KaleidoscopeFM

Today I am joined by Kate Hudson-Hall. Kate is a therapist, author, and podcaster based in the UK. She is the author of Bulimia Sucks (the book and the podcast) as well as the Bulimia Sucks food journal and workbook. Additionally, her new book: “Anxiety Hacks” Technique, Tools and Tips to Calmness will be launching this September, 2022!In this episode we discuss how Kate came to her work she does today and several therapy techniques worth exploring.Therapy Techniques Discussed:        -Psychotherapy        -Hypnotherapy        -NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming)        -EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)Find Kate: https://www.katehudson-hall.com/the-podcastPodcast & Book: Bulimia SucksFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

There is NO Shame, Guilt, or Judgment to be had around overeating!! But that being said, sometimes it just doesn't PHYSICALLY feel that great..which can also affect us mentally and cause us to not feel our best. Here are my top 9 strategies for ways to reduce overeating:1) Put your fork down in between bites.2) Fully finish chewing food and swallowing before taking another bite.3) Eliminate distractions.4) Set a timer.5) Tell yourself you can have more, but let's wait  "X" amount of time first.6) Make sure you're consuming a good source of carb/fat/protein or some combo of 2 of those.7) Drink enough water throughout the day!8) Emotional Eating --> Check out my episode: 11 - (TIP) Emotional Eating9) Practical Hunger --> Check out my episode: 34 - (TIP) Practical Hunger & Fueling Throughout the DayFind me on IG: @francesca.meffert.co

I'm joined today by Maria Emery! Maria Emery is a wife to an incredible husband and a mother to three beautiful children. She is a certified holistic nutritionist and a yoga instructor. Her passion has brought her to creating Holistic Mama, bringing awareness and guiding others through their journey in self-compassion, mental health and wellness. Find Maria on IG: @inherwombproject  Book mentioned: Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday  Side note, I DID  publish a podcast explaining my Podcast Title: 32 - Why did I choose the title KaleidoscopeFM?Find Me on IG: @francesca.meffert.co

This is NOT an exhaustive list and NOT meant to be a consistent band-aid fix for deeper work on healing trauma, limiting beliefs, and more deeper inner work. However, (healthy) coping strategies and mechanisms can be incredibly useful in our daily lives when we're experiencing stress, anxiety, and general ups-and-downs. Food historically was always my coping mechanism but when healing from binging I had to learn new skills and ways of dealing with my emotions. In this episode I cover various examples, with the 8 key frameworks being: 1) Movement2) Get in Nature3) Scents / Senses4) Breathing / Meditating5) Let the Feelings Out6) Watch / Listen / Read7) Spirituality8) WorkFind me on IG: @francesca.meffert.co

I'm joined today by Liv McLeese! A student at UCSB majoring in English Liv shares her personal journey through disordered eating and how she founded the Wellness Project at UCSB.The Wellness Project aims to bring women together, knowing that personal struggles and insecurities lose their strength in loving and supportive environments. Shifting the focus away from the external and material, we hope to spark a deeper sense of meaning in young women, and help them recognize their unique purpose and contribution to the world. The ultimate goal is to accept and understand ourselves in order to spread light to this world. With different passions and hearts pulling us different ways, we can work towards a goal of collective health and “wellness” for all.Follow the Wellness Project: @wellnessprojectucsbFind me on IG: @francesca.meffert.coPodcasts Mentioned:It's Not About the Food: Intuitive Eating, Anti-Diet, Body Positivity with Dr. Stefani ReinoldThe Dear Body Podcast – Jessi Jean

It has been a hot minute since I've posted a podcast episode. I've had several months of ups and downs and I wanted to wait to share until I had beneficial reflections and take-aways to share with you all.  TRIGGER WARNING: I talk about dieting and losing weight in this episode.Episodes Mentioned:4 - (TIP) Mental Restriction18 - (TIP) Why Weight Loss is NOT the Be All End All31 - The Correlation Between Eating Disorders & Chronic Back Pain [feat. Dr.Kelly Kessler]

In this episode I am joined once again by Adina Kelman, Certified Health & Nutrition Coach and founder of “A Life in Balance”. Adina and I dive deep into defining and studying “What is a trigger”? and how we can start to identify and cope with them. Adina identified triggers in several ways, they can be a food, a comment, a visual, a person (and more). There are many forms of “triggers” that interrupt our daily lives. As Adina mentions, we use “trigger” with a negative connotation and our ULTIMATE goal would be to never be “triggered” in the first place. As this is not realistic to expect (at least initially) Adina and I discuss how we can IDENTIFY and work through our feelings when we are presented with these moments in our daily lives.  BONUS!!! Adina leads us through a breathing exercise that can substantially help when presented with triggers, reducing stress, and overall wellness. Find Adina Online:Adina's website : www.alifeinbalance.coJoin Adina's FB group: Emotional Food Freedom with A Life in Balance GroupAdina's IG: @alifeinbalanceFind me on IG: @francesca.meffert.co

Adina is a Certified Health & Nutrition Coach and founder of “A Life in Balance”. In this episode Adina and I examine and dissect a lot of the issues and origins stemming from diet culture. We fundamentally question and answer - What IS “diet culture”? and How does it shape our lives? Additionally, Adina and I discuss her top 4 elements she recommends for an individual to start their road to emotional food freedom. Find Adina Online:Adina's website : www.alifeinbalance.coJoin Adina's FB group: Emotional Food Freedom with A Life in Balance GroupAdina's IG: @alifeinbalance Book mentioned in this episode:“Cinderella Ate My Daughter” by Peggy OrensteinFind me on IG: @francesca.meffert.co

Sue Bowles is a mental health advocate, a public speaker, a conference presenter, a Master Certified Life Coach, and the Award-Winning author of, "This Much I Know...The Space Between" (available on  Amazon/Kindle). Sue's incredible life and journey saw her experience and overcome an eating disorder, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Now, Sue has become a powerful force of hope, empowerment, and inspiration. Through sharing her journey Sue provides others the support and belief that change IS possible. That sometimes it just takes putting one foot in front of the other in the right direction to finally overcome and rise above your past to propel yourself into your future.Find Sue:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-bowles-a8649913http://bit.ly/2Ry6ubx (FB - My Step Ahead)http://www.instagram.com/MyStepAheadhttp://bit.ly/2U30v02 (Twitter - My Step Ahead)https://www.facebook.com/suebowlescoaching/https://www.amazon.com/dp/1695541839/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_cEbTDb8XSD8Q0Find me on IG: @francesca.meffert.co

Suzi B is the founder of Life Conscious which is about finding health  and success through habit formation. One of Suzi's mottos is "don't diet, habit" which is so important when it comes to living a sustainable life. In this episode Suzi explains how she realized that habits are the fundamental keys to improving our lives and building lasting change.  Although this episode talks about habits in their entirety I think this is most certainly a crucial  component when recovering from disordered eating. Being able to replace old habits with new ones that better serve our true selves and our needs and desires.  Find Suzi B on social media and her website: IG: @suziblife Facebook Group: Life Conscious  Book: Life Conscious  Website: www.livelifeconscious.com  Find me on IG: @francesca.meffert.co

Tiffany is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach on a mission to help empower female entrepreneurs in the realm of holistic wellness. Tiffany trained at the Integrative Institute for Nutrition in New York under some of the world's most leading health & wellness experts such as Deepak Chopra, Dr. Andrew Weil, and Dr. Mark Hyman to name a few. Having personally experienced the growth and transformation in her own life from holistic wellness, Tiffany made it her mission to teach and empower others in their lives through a variety of personalized wellness tools and integrated approaches. In her work, Tiffany helps individuals heal their relationship with food and stress through mindset shifting and many other methods. Find Tiffany on IG: @theholisticheroineFind me on IG: @francesca.meffert.co

Paige Penick is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer, and podcast host of Start Fueling Better. In this episode Paige and I discuss the pros/cons of consumers taking a more active interest in nutrition and how this can be both beneficial and harmful with all the convoluted and confusing information out there. Additionally, we discuss weight loss both from an individual and societal perspective and how things are never quite so black-and-white.Be sure to find Paige at:  www.startfuelingbetter.com Episodes Mentioned from Paige's Podcast the Start Fueling Better Podcast:*A Different Perspective on Weight Loss - 034*Food Facts vs. Food Fear - 035https://www.startfuelingbetter.com/category/podcast/page/2/Find me on IG: @francesca.meffert.co

Practical hunger is such a "basic" tip but between that and learning to space food throughout the day these were actionable tips that truly helped me so much to get  out of binge cycles. Don't underestimate the power of fueling your body appropriately for both your physical and mental health.Find me on IG: @francesca.meffert.co

I am joined in this episode by Olga, a binge eating coach who helps serial dieters heal their relationship with food and regain control. Olga shares part of her story through her own journey of recovery as well as aspects of both her physical and emotional healing. We talk about autoimmunity, our core values, healing emotionally, and so much more.Olga brings an incredibly fresh and fun energy to the show coupled with important individual concepts and I'm sure you'll love her and learn a lot. (She also comes from Poland and is based in  the UK, -we're going double  global folks!) ;)Be sure to check out her IG for great and helpful content.Olga's IG: @olgas_wellnessBook mentioned: When The Body Says No -by Dr. Gabor MatéFind me on IG: @francesca.meffert.co

It occurred to me it might be interesting to explain why I chose my title since it is fairly obscure based on the content I talk about on this podcast. In this episode I explain the 4 main reasons I chose it -some more inspiring than others but all still relevant.I've got a lot of wonderful guest speakers in the pipeline I share with you, and I remind you that Recovery Is Never Linear! This is another friendly reminder in addition to Episode 3 "I FAILED!" that the road to recovery is filled with twists and turns and to not beat yourself up.

Dr. Kelly Kessler is a Physical Therapist, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, and founder of Optimal You Health Wellness. After going through her own eating disorder journey she found herself with chronic back pain and made it her mission to not let it control the rest of her life. Now, Kelly does all the things she loves (even did a Triathlon y'all!!) and helps others with chronic pain find health and wellness once again by equipping them with actionable tools and igniting their own inner power. This was a tremendously insightful, inspiring, and informative interview and I'm sure you'll walk away with more knowledge than you would've thought. Be sure to find all of Kelly's great content on the socials and her website listed below.Instagram: @optimal_you_health_wellnessFacebook: Optimal You Health and Wellness, LLChttps://www.optimalyouhealthandwellness.com/Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Life happens. Because most of us are pulled in a million directions sometimes something's gotta give. How much of the rest of your life are you willing to sacrifice to eat or exercise a certain way?Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Fear and anxiety around food was what crippled my social outings and caused severe distress when receiving (food) gifts in the past. It is such a recurring feeling that it takes a combination of TONS of the "TIPS" I have been sharing to overcome and heal from. Episodes Referenced:4 - (TIP) Mental Restriction5 - (TIP) Good and Bad Food8 - (TIP) Shame & Guilt9 - (TIP) Control11 - (TIP) Emotional Eating18 - (TIP) Why Weight Loss is NOT the Be All End AllFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

I've noticed that there are MULTIPLE movies or TV shows that have a "female transformation" all centered around making the "less attractive" girl into this "dazzling show-stopper" beauty. [For the record I can't think of this happening much for men?]Apart from film I do think women in particular get a multitude of comments or critiques about their appearance. This can very easily cause us to link appearance to self-worth and cause  limiting beliefs. In this episode I discuss and analyze the destructive tendency of "backhanded compliments" both from personal and related experiences. Referenced Episode:10 - How to Identify & Overcome Limiting BeliefsFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

I've been MIA for the last few weeks and I am working on "getting out of my funk". I'm sure everyone experiences similar predicaments at different times and I wanted to share with you what I always fall back on to help me get out of it.Drink from the well of yourself and begin again.Atomic Habits by James Clearhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_nzqnXWvSoFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Mentality around food & movement can be very difficult these days as it can be difficult to discern what is diet culture versus your own "pure" thoughts. In this episode I am joined by Certified Personal Trainer Coach Sara to unpack this mentality. From a combination of her own journey as well as her insights as a CPT Sara brings a fresh perspective focused on compassion towards self to a realm that is typically dominated by diet culture.Coach Sara on IG: @sk.wellsFacebook Group for RDs and RD2BE:Registered Dietitians and Future RD's CommunityFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Nutrients are what we consume literally EVERY. DAY. to keep our bodies alive and functioning. (So shouldn't we know why they're important??)They provide incredibly important tasks such as proper hormone functioning, insulation, assistance to the immune system, maintaining the appropriate pH levels, producing body components and much much more. It's easy to take food for granted when we don't consider what nutrients are doing in our bodies. Hopefully this episode equips you with some knowledge about just how important food really is.Sources:BooksWardlaw's Contemporary Nutrition: a Functional Approach 5e (Anne Smith)8 Steps to Reverse Your PCOS (Fiona McCulloch, N.D.)Websiteshttps://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/101/nutrition-basics/what-about-carbohydrates.aspx (Medically Reviewed by Kelly Kennedy, RD)https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000104.htmFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Sometimes we go through difficult situations. In these times it can be really helpful to stop and think about where you're currently at: take stock of what is going well, what might have gone better but are you still "net positive"? Take a breath and "Take the win" Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Set Point Weight Theory was a game changer for me during recovery. It's the concept that our bodies have a particular weight range (unique to each individual) where our bodies function optimally. When we can listen to our bodies needs/cues it will guide us there naturally and effortlessly to maintain homeostasis.Podcast episodes referenced:Feel Better Live MoreEpisode #191- The Truth About Calories with Dr Herman PontzerKaleidoscopeFM episodes:20 - Working on the Ins and Outs of Intuitive Eating [feat. Alex]9 - (TIP) Control4 - (TIP) Mental RestrictionFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

The pressures women face in regards to beauty standards are commonly acknowledged, but what about the pressures on men?   Pressures on men are perhaps more subtle (at first) but they're definitely still prevalent and unfortunately not discussed as readily as female concerns. Men are frequently shown male models, TV stars, and superheroes all set as the "gold standard" for masculinity and attractiveness, all with their own unrealistic body standards. In this episode Chris unpacks many of these issues: how cultural expectations, society, and social media all influence what men feel they "should" be.   Some highlights in this episode: Strength  Bigorexia Ectomorph/Somatotypes Bulking Dad bodPodcast Referenced:Feel Better Live MoreEpisode #57 - Mental Fitness and Body Image with Natasha Devon MBEFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

YOU are the security guard of what goes through your brain. Here are some tips to influence and change what you're feeding your mind.Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

In this episode I'm joined by Alex, a friend I connected with on my own intuitive eating journey. Alex brings her own thoughts and insights into how she personally began navigating intuitive eating: what was helpful, what wasn't, and everything in between. (If you're completely wondering what Intuitive Eating is this episode will be helpful, also checkout the following resources).  *Also featured: Capone (Alex's adorable canine)https://www.intuitiveeating.org/Podcast episodes to check out:Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris : The Anti-Diet | Evelyn Tribole It's Not About The Food:  31-What Is Intuitive Eating? With Evelyn TriboleFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Intuitive Eating is composed of 10 guiding principles (check out the website below). It stems from the anti-diet approach from Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch (both Registered Dietitians with a host of credentials). Intuitive eating (IE) is extremely helpful for anyone who struggles with their relationship with food or has had disordered eating. https://www.intuitiveeating.org/Podcast episodes to check out:Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris : The Anti-Diet | Evelyn Tribole It's Not About The Food:  31-What Is Intuitive Eating? With Evelyn Tribole Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Weight loss is portrayed as the "magic cure" to all our problems. Just lose weight and you will: be happier, more confident, more likeable, sexier, etc etc. But, at the end of the day, is it making you healthier (inside and out)? -or harming you? When that nagging voice comes up that says you have to lose weight (especially with summer approaching) how can we put the brakes on this negative self talk and critically analyze: what will TRULY serve our mind and bodies?In this episode I discuss ways to assess internal and external factors to get to the root of why that nagging voice might come up saying, "if I just lost weight..."Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

PCOS is a metabolic, endocrine, and reproductive disorder affecting 10-15% of women (roughly 5 million in the U.S.) As many as 70% of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) go undiagnosed. It is important for PCOS knowledge to become more widespread so that women can get diagnosed so they can treat and prevent physical and mental health concerns. These include increased susceptibility to comorbidities such as hypertension, metabolic syndrome (MS), and type 2 diabetes as well as eating disorders, anxiety, and depression.PCOS is characterized by 2 or more of the following 3 criteria:1.hyperandrogenism (high levels of androgens, the male sex hormone)2.polycystic ovaries on ultrasound 3.delayed ovulation or menstrual cycles (anovulation) Symptoms include:excess hair growth/hair loss/acne/weight gain/irregular periodsReferences:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Endocrine Reviews, 33(6), 981–1030 Endocrine Reviews, 24(5), 633–667 Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, 40(1 )BOOK: The Pcos workbook: your guide to complete physical and emotional health BOOK: 8 Steps to reverse your Pcos: a proven program to reset your hormones, repair your metabolism and restore your fertility BOOK: Wardlaw's contemporary nutrition: a functional approach PODCAST: The Fill Your Cup Podcast / 095: When You Have PCOS and Want To Balance Your Hormones Without Dieting - Sam Abbott People to Follow on IG: @pcos.nutritionistFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Tara IG: @surrenderspaceFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.coEpisodes Mentioned:Impolite Society Episode: '90s Pop Culture That Shaped Our PersonalityThe Dear Body PodcastKaleidoscopeFM former episode:11 - (TIP) Emotional Eating

The bare bones of it is:1. DO NOT attempt to NOT eat the next day2. Make sure you're eating throughout the day!3. Get plenty of water in and some movement4. DO NOT SHAME OR GUILT YOURSELF!5. Treat it as a learning experience - reflect on it               *examples reflections provided in the episodeFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

GUEST SPEAKER!! In this interview I speak with Tara for the first time. Tara is a Holistic Health Practitioner with a wide array of skills and knowledge under her belt in various alternative therapies. To find more of Tara's content you can check out www.holisticlivingstudio.com and onIG: @surrenderspace Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.coMentioned in this episode:Podcast: Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan ChatterjeeEpisode #71 What Makes Us Human with Tony Riddle

Diet culture is everywhere. It can be loud and in your face like diet juice cleanses or it can be barely noticeable like in the way someone phrases something. Ultimately though, fear mongering around food and weight gain as well as subtle forms of shame and guilt are interwoven into the fabric of diet culture that permeates our society. In this episode I call out specific examples of things that might not seem "that bad" but how their underlying message is extremely harmful. Be prepared for some hard rants in this episode. I reference 3 of my former episodes in case you need further explanation as to why these sentiments are so harmful:4 - (TIP) Mental Restriction5 - (TIP) Good and Bad Food8 - (TIP) Shame & GuiltFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

I was ADDICTED to the scale for YEARS. I would weigh myself every. single. day. (Or multiple times a day). Once I finally truly got rid of it and stopped weighing myself I realized I had the power to decide HOW I wanted to feel about myself. Our bodies will constantly change and evolve throughout the course of our lives and we can't (and shouldn't) expect to stay a certain weight forever. In this episode I talk about several reasons our bodies will change over time and how the scale does NOT determine our self worth.Podcast episodes I refer to you should go check out: Dietitian Table Talks  THE SCALE; do we trust her?It's Not About the Food4- Weight Loss30- How to Feel Good in your Body RIGHT NOWFind me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

For years I used food as a crutch to cope with my emotions. Only after becoming incredibly aware of my feelings on a consistent basis have I been able to focus on treating the  root cause of my emotions as opposed to a band-aid emotional eating fix. Level 1:1. Write out what you're feeling before and after eating2. Write out any incidents that contributed to certain emotionsLevel 2:1. IDENTIFY: What am I feeling?2. Is this feeling Valid? (Yes/No)3. What can I do/say/feel/think to help me at this moment?Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Throughout our lives our brain builds up a memory bank. These memories have associative emotions and thoughts that, over time, can turn into limiting beliefs. In this episode I share with you an exercise I did for myself which helped me spot and eliminate these ill-conceived notions. Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

The issue of control is one of THE PRIMARY reasons eating disorders develop. Ironically, only by letting go of control can we achieve control. Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Shame and guilt are extremely prevalent in binge eating, food struggles, eating disorders, and in our society nowadays in general. Have you ever stopped to think about where it all comes from? In this episode I call out the origins of shame (spoiler alert, it is not innate!) and how overcoming it is crucial in pursuing recovery.Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Your "ideal self" will NEVER be as powerful as you are now (or ever). Here's why.Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

In society many of us have a tendency to label foods as "good" or "bad" without realizing how this impacts our thoughts and beliefs on a deeper level. In this episode I dive into how binary thinking is detrimental and doesn't serve us. Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Learning about mental restriction as it pertains to binge eating was single handedly THE MOST IMPORTANT game changing concept for me when it came to starting my recovery journey. In this episode I explain the thought process around what it means to "mentally restrict" and how food rules and the idea of "I shouldn't eat X" further perpetuates binge cycles.  Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

I FAILED! But guess what? That's NORMAL. In this episode I talk about how I binged for the first time in 2 months after thinking I was *healed* and how it's OKAY to "FAIL" because that is what happens as being human.Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

In this episode I talk about examples of my previous mindset while still in the grips of struggling with food and why we resonate so strongly with our binge impulses and (secretly) don't want to give it up even though we DO want to heal from it. Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co

Hello and Welcome! to the very first KaleidoscopeFM episode. In this episode I talk about the reason I decided to start a podcast and a bit about my personal story and my history struggling with food and the process of overcoming an eating disorder. Thanks so much for listening. Find me on IG:@francesca.meffert.co