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REPLAY! This conversation is too important to hear only once, and Jackie Goldschneider is exactly the reason why. Eating disorder recovery is not about food, and she wants you to understand why.On this episode of Wellness Junkies, host Amy Sherman sits down with Jackie Goldschneider, author, activist, and Real Housewives of New Jersey former cast member, to talk about something rarely discussed with this level of honesty. Jackie lived with anorexia for nearly two decades before finding her way to health in her mid-forties, and her story is a reminder that eating disorder recovery can happen at any stage of life.Her memoir, The Weight of Beautiful, was born from the experience she wished she'd had when she was searching for answers. She opens up about what it felt like to live inside an illness that nobody around her truly understood, why eating disorders in women so often go unrecognized, and what she wants families to know about eating disorder mental health. Telling someone to just eat does not work, and this conversation explains why.Jackie also reflects on the relationship between mental health and body image, the role compulsive movement played in her disorder, and the moment she finally decided to ask for help. For anyone who has struggled personally or watched someone they love struggle, eating disorder awareness starts with honest conversations like this one.She shares what life looks like now, from friendships and writing, to therapy and learning that good enough is sometimes exactly enough.Episode Breakdown:00:00 Jackie Goldschneider on Eating Disorder Recovery and Advocacy01:28 Weekly Highs With Amy and Jackie03:29 How Anorexia Took Hold and What No One Talked About06:02 What People Get Wrong About Eating Disorder Mental Health08:32 The Rock Bottom Moment That Changed Everything13:00 Going Public on Real Housewives and the Fallout18:00 Writing The Weight of Beautiful and Why It Had to Exist25:00 Eating Disorders in Women and the Silence Around Them32:00 What Recovery Actually Looks Like Day to Day38:00 Beauty Favorites and Product Picks44:00 Quick Beauty Routine46:00 How Jackie Stays Grounded and What Keeps Her GoingConnect with Jackie Goldschneider:Follow Jackie on Instagram Shop this episode: You know we love to give you the best of the best in wellness products and resources to help you learnmore about our podcast topics. In this week's episode, here are the products and brands that we talked about:All ProductsLumify Eye DropsThrive Liquid Lash Extensions MascaraFreck BeautyMAC Full Coverage FoundationFor More on this Episode: Read the full show notes here
You wanna be on top? Buckle up kiddies, because Ash is taking a ginormous swan dive into the depths of America's Next Top Model.In Part 1 of this series, we explore the woman behind one of the most influential reality shows of the 2000s: Tyra Banks. From her early life and modelling career to the creation of ANTM, we unpack the vision behind the franchise and the contradictions that would come to define it.How did a show created to empower young women become one so often criticised for body shaming, exploitation, and turning vulnerability into entertainment?If you, too, feel personally victimised by ANTM, join us for this wild ride.Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of anti-fatness, body shaming, eating disorders, and eating disorder behaviours. Please listen at your own discretion.
In this episode, I explore my 3 secrets in eating disorder recovery. Time slots 1:31 My story 3:40 Food Freedom App 4:32 Working on motivation for change. 8:32 Roots of the past. 13:00 Regular eating. 16:42 Takeaway messages
What happens when anorexia no longer feels like something you struggle with and starts feeling like who you are? Many people with long-term anorexia, so-called "atypical" anorexia, and restrictive eating disorders fear recovery for reasons that go far beyond food. They worry about losing structure, purpose, safety, achievement, or even their sense of self. In this episode, I explore the powerful connection between anorexia and identity, why recovery can feel emotionally disorienting, and how people begin rebuilding a life that feels larger than the eating disorder. Whether you've lived with anorexia for years, support someone in recovery, or work in the eating disorder field, this conversation offers a compassionate look at one of the most overlooked barriers to healing. Why Anorexia Can Become Part of Your Identity I explain how long-term restrictive eating disorders often become intertwined with self-worth, achievement, emotional regulation, relationships, and daily routines. I also discuss why recovery can feel like losing a familiar version of yourself, even when you desperately want freedom. The Hidden Fear Behind Anorexia Recovery Many people assume that food is the hardest part of recovery. While nutritional rehabilitation matters, identity loss often creates an equally powerful challenge. I explore why letting go of anorexia can trigger grief, uncertainty, and fear, especially when the eating disorder has shaped your life for years. How Neurodivergence, Trauma, and Oppression Shape Eating Disorders I discuss how autism, ADHD, sensory processing differences, trauma, perfectionism, and chronic stress can influence restrictive eating patterns. I also examine how social pressures around thinness, productivity, compliance, and self-sacrifice affect women, queer people, trans people, people of color, disabled people, immigrants, fat people, and other marginalized communities. A Case Example: When Recovery Feels Like Losing Yourself Through the story of Angela, a composite case example, I illustrate how anorexia can become a trusted coping system and why recovery often requires building safety, flexibility, and self-trust rather than simply eliminating symptoms. Rebuilding Identity Beyond the Eating Disorder Recovery involves much more than changing eating behaviors. It often includes discovering values, interests, relationships, boundaries, creativity, and sources of meaning that exist outside the eating disorder. I share practical ways people begin reconnecting with themselves while navigating the uncertainty that recovery can bring. Key Takeaways Anorexia can become deeply intertwined with identity, especially after years of living with the disorder. Fear of recovery often reflects fear of losing safety, predictability, or self-understanding. Grief can be a normal part of healing and does not mean you want to stay sick. People in all body sizes can experience anorexia and restrictive eating disorders. Recovery creates opportunities to build a life that feels larger, richer, and more flexible than the eating disorder. Related Episodes The Quiet Places Where Anorexia Meets Identity & Expression on Apple & Spotify. “Slips” in Eating Disorder Recovery in 2026: Why Setbacks Are Part of Progress, Not Failure (With Mallary Tenore Tarpley, MFA) on Apple & Spotify. Chronic Eating Disorders in 2026: What Hope Can Actually Look Like on Apple & Spotify. Work With Dr. Marianne Miller If you are looking for support with anorexia, ARFID, binge eating disorder, bulimia, chronic eating disorders, or neurodivergent eating challenges, I would love to help. I provide eating disorder therapy for clients in California and Washington, D.C., along with coaching services worldwide. My practice specializes in neurodivergent-affirming, trauma-informed, weight-neutral care for adults, teens, and families. Learn more at www.drmariannemiller.com or connect with me on Instagram @drmariannemiller.
In this episode, I explore how to deal with extreme hunger in a Q and A format. 00:37 What do we mean by extreme hunger? 1:41 Can you avoid extreme hunger? 2:26 How long does extreme hunger last? 3:31 How does extreme hunger feel? 4:30 Physical versus mental hunger. 5:32 All-in or meal plan? 7:26 How to create safety around extreme hunger? 9:17 Could I develop binge eating disorder or bulimia? 10:36 How to deal with weight gain? 10:41 More about all-in or meal plan? 12:39 How to break the binge/restrict cycle? 13:57 What about emotional eating and other triggers? In eating disorder recovery, going through extreme hunger is often a terrifying but essential part of the healing process. When you are chronically undereating, the body shuts down and hunger and appetite cues are offline. You can feel numb and disconnected from your natural desire to eat. As you begin to eat more and to recover, the hunger intensity can be ferocious and wild. This is extreme hunger. It is a normal, biological response to a period of restriction and undereating. It is the body's cry for help. A signal to repair itself, restock essential energy stores and to restore the energy deficit. The deficit can be colossal, if you've been undereating for a long time. You can experience extreme hunger with any eating disorder or disordered eating behaviour, not only with anorexia. You can experience extreme hunger in any body shape and size, not only if you are emaciated.
In this episode, I talk about how to stop purging through self-induced vomiting. I give practical steps to break this habit and talk about my own recovery journey from bulimia.
If you've spent years in restriction, figuring out "normal" eating can feel impossible. Am I finally eating enough, or am I overeating? This confusion is more common than you think. In today's coaching over coffee episode, we're tackling the question that keeps so many women stuck in recovery: How do you know if you're eating the right amount when your hunger cues are broken and everything feels foreign? In this practical episode, you'll discover: Why questioning if you need more food usually means YES, you do How to tell the difference between normal eating and actual binge eating The non-negotiable food framework that creates stability Why what feels like "too much" is often just enough Simple strategies to rebuild trust with your body's signals The "two more bites" rule that changed everything How to create mindful, honoring meal experiences For the woman who's tired of questioning every bite and ready to trust her body again. THE GOLDEN RULE: IF YOU'RE QUESTIONING, THE ANSWER IS YES If you find yourself questioning whether you should have another bite or more food—the answer is YES. When you've eaten enough food, you won't need to ask whether you've eaten enough food. This simple truth cuts through the mental noise and gives you permission to trust the impulse for more. THE RECOVERY REALITY: WHAT FEELS LIKE "TOO MUCH" In early recovery, I thought I was binge eating when I was actually just eating normally for the first time in years. The reality: After severe restriction, any increase in food feels like "too much" because you've never allowed yourself adequate amounts. Ask yourself honestly: Are you eating the whole cabinet in a trance-like state? Or are you simply having more than you previously allowed? Most likely, you're experiencing normal eating quantities that feel foreign after restriction—not actual binge eating. THE NON-NEGOTIABLE FRAMEWORK Start with the basics: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks. Every single day. Minimum. Coming from restriction where you skipped meals, avoided eating, or used various disorder tactics, this structure creates stability. The volume will feel different—and that's the point. You're making up for lost time and teaching your body it can trust you again. REBUILDING YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH AMOUNTS The Observation Strategy Watch people without eating disorders. Notice what they order, what normal portions look like, how they eat without internal negotiation. Not for comparison—for education. This helps calibrate what "normal" actually looks like. The Time Check Method When questioning if you should eat: When was the last time you ate something? If it's been over an hour, that's a good opportunity for food. The Two More Bites Rule When you think you're "done": Take two more bites. This creates a safety buffer while giving permission to have more than restriction previously allowed. The Food Pairing Practice Always combine: Carb + protein + healthy fat. This fights the "good vs. bad foods" mentality while ensuring balanced nutrition. CONSCIOUS EATING VS. RESTRICTIVE EATING Conscious eating means: Electronics away, work away Sitting with feelings and thoughts that arise Eating even when not hungry as part of your commitment Taking pleasure in the experience Create honoring experiences: Set candles, buy flowers for your table Use beautiful dinner plates Eat around supportive people for accountability Make mealtime sacred, not rushed REBUILDING HUNGER CUES Your hunger cues may be broken from years of ignoring them. Your body learned not to signal hunger because you weren't going to respond anyway. This is normal and temporary. As you consistently nourish yourself, these signals will return. In the meantime: Follow your meal plan regardless of hunger signals. You're rebuilding trust. THE FOOD JOURNAL APPROACH Instead of calorie counting or macro tracking: Use your journal to explore the eating experience. Track feelings, not numbers: How do I feel before the meal? (anxious, neutral, excited) How do I feel during? (this tastes good, I'm enjoying this) How do I feel after? (energized, satisfied, guilty, peaceful) This builds awareness without the restriction mindset. CHALLENGING FOOD RULES Example: At a barbecue with burgers and buns Old rule: "I don't eat buns" or "I just ate before coming" Recovery challenge: Have the burger AND the bun Ask yourself: Am I honoring what's available, or am I following old restrictions disguised as "not being hungry"? ABUNDANCE VS. SCARCITY MINDSET When asking "Can I have more?" check your motivation: Scarcity mindset: "I shouldn't want more, I've had enough, I need to control this" Abundance mindset: "My body is asking for nourishment, I can trust this signal, there's plenty of food" Recovery operates from abundance. There's enough food. You're allowed to want more. Your body knows what it needs. THE NICOLE HOBBS QUOTE THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING "I do not want to be remembered as a woman who was always exhausted, always stressed, always rushing. I would like to be remembered as a relaxed woman, a compassionate woman, a woman who works hard and rests deeply, who loves fiercely and lives peacefully. A woman who knows her worth and her power, who accepts her imperfections and embraces her possibilities." This is your best self. This is who you're becoming through recovery—a woman who honors her body without constant internal negotiation. KEY QUOTES
A new nonprofit that is working to eliminate the stigma around eating disorders and help people find recovery. How birders are teaching you how to bird by ear. We relisten to an episode of Bubbler Talk about the first Black people in Milwaukee.
You can be wildly successful and still be quietly falling apart inside. Joel Kinnaman has appeared in some of the most talked-about shows in Hollywood. He has starred in The Killing, Robocop, House of Cards, Altered Carbon, and is currently in his fifth season of For All Mankind. And he will be the first to tell you that none of that made the war inside his head any quieter. Before every live theater performance for three straight years, he threw up. He kept a bucket backstage. The negative voices in his mind were relentless, and he spent years drinking heavily, using drugs, and force-feeding himself in a desperate attempt to hide the shame he felt about a physical condition that had left him feeling deformed since childhood. What changed everything was not a breakthrough moment. It was a choice to stop running from the fear and bury himself in the work. He memorized a 105-minute one-man show in 10 days, playing 16 different characters, and walked on stage without throwing up for the first time. That experience taught him something he still carries: preparation is armor. The deeper a role is in your bones, the more freedom you have to be alive inside it. He is still working on the personal side. He describes himself as a disaster in relationships, not from a lack of care, but from years of treating his career as the only thing that could not touch him. He talks about wanting to find the balance between the structure that builds trust and the childlike wonder that keeps him creative. That tension is where this conversation lives. Joel's IMDB In this episode you will: Understand how shame about a physical condition called pectus excavatum triggered an eating disorder that took years to unpack and overcome Discover how Joel turned debilitating stage fright and a 3-year pattern of pre-performance vomiting into a breakthrough that rewired his relationship with fear Learn why preparation is the most underrated performance skill and why Joel insists on being at least 3 nights ahead on every scene he shoots Hear why Joel sees himself as a different man in his career versus his personal relationships, and what he believes he needs to change to close that gap Explore how Joel uses psilocybin experiences, breathwork, and the Buddhist concept of shepa to create space between triggers and reaction in his daily life For more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1933 For more Greatness text PODCAST to +1 (614) 350-3960 Follow The Daily Motivation for essential highlights from The School of Greatness More SOG episodes we think you'll love: Lewis Howes Solo [7 Habits To Be Happier] Josh Groban The Jonas Brothers TOPICS Joel Kinnaman, stage fright, eating disorder recovery, pectus excavatum, performance anxiety, preparation as armor, shepa, psilocybin, self-loathing, personal growth, For All Mankind, relationship consistency Get more from Lewis! Get my New York Times Bestselling book, Make Money Easy!Get The Greatness Mindset audiobook on SpotifyText Lewis AIYouTubeInstagramWebsiteTiktokFacebookX Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What does life actually look like after eating disorder recovery? Not the Instagram version—the real, honest truth. Today, on my youngest son's 8th birthday, I'm sharing the profound lessons recovery has taught me about life, motherhood, building a business, and navigating the beautiful mess of being fully human. These aren't platitudes or recovery clichés—they're hard-earned truths from someone living freely on the other side. In this deeply personal episode, you'll discover: Why your perspective determines whether thoughts become prison or power How fear reveals inexperience, not inability The recovery superpower that changes everything Why everything (yes, everything) is temporary The liberation of becoming your own rescue How to stop wasting your most precious currency Why healing happens through action, not perfection How your recovery creates ripples that save other lives For the woman wondering if recovery is worth it—this is your answer. THE BIRTHDAY REVELATION Yesterday, we celebrated my son turning 8. As I watched him blow out his candles, I got emotional thinking about all the birthdays I was present for him but not for myself. But more than that—I started reflecting on everything recovery has given me beyond just freedom from food noise. Wisdom about life, relationships, business, and what really matters. These 8 lessons aren't just about recovery—they're about living fully awake in your own life. LESSON 1: YOUR PERSPECTIVE CAN BE YOUR POWER OR YOUR PRISON During my disorder: My appetite = my failure. Family dinners = battlegrounds. My changing body = what I should fear above all other things. Now: My sons appetite (and mine)= health. Dinners = connection. His growth = beautiful unfolding. The truth: Your perspective shapes everything—how you see situations AND how you let others' opinions affect you. Eleanor Roosevelt was right: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Recovery teaches you to withdraw that consent and choose empowering perspectives. Your thoughts can be the walls of your prison or the wings of your freedom. LESSON 2: FEAR COMES FROM INEXPERIENCE, NOT INCAPABILITY Every time I was terrified to try something new in business—launching programs, raising prices, speaking—it wasn't because I couldn't do it. I just hadn't done it yet. The eating disorder convinced me I was incapable of eating intuitively, resting without guilt, taking up space. But I wasn't incapable—I was inexperienced. Every fear about recovery isn't proof you can't do it. It's proof you haven't experienced it yet. The only way through inexperience is experience. LESSON 3: RADICAL HONESTY IS YOUR RECOVERY SUPERPOWER For years, I lied constantly: "I'm fine" (when dying inside) "I don't care about food" (when it consumed my thoughts) "Recovery is easy" (when it felt impossible) But dishonesty keeps you sick. Honesty sets you free. Being honest with my kids about needing rest. With clients about what recovery requires. With myself about what wasn't working. That radical honesty—about what you want, need, feel, and what must change—becomes your greatest recovery tool. LESSON 4: EVERYTHING IS TEMPORARY—THE GOOD AND THE HARD The hard seasons pass: Teenage drama, business struggles, recovery setbacks. The beautiful moments pass too: My son's 8th birthday will never come again. Your eating disorder feels permanent when you're in it. Recovery struggles feel endless. But they're not. Recovery game-changer: Never ruin a good day thinking about yesterday's mistakes. One slip-up used to destroy my entire week. Now I know—yesterday's choices don't determine today's possibilities. Everything is temporary. How do you want to spend this temporary time? LESSON 5: YOU ARE YOUR OWN RESCUE This sounds harsh but it's liberating: No one is coming to save you from your eating disorder. No perfect therapist, magic moment, or external circumstance. The beautiful flip: You have everything you need inside you already. You don't need to wait for someone else to fix, validate, or give you permission to heal. You are the one you've been waiting for. Your recovery is your responsibility—and that's your power. LESSON 6: TIME IS YOUR GREATEST CURRENCY Building a business while raising kids taught me: Time is the only thing you can't make more of. I volunteer time for causes I believe in. Invest time in relationships that matter. Spend time on fulfilling work. But I refuse to waste time on: Diet culture Food obsession Body hatred Disorder behaviors Every minute in your eating disorder is a minute you can't spend living your actual life. LESSON 7: HEALING HAPPENS THROUGH ACTION, NOT PERFECTION My kids don't grow in perfect straight lines. Some days they're wise beyond their years, other days they melt down over socks. Recovery is the same. Some days you feel free, others you struggle with old thoughts. The key insight: You can't think your way to recovery. You have to live your way there. I didn't positive-think my way to food freedom. I acted my way there: Ate when I didn't want to Rested when it felt wrong Took up space when I wanted to shrink Your thinking changes to match your actions—not the other way around. LESSON 8: YOUR RECOVERY RIPPLES INTO THE WORLD When you recover loudly, you keep others from dying quietly. Your recovery matters beyond just you: Every woman who realizes she's not alone Every mother who models food freedom for her daughter Every person who chooses life over disorder Share this podcast. Share your story. Recover loudly so others know freedom is possible. THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE AFTER RECOVERY As I tucked my 8-year-old in last night, he said, "Mom, this was the best birthday ever." I realized—I was fully present. Not calculating cake calories. Not worried about photos. Not planning tomorrow's restriction. That's the truth about life after recovery: You get the gift of being present for your own life. You get to: Show up fully for your kids Build businesses from passion, not perfectionism Love people without keeping score Take up space without apologizing Live without constant internal negotiation KEY QUOTES
In this episode of Recover to Flourish, I'm talking about an eating disorder behaviour that is rarely spoken about openly: chewing and spitting. This is something that can bring a huge amount of shame, secrecy, and isolation, yet so many people struggle with it behind closed doors.I explore what chewing and spitting actually is, why it can become so addictive and compulsive, the physical and psychological impact it can have, and why it often keeps people stuck in the eating disorder cycle. I also talk honestly about the emotions underneath the behaviour, the role of restriction, and what recovery can look like if this is something you're dealing with.If you've ever felt alone in this behaviour, I hope this episode helps you feel seen and understood.Let me know your thoughts! SOCIALS:Instagram: @flourishwithciandra @recovertoflourish_podTikTok: @flourishwithciandraWebsite: https://flourishwithciandra.com/Contact: info@flourishwithciandra.com
In this episode, we challenge internal binaries and make ourselves a little crazy. Tangents include mono, trusting your own autonomy, sexual abstinence, HBO's Girls, and more eating disorder literature. Plus, Christina launches a new podcast and we find out which drugs Lauren purchases in bulk. Enjoy!We'd love to hear from you! Here's how to join the conversation:* Leave us a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/picklesandvodka (first timers get a free sticker!*)* Subscribe to our Substack and never miss an episode: picklesandvodka.substack.com* Watch our faces on YouTube: youtube.com/@picklesandvodkapodcast* Follow our Instagram for poll alerts: @picklesandvodkapodcast* Join our Facebook group: facebook.com/picklesandvodkapodcast* Send us an email: picklesandvodkapodcast@gmail.com* Christina's religious trauma podcast: Clothesline Podcast* Christina's personal Instagram: @xtinajumper* Christina's Substack (crisis corner): xtinajumper.substack.com* Lauren's personal Instagram: @lauren___afhReferences:* Slip: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery by Mallary Tenore Tarpley* Dead Weight: Essays on Hunger and Harm by Emmeline Clein* The Hollow Half: a Memoir of Bodies and Borders by Sarah AzizaCredits:* Edited by Christina Jumper* Theme song is Insane OK by The Whines from Free Music Archive*while supplies last Get full access to Pickles and Vodka at picklesandvodka.substack.com/subscribe
In this week's episode, I chat about: I read 3 different food recovery Reddit stories I talk about recovery into a world that is just going to want to push you back into your food behaviors Grieving the time that has passed since your food coping behaviors began The comfort with being in the sympathetic nervous system making it difficult to recover The optimal pace of food recoveryThere are 4 days left to sign up for the Somatic Eating® Program!
What happens when diet culture gets louder, ARFID awareness grows, social media becomes therapy language, and the pressure to be thin starts shaping everyday life again? In this episode of The Dr. Marianne-Land Podcast, I sit down with Lisa Jimenez (@lisajimeneztherapy) for a deeply honest conversation about what eating disorder therapists are actually seeing in 2026. We talk about the resurgence of appearance pressure, the subtle ways eating disorders can hide in plain sight, why more people are finally recognizing ARFID, and how identity, neurodivergence, trauma, and culture all shape recovery. This episode explores the realities many people quietly live with but rarely hear discussed out loud. Lisa Jimenez, LMHC, is an eating disorder therapist based in Miami who specializes in eating disorders, body image, anxiety, trauma, perfectionism, and work with teens, young adults, and queer clients. In this conversation, she shares how her own lived experience with an eating disorder shaped her approach to therapy and why she shifted toward EMDR, parts work, and more collaborative, relational treatment approaches. ARFID, Neurodivergence, and the Changing Eating Disorder Landscape Lisa and I discuss why ARFID is becoming more recognized and why many clinicians are still trying to catch up with the complexity of the diagnosis. We explore how sensory sensitivities, neurodivergence, attachment, trauma, and family dynamics can all affect eating. We also talk about why ARFID treatment requires much more than exposure work alone and why creating emotional and sensory safety matters so deeply in recovery. We also discuss the overlap between eating disorders, autism, ADHD, anxiety, perfectionism, and trauma, along with the growing role social media now plays in helping people identify experiences they previously could not name. Diet Culture, Social Media, and the Pressure to Be Thin in 2026 Diet culture feels especially aggressive right now, and this episode explores how that pressure shows up in both obvious and subtle ways. Lisa and I talk about “clean eating,” wellness culture, compulsive exercise messaging, “what I eat in a day” content, GLP-1 conversations, and the growing normalization of disordered behaviors online. We also discuss how eating disorders often hide behind socially praised behaviors, especially when restriction, over-exercising, or body control become culturally rewarded instead of recognized as signs of distress. Eating Disorders in Larger Bodies This conversation also explores how eating disorders frequently go unnoticed in larger bodies and how weight stigma continues to affect treatment, diagnosis, and recovery. Lisa and I discuss the harmful assumption that eating disorders must “look extreme” to be serious and why many people receive praise for behaviors that are actually rooted in restriction and suffering. We also talk about medical bias, healthcare experiences, and the reality that people can experience anorexia and severe eating disorder symptoms across a wide range of body sizes. Queer Identity, Intersectionality, and Eating Disorders Lisa shares insights from her work with queer clients, teens, and neurodivergent individuals, and we explore how identity and environment intersect with eating disorders in complex ways. We discuss cultural expectations around appearance, family and community pressures, social media influence, and the realities many queer and neurodivergent people face while navigating food and body image struggles. The conversation also examines how eating disorders often function as coping strategies for overwhelm, emotional pain, disconnection, or the pressure to survive in environments that do not feel safe or affirming. Connect With Lisa Jimenez, LMHC Instagram: @lisajimeneztherapy Website: lisajimeneztherapy.com Lisa sees clients virtually throughout Florida and New York and in person in South Miami. Related Episodes The Quiet Places Where Anorexia Meets Identity & Expression on Apple & Spotify. “Slips” in Eating Disorder Recovery in 2026: Why Setbacks Are Part of Progress, Not Failure (With Mallary Tenore Tarpley, MFA) on Apple & Spotify. Chronic Eating Disorders in 2026: What Hope Can Actually Look Like on Apple & Spotify. ARFID Explained: What It Feels Like, Why It's Misunderstood, & What Helps on Apple & Spotify. Work With Dr. Marianne I'm Dr. Marianne Miller, LMFT (@drmariannemiller). I'm an eating disorder therapist specializing in ARFID, binge eating disorder, anorexia, bulimia, neurodivergence, autism, ADHD, and complex relationships with food and body image. I offer therapy, coaching, and ARFID-focused support for teens and adults. You can also explore my self-paced ARFID and selective eating course on my website drmariannemiller.com/arfid. If this episode resonated with you, please follow, rate, and share The Dr. Marianne-Land Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
We often view exercise as the "golden ticket" for mental health, but for those navigating eating disorders, the line between movement and compulsion is incredibly thin.In this week's episode of Full of Beans, Han is joined by Dr. Amit Mistry, a Consultant Sports Psychiatrist at the Nightingale Hospital. Amit brings a unique dual perspective to the table, advocating for the robust mental health benefits of physical activity while managing the high-stakes clinical risks of over-exercise in inpatient eating disorder settings.We explore why exercise shouldn't be a "black or white" conversation and how we can reintroduce movement without falling back into the trap of rigidity.In this episode, we talk about:The Biopsychosocial Model: How sport serves as "fertiliser for the brain" while providing self-mastery and social connection.The Social Media Myth: Why we need to challenge the "exercise is all you need" narrative and replace it with a multi-pronged approach to mental health.Inpatient Realities: The difficult balance of prioritising physical stability (cardiovascular status and refeeding) while introducing social exercises like yoga or swimming.Exercise as a Spectrum: Identifying when recreational movement crosses the line into a systemic, "drug-like" addiction that impacts bone health and fertility.Red-S vs. Depression: The clinical challenge of distinguishing between relative energy deficiency in sport and primary low mood.The "Elite" Trap: Why 99% of us aren't elite athletes and shouldn't be following the regimented, high-intake/high-output diets we see in our feeds.Diagnostic Switching: Understanding the shift into Orthorexia and why being "high functioning" doesn't mean you aren't in distress.Something that really stayed with me from this conversation was the idea of Identity vs. Performance. When we strip away the sports and the training, who are we? Recovery isn't about stopping forever; it's about regaining the autonomy to choose rest without guilt.Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Dr Amit on Instagram (@dramistrypsych)⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, anxiety, restrictive eating and medical trauma. Please look after yourself as you listen.If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han
In this episode, Dr. Brendan McCarthy dives deep into the psychology of ultra-processed foods, compulsive eating, shame, and why so many people feel trapped in unhealthy food cycles. This conversation goes far beyond calories and willpower. Dr. McCarthy explains how ultra-processed and hyper-palatable foods are intentionally engineered to drive repeat consumption, how emotional memories and stress shape cravings, and why shame-based nutrition advice often makes the problem worse instead of better. Topics covered in this episode include: • How ultra-processed foods affect the brain • Why compulsive eating is learned — and can be unlearned • The connection between trauma, stress, and food cravings • The difference between guilt and shame • How marketing and emotional associations shape eating habits • Why “clean eating” language can be harmful • The neuroscience of cravings, dopamine, serotonin, and reward • What real freedom with food actually looks like • Why self-compassion matters in healing If you've ever felt trapped in cycles of emotional eating, binge eating, food guilt, or shame around nutrition, this episode is for you.
Fan Mail: Tell Wendy how you're saying yes to yourself!Say "Yes!" to travel! Just check your calendar, book your flight, and pack your cute outfits:Cognac Jewelry School, FranceJune 27-July 4, 2026 or August 15-22, 2026: phineaswrighthouse.com/the-shop/p/cognac-jewellery-school-summer-foundations2027 Foundations: phineaswrighthouse.com/the-shop/p/cognac-jewellery-school-summer-foundations-2027SIn the 300th episode of Say YES to Yourself!, Wendy sits down with Katie Beecher, licensed counselor and medical intuitive who helps people connect to their intuition and listen to what their bodies are trying to tell them. Katie recovered from bulimia at age 16 after reaching out to a Jungian psychologist without her parents' support—a decision that changed the trajectory of her life.They explore:How to challenge your worry and ask: Is this fruitful or just draining?Why treating symptoms as friends changes everythingHow to stop waiting for perfect conditions and start living your life nowThis is a conversation about trusting yourself, setting boundaries, and learning to live now instead of waiting for perfect conditions. Connect with Katie:Get her book, Heal From Within: https://a.co/d/0bVHH8sw Website: katiebeecher.comFacebook: facebook.com/beechermedicalintuitive Instagram: instagram.com/katiebeecher_medical_intuitiveReferenced in this Episode:Course in Miracles Linksamzn.to/4u1EaOlmarianne.com/acim/apps.apple.com/us/app/acim-remind/id737568020________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with Wendy:LinkedinInstagram: @wendy.harropFacebook: Phineas Wright HouseWebsite: Phineas Wright House PWH Farm StaysPWH Curated Experience and TravelInterested in being a guest on the show? Send your pitch to podcast@phineaswrighthouse.comPodcast Production By Shannon Warner of Resonant Collective Want to start your own podcast? Let's chat!If this episode resonated, follow Say YES to Yourself! and leave a 5-star review. It helps more women in midlife discover the tools, stories, and community that make saying YES not only possible, but powerful.
Lift the Shame: Mothering Free From Diet Culture, Food Guilt, and Body Shame
If you thought motherhood would make eating disorder recovery easier, but instead you've found yourself still struggling with food, body image, pregnancy changes, postpartum identity shifts, or old ED thoughts resurfacing — you are not alone.In this episode, I'm sharing why eating disorder recovery can feel harder in motherhood, not because you're failing, but because pregnancy, postpartum, feeding children, identity shifts, and the pressure to be a “good mom” can reactivate old patterns.You do not have to be fully healed to be a good, loving, attuned mother.In this episode, we'll talk about:– Why motherhood doesn't automatically “fix” eating disorder recovery– Why pregnancy and postpartum can bring old ED thoughts back up– Why loving your children doesn't mean recovery suddenly becomes easy– How shame can show up when you feel like you “should be further along”– Why you do not have to be fully healed to be a good motherJoin Lift the Shame, my free virtual support group for moms in eating disorder recovery:https://www.crystalkarges.com/lift-the-shame-online-support-groupDisclaimer: This episode is for educational and supportive purposes only and is not a substitute for individualized medical, nutrition, or mental health care.If this episode resonated, I'd love to invite you into Lift the Shame, my free virtual support group for moms in eating disorder recovery.And if you're looking for deeper support during pregnancy, postpartum, or motherhood, Nourished Motherhood is my small-group coaching cohort for moms navigating eating disorder recovery in the tender, messy middle of mothering. Get full access to Lift The Shame: The Column at crystalkarges.substack.com/subscribe
Guys. We just hit Episode 200!! Whether you've been here since the beginning or you just found this podcast five minutes ago, I'm really glad you're here. This space has grown in ways I never expected, and it only works because you keep showing up and actually doing this work alongside me. In this episode, we're shifting the focus away from motivation and onto three capacities that actually determine whether you can follow through. These are the things that help you take action when you're tired, overwhelmed, not in the mood, or honestly just done with all of it. This is the work that makes recovery possible in real life, not just in theory. If you've ever felt stuck in that cycle of wanting to change but not being able to act on it consistently, this is where things start to make a lot more sense. Quotes "Ultimately, if motivation were enough, most of you would already be recovered." - Rachelle Heinemann "Motivation depends on your mood. It depends on your level of energy, and very often eating disorders reduce motivation for recovery because they solve something." - Rachelle Heinemann "Recovery requires skills that you can use without that feeling." - Rachelle Heinemann "Most eating disorder behaviors are attempts to regulate discomfort quickly. It is not necessarily instant gratification, but in some ways it is." - Rachelle Heinemann "There is no full recovery without relational recovery as well." - Rachelle Heinemann Resources Brave on Purpose! - Grab my new book here! Grab my Journal Prompts Here! Looking for a speaker for an upcoming event? Let's chat! Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit! LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode. Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here! You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at rachelle@rachelleheinemann.com
Eating Disorder Recovery Q&A: Body Image, Exercise Addiction, Night Hunger, Shame, and ControlIn this episode of Fly to Freedom, I'm answering real, unfiltered questions from people navigating eating disorder recovery.These aren't polished situations or neatly packaged problems. They are the honest, often overwhelming experiences that come up when you are in the middle of recovery—when thoughts feel loud, your body feels unfamiliar, and control still feels necessary.In this episode, I talk through what it actually looks like to keep moving forward when things feel chaotic, and why recovery doesn't require you to feel ready, calm, or certain before you take action.If you've ever felt stuck between wanting recovery and feeling pulled back by fear, this episode will meet you exactly where you are.How to respond when thoughts like “I don't deserve” and “there's something wrong with me” feel overwhelmingWhy eating disorder thoughts can intensify during recovery—and what to do when they doHow I approached compulsive exercise and why stepping away from it mattersWhat's really happening when body image feels unbearable, even looking at your own faceWhy restriction can start showing up in other areas of life beyond foodUnderstanding night hunger in anorexia recovery and why it often continuesHow to navigate shame around taking time off work for an eating disorderWhy the need for control increases when you feel uncertain—and how to begin responding differentlyHow being undernourished affects your ability to process therapy and hold onto insightsHow to approach food choices when everything feels confusing and overwhelmingRecovery is not about waiting for the thoughts to quieten or the fear to disappear.It's about learning to take the next step while the thoughts are still there.It's about choosing nourishment, rest, and support even when your mind is telling you not to.That is how change happens.If you're listening to this and recognising your own thoughts, your own patterns, your own struggles—you are not alone in this.So much of what feels deeply personal in an eating disorder is actually shared.And when those thoughts are spoken out loud, something begins to shift.If you're finding that the hardest moments are the ones in between—when thoughts feel loud, decisions feel overwhelming, or you're not sure what to do next—there is now a way to support yourself in those exact moments.Support When You Need It Most – The Recovery Companion AppRecovery doesn't happen in neat, controlled environments.It happens in real life.It happens when you wake up and your thoughts begin to form.It happens before a meal, when everything in you wants to avoid it.It happens after eating, when your head gets loud and the pull to go backwards kicks in.It happens in those moments where you feel unsure or stuck.And that's where the Recovery Companion comes in.This is a free app designed to support you in the moments that matter most, not just when you're listening, but when you're actually living your recovery.Inside the app, you'll find:A Morning Journal to start your day with intentionSupport Now, giving you in-the-moment guidanceMeal Support to walk alongside you before, during, and after eatingAn Evening Reflection to help you process your dayRunning quietly in the background is something powerful:A clear view of where your actions are pointing.You'll see the balance between Recovery Actions and Eating Disorder Actions, based on what you actually do, not how loud your thoughts feel.Because recovery isn't about waiting for the thoughts to disappear.It's about gently shifting your actions, again and again.The Recovery Companion is currently free to download, and it's there to support you through the everyday work of recovery.
My current perspective on eating disorders is that labeling food behaviors as a disorder has kept the field of food recovery distracted, continuing to focus on that food is the problem. Patterns of binge eating, restriction, yo yo dieting, food noise, and body image struggles need to be re-labeled as nervous system dysregulation or a trauma response. Food, for many, was never actually the problem, but it was the strategy to support the nervous system, to cultivate safety, and to produce specific neurotransmitters. The safer you feel in your body, the less you can experience food or body image impulses that are trying to facilitate safety.In this week's episode, I chat with Francesca Annenberg, Eating Disorder Recovery, Somatic Practitioner, and Psychedelic Integration Guide, about: How psychedelic assisted therapies can be utilized in food recoveryHow movement, sensory awareness and reconnecting with the body can transform food and body image issuesBuilding safety and trust in the bodyThe connection between food, relationships, and self worthYou can also read the transcript to this week's episode here: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/breakthrough-food-recovery-stucknessI truly believe somatic psychology has been the missing piece for many people struggling for decades with their food and body image. This is why I'm passionate about teaching my three month live Somatic Eating® Program to be able to reach more people with this work. You can learn more at somaticeating.com. The doors are open to join now and I would love to connect with you more in the program.With Compassion and Empathy, Stephanie Mara FoxKeep in touch with Francesca: Website: http://www.francescaeatsroses.com/ IG + TikTok: @francescaeatsroses LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-rose-annenberg-46966631 Email: hello@francescaeatsroses.comSupport the showKeep in touch with Stephanie Mara:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafoxWebsite: https://www.stephaniemara.com/https://www.somaticeating.com/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafoxContact: support@stephaniemara.comSupport the show:Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/supportAll affiliate links: https://www.stephaniemara.com/resourcesReceive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/STEPHANIEMARAUse my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPlSpecial thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.bensou...
FOOD FREEDOM APP - 20% OFF currently with Spring 2026 sale: https://studio.com/apps/harriet/freedomfood Weight restoration can be hugely challenging in eating disorder recovery. This episode gives mindset shifts on how to deal with this. 1. Understanding fear as a natural part of the process. 2. Action over doing. 3. The Parable of the Chinese Farmer. 4. 3 Islands - finding your recovery sweet spot and creating a new place. 5. Learning to self-soothe and calm your nervous system. 6. Dealing with comments from others and external validation around thinness. 7. Knowing that you will handle it, whatever life throws at you. Leaning into self-trust.
Send us Fan MailWhat a joy to have Jenny Langley on the podcast. Since her son recovered from anorexia 20 years ago, Jenny Langley has campaigned to raise awareness of eating disorders and the impact on the whole family, and to provide practical help and support to families affected by eating disorders. Jenny co-authored the New Maudsley Skills-Based Training Manual and wrote of her family's experiences in the book Boys Get Anorexia Too. In this episode, we talked about recovery, empowering parents and carers as well as those struggling and here are some of our key takeaways.What we learn in this episode:The gap between clinical care and real-life recovery is real Recovery isn't linear—and that includes movement “Starting again” isn't failure—it's part of the process Exercise can easily become another way to reassert control if not approached carefully. A healthy reintroduction to movement might focus on: Curiosity over performance Flexibility over rigidity Internal cues over external metrics Carers carry more than just practical responsibility For carers listening: You're often “on” all the time, even when things look stable Your wellbeing matters too. “All or nothing” thinking can sneak into exercise in recovery and how to navigate a safe return to movement.Resources for Parents, Friends, Carers:Caroline Toshack Counselling - Caroline has particular expertise in supporting people with a difficult or disordered relationship with food or their body. This includes eating disorders, exercise dependency and body image concerns. The New Maudsley Approach - A resource for professionals and carers of those with eating disordersBeat - UK Eating Disorder Charity - Beat provide carer groups, free resources, signposting and supportAttempt to Flee Famine: Adding an Evolutionary Perspective on Anorexia Nervosa Support the showPlease reach out if you would like some support with your relationship to food OR movement. Ela currently has limited spaces for Intuitive Eating coaching and if you'd like to reconnect with movement, contact Christine. If you'd like exclusive access to our supporter-only channel click here.We appreciate you
FOOD FREEDOM APP - 20% OFF currently with Spring 2026 sale: https://studio.com/apps/harriet/freedomfood In healing, you might be tempted to avoid looking at the past, but rather seeking out tools and strategies to support change. The problem is that this change is not then long lasting as many of your old patterns and ways of being are embedded in your unconscious. Part of healing is about making these old patterns conscious and processing and healing from old emotional wounds. In this episode, I explore: - 1. Dealing with the reality of your childhood experiences, rather than holding onto a fantasy version. 2. Understanding where projection is showing up in your current relationships and sabotaging them. 3. Dealing with emotional triggers from the past. Clearing old wounds and moving on with clarity.
In today's episode, we're having a really honest conversation about postpartum and eating disorder recovery. The parts people don't always talk about. The body changes, the emotions, the identity shift… and how all of that can land when you've had a complicated relationship with food or your body.If you're in the postpartum phase and finding it harder than you expected, you're not alone. You might feel grateful and overwhelmed at the same time. Proud of your body, but also uncomfortable in it. This episode is here to hold space for all of that.We'll talk about why this stage can feel so triggering, how old thoughts can creep back in even when you've done so much work, and what it actually looks like to care for yourself in this season. Not perfectly. Just gently.We cover: Why postpartum can stir up eating disorder thoughts again The reality of body changes and how to cope with them How to support your recovery while adjusting to a new version of life This isn't about “bouncing back.” It's about moving forward. With compassion, patience, and a bit more understanding of what your body and mind are going through.Let me know your thoughts! SOCIALS:Instagram: @flourishwithciandra @recovertoflourish_podTikTok: @flourishwithciandraWebsite: https://flourishwithciandra.com/Contact: info@flourishwithciandra.com
Rethinking Inflammation: How ‘Rest And Ice' Is Sabotaging Your Healing Everything you know about inflammation may be wrong. While standard protocols like rest and icing aim to suppress inflammation, new research suggests that an intense, short-term inflammatory response is actually essential for the body's natural healing process. Our expert explains how to rethink our relationship with inflammation and leverage our own biological systems to heal joints and nerves. Guest: Dr. Thomas Buchheit, Director of The Regenerative Pain Therapies Program, Duke Center for Translational Pain Medicine, author, Healing Joints and Nerves The Weight Of Winning Pt.2: Overcoming Binge Eating As A Man Danny O'Connor took a step back from his professional boxing career to address his binge eating disorder. However, healing wasn't as easy as he expected. O'Connor details the ups and downs of his journey, as well as his mission to create a space for men to openly speak about their struggles. Guest: Danny O'Connor, professional boxer, author, Weight Class Facebook: ingoodhealthpodX: @ ingoodhealthpodIG: @ingoodhealthpodYouTube: @ingoodhealthpodSpotify Apple Podcast In Good Health PodcastSubscribed to the newsletterFull ArchiveContact UsBecome an Affiliate Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Weight Of Winning Pt.2: Overcoming Binge Eating As A Man Danny O'Connor took a step back from his professional boxing career to address his binge eating disorder. However, healing wasn't as easy as he expected. O'Connor details the ups and downs of his journey, as well as his mission to create a space for men to openly speak about their struggles. Guest: Danny O'Connor, professional boxer, author, Weight Class Host: Greg Johnson Producer: Kristen Farrah Facebook: ingoodhealthpodX: @ ingoodhealthpodIG: @ingoodhealthpodYouTube: @ingoodhealthpodSpotify Apple Podcast In Good Health PodcastSubscribed to the newsletterFull ArchiveContact UsBecome an Affiliate Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this video, I do a deep dive into my 9 biggest lessons in eating disorder recovery. I explore: - 1. The importance of holding onto hope and pursuing different recovery routes, leaning into self-trust. 2. Symptoms work might need to happen first, to get out of restriction and all the mental and physical consequences of this. 3. The value of regular eating and balanced meals. 4. Reintroducing forbidden foods with safety and structure. 5. Dealing with the roots of the problem and processing emotional issues and trauma. 6. Softening the inner critic and working to build self-compassion. 7. Building robust body image. 8. The importance of healthy relationships. 9. Sculpting a life that is fulfiling and purposeful, beyond the eating disorder.
Eating disorders are complicated illnesses that skyrocketed among teenagers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pediatrician Eva Trujillo says they "literally rewire the brain," decrease brain size, and make it harder to concentrate and to regulate emotions. Malnutrition can slow the metabolism, impact bone density and even lead to cardiac arrest. But Eva says, with the right treatment, people can also recover fully. She's the president of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals and co-founder of Comenzar de Nuevo, a leading treatment facility in Latin America. Today on the show, host Emily Kwong talks about the physical and mental impacts of eating disorders with Dr. Trujillo and Moorea Friedman, a teen mental health advocate and host of the podcast Balancing Act. Plus, how to recover in a world steeped in diet culture. (encore)Want us to cover more mental health topics? Tell us by emailing shortwave@npr.org! We'd love to know what you want to hear from us!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy
Creative Healing: Why Doctors Are Writing Prescriptions For The Arts Science is suggesting that engaging in creative endeavors is a key component of our physical and mental health. In the UK, doctors are writing "social prescriptions" to provide patients with clinical access to creative outlets. Our experts explain the new research supporting this shift and argue that creative participation is essential for our health. Guests: Daisy Fancourt, professor of psychobiology & epidemiology, University College London, author, Art Cure Robynn Smith, professor emeritus, Monterey Peninsula College, founder, Print Day in May The Weight Of Winning: A Boxer's Fight With Binge Eating Disorder For years, boxer Danny O'Connor didn't realize his extreme methods of cutting weight masked a severe struggle with binge eating disorder. This cycle of dangerous physical manipulation followed by uncontrollable eating left him feeling like an unwilling passenger in his own body. This week he shares his story, highlighting the struggles of seeking help for binge eating as both a man and an elite athlete. Guests: Danny O'Connor, professional boxer, author, Weight Class Facebook: ingoodhealthpodX: @ ingoodhealthpodIG: @ingoodhealthpodYouTube: @ingoodhealthpodSpotify Apple Podcast In Good Health PodcastSubscribed to the newsletterFull ArchiveContact UsBecome an Affiliate Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Weight Of Winning: A Boxer's Fight With Binge Eating Disorder For years, boxer Danny O'Connor didn't realize his extreme methods of cutting weight masked a severe struggle with binge eating disorder. This cycle of dangerous physical manipulation followed by uncontrollable eating left him feeling like an unwilling passenger in his own body. This week he shares his story, highlighting the struggles of seeking help for binge eating as both a man and an elite athlete. Guests: Danny O'Connor, professional boxer, author, Weight Class Host: Greg Johnson Producers: Kristen Farra Facebook: ingoodhealthpodX: @ ingoodhealthpodIG: @ingoodhealthpodYouTube: @ingoodhealthpodSpotify Apple Podcast In Good Health PodcastSubscribed to the newsletterFull ArchiveContact UsBecome an Affiliate Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this episode of Mental Note Podcast, Ellie Pike sits down with Harper Reed—eating disorder survivor and recovery coach—for an honest conversation about eating disorder recovery, grief, anxiety, and what it really takes to rebuild your life after feeling stuck. Harper shares how years of cycling in and out of treatment eventually gave way to a powerful mindset shift: realizing she had to build a life worth recovering for. Together, they explore identity beyond diagnosis, the challenge of unstructured time, and the small, meaningful steps that help us reconnect to purpose. Whether you're navigating recovery, processing loss, or simply feeling stuck in a rut, this episode offers grounded hope and practical encouragement for moving forward—one manageable step at a time. Links: Harper Reed Instagram @harperreed.coaching Website: Harper Reed Coaching Mental Note Podcast www.mentalnotepodcast.com Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center: www.pathlightbh.com Eating Recovery Center: www.eatingrecoverycenter.com Free Group Support: www.pathlightbh.com/support-groups Free Evaluation with a Trained Therapist: (877) 850-7199
What if eating disorder recovery didn't have to be all-or-nothing to be real, valid, and life-changing? If traditional eating disorder recovery models have ever felt too rigid, too fast, or disconnected from your real life, this episode offers a different way forward. In this solo episode, I explore how harm reduction for eating disorders creates space for sustainable, real-world healing, and why lived experience is essential for shaping recovery that actually works. This conversation is especially important for people navigating long-term eating disorders, neurodivergence, chronic stress, and systems that make access to care more complicated. What Is Harm Reduction in Eating Disorder Recovery? Harm reduction in eating disorder recovery shifts the focus away from perfection and toward safety, stability, and sustainability. Instead of asking how to eliminate every behavior immediately, this approach asks how to reduce harm, support the body, and create change that is actually possible in the context of your life. This includes working with capacity, honoring sensory needs, and building consistency in ways that feel accessible rather than overwhelming. Why Lived Experience Matters in Eating Disorder Recovery Lived experience in eating disorder recovery refers to the knowledge that comes from actually living through an eating disorder. This concept has roots in phenomenology and has been shaped by mental health and disability advocacy movements that center the voices of those most impacted. When lived experience is included in recovery spaces, it brings nuance, context, and practical insight that cannot be captured through clinical knowledge alone. How Lived Experience Strengthens Harm Reduction Approaches When lived experience is centered, harm reduction becomes more grounded and responsive. It reflects how people actually navigate food, body, and daily life. It allows for strategies that support executive functioning, sensory preferences, and fluctuating capacity. It also acknowledges the role eating disorder behaviors can play in coping with distress, rather than ignoring their function. Eating Disorders, Intersectionality, and Real-Life Barriers Eating disorder recovery does not happen in a vacuum. Factors like weight stigma, racism, ableism, financial barriers, and access to care all shape what recovery can realistically look like. A harm reduction approach informed by lived experience takes these realities seriously and creates space for recovery that is flexible, inclusive, and grounded in the context of people's lives. Long-Term Eating Disorders and Non-Linear Recovery For many people, eating disorders are long-term and symptoms can shift over time depending on stress, life transitions, and health changes. Harm reduction supports this reality by allowing recovery to evolve, rather than forcing a fixed endpoint. This includes focusing on reducing risk, maintaining stability, and supporting the body across different phases of life. Expanding What Recovery Can Look Like Recovery does not have to be defined by perfection or full symptom elimination to be meaningful. It can include small, sustainable shifts that support your body and your life. Harm reduction creates space for multiple pathways to recovery, especially for those who have felt excluded from traditional models. Related Episodes Harm Reduction for Long-Term Eating Disorders: Peer Support, Healing, & Hope With Johanna Scoglio, M.Ed., M.B.A. on Apple and Spotify. Understanding Harm Reduction: Why "Full Recovery" May Not Be the Goal for Lifelong Eating Disorders on Apple and Spotify. Orthorexia, Quasi-Recovery, & Lifelong Eating Disorder Struggles with Dr. Lara Zibarras @drlarazib on Apple & Spotify. Navigating a Long-Term Eating Disorder on Apple & Spotify. Work With Dr. Marianne If you are looking for eating disorder therapy or coaching that centers lived experience, neurodivergence, and harm reduction, I offer support that is grounded in real-world sustainability. You can learn more about working with me at my website, drmariannemiller.com.
Eating disorders in midlife are increasing, yet they are often missed, misunderstood, or dismissed as “normal” aging concerns. During midlife, many people notice a sudden intensification of food struggles, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorder symptoms such as restriction, binge eating, or food anxiety. This is not random. It is the result of a powerful intersection between ageism, diet culture, and midlife body changes. In this episode, I sit down with Deb Benfield, RDN (@agingbodyliberation), to break down why eating disorders can become more complex during midlife and how pressure to stay thin and young directly fuels disordered eating patterns and recovery challenges. Ageism, Body Image, & Diet Culture in Midlife Ageism and diet culture work together to shape body image and eating behaviors in midlife. During this stage of life, messaging around anti-aging, weight loss, and “fixing” your body becomes louder and more targeted. Cultural narratives reinforce that thinness and youth equal worth, increasing body dissatisfaction and pressure to control food, weight, and appearance. During this conversation, we explore how diet culture does not fade with age. It adapts. Wellness culture, anti-aging industries, and weight-focused health messaging continue to position the body as a problem. This environment can intensify eating disorder symptoms, especially for those with a history of dieting, binge eating, restriction, or ARFID. Midlife Body Changes, Menopause & Eating Disorder Triggers Midlife body changes, including perimenopause and menopause, can act as major triggers for eating disorders. Hormonal shifts, metabolism changes, and body composition changes often occur outside of personal control, which can feel destabilizing and distressing. During midlife, messaging about menopause, weight gain, and “optimal health” often promotes restriction, rigid eating rules, and increased exercise. These approaches can worsen eating disorder symptoms and create more disconnection from hunger, fullness, and body cues. We discuss how these pressures contribute to food anxiety, body monitoring, and difficulty trusting your body during eating disorder recovery. The Pressure to Stay Thin & Young in Midlife The pressure to stay thin and young intensifies during midlife and is reinforced through diet culture, wellness culture, and anti-aging messaging. From weight loss interventions to GLP-1 medications to strict health routines, the message is clear: your body must be controlled to remain acceptable. Deb invites us to ask a critical question: who benefits from your fear of aging and body change? When fear drives behavior, it becomes easier to stay stuck in cycles of restriction, binge eating, or compulsive movement. This section explores how fear-based messaging disrupts body trust and reinforces eating disorder patterns. Body Image, Identity & Eating Disorders in Midlife Body image in midlife is deeply connected to identity, belonging, and perceived social value. During this stage, changes in appearance can feel like a loss of visibility or relevance in a culture that prioritizes youth and thinness. This can lead to increased body monitoring, comparison, and attempts to control weight or shape. We also explore how intersectionality shapes eating disorder experiences. Factors such as race, body size, disability, gender identity, and neurodivergence can amplify pressure and marginalization. Eating disorders in midlife are influenced by these broader systems, which affect access to care, safety, and support. Eating Disorder Recovery in Midlife: Rebuilding Body Trust Eating disorder recovery in midlife is not about returning to a previous version of your body. It is about building a new relationship with your body that is rooted in trust, nourishment, and care. Deb shares how recovery can include untangling internalized ageism, challenging diet culture beliefs, and reconnecting with hunger, fullness, and rest. Creating a sense of safety in the body is essential, especially during a time when cultural messaging promotes undernourishment and overexertion. Recovery in midlife can support greater flexibility, connection, and sustainability in your relationship with food. A More Expansive Approach to Aging, Body Image & Body Diversity During this episode, we explore the limitations of pro-aging and body image spaces that still center thin, white, able-bodied bodies. Expanding the definition of beauty and embracing body diversity across ages is essential for meaningful eating disorder recovery. Midlife can offer an opportunity to reconnect with your values, shift away from body control, and move toward a more expansive understanding of yourself. Aging does not have to be something to fight. It can create space for clarity, autonomy, and deeper connection. Key Takeaway Your body is not the project of your life. Your body is your partner. Eating disorder recovery in midlife can include more trust, flexibility, and freedom. Connect and With Deb Benfield, RDN You can connect with Deb Benfield on Instagram at @agingbodyliberation, or her website at debrabenfield.com, where she shares insights on ageism, body image, eating disorder recovery, and body liberation in midlife. Her work focuses on helping people reconnect with their bodies, challenge diet culture, and navigate aging with more compassion and autonomy. You can also check out her book, Unapologetic Aging. Related Episodes Restrictive Eating in Midlife: Why Eating Disorders Can Begin After 30, 40, 50 on Apple & Spotify Anorexia & Bulimia After 40: Understanding Midlife Recovery & Change on Apple & Spotify. The Hidden Pain of Midlife Anorexia: Why Coping Breaks Down & What Heals on Apple & Spotify. Why Is Anorexia Showing Up Again in Midlife? You're Not Imagining It on Apple & Spotify. Midlife Bulimia Recovery: Coping With the Internal Chaos on Apple & Spotify. Work With Dr. Marianne If you are navigating eating disorders in midlife, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or ARFID, you do not have to do this alone. I offer eating disorder therapy and coaching in California, Washington, D.C., and globally, with a focus on neurodivergent-affirming and liberation-based care. Learn more about working with me via my website drmariannemiller.com, and explore my ARFID course: https://www.drmariannemiller.com/arfid
Save 10% on your next Fleshlight with promo code 10PRIVATE at fleshlight.com. For the 254th episode of Private Parts Unknown, host Courtney Kocak welcomes writer, journalist, and professor Mallary Tenore Tarpley. Mallary is the author of Slip: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery, and her work reframes recovery not as a clean, finished destination, but as a messy, ongoing “middle place” where progress and setbacks coexist. In this episode, we talk about how grief, control, and perfectionism shaped her eating disorder after losing her mother at a young age, what treatment actually looks like behind the scenes, the concept of normative discontent (the cultural reality that most of us struggle with our bodies), how slips can become opportunities for growth instead of shame spirals, and how she talks to her kids about food, bodies, and emotions in a way that breaks generational cycles. Plus, we dive into the complexities of pregnancy and postpartum recovery with an eating disorder history. For more from today's guest, Mallary Tenore Tarpley: Buy Mallary's book Slip: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery Follow Mallary on Instagram @mallarytenoretarpley Subscribe to Mallary's Substack https://mallary.substack.com/welcome Get your copy of Girl Gone Wild from Bookshop.org or Amazon. Psst, Courtney has an 0nIyFan$, which is a horny way to support the show: https://linktr.ee/cocopeepshow Private Parts Unknown is a proud member of the Pleasure Podcast network. This episode is brought to you by: VB Health offers doctor-formulated sexual health supplements designed to elevate your sex life. Their lineup includes Soaking Wet, a blend of vitamins and probiotics that support vaginal health; Load Boost, which promotes male fertility and enhances semen volume and taste; and Drive Boost, formulated to increase libido and sexual desire for all genders. Visit vb.health and use code PRIVATE for 10% off. Our Sponsor, FLESHLIGHT, can help you reach new heights with your self-pleasure. Fleshlight is the #1 selling male sex toy in the world. Looking for your next pocket pal? Save 10% on your next Fleshlight with Promo Code: PRIVATE10 at fleshlight.com. STDCheck.com is the leader in reliable and affordable lab-based STD testing. Just go to ppupod.com, click STDCheck, and use code Private to get $10 off your next STI test. Explore yourself and say yes to self-pleasure with Lovehoney. Save 15% off your next favorite toy from Lovehoney when you go to lovehoney.com and enter code AFF-PRIVATE at checkout. https://linktr.ee/PrivatePartsUnknownAds If you love this episode, please leave us a 5-star rating and sexy review! Psst... sign up for the Private Parts Unknown newsletter for bonus content related to our episodes! privatepartsunknown.substack.com Let's be friends on social media! Follow the show on Instagram @privatepartsunknown and Twitter @privatepartsun. Connect with host Courtney Kocak @courtneykocak on Instagram and Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us Fan MailMallary and I discussed an upcoming Zoom event focused on eating disorder recovery, particularly exploring the "middle place" between being actively sick and full recovery. I shared my personal experience of how recovery brought color back into my life after experiencing black-and-white dreams during my struggle with bulimia. Mallary confirmed the event details about her Creative Workshop on Eating Disorder Recovery, along with artist Therese Roeser: it will take place on Wednesday, April 22nd, from 7 pm to 8:15 pm Central Standard Time, and participants are encouraged to bring art supplies, like crayons and coloring pencils, to add color to the discussion. The event is free and accessible through Mallary's Substack newsletter at mallary.substack.com, where participants can find more details and register for the Zoom session.Personal Anorexia Experience DiscussionMallary and I discussed Mallary's personal experience with anorexia, including how it was connected to losing her mother at a young age. We referenced a previous podcast episode (128), where we explored the origins of eating disorders and their role in recovery. Creative Workshop On ED RecoveryFree online workshop with author Mallary Tenore Tarpley & artist Therese Roeser, April 22nd, 7 pm CTBuzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEBE A GUEST/FIND A GUEST Start for Free!PODMATCH is innovative, provides easy communication and dashboard scheduling! My pick of the month!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show
This video does a deep dive into the impact of undereating, looking at physical, emotional and social costs. I hope that you find it helpful. Find out more about my work: - My YouTube channel Food Freedom App - https://studio.com/apps/harriet/freedomfood Fitness Lovers Guide to Food Freedom - https://food-freedom-coach.teachable.com/p/radical-self-care-and-building-your-thriving-eating-disorder-therapy-practice Breaking Free From Bulimia Online Course - https://food-freedom coach.teachable.com/p/intuitive-eating-beginners-course4 Eating Disorders Training for Professionals - https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html Body Image Training for Professionals - https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html My website - https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk #mentalhealthawareness #foodfreedom #eatingdisorderrecovery #relationshipwithfood #hungry #undereating #dietaryrestraint #countingcalories
What happens when nutrition advice becomes loud, simplified, and everywhere you turn? In this episode, Dr. Marianne welcomes back Kathleen Meehan, RD (@therdnutritionist), an anti-diet, fat-positive dietitian, to unpack the current wave of nutrition myths shaping how people think about food, health, and eating disorder recovery. From protein obsession to processed food panic, this conversation brings nuance back into a space that often lacks it. The Rise of Protein Obsession in Diet Culture Protein is everywhere right now. Social media, food marketing, and even medical guidance are emphasizing high-protein intake as the key to health. Kathleen explains that while protein is important, the current messaging lacks context and balance. This trend often leads to the quiet demonization of carbohydrates and reinforces rigid food rules. It is especially visible in conversations around GLP-1 medications, where protein is framed as a solution for muscle preservation without acknowledging that overall nourishment matters more. Protein cannot compensate for not eating enough. A balanced, consistent pattern of eating is what supports both physical and mental well-being. How Nutrition Messaging Fuels Disordered Eating Many people enter eating disorder recovery already carrying fear and guilt around food. Kathleen highlights how even well-meaning nutrition advice can contribute to disordered eating when it is oversimplified. Messages about avoiding certain foods or “doing it right” can increase anxiety and disconnect people from their internal cues. Over time, this reinforces the belief that food must be controlled, measured, or optimized to be acceptable. Recovery often requires moving away from rigid rules and toward flexibility, trust, and consistency. The Pressure to Optimize Food and Health Wellness culture increasingly encourages people to track and fine-tune every aspect of their health. From wearable devices to food tracking, there is pressure to optimize eating, sleep, and metabolism. This level of monitoring can create stress and a false sense of control. Kathleen emphasizes that focusing on the big picture is often more helpful than micromanaging details. A sustainable relationship with food does not require constant measurement. Zooming out allows for a more realistic and supportive approach to health. Processed Foods and Eating Disorder Recovery Processed foods are often framed as harmful, but this conversation challenges that narrative. Kathleen emphasizes that processed foods are essential for accessibility, convenience, and consistency. For many people, including those with ARFID, processed foods may be the most reliable or tolerable options. Removing them can reduce intake and increase distress. In eating disorder recovery, having access to preferred foods is often more important than striving for an idealized version of eating. Processed foods can support nourishment, especially when life is busy, resources are limited, or sensory needs are present. Food Access, SNAP, and Nutrition Myths Food choices are shaped by access, time, and resources. Kathleen and Dr. Marianne discuss how public conversations about SNAP benefits and food choices often ignore these realities. Shelf-stable and convenient foods can be essential for individuals and families managing work demands, limited access to fresh foods, or financial constraints. Judging food choices without considering these factors oversimplifies complex realities. Nutrition cannot be separated from social context. A broader view of health includes access, stress, and systemic factors. ARFID, Sensory Needs, and Flexible Eating For individuals with ARFID, expanding food options requires safety and flexibility. Kathleen emphasizes that access to preferred foods supports both nourishment and emotional well-being. Pressuring people to eat in a certain way, especially under rigid “clean eating” expectations, can increase distress and reduce intake. Lowering pressure and supporting consistency helps create a more sustainable relationship with food. This approach is especially important for neurodivergent individuals and those navigating sensory sensitivities. A More Nuanced Approach to Nutrition This episode returns to a central theme: nutrition is not meant to be rigid or perfect. Instead of focusing on exact numbers or rules, a more supportive approach asks whether you are eating enough, including a variety of foods, and meeting your needs over time. If nutrition advice feels extreme or overwhelming, it may not be helpful. A flexible, big-picture approach supports eating disorder recovery far more than rigid guidelines. Connect With Kathleen Meehan, RD Follow Kathleen on Instagram at @therdnutritionist or on her website for thoughtful, weight-inclusive perspectives on nutrition, diet culture, and eating disorder recovery. Related Episodes When Children and Teens Struggle With Binge Eating Disorder With Kathleen Meehan, RD @therdnutritionist on Apple & Spotify. Navigating Nutrition in Long-Term Eating Disorders With Jaren Soloff, RD @wholewomennutrition on Apple & Spotify. Chronic Illness, Wellness Culture, & Eating Disorder Recovery: Taking an Anti-Diet Approach With Abbie Attwood, MS, @abbieattwoodwellness on Apple & Spotify. Work With Dr. Marianne Dr. Marianne is a California-based eating disorder therapist specializing in ARFID and other eating disorders. She offers virtual therapy, coaching, and virtual courses to support a more flexible, sustainable relationship with food. Learn more at drmariannemiller.com. Listen & Subscribe If this episode resonated, follow the Dr. Marianne-Land podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and share it with someone who could benefit from a more nuanced approach to nutrition and eating disorder recovery.
In this episode, Hannah is joined by Judy Krasna, Executive Director of F.E.A.S.T. (Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment for Eating Disorders). Judy is a writer and eating disorder advocate based in Israel, and after volunteering for F.E.A.S.T. in multiple capacities, she became the organisation's Executive Director in February 2021.Judy joins Hannah for a deeply moving and insightful conversation about what it means to be a parent supporting a child through an eating disorder: the isolation, the guilt, the exhaustion, and the incredible power of love and community. Judy also shares her own personal journey, including the tragic loss of her daughter Gavriella, who passed away in 2020 after a 13-year battle with anorexia nervosa.This one is raw, honest, and so important. We hope it brings comfort and clarity to any parent or loved one who needs it.In this episode, we talk about:What F.E.A.S.T. is and how it supports families across the worldWhy eating disorders can be so isolating for parents and carersThe damaging impact of parent blame in treatmentWhy families should be seen as part of the solution, not the problemThe long-term impact of trauma on parents supporting a loved oneHow eating disorders can distort trust, self-trust, and family relationshipsWhy support systems are so important in recoveryThe challenge of balancing protection with independenceWhat Judy wants parents at breaking point to knowJudy's incredibly honest reflections on losing her daughter, Gavriella Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with FEAST via their website (feast-ed.org/)⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders and suicide. Please look after yourself as you listen.If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness.Sending positive beans your way, Han
High achievers are often seen as disciplined, driven, and successful. But behind that external competence, many people are navigating intense internal pressure, perfectionism, and a deep disconnection from their bodies. In this episode, Dr. Marianne explores why high achievers are more vulnerable to eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, and how these patterns are often hidden in plain sight. You will learn how perfectionism, control, and chronic stress shape eating disorder behaviors, why anorexia and bulimia can feel regulating in the short term, and how high-achieving identities can make recovery more complex. Dr. Marianne also shares from her own lived experience with bulimia, where overexercising functioned as a compensatory behavior, and how her relationship with food and her body shifted over time. High Achievers and Eating Disorders: Why Anorexia and Bulimia Often Go Unnoticed High achievers are less likely to be identified as struggling, even when eating disorder behaviors are present. This section explores how achievement, productivity, and external success can mask anorexia and bulimia, allowing patterns to continue without recognition or support. Perfectionism and Eating Disorders: The Link Between Control, Anorexia, and Bulimia Perfectionism plays a central role in both anorexia and bulimia. Learn how rigid standards, fear of mistakes, and performance-based self-worth contribute to restriction, binge eating cycles, and compensatory behaviors like overexercising. Anorexia vs Bulimia: How Eating Disorders Show Up in High Achievers This episode breaks down how anorexia and bulimia can present differently while serving similar functions. Understand how restriction, rigidity, and control show up in anorexia, and how cycles of eating and compensatory behaviors, including overexercise, show up in bulimia. Chronic Stress, Nervous System Activation, and Eating Disorders High achievers often operate under sustained stress, which can disrupt hunger cues, increase rigidity, and contribute to cycles seen in anorexia and bulimia. Learn how nervous system regulation plays a key role in understanding and healing eating disorders. Neurodivergence, Sensory Needs, and Eating Disorders Many high achievers are also neurodivergent. This section explores how sensory processing, executive functioning differences, and a need for predictability can intersect with anorexia and bulimia, shaping eating patterns and recovery needs. Intersectionality, High Achievement, and Eating Disorder Risk The pressure to achieve is not experienced equally. Dr. Marianne explores how systemic factors, identity, and marginalization can increase vulnerability to eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Eating Disorder Recovery for High Achievers: Moving Beyond Control Recovery does not mean losing your drive or ambition. Learn how to build a more flexible, sustainable relationship with food and your body while maintaining your strengths as a high achiever. Related Episodes The Truth About "High-Functioning" People With Lifelong Eating Disorders on Apple & Spotify. Perfectionism, People-Pleasing, & Body Image: Self-Compassion Tools for Long-Term Eating Disorder Recovery With Carrie Pollard, MSW @compassionate_counsellor on Apple & Spotify. Perfectionism, Bulimia, & Recovery: Harnessing Your Strengths to Heal With Dr. Amanda Marie @glitterypoison on Apple & Spotify. Work With Dr. Marianne: Eating Disorder Therapy and Coaching If you are navigating anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or patterns of overcontrol around food, Dr. Marianne offers therapy and coaching support. Her approach is neurodivergent-affirming, trauma-informed, and grounded in a liberation-focused framework. Learn more about working with Dr. Marianne here: https://www.drmariannemiller.com/
The MANTRA flower from the Maudsley Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa is a valuable tool in eating disorder recovery. I talk about it here. If you would like a visual representation of the flower, please click on my Substack or YouTube links below. Find out more about my work: - My YouTube channel Food Freedom App - https://studio.com/apps/harriet/freedomfood Fitness Lovers Guide to Food Freedom - https://food-freedom-coach.teachable.com/p/radical-self-care-and-building-your-thriving-eating-disorder-therapy-practice Breaking Free From Bulimia Online Course - https://food-freedom coach.teachable.com/p/intuitive-eating-beginners-course4 Eating Disorders Training for Professionals - https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/eating-disorders-training-with-harriet-frew.html Body Image Training for Professionals - https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk/body-image-training-with-harriet-frew.html My website - https://www.theeatingdisordertherapist.co.uk #maudsleymantra #mantraflower #mantra #mentalhealthawareness #foodfreedom #eatingdisorderrecovery #relationshipwithfood
If eating feels stressful, overwhelming, or even scary, you are not alone. Fear of food is incredibly common, especially for people navigating eating disorder recovery or trying to unlearn years of diet culture messaging. What often gets labeled as “lack of willpower” is actually something much deeper. It is learned fear. In this episode, Dr. Marianne explores how fear of food develops, why it feels so real in the body, and how diet culture conditions people to distrust their own eating instincts. This conversation moves beyond surface-level advice and gets into the psychological and nervous system layers of food anxiety. How Diet Culture Creates Food Anxiety and Food Rules Diet culture teaches people to categorize food into rigid binaries such as “good” and “bad,” while also tying eating behaviors to morality and self-worth. Over time, this creates internalized food rules that can feel impossible to break. These rules often lead to anxiety, restriction, and a growing sense that eating must be controlled at all times. Dr. Marianne explains how these patterns develop gradually and why they are often reinforced by praise, healthcare messaging, and social norms. What begins as an attempt to feel in control can slowly turn into fear of specific foods, fear of eating freely, and fear of losing control. Fear of Food in Eating Disorder Recovery Fear of food is a central experience in many eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and ARFID. Even when someone intellectually understands that food is not dangerous, their nervous system may still react with anxiety. This episode breaks down why that happens and how long-term restriction strengthens food fear over time. Dr. Marianne shares how the brain begins to associate certain foods with danger and why reintroducing those foods can feel so overwhelming. Neurodivergence, Sensory Needs, and Food Anxiety For neurodivergent individuals, including those with ADHD and autism, food anxiety can be layered with sensory sensitivities, executive functioning challenges, and differences in hunger awareness. Diet culture often ignores these realities, which can make eating feel even more complicated. Dr. Marianne discusses why a neurodivergent-affirming approach to eating disorder recovery is essential and how honoring sensory needs and autonomy can reduce fear and increase safety around food. Rebuilding Trust With Food After Diet Culture Healing fear of food is not about forcing yourself to “just eat” or pushing through anxiety. It is about gradually helping the nervous system learn that eating is safe again. Dr. Marianne introduces the concept of microdosing uncertainty as a way to take small, manageable steps toward flexibility with food. She also explores how questioning food rules, creating supportive eating environments, and working with the nervous system can help reduce food anxiety over time. Recovery is not about perfect eating. It is about building a relationship with food that is less governed by fear and more grounded in trust. You Are Not Broken If you feel afraid of food, it does not mean you are failing. It means you have learned to associate eating with danger in a culture that constantly reinforces those fears. This episode offers a compassionate and practical framework for understanding food anxiety and beginning the process of healing. Related Episodes SkinnyTok & Anorexia: How Harmful Trends Thrive Despite TikTok's Ban with Jen Tomei @askjenup on Apple and Spotify. ARFID, PDA, and Autonomy: Why Pressure Makes Eating Harder on Apple & Spotify. When PDA Drives ARFID: Understanding Food Refusal, Control, & Safety on Apple & Spotify. Work With Dr. Marianne If you are struggling with fear of food, eating disorder recovery, or food anxiety, you can work with Dr. Marianne through therapy or coaching. Services are available in California, Texas, Washington, D.C., and globally. You can also explore Dr. Marianne's self-paced course on ARFID and selective eating, which includes neurodivergent-affirming, sensory-supportive approaches to rebuilding trust with food. Learn more at drmariannemiller.com
New to the show? Start Here: https://breakingupwithbingeeating.transistor.fm/start-herePick the listening path that fits what you're dealing with right now.Episode summaryRecovery doesn't only happen in therapy—it happens in the moments in between. In this episode, Georgie talks with Mehek Mohan, cofounder of Kahani, an app designed to offer personalized, on-demand support for eating disorder recovery, and Elena, who uses the app in her own recovery and helps guide its development.You'll hear how Kahani aims to lower cognitive load on hard days through check-ins and tailored activities, why a nonjudgmental space can help when shame is loud, and how the app navigates the common “weight loss vs. binge/restrict” trap without turning into diet culture in disguise.In this episode, we talk about:Why urges can spike during transitions and at night—and what “in-the-moment” support can look likeThe relief of having somewhere to “get it out” without feeling like a burdenElena's take on shame and silence—and why repeated disclosure to loved ones can sometimes backfireHow Kahani's check-ins and personalized activities are designed to reduce cognitive loadWhat makes the app feel more “recovery-literate” (ED-specific language + that “quasi recovery” middle space)The “I want to lose weight but I'm stuck in binge/restrict” dilemma—plus an example of how the app respondsGuardrails: why Kahani isn't a replacement for treatment, and how it's meant to augment supportMehek's personal “why” for building this, and how they're iterating based on user feedbackLinks & resourcesLearn more about Kahani: https://getkahani.com/georgieImportant noteThis episode is educational and supportive, not medical advice. Kahani is a support tool and is not a substitute for professional treatment.
In this episode of the Liv Label Free Podcast, Livia discusses demand avoidance in autism and how it can influence eating behaviors and eating disorder recovery. She explains what Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is, why basic needs like eating can sometimes feel like overwhelming demands, and how this can lead to avoidance around food and eating disorder treatment. Livia also explores the shift from viewing PDA as “pathological” to understanding it as a Pervasive Drive for Autonomy, highlighting why language and perspective matter. Finally, she shares practical strategies for caregivers and individuals to support recovery in ways that respect autonomy, reduce pressure, and foster collaboration.
Most people still believe eating disorders only begin in adolescence or early adulthood. But restrictive eating can develop later in life, and midlife can be a particularly vulnerable time. Changes in the body, new health conditions, medications, major life transitions, and cultural pressure around aging can all shape someone's relationship with food. In this episode of Dr. Marianne-Land, Dr. Marianne explores why restrictive eating in midlife is more common than many people realize and why it often goes unnoticed. She discusses how bodies change as we mature, how medications and medical diagnoses can alter appetite and body composition, and why restrictive eating may be socially accepted or even praised in older adults. This conversation also looks at the emotional and cultural factors that can make midlife a turning point in someone's relationship with food. If eating has become more rigid, stressful, or rule-driven later in life, you are not alone. Eating disorders after 40 are real, and recovery is possible. Restrictive Eating in Midlife Restrictive eating in midlife often develops gradually. Someone may begin skipping meals, cutting out food groups, or eating less in response to body changes, stress, or health concerns. What begins as small adjustments can slowly become more rigid and anxiety-driven. Dr. Marianne explains how restrictive eating patterns in midlife can sometimes be mistaken for healthy lifestyle changes. Because restriction is often praised in adults, it can be difficult for people to recognize when eating has become disordered. Eating Disorders After 40 and Late-Onset Eating Disorders Eating disorders after 40 are more common than many people realize. Research and clinical experience show that late-onset eating disorders can develop during midlife due to life transitions, hormonal changes, chronic stress, or new medical conditions. In this episode, Dr. Marianne discusses why people who develop eating disorders later in life often feel confused or isolated. Because eating disorders are so frequently associated with youth, many adults struggle to understand what they are experiencing. Body Changes in Midlife and Restrictive Eating Bodies naturally change as we age. Hormones shift, metabolism evolves, and body composition often changes during midlife. Perimenopause, menopause, sleep changes, stress, and shifting activity levels can all influence appetite and energy levels. Dr. Marianne explores how body changes in midlife can create distress or uncertainty for many people, especially in a culture that pressures individuals to maintain the same body size throughout adulthood. These experiences can lead some people to try to manage body changes through restrictive eating. Health Conditions, Medications, and Changes in Eating Patterns Midlife is also a time when many people begin navigating new health diagnoses or medications. Certain medications can change appetite, digestion, metabolism, or body composition. Medical conversations about weight or health markers can also increase attention on food and eating behaviors. Dr. Marianne discusses how health conditions and medications can unintentionally contribute to restrictive eating patterns when people feel pressure to control body changes or manage symptoms through food restriction. Why Restrictive Eating Can Be Socially Accepted in Midlife Restrictive eating in older adults often goes unnoticed because it may be socially encouraged. Eating less, avoiding certain foods, or losing weight is frequently framed as discipline or commitment to health. Dr. Marianne explains how diet culture and weight stigma can reinforce restrictive eating behaviors, making it harder for people to recognize when their relationship with food has become rigid or distressing. Eating Disorder Recovery in Midlife Recovery from restrictive eating is possible at any stage of life. Midlife can even bring strengths to the recovery process, including deeper self-awareness, life experience, and a clearer sense of personal values. In this episode, Dr. Marianne discusses how recovery can include building a more compassionate relationship with the body, recognizing that bodies naturally change over time, and challenging cultural messages that equate worth with body size or control over food. Related Episodes Anorexia & Bulimia After 40: Understanding Midlife Recovery & Change on Apple & Spotify. The Hidden Pain of Midlife Anorexia: Why Coping Breaks Down & What Heals on Apple & Spotify. Why Is Anorexia Showing Up Again in Midlife? You're Not Imagining It on Apple & Spotify. Midlife Bulimia Recovery: Coping With the Internal Chaos on Apple & Spotify. Welcome to the Jungle: Eating Disorders in Midlife & Our Personal Recovery Stories with Amy Ornelas, RD on Apple & Spotify. Work With Dr. Marianne Dr. Marianne Miller is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in eating disorder recovery. She supports people navigating restrictive eating, binge eating disorder, ARFID, and complex relationships with food. Dr. Marianne provides therapy services in California, Texas, and Washington, D.C., and offers coaching and educational resources available globally. She also offers self-paced virtual courses, including her course on ARFID and selective eating, which explores neurodivergent-affirming approaches to supporting a sustainable relationship with food. You can learn more about working with Dr. Marianne through her website, drmariannemiller.com.
Mallary Tenore Tarpley joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about the middle place between acute sickness and full recovery, living with the imprints of a disorder, resisting thinking in black and white, the memoir plus genre, making memoir reportage and research seamless, showing our imperfections on the page, exploring hard truths along with hope, leaning into the most authentic version of our story, calibrating how much to reveal and how much to conceal, not ever arriving at a place of full recovery, holding onto hope for our book project, upholding values of curiosity and authenticity and truthtelling, when the middle place is the story, restorative narratives, and her new memoir SLIP: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery. Also in this episode: -writing a book of service -leaving room for readers -applying for a book-writing grant Books mentioned in this episode: The Invisible Kingdom by Meghan O'Rourke Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad Illness As Metaphor by Susan Sontag Lost and Found by Katherine Schultz Mallary Tenore Tarpley is an assistant professor of practice at the University of Texas at Austin, where she teaches journalism classes in the Moody College of Communication and writing classes at the McCombs School of Business. Her debut nonfiction book, SLIP: Life in the Middle of Eating Disorder Recovery, which was published by Simon & Schuster's Simon Element explores the under-discussed complexities of eating disorders and recovery from them. The book is equal parts memoir and journalism, and it weaves together Mallary's own narrative with perspectives from clinicians, researchers, and others with lived experience. In 2023, Mallary received a generous grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to support the science-related reporting in the book, specifically around the neurobiological and genetic aspects of eating disorders. SLIP received the Association of American Publishers' 2026 Excellence Award for Biological & Life Sciences. It also won first place in the Clinical Medicine category and was a finalist in the Outstanding Work by a Trade Publisher category. Mallary's articles and personal essays about eating disorders have been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, TIME Magazine, and Teen Vogue, among other publications. She maintains a weekly newsletter, Write at the Edge, featuring writing tips and best practices. Connect with Mallary: Website: mallarytenoretarpley.com Weekly newsletter: mallary.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallarytenoretarpley/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallary-tenore-tarpley-6719484/ Facebook: https://facebook.com/mallary.tenore Get the book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Slip/Mallary-Tenore-Tarpley/9781668035016 – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories. She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social
On this episode, Dr. Karen Nelson is joined by Dr. Amanda Delsman to dive deeper into body image, the role it plays throughout the recovery journey, and tips for cultivating a healthier relationship with your body.
In this deeply moving episode, Dr. Cristina Castagnini sits down with author Alle C. Hall to explore the complex intersection of childhood trauma and eating disorders. Alle shares her candid 30-year journey of healing, discussing how creativity served as a lifeline when the weight of abuse felt insurmountable. They delve into the often-unspoken realities of relapse during major life transitions like postpartum depression and perimenopause, the nuances of navigating 12-step programs with a feminist perspective, and why recovery is rarely a straight line. This conversation offers hope and validation to anyone feeling like their healing journey is "messy" or taking longer than expected, reminding us that struggling does not erase the work we have already done. SHOW NOTES: Click here Follow me on Instagram @behind_the_bite_podcast Visit the website: www.behindthebitepodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
"Over the years, clients have shown me that recovery begins in spaces where they feel safe enough to tell the truth." It's Eating Disorder Awareness Week and this year's theme is "Every Body Belongs". We wrote a little something about that on our newsletter, and shared here as well. We appreciated how eating disorder dietitian Marci Evans wrote the quote above in her newsletter this week, and have seen the same play out, here in Lane 9. We shared our stories, and it opened the door for other athletes to see what they could do the same, whether that's with us, or with someone they feel safe talking to. We hope to continue to nurture this space where your stories, and any and every body, are welcomed and held. We're also here to help you take the next step toward eating disorder care, if you want/need it, with our Directory of Women's Health & Sport Clinicians. These are are clinicians vetted by Lane 9's team, and uniquely trained to support athletes with eating disorders and disordered eating. Go to Lane9project.org/directory to find a care team, or contact us. Follow Lane 9 on Instagram @Lane9Project, and go to Lane9Project.org for more resources.
After a year of headlines, heartbreak, and healing, Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia is stepping into a whole new era. One of Barstool's most prominent female voices, host of her relaunched Plan Bri Uncut, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit feature, and Fox's Special Forces alum, Brianna joins Vic to open up about surviving a very public breakup, redefining closure, and rebuilding her relationship with herself. She gets candid about her anxiety-induced eating disorder, the truth about gaining weight in a world obsessed with shrinking, and what it really took to become healthy again. From solo trips to Scotland that helped her rediscover her personality to hard truths about being “selfish” in your healing season, this episode is a masterclass in moving forward with confidence. If you've ever struggled with heartbreak, body image, people-pleasing, or finding your spark again, this one will hit home!Connect with Bri:Instagram: @briannalapaglia and @planbriuncutTikTok: @ihatebriannachickenfry// SPONSORS //Premier Protein: Find your favorite flavor at premierprotein.com or at Amazon, Walmart, and other major retailers. Vuori: Go to vuori.com/realpod to receive 20% off your first purchase and enjoy free shipping on any U.S. orders over $75 and free returns.Peloton: Let yourself run, lift, sculpt, push, and go. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ at onepeloton.com. CozyEarth: Head to cozyearth.com and use my code REALPOD for up to 20% off.Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.Produced by Dear Media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.