Food Psych - Intuitive Eating, Health At Every Size, Positive Body Image, Eating Disorder Recovery, Smashing Diet Culture

Fellow anti-diet dietitian Taylor Chan joins us to discuss “fence-straddling” between intuitive eating and traditional dietetics (and eventually jumping over to the other side), how her desire to be a “good dietitian” pulled her further into diet culture, the privilege inherent in diet culture’s version of nutrition, the nuances that make intuitive eating an inclusive practice, and so much more. Plus, Christy answers a listener question about how to handle loss of appetite during the COVID-19 pandemic. (This episode originally aired on May 4, 2020.) Taylor Chan is a Registered Dietitian and Personal Trainer in Baltimore, Maryland. She brings an Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size lens to her current role in school food service, and also has a virtual private practice where she helps clients take the fear out of food and eat to support all aspects of their well-being. In her spare time, you can find her hiking, traveling, eating, and creating doodles that dismantle diet culture. Find her online at FoodAn

Eating-disorders researcher Erin Harrop joins us to discuss how anorexia is treated (or not) in people of different sizes, how diet culture and weight stigma influence treatment and recovery for disordered eating, the problem with the “atypical” anorexia label, how improving eating-disorder treatment in people with larger bodies can benefit everyone, and so much more! Plus, Christy answers a listener question about what to do if you develop binge eating in recovery from restrictive eating behaviors. (This episode originally aired on December 17, 2018.) Erin Harrop received her B.S. and MSW from the University of Washington, where she is currently a fourth-year doctoral student in social welfare. Her research interests concern eating disorders, substance abuse, and weight-stigma. She sees weight-based discrimination as a critical, and often ignored, social justice issue, and her research agenda seeks to address this limitation by focusing on the systemic factors of weight-stigma which impact the illness journe

Fellow anti-diet dietitian Veronica Garnett joins us to discuss how weight stigma in dietetics affected her health and career, the emotional effects of restriction, the importance of representation and community in body liberation, how she’s finally realizing her childhood dream of hosting a cooking show, and so much more. Plus, Christy discusses why you don’t need to panic about “healthy eating” and fitness during the COVID-19 pandemic. (This episode originally aired on April 6, 2020.) Veronica is a Health at Every Size®, fat-positive, and culinary registered dietitian with over 16 years of experience in the food and nutrition field. She provides individual and group culinary, nutrition and dietetics services that are culturally sensitive, weight-inclusive, and grounded in social justice. She is the creator and host of the forthcoming online cooking show, Diasporadical Kitchen, which aims to dismantle fatphobia, diet culture, and other oppressive systems using liberating conversations and highlighting foods

Health At Every Size® life coach Kristina Bruce joins us to discuss how diet culture can affect relationships, how to find self-trust and self-acceptance in recovering from disordered eating, how diet culture shows up in spiritual communities, why health and well-being is about so much more than diet and exercise, and so much more! Plus, Christy answers a listener question about weight stigma in the military. (This episode originally aired on February 11, 2019.) Kristina Bruce is a Certified Integrative Life Coach and advocate of the Health at Every Size paradigm. Calling upon her education in health studies, sociology, yoga, meditation, and The Work of Byron Katie, Kristina works one-on-one with people to help them reconnect to their bodies and feel more trusting and accepting of themselves. Find her online at KristinaBruce.com. Subscribe to our newsletter, Food Psych Weekly, to keep getting new weekly Q&As and other new content while the podcast is on hiatus! If you're ready to break free from diet cult

Fellow anti-diet dietitian Marci Evans is back! We discuss the intersection of digestive disorders and eating disorders, the risks associated with elimination diets, the role of the gut microbiome in digestion and health, the importance of consistency in self-care and well-being, and so much more! Plus, Christy answers a listener question about why she as a dietitian doesn’t advise people to shift their food choices to less-processed foods. (This episode originally aired on November 26, 2018.) Marci is a Food and Body Image Healer™. She has dedicated her career to counseling, supervising, and teaching in the field of eating disorders. She is a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian and Supervisor, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and Certified ACSM personal trainer. In addition to her group private practice, Marci launched an online eating disorders training platform for dietitians in 2015 and co-directs a specialized eating disorders dietetic internship at Simmons College. She volunteers for a nu

Body image researcher, writer, and linguist Maxine Ali joins us to discuss why wellness culture is really about privilege, not health; racial objectification and how it contributes to feelings of disembodiment; how to recognize when diet culture is co-opting non-diet language; the power of language in changing the discourse on health and wellness, and so much more! (This episode originally aired on October 7, 2019.) Maxine Ali is a linguist and body image researcher, with a BA (1st Class Hons) in English Language and Linguistics, and a MSc in Medical Humanities from King’s College London. Maxine’s research interest is how the language of health impacts body image, self-concept and identity. Having begun her career as a health journalist at the height of London’s wellness boom, Maxine experienced first-hand the perils of diet culture and its destructive physical and psychological effects. In 2017, she left her job as a wellness editor to obtain an MSc in Medical Humanities, examining the role of disembodying l

Fat activist and Comfy Fat founder J Aprileo joins us to discuss how to find comfort in a larger body without weight loss; how improving accessibility for fat people can benefit people of all sizes; how fatphobia shows up in progressive spaces and in healthcare; the intersections of gender identity, body size, and body acceptance; learning to embrace their nonbinary identity without shrinking their body; and so much more! Plus, Christy answers a listener question about how to deal with plantar fasciitis (and why weight loss is NOT the answer). (This episode originally aired on October 21, 2019.) J is a nonbinary freelance writer and the founder of Comfy Fat, a site dedicated to sharing resources for plus-size people, trans advocacy, and the intersections of size and gender. J creates content not only to help make the world a little more accessible for fat folks, but also to try and just be the representation they wish they'd had growing up. They live in the midwest with their partner Corissa of Fat Girl Flow,

Intuitive eating counselor and author Laura Thomas joins us to discuss her new book, Just Eat It; the problems with The Wellness Diet; why subtle levels of weight stigma are so hard to pinpoint and eradicate; why "emotional eating" and turning to food for comfort are falsely demonized in diet culture; why people in the nutrition field often struggle in their own relationships with food; and so much more. Plus, Christy answers a listener question about whether the 12-step model works for food issues. (This episode originally aired on January 14, 2019.) Laura Thomas, PhD is an AfN Registered Nutritionist and Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor specialising in Intuitive Eating, Mindful Eating, weight inclusive and non-diet nutrition. She has a BSc in Health Sciences from the University of Aberdeen, a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from Texas A&M University, and completed her Post-Doctoral research at Cornell University in behaviour change. She is the host of Don’t Salt My Game podcast and was the Nutritionist

Health At Every Size® dietitian, eating-disorders specialist, and author Heidi Schauster returns to discuss her new book, unlearning diet-culture messaging, connecting with our body’s inner wisdom, gentle nutrition as an act of self-care, and so much more! Plus, Christy answers a listener question about what to do when it seems like your disordered eating behaviors have more to do with individual mental-health issues than with diet culture. (This episode originally aired on October 1, 2018.) Heidi Schauster, MS, RDN, CEDRD-S is a nutrition therapist with over 20 years of experience in the field of eating disorders and emotional eating issues. She is a writer, consultant, and certified eating disorders registered dietitian, based in the Greater Boston area. Heidi is the founder of Nourishing Words Nutrition Therapy, facilitates the No Diet Book Clubs, and supervises other nutrition therapists in the field of eating disorders. She is the author of the new book Nourish: How to Heal Your Relationship with Food, B

Anti-diet therapist Colleen Reichmann joins us to discuss how to keep from falling prey to diet culture, the problem with Whole30 and other forms of The Wellness Diet, why true well-being is about so much more than food and movement, a quick way to tell if your “lifestyle change” is really a diet, why eating-disorder diagnoses are often problematic, and so much more! Plus, Christy answers a listener question about how to handle envy for people who seem to be “successfully managing” their weight. (This episode originally aired on December 31, 2018.) Dr. Colleen Reichmann is a licensed clinical psychologist, practicing in Williamsburg, VA. She works in her private practice, Wildflower Therapy, and is a staff psychologist at the College of William and Mary. She is recovered from an eating disorder, and this experience sparked her passion for spreading knowledge and awareness that recovery is possible. She is now an eating disorders specialist, and has worked at various treatment facilities including University M

To celebrate the release of ANTI-DIET in paperback, we're bringing you a special bonus episode with a rare recording from the hardcover book tour! Fellow anti-diet dietitian Heather Caplan interviews Christy in front of a live audience about how to fight the co-opting of the anti-diet movement; language to use when talking to people who are brand new to this approach; how to spread the anti-diet message in healthcare, schools, the social sciences, and your own life; how Christy got away with writing a book called ANTI-DIET in a culture that’s very much *pro* diet; and lots more. The interview was recorded at East City Bookshop in Washington, DC, in February 2020, and it's still all too relevant for the coming New Year. Heather Caplan is an anti-diet, weight-inclusive registered dietitian with a virtual private practice. She is the founder and director of Weight Inclusive Nutrition and Dietetics (WIND), a continuing-education and networking event series for dietitians and healthcare professionals. Her work pul

Evelyn Tribole (co-author of Intuitive Eating) returns to celebrate the launch of Christy’s first book, Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating! Evelyn interviews Christy about the history of diet culture and The Wellness Diet, diet culture’s role in healthcare and the so-called “obesity epidemic,” why food activism is not as progressive as it seems, intuitive eating as the anti-diet approach to eating, and so much more. (This episode originally aired on December 23, 2019.) Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD is an award-winning registered dietitian, specializing in eating disorders and Intuitive Eating, with a private practice in Newport Beach, California. She has written nine books, including the bestsellers Healthy Homestyle Cooking and Intuitive Eating (co-author). Evelyn was the nutrition expert for Good Morning America in 1994-’95, and was a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association for 6 years. She was contributing editor for Shape magazine where her

Eating-disorders therapist Stephanie Zone joins us to discuss how diet culture steals our happiness and joy, the physical and emotional effects of restriction and self-blame, why dieting and disordered eating are like being in an abusive relationship, the problem with the narrative that trauma “causes” larger body size, and so much more. Plus, Christy answers a listener question about studying nutrition and dietetics while trying to heal from your own disordered eating. (This episode originally aired on December 16, 2019.) Stephanie Zone, PsyD, JD, is a clinical psychologist specializing in eating disorders and trauma, as well as other issues including anxiety and depression. She works with all types of clients at an HMO and in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is also a professor, workshop leader, and yoga teacher. Stephanie began her career as a lawyer. Her passion for legal aid and social justice fueled a career change to psychology. She wrote her dissertation on feminism and eating disor

Fellow anti-diet dietitian Julia Lévy-Ndejuru joins us to discuss her experience with the Wellness Diet and binge eating disorder, why there’s no such thing as “light restriction,” how pregnancy affected her relationship with her body, how even body-liberation activists can still be triggered by diet culture, and so much more. Plus, Christy answers a listener question about whether home-testing kits for food sensitivities are accurate or bogus. (This episode originally aired on March 16, 2020.) Julia Lévy-Ndejuru is a registered dietitian, blogger and MSc. candidate currently living in Montreal, Canada. Her clinical work is rooted in intuitive eating and Health At Every Size. She holds bachelor's degrees in Dietetics and in Psychology, and her Masters research project focuses on the interplay between intuitive eating and the practice of relaxation activities. She firmly believes that everyone deserves to have a good relationship with food and their body, and recognizes the importance of social justice work to

Health At Every Size® health coach and certified intuitive eating counselor Linda Tucker joins us to discuss how dieting causes health problems, why intuitive eating is compatible with managing chronic illnesses, how diet culture and its new guise as the Wellness Diet twist the definition of self-care and health, why Linda combines the principles of intuitive eating, HAES®, and body liberation in her work, and so much more! Plus, Christy answers a listener question about how to handle the feeling that things were just *easier* in a smaller body. (This episode originally aired on December 10, 2018.) Linda is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor who incorporates Health at Every Size, body liberation, and intuitive living into her private coaching practice. Linda works through a truly holistic lens, meaning that ALL aspects of someones lived experience are examined. She has her own history of disordered eating and chronic illness and wants to raise awareness and release shame around both. Find her online at Li

Anti-diet therapist and author Judith Matz joins us to talk about shifting the focus of emotional eating toward the underlying deprivation and diet mentality, why turning to food to meet emotional needs isn’t an “eating problem” but a “soothing problem,” how diet culture and marginalization rob us of the ability to meet our needs, why Health at Every Size and intuitive eating are better approaches for true health, Judith’s work teaching other therapists about weight stigma, and so much more! Plus, Christy answers a listener question about how to frame public health efforts to change the built environment in a way that doesn’t stigmatize people in larger bodies. (This episode originally aired on April 9, 2018.) Judith is the co-author of two books on the topics of eating and weight struggles. Beyond a Shadow of a Diet: The Comprehensive Guide to Treating Binge Eating Disorder, Compulsive Eating and Emotional Overeating has been called “the new bible” on this topic for professionals. The Diet Survivor’s Handboo

Fat-positive psychologist and eating-disorder specialist Rachel Millner joins us to discuss how she navigated a changing body while helping clients in eating-disorder recovery, coping with discomfort in a larger body, how the HAES community responded to her weight gain compared to the culture at large, teaching kids how to navigate diet culture and other forms of oppression, and so much more. Plus, Christy answers a listener question about how to navigate eating-disorder recovery while socially distanced from your support system because of COVID-19. (This episode originally aired on March 30, 2020.) Rachel Millner is a fat-positive psychologist and activist, certified eating-disorder specialist, and Certified Body Trust® Provider. She specializes in working with adolescents and adults with all forms of eating disorders and those wanting to break free from diet culture. Rachel is in private practice in Bucks County, PA and sees clients virtually and in-person. She has given talks nationally on topics related t

Medical doctor and Health At Every Size advocate Louise Metz joins us to discuss why weight management has no place in evidence-based medicine, how our current medical system can get in the way of providing compassionate care, why it’s actually not necessary for doctors to weigh their patients, how physicians can shift their practice to be more weight-inclusive, and so much more! Plus, Christy answers a listener question about dealing with digestive symptoms. (This episode originally aired on September 30, 2019.) Louise Metz is an Internal Medicine Physician who has expertise in the medical management of eating disorders and gender-related health care. She is the owner and founder of Mosaic Comprehensive Care, a medical practice in Chapel Hill, NC offering primary care and specialty care that is inclusive and affirming of all bodies. After receiving an undergraduate degree in Biology and Women’s Studies at Duke University, she attended medical school at the University of North Carolina. She completed her inte

Anti-diet therapist and Binge Eating Disorder expert Amy Pershing joins us to discuss how our fatphobic culture hinders recovery, how diet culture steals our personal power, the healing that can be found in getting angry, the role of restriction and trauma in binge eating, and so much more! Plus, Christy answers a listener question about quick ways for primary-care providers to talk to patients about intuitive eating and HAES. (This episode originally aired on March 26, 2018.) Amy Pershing LMSW, ACSW is the Clinical Director of the Center for Eating Disorders (CED) in Ann Arbor. In 1993, she developed “Bodywise™,” a comprehensive treatment program to serve a growing population of clients coming to the center with binge eating disorder (BED). In 2008, Pershing and Chevese Turner, CEO and founder of Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA), joined forces to found Pershing Turner Consulting LLC which offers training to clinicians treating BED nationwide. Pershing has pioneered an integrated approach based on alm

Anti-diet dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor Vincci Tsui joins us to discuss weight loss surgery and its consequences on physical and mental health, her journey from working in bariatrics to specializing in intuitive eating and Health At Every Size®, thin privilege, disordered eating and how it interplays with bariatric surgery, and so much more! Plus, Christy answers a listener question about how to deal with the fear of weight gain in recovery from an eating disorder. (This episode originally aired on December 3, 2018.) Vincci Tsui is a former bariatric dietitian turned Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and Health At Every Size advocate. She is passionate about helping people find freedom in their relationship with food and with their body, so that they can worry less and get the most out of life. Ultimately, she is on a mission to prove that it is possible to improve health without focusing on weight. Vincci takes a collaborative and compassionate approach to nutrition counselling and co