements

- New York Times Bestselling Author (Fat Talk, 2023)
- 66,000+ Burnt Toast newsletter subscribers
- Bylines in 40+ publications including NYT, TIME, Scientific American, Slate, Harper's, Glamour, Elle
- Book Riot best book of 2023 (Fat Talk)
- Science Friday best book of 2023 (Fat Talk)
- Audible best well-being audiobook of 2023 (Fat Talk)
- Pioneered mainstream journalism coverage of fat liberation and anti-diet culture
- Leading voice in weight-inclusive parenting discourse

## Latest updates

- **2024-01** — Burnt Toast surpasses 66,000 subscribers on Substack/Patreon
- **2023-09** — Fat Talk named to multiple best-of-2023 book lists
- **2023-05** — Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture published by Henry Holt
- **2023-07** — Featured in Cup of Jo's 'My Beauty Uniform' series

## Links

- Website: https://virginiasolesmith.com/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/v_solesmith
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/v_solesmith/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/virginia-sole-smith
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-22