#132: Weight Loss Medications: Are GLP-1 Agonists a Game Changer ?
Release Date: 07/23/2024
#153: Changemakers in Sport: An interview with Coach Liza Rickey
The Appetite
Part 2 of a 3 part series: Changemakers in Sport What makes a great sports coach? Someone you’d want in your corner—and someone you’d be thrilled to have coaching your child? We think we’ve found one worth learning from. In the latest episode of our three-part “Changemakers in Sport” series, Opal’s Director of Exercise + Sport, Kara Bazzi, LMFT, sits down with Liza Rickey, Head Cross Country and Assistant Distance Track & Field Coach at Issaquah High School. Liza has led athletes to multiple State titles—but that’s not what makes her story so...
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#152: Changemakers in Sport: An interview with athlete Hannah Bazzi
The Appetite
Part 1 of a 3 part series: Changemakers in Sport What does it look like for a teenage athlete to step outside the “rules” of diet culture and toxic fitness culture? You’re in luck—tune in to today’s episode of The Appetite, part of our three-episode “Changemakers in Sport” series. In this episode, Hannah Bazzi, an incoming high school senior, speaks honestly and thoughtfully about her relationship with food, sport, and injury—and what it means to navigate these experiences with an informed understanding of diet culture and its impact. Hannah is joined by her mom,...
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#151: The Story Behind Sideways: Opal’s August 29 Variety Show
The Appetite
In this special episode of The Appetite, Lexi Giblin, PhD, and Kara Bazzi, LMFT, share the story behind —a one-night-only event hosted by Opal on August 29 at Fremont Abbey Arts Center in Seattle. Sideways benefits, the nonprofit mental health organization founded by Noah Kahan that works to reduce the stigma around mental health and expand access to mental health resources. Lexi and Kara share how the variety show began in Opal’s partial hospitalization program and is an opportunity to bring the healing power of creativity to the broader community. Sideways features...
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#150: Menopause + Mental Health : A Therapist's Perspective
The Appetite
Part 3 of a 3 part series: "The Menopause Series" Episode 3: Menopause + Mental Health -- Opal's Nutrition Director and Co-Founder, Julie Church, RDN, speaks with therapist Katie McKenna, LMHC, about the connection between perimenopause, menopause, and mental health. Katie explores how hormonal changes can affect mood, anxiety, sleep, cognition, body image, and identity, while increasing vulnerability to eating disorder relapse or new onset. Building on our previous conversations about the biological and workplace aspects of menopause, this episode focuses on the emotional...
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#149: Menopause + Work: A Researcher’s Perspective
The Appetite
Part 2 of a 3 part series: "The Menopause Series" Episode 2: Menopause + Work — Opal’s Nutrition Director and Co-Founder, Julie Church, RDN speaks with Janie Stuart, PhD, about the intersection of menopause and workplace experiences. Drawing from her research in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Janie describes how menopause often occurs during pivotal career years and how workplace norms—like “work-first” cultures, ageism, and gender expectations—can shape how symptoms and transitions are perceived. Building on our previous conversation about the biological aspects of...
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#146: A Teen Male’s Perspective on Sport and Identity: An Interview with Nicholas Macha
The Appetite
When injury sidelines an athlete—or performance outcomes fall short—it has a way of revealing growth edges within us. Tune in to The Appetite as Opal Co-Founder and Director of the Exercise + Sport Program, Kara Bazzi, LMFT, sits down with high school distance runner and podcaster Nicholas Macha. In this powerful conversation, Nicholas shares how his injuries and performance disappointments led him to a deeper exploration of identity, relationships, faith, and the constant balancing act between sports, school, and social life. His honesty and insight as a young male athlete offer a...
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#148: Menopause + Eating Disorders: A Physician’s Perspective
The Appetite
Part 1 of 3 part series: "The Menopause Series" --- Episode 1: Menopause + Eating Disorders — In this episode, Opal’s Nutrition Director, Julie Church, RDN, speaks with Naomi Busch, MD, about menopause through the lens of an eating disorder physician. Together they explore the biological changes of peri-menopause and menopause, common symptoms, and current treatment approaches. The conversation also highlights parallels between menopause care and eating disorder treatment—particularly around body changes, medical support, and navigating vulnerability during major life transitions. Dr....
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#147: Reorienting Priorities with Period Health and Sport Performance: A Conversation with Heather Caplan, RDN
The Appetite
Does better education around period health, proper fueling, and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport actually lead to healthier behaviors in female athletes? In this episode, Opal’s Director of Exercise + Sport, Kara Bazzi, LMFT, sits down with seasoned provider Heather Caplan, RDN to share what they’re seeing firsthand in their clinical work. Together, they unpack the systemic pressures that push teen and young adult athletes to prioritize performance over long-term health. Heather also shares how she supports young athletes in restoring their period health—and speaks candidly...
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#145: Self Inquiry Series: Performance Validation and Anger Expression
The Appetite
In this episode, Gabe and Hank courageously open up about vulnerable moments through a process of group self-inquiry. Gabe explores the bitterness that arises from receiving positive affirmations after dance performances, while Hank examines the feelings of stupidity and pointlessness that surfaced when anger was physically expressed. Together with Opal Co-Founders Lexi Giblin, PhD, and Kara Bazzi, LMFT, Gabe and Hank offer each other the gift of provocative questions that elicit new learning. You are invited to kick back, notice what questions you might have asked and what questions...
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#144: Turning Recovery Into Advocacy : Interview with Johanna Kandel of National Alliance for Eating Disorders
The Appetite
In this episode, Johanna Kandel, founder of the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, joins Julie Church, RDN, Co-Founder of Opal: Food+Body Wisdom, for an honest and inspiring conversation. Johanna shares how her own eating disorder recovery led her to create a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to care, support, and education in the eating disorder field. Listeners will hear more about the Alliance’s impactful support groups, recent policy shifts shaping treatment access, and ways to get involved in advocacy (see links below). Johanna’s grounded presence and humble passion...
info_outlineDr. Lisa Erlanger returns to the podcast for a conversation with Julie Church, RDN, CD on GLP-1 agonists, medications widely prescribed for weight loss. Through a weight-inclusive lens, Lisa explains GLP-1 agonists history, current use, and side effects with a special attention given to the unique considerations for individuals with current or past eating disorders. Spoiler alert--- these medications are not game changers, bodies still need food and nourishment to thrive! Despite what the shiny marketing says about these being "miracle drugs", safe and long-term weight suppression is not possible.
To find Lisa: Dr. Lisa Erlanger's website
As mentioned on show: GLP-1 Agonist Medications: Informed Consent Resource
Medical Students for Size Inclusive Medicine
Dr. Lisa Erlanger's Appetite Podcast interview, A Physicians Journey to Weight Inclusive Medicine
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Thank you to our team...
Editing by David Bazzi
Music by Aaron Davidson: https://soundcloud.
Sound engineering by Ayesha Ubayatilaka at Jack Straw Studios