Episode 32: You Do Not Owe the World a Smaller Body
Food Shrinks
In this unapologetically honest and deeply validating conversation, the Food Shrinks crew dives into one of the hottest topics in food addiction recovery: weight as a false measure of success. Why do some professionals in the recovery field still equate smaller bodies with deeper healing? And what happens when people in larger bodies feel excludedâeven when they're abstinent and thriving? Molly, Clarissa, and MP break down the damaging impact of internalized weight stigma, explore why body size is not a clinical marker of recovery, and call out harmful assumptions that show up even in...
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Episode 31: The Healing Youâre Avoiding - Why Group Work Changes Everything
Food Shrinks
In this spontaneous and heart-forward episode, Molly C., Clarissa, and Molly P. crack open the resistance so many of us feel toward group work, and why that resistance might be precisely the sign we need more connection, not less. Together, the trio explores why group healing matters, how co-regulation works, and what it means to feel seen, safe, and mirrored in community. From AA meetings to clinical groups to retreats full of âI-donât-do-groupâ folks turned soul sisters, they share raw stories about belonging, shame, and the life-changing magic of not doing recovery alone. If youâve...
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Episode 30: GLP-1s in Food Addiction Recovery: Game-Changer or Controversy?
Food Shrinks
The Food Shrinks are back with a spicy, heartfelt conversation about one of the most polarizing tools in the recovery world right nowâGLP-1 medications (like Ozempic and Wegovy). In this episode, they tackle the growing buzz (and backlash) around these drugs in eating disorder and food addiction spaces. Are GLP-1s a betrayal of ârealâ recovery, or can they be a supportive tool for healing? The hosts spill some behind-the-scenes tea, share their personal and clinical experiences, and ask hard questions: Who gets to decide what recovery looks like? Why is there so much shame around using...
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Episode 29: âChronic Relapserâ? Donât Talk About My Friend Like That
Food Shrinks
In this compelling episode, the Food Shrinks team tackles one of the most usedâand deeply harmfulâlabels in recovery spaces: âchronic relapser.â With both fire and tenderness, the Shrinks dismantle this shame-based term and offer a new way to understand recurrence through the lens of chronic ambivalence, self-compassion, and trauma-informed care. Youâll hear why language matters, how shame can block healing, and why we must stop reducing people to their most painful patterns. Instead, the team explores what it means to stay curious, build emotional safety, and make your recovery as...
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Episode 28: Letâs Talk About Volume
Food Shrinks
In this deeply honest and layered conversation, The Food ShrinksâClarissa Kennedy, Molly Carmel, and Molly Painschabâ dive into one of the most misunderstood and rarely talked-about experiences in food addiction recovery: volume of whole foods in food addiction recovery. What begins as a casual check-in quickly becomes a masterclass on the biological, psychological, and emotional roots of overeating. đ What youâll learn: đ¸Volume addiction might be harder to heal from than sugar and flour because itâs not just about what you eat, but how much and why. đ¸For many, volume eating...
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Episode 27: Help, I Posted on TikTok and Now I Need Therapy!
Food Shrinks
In this vulnerable and fiery episode, the Shrinks crack open a raw conversation about what happens when you dare to speak your truth in a world thatâs not always ready to hear it. Molly C. shares the emotional fallout of going viral on TikTok â and getting slammed for it. What started as a conversation about food boundaries quickly turned into a deep dive on childhood bullying, impostor syndrome, clinical appeasement, and the gut-punch of online criticism. The shrinks hold space for one another while exploring big themes: Why itâs so hard not to dim your light when people donât agree...
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Episode 26: When You Just Donât Wanna: Recovery in a Motivation Slump
Food Shrinks
Feeling like you're slogging through sludge in your recovery? You're not alone. In this vulnerable and validating episode, the Shrinks get real about what to do when the motivation to stay on track just⌠isnât there. From functional freeze to emotional flatness, we unpack what it means when everything feels like too muchâeven when you know what to do. We explore: Why recovery can feel like pushing through quicksand What âmotivation collapseâ and âfunctional freezeâ look like in real life The grief that comes with ongoing transformation Why nervous system fatigue and willpower...
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Episode 25: Youâre Not Fragile: Unpacking the Power of Fragilization
Food Shrinks
In this episode, the Food Shrinks crew explores a powerful, overlooked concept: fragilization. From personal stories to real recovery insights, the team explores how treating ourselvesâor othersâas too delicate can actually stall growth, deepen shame, and keep us stuck. Whether itâs in addiction recovery, mental health, or just day-to-day life, fragilization can quietly shape how we show up, ask for help, and relate to our own resilience. We talk about how fragilizing ourselves in depression or post-relapse moments can reinforce powerlessness, and how others fragilizing usâeven with...
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Episode 24: Letting Go & Growing Up
Food Shrinks
Welcome to the Food Shrinks podcast! In this heartfelt and honest episode, the Food Shrinks team dives into a powerful listener-submitted question: What happens when the people, places, and things that once brought us comfort no longer fit in our healing and recovery journey? This week, we explore the grief and growth that come with outgrowing relationships, hobbies, environments, and identities that once felt like home. Youâll hear reflections on: ⢠Why things that once felt safe can suddenly feel unbearable ⢠How identity shifts in recovery can affect our...
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Episode 23: Why Canât I Stay AbstinentâEven After a Health Scare?
Food Shrinks
In this powerful episode, we tackle a question that resonates deeply for so many in recovery: "Why canât I stay off sugar, even after a life-threatening diagnosis?" We received a heartfelt listener question from someone who has been struggling with sugar addiction for yearsâeven after a cancer diagnosis. This sparked a deep, honest conversation about the nature of addiction, why even fear or facts aren't always enough to inspire change, and how recovery takes more than just motivationâit takes connection, community, repetition, and reframing. đŹ In this episode, we cover: đąWhy fear,...
info_outlineIn this episode of Food Shrinks, we dive into an important question: When do we need to go deeper than recovery coaching, and when is it enough to stay at that level?
đKey Topics Discussed:
đTwo Approaches to Healing â Clearing out the body and mind first vs. addressing deeper emotional work upfront.
đWhen Coaching Isnât Enough â How to recognize when therapy, trauma work, or other professional support is needed.
đThe Rush to Go Deeper â Why thereâs no need to sprint toward deeper work and how cultural pressure impacts this mindset.
đIntuition as a Guide â How to trust yourself in knowing when itâs time to explore deeper healing.
đThe Limits of Helpers â Coaches, therapists, and sponsors can only take you as far as theyâve gone themselves.
đThe Importance of Readiness â Why sometimes itâs okay not to do deeper work and simply focus on life and joy.
đRecovery as a Bridge Back to Life â Remembering that healing isnât about fixing yourself but expanding your ability to live fully.
We also explore the balance between doing inner work and simply being in life, finding joy, and knowing when to step back instead of always digging for the next thing to âfix.â
đ Have a question for us? We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]
đĽ Watch & Share: If you found this episode helpful, donât forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE to our channel. Share this episode with someone who might benefit from learning about healthy communication and conflict resolution!
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đ§ Email: [email protected]
đ Website: foodshrinks.com
The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.