#192: SPOT Theory, Social Anxiety, and the Truth About Your Body Image
Rebuilding Trust With Your Body
Release Date: 07/08/2025
Rebuilding Trust With Your Body
Losing weight would make you happier, healthier and more confident, right? In this episode we’re going to look at what happens when weight loss doesn’t deliver on its promises. I know that this might be hard to hear, but the grass truly isn’t always greener, and even if you don’t believe me (yet) I want you to listen to this episode and hear me out. I’m sharing some facts that might surprise you, and several real life stories and examples that will blow your mind and help you look at your weight differently. This isn’t about giving up on yourself or weight...
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Let’s lay it all out on the table. What feels hard about letting go of dieting? What is holding you back from going all-in with intuitive eating? If we were sitting down on the couch, cozy under blankets with a cup of coffee or tea, what would you tell me about where you feel stuck, scared or uncertain right now? In this episode, we’re digging into the costs of what you lose when you step away from dieting, and stop chasing weight loss. (Because the truth is, it ain’t all sunshine and rainbows.) We’re also going to talk through how to navigate this “messy...
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I used to think that in order to be healthy I had to avoid things like carbs, and fat...and basically anything that tasted good. Even as a dietitian, I got sucked into thinking of food as good/bad, and I approached my eating with restriction being my strategy for health. It wasn't until I flipped things around and started practicing "nutrition by addition" and embracing ALL foods as part of 1) listening to my body, and 2) overall balanced eating, that I saw how it's totally possible to get healthier while eating bagels, pasta, ice cream, and Oreos. That's because the all-or-none...
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Find yourself doing well with your eating during the week, only to end up bingeing on the weekends? Here’s the fix. Let’s face it, whether you’re on a diet, or you’ve been doing intuitive eating (or you’re somewhere in between), weekends are harder with food. There are social events, dinners out, cocktails, tailgates, bridal showers, your kids’ sporting events, and so many things that can throw you off your normal eating routine…and lead to a binge…on the weekends. In this episode, I’m giving you real, simple, and doable ways to stop the weekend binges, so that...
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Let’s be real: the info online about health, wellness and nutrition can be confusing and overwhelming. What’s legit? What’s true? What does it mean for YOU and your body? In today’s episode I’m walking you through the current trends that I’m seeing in the industry as a dietitian, the new diets on the horizon, hot topics in pop culture and healthcare, and what’s worth paying attention to right now for your health. We’re going to cut through the noise, make sense of the science, and call out the BS nonsense that’s out there. Trust me, I’m not holding...
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Around here, no food is off limits. ALL foods can fit (unless you’re straight up allergic to them, obviously). And just like nothing’s off limits with food - nothing’s off limits with your questions. In this Ask Me Anything episode, I’m answering YOUR burning questions that members of my submitted, and grab the fire extinguisher because they’re comin’ in H-O-T-T. Questions Answered: ❓ If I still want to lose weight, does that mean I’m not fully integrating intuitive eating into my life? ❓ Does anyone lose weight with intuitive eating? ❓...
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If you’re wondering how the heck my clients are eliminating overeating and judgmental thoughts, without going on another restrictive diet or giving up their 10pm ice cream…it’s because they’re rewiring all the sneaky ways diet culture still lives rent-free in their heads. >> It’s about learning how to respond when the old patterns come roaring back. >> It’s about WHAT TO DO when it’s 9pm and you’re standing in front of the pantry with zero hunger AND… It’s about rebuilding trust with your hunger cues, ditching the food guilt, and...
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Curious what I say to my clients who want to do intuitive eating AND they still want to lose weight? (Spoiler: This is most of my clients when we first get started.) I am embarrassed to say this, but earlier in my career, I used to tell people, “I don’t do weight loss” and would send them on their way. I wasn’t even willing to help them. Now I meet my clients where they are at. I’m still not going to put them on a diet, but I absolutely will help them explore their relationship with food, their concerns about their weight, what they’re hoping weight loss...
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Whenever someone asks me how they’re supposed to ditch dieting if they have high cholesterol, I love opening their eyes with the wide array of strategies that can help lower their numbers - without cutting out things like butter or eggs, and meticulously logging everything in MyFitnessPal. In this episode, I’m taking you behind-the-scenes on how I discovered I have high cholesterol at 22 years old, and the multitude of things I’ve done to manage it (some strategies more effective than others). I share the things that help, the things that were too extreme, and what I’m...
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In this powerful episode, I’m joined by someone incredibly special, Taushia Henkel-Johnson. She’s a therapist, a graduate of Non-Diet Academy, a member of Non-Dieter’s Club, and someone who’s done the deep, vulnerable work of healing her relationship with food and body image. Taushia brings a thoughtful, honest, and down-to-earth perspective to this work, not just as a clinician, but as someone who’s living it. In our conversation, she shares her personal journey of recovering from disordered eating and navigating body shame and social anxiety, and she introduces...
info_outlineIn this powerful episode, I’m joined by someone incredibly special, Taushia Henkel-Johnson. She’s a therapist, a graduate of Non-Diet Academy, a member of Non-Dieter’s Club, and someone who’s done the deep, vulnerable work of healing her relationship with food and body image.
Taushia brings a thoughtful, honest, and down-to-earth perspective to this work, not just as a clinician, but as someone who’s living it.
In our conversation, she shares her personal journey of recovering from disordered eating and navigating body shame and social anxiety, and she introduces us to SPOT theory - an incredibly helpful way of understanding how we internalize judgment and shame about our bodies.
We also explore practical tools you can use when you feel like people are watching what’s on your plate or worried that they’re judging your body. Whether you’re early in your healing journey or further down the path, this episode is filled with insight, empathy, and encouragement.
⚠️ Trigger warning: Taushia does speak about her eating disorder history, including some specific behaviors and numbers. If that’s not something your nervous system can hold today, feel free to skip or fast forward.
Episode Highlights
-How other people’s judgments about our bodies can feel threatening to our nervous system - and hence, why you might be so worried about this.
-Your desire to fit in, to feel comfortable in your body isn’t vain or shallow. It’s about connection and belonging, which are basic human needs.
-SPOT theory, the Spotlight Effect, and the 90-second rule as frameworks that you can use to help yourself through bad body image moments.
Resources Mentioned
- Connect with Taushia Henkel-Johnson on Psychology Today
Read the full episode show notes here.
Resources for Your Intuitive Eating Journey
- Intuitive eating education on the blog
- Work with Katy
- Explore the self-paced mini-course Stepping Off The Dieting Rollercoaster
Connect with Katy Harvey
Website: KatyHarvey.net
Instagram: @katyharvey.rd
Facebook: KatyHarveyRD
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