The BodyLove Project with Jessi Haggerty
Welcome to The BodyLove Project Podcast, I’m Jessi Haggerty a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Personal Trainer living in Boston and, your host! Each episode we’ll dive into a different topic where we dig deep to develop a healthier relationship with food and your body. In a nutshell, this podcast is about loving your body. Whether that means learning how to nourish your body with food, movement, meditation, or positive self talk. My hope is to help listeners take one step closer to mending their relationship with food and their body, so they can show up for the parts of their life that matter most.
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Ep. 069: How to (Ethically) Share Your Recovery Story with Colleen Reichmann
07/18/2019
Ep. 069: How to (Ethically) Share Your Recovery Story with Colleen Reichmann
Show Notes: In this episode, I talk with Dr. Colleen Reichmann, a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in eating disorders. She works in her private practice (Wildflower Therapy) in Philadelphia, PA, and has also worked at various treatment facilities including University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro Center for Eating Disorder Care, and The Center for Eating Disorders at Sheppard Pratt. Colleen herself is recovered from an eating disorder, and this experience sparked her passion for spreading knowledge and awareness that recovery is possible. She is deeply committed to Health at Every Size and body liberation, and considers herself a fat-positive clinician. Colleen speaks at national and regional eating disorder conferences, and writes about body image and eating disorders for , , , and more. In this episode, Colleen briefly shares how and why she became an eating disorders clinician. Then, she dives deep into the subject of self-disclosure as a clinician. Colleen discusses why she decided to disclose her own recovery from an eating disorder, and the specific boundaries that she believes are important to set when sharing personal information during sessions or online. In the episode we talk about: Colleen’s eating disorder recovery Colleen’s experience disclosing her recovery with clients and patients The “boundaries” Colleen sets when disclosing her recovery journey Resources:
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EP. 068: In the Thick of Eating Disorder Recovery with Shira Rosenbluth
07/18/2019
EP. 068: In the Thick of Eating Disorder Recovery with Shira Rosenbluth
In this episode I talk Shira Rosenbluth, a social worker/therapist by day and a style blogger by night, known for her blog “A Sequin Love Affair.” Her blog encourages having fun and dressing in a way that reflects who you are, regardless of budget or body size. The blog also chronicles Shira’s recovery from an eating disorder; this is something that she wasn’t always open about. In this interview, Shira shares why it was important for her, as a therapist, to disclose that she is still in recovery. She also discusses the nuances of being both a fashion blogger, who shares photos of her body, and a health-at-every-size advocate, who believes everyone is more than their body. Further, she shares the many barriers she has faced with access to treatment, and describes that obstacles that many individuals face while trying to pursue recovery. In the episode we talk about: Why Shira felt encouraged to disclose her struggle with an eating disorder on her blog. Barriers to eating disorder treatment (insurance, weight stigma, and more). The nuances of being a body positive fashion blogger. Resources:
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Ep 67: Perfectionism and Grief with Simi Botic
06/12/2019
Ep 67: Perfectionism and Grief with Simi Botic
In this episode I talk to Simi Botic, health coach and Author of Letting Go of Leo: How I Broke Up with Perfection. We talk about Simi’s relationship with perfectionism and how that bled into her relationship with food and her body. What I love so much about this episode is that we talk so much about what breaking up with perfection (especially around food) can do for your whole life, not just how you feel about your food and your body. Simi talks about how she ultimately changed her whole career trajectory and how we both felt like we were both able to be present for the highs and the lows without the burden of food worry. In the episode we talk about: How Simi’s relationship with food and her body had evolved Simi’s transition from lawyer to health coach Perfectionism and it’s downfall Our experiences of losing our dads Grief and how intuitive eating has helped us through this process Resources:
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Ep. 066: Kimmie Singh on Weight Stigma in Dietetics
05/29/2019
Ep. 066: Kimmie Singh on Weight Stigma in Dietetics
In this episode I talk to RD to be Kimmie Singh about her dietetic internship experience, weight stigma in the healthcare field, how medical nutrition therapy (MNT) and Health at Every Size (HAES) are aligned, and how Intuitive Eating is still possible, even if you have PCOS with insulin resistance! This episode is definitely geared towards RDs, but if you’re not an RD or healthcare provider don’t turn away too quickly - I think everyone can benefit from listening to this conversation. In the episode we talk about: Kimmie’s Dietetic Internship Experience. Weight stigma in the healthcare field. How MNT (Medical Nutrition Therapy) and HAES are aligned! PCOS and Intuitive Eating. Honoring your humanity as a clinician. Resources:
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Ep. 065: Anna Sweeney on Moving in a Disabled Body
05/15/2019
Ep. 065: Anna Sweeney on Moving in a Disabled Body
In this episode I talk to fellow dietitian Anna Sweeney. Anna is a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian with a private practice in Concord, MA. But we don’t talk about eating disorders or nutrition in this episode. Anna talks about her experience living in a disabled body, how her relationship with movement has evolved since childhood, and what her experience with movement is like now. In the episode we talk about: Anna’s relationship with movement as a child, and how that changed after her MS diagnosis. What people might not know about Multiple Sclerosis. Diets for chronic illness (specifically MS). What Anna’s relationship with movement is like now.
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Ep. 064: "Rage Becomes Her" with Soraya Chemaly
05/01/2019
Ep. 064: "Rage Becomes Her" with Soraya Chemaly
In this episode I talk to Soraya Chemaly, an award winning writer and author of Rages Becomes Her, the Power of Women’s Anger. After reading Soraya’s book last year I was so excited to finally have her on the podcast to talk about all of the parallels between women’s anger, diet culture, and body image. And as expected, she did not disappoint. This episode is chock full of amazing nuggets of wisdom from Soraya and ends on a more inspirational note, to help us all use our anger for the betterment of ALL bodies. In the episode we talk about: Why Soraya’s book is not a self-help book. Anger and gender norms. Why confidence isn’t always a good thing. How suppressed anger (or living in a culture that suppresses women’s anger) can disrupt interoceptive awareness. Gaslighting 101. How to move forward with this information. Resources:
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Ep. 063: Tally Rye on Weight Inclusive Fitness
04/17/2019
Ep. 063: Tally Rye on Weight Inclusive Fitness
Tally Rye is a personal trainer and group fitness instructor in Central London. She trains with a weight-neutral approach and frames exercise as an act of self-care for the body AND mind. Her mission is to empower clients with the support to feel comfortable and confident in a fitness environment, and to change perceptions of exercise as a tedious punishment to something that can be intuitive and fun. She encourages intuitive training by intentionally directing clients to listen to their body cues. In this episode, Tally describes her transition from studying to musical theater to working in fitness, and her transition from a weight-centric to weight-neutral approach to wellness. She shares nuggets of wisdom and important realizations she has had while incorporating Health at Every Size and intuitive eating into her work as a trainer. Her perspective is highly informative for any trainer hoping to take a body positive approach to their work. Tally explains why rejecting “traditional” fitness marketing (based on shame and guilt) has ultimately helped her business to grow and helped her clients enjoy their sessions more. In this episode we talk about: Tally’s path to becoming a personal trainer. Tally’s shift from weight-centric to weight-neutral wellness How she educates clients on Health at Every Size and intuitive movement Reframing exercise as a form of self-care resources
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Ep. 062: Creating an Embodied Movement Practice with Lauren Minear
04/03/2019
Ep. 062: Creating an Embodied Movement Practice with Lauren Minear
Lauren Minear is a psychotherapist and yoga teacher who focuses on treating disordered eating, eating disorders, body image, anxiety, and trauma. Her treatment approach is informed by a commitment to social justice and attention to the impact that trauma, relationships, and culture have on the body. Lauren is also the creator of InBodied Yoga® a movement practice that empowers all bodies to practice self-care through yoga poses, mindfulness, breath work, therapeutic exercises, and guided visualizations. In this episode, Lauren discusses what led her to becoming a psychotherapist and yoga teacher (after starting a career investment banking). Then, Lauren dives deep into trauma-informed movement. She elaborates on how to create healing spaces for individuals recovering from trauma and/or eating disorders. She also touches on nervous system regulation through movement, and on the importance of integrating movement into your life, rather than compartmentalizing it into “exercise.” In this episode we talk about: Lauren’s path to becoming a psychotherapist. How she went from investment banker to yoga teacher. Trauma informed movement. Nervous system regulation and the body’s response to trauma. How we can use movement for more than “exercise.” resources
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Ep. 061: Is Dieting a Cult? With Caroline Dooner, Author of The F*ck it Diet
03/20/2019
Ep. 061: Is Dieting a Cult? With Caroline Dooner, Author of The F*ck it Diet
Caroline Dooner is a comedian, yoga teacher, and author of “The F*ck It Diet.” Caroline transformed years of suffering through the diet mentality and body image issues into writing, yoga classes, and online courses that guide people towards intuitive eating, self-care, and body acceptance. Overall, Caroline helps chronic dieters come back into their bodies, rest, breathe, and be willing to be human. In this episode, Caroline reads an enlightening excerpt from her new book and briefly discusses her recovery from diet culture and binge eating. She also talks about how, even after she recovered from dieting and body image issues, she still had a lot of societal “rules” to unpack. After moving out of New York City, Caroline committed to taking two years of “rest,” which taught her the true value of “doing nothing.” In this episode we talk about: Caroline’s new book, the F*ck It Diet. Why diets are strikingly similar to cults. The importance of taking time to do nothing. Resources
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Ep. 060: It's OK to be Fat with Victoria Welsby
03/06/2019
Ep. 060: It's OK to be Fat with Victoria Welsby
Victoria Welsby is a body image activist, adjunct professor at the University of British Columbia, TEDx speaker, and the author of “Fierce Fatty: Love Your Body And Live Like The Queen You Already Are!” Victoria went from being homeless and abused with self-esteem that was achingly low to the courageous fat activist and change maker she is today. Victoria guides people towards falling in love with themselves and eating intuitively. Further, she is fiercely dedicated to changing the way society views fat bodies. In this episode, Victoria shares the story of how her mindset shifted from feeling that she just had to lose weight to knowing that it was absolutely okay to be fat. She also unpacks the way society measures self-worth, and discusses why and when to set boundaries in personal relationships. In this episode we talk about: Victoria’s journey towards fat acceptance Resisting the internal voice that tells anyone they “need” to be “skinny” or “healthy” Deriving self-esteem from somewhere other than health and appearance Boundary setting in personal relationships Resources
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Ep. 059: Exercise in Eating Disorder Recovery with Adrianne Finn
02/20/2019
Ep. 059: Exercise in Eating Disorder Recovery with Adrianne Finn
In this episode I talk to Adrianne Finn, a certified SCOTT Pilates instructor, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Certified Yoga Teacher, TRX and barre instructor. If that wasn’t enough she also has her degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science and currently works at an eating disorder treatment center where she helps patients honor their body’s unique needs and develop a healthy relationship with movement. In our last episode my intern Caitlyn and I answered your questions about and while we answered A LOT, we didn’t get to quite a few. One of the most-asked questions was does exercise have a place in eating disorder recovery? My hope is that you find some of the answers that you are looking for in today’s episode. That said, a general disclaimer that movement in eating disorder recovery is a highly individualized and nuanced topic so it is really important to work with your treatment team to determine what will work best for you. In this episode we talk about: Exercise in eating disorder recovery. How Adrianne began working in an eating disorder treatment center. The difference between being resistant or compulsive around movement. Pelvic floor health. Resources: Thank you to our sponsor,
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Ep. 58: Intuitive Movement Q/A with Caitie Corradino
02/06/2019
Ep. 58: Intuitive Movement Q/A with Caitie Corradino
In this episode Caitie and I answer listener questions about We answer the following questions: What is intuitive movement? How much movement do you actually need? How do I reconcile the need for movement if I don’t want to do it? What if you intuitively never want to move more than a short walk or activities of daily living (ie cooking, cleaning etc). I want to exercise but finding actually doing it impossible. Where is the line between forcing myself to exercise until I break through the “blah” and find my motivation, and listening to my body? What if you struggle with feeling like you NEED to workout everyday? What if you can’t get over liking the way your body looks because of a certain workout? How to train for a race and listen to your body at the same time? How can you move intuitively if you are using a prescriptive strength training program to reach certain goals? How can trainers teach intuitive movement? resources
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Ep. 057: Creating a Weight Inclusive Space with Lisa Du Brueil
01/30/2019
Ep. 057: Creating a Weight Inclusive Space with Lisa Du Brueil
In this episode I talk to Lisa Du Breuil, a therapist specializing in binge eating disorder and substance use disorders. Lisa is a Health at Every Size practitioner with a private practice in Salem, MA. In this episode we talked about How the Health at Every Size paradigm aided in Lisa’s own eating disorder recovery. Her work as a therapist with co-occurring eating disorder and substance use disorders. How to work with (ALL) clients from a HAES perspective. How to make your office space (or any place of work) more inclusive to all body sizes. Resources: (there’s quite a few options so best to search “Hercules Chairs” in Amazon to see all results).
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Ep. 056: Intersectional Fitness with Chrissy King
01/16/2019
Ep. 056: Intersectional Fitness with Chrissy King
Chrissy King is a Milwaukee-based ISSA certified personal trainer and fitness blogger. Chrissy first stepped into a gym eight years ago with a weight loss goal. But she was soon introduced to strength training, and realized that this fitness modality brought her a sense of confidence and inner strength that was completely independent of her weight...and of any results. She fell in love with the process. Now, she guides clients through strength training and creating a sustainable fitness routine that they can genuinely enjoy. She also created a webinar titled “Diversity and Inclusion 101: Taking an Intersectional Approach to Wellness,” which covers special considerations for creating safe, diverse, and inclusive wellness spaces. Further, she regularly updates a blog, where she discusses diversity, inclusion, and intersectional feminism in the fitness industry. In this episode we talk about: How “body love” is complicated by the culture we live in. How to hold space for the desire to lose weight without letting it control your fitness journey. Why it’s OK for fitness professionals to talk about social justice. Resources Chrissy’s Most Popular Blogs:
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Ep. 055 Redefining Success in Fitness with Barre3 Founder, Sadie Lincoln
01/09/2019
Ep. 055 Redefining Success in Fitness with Barre3 Founder, Sadie Lincoln
Sadie Lincoln is the co-founder and CEO of barre3, a fitness studio company that started in Portland, OR. In this episode Sadie and I talk about one of her (and my) many missions: redefining what success in fitness means. We talk about: Tapping into your body’s wisdom and intuition The power of relationships and community The truth about modifications Learning to accept your today body Moving through and learning from injury Resources:
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Ep. 054: No Period, Now What? With Nicola Rinaldi
02/21/2018
Ep. 054: No Period, Now What? With Nicola Rinaldi
Dr. Nicola Rinaldi has a PhD in biology from MIT. Since experiencing hypothalamic amenorrhea (missing periods) herself, Dr. Rinaldi has been on a mission to spread awareness of the condition and how to recover. In 2016 she published the book "No Period. Now What?" This book is a comprehensive resource that includes much of the medical and scientific research that underlies our current understanding of the triggers for amenorrhea, what steps to take for recovery, and treatments to use for recovery and pregnancy as needed. In addition, Dr. Rinaldi performed the largest survey to date of women who likewise experienced amenorrhea, and includes results from the survey answering many of the common questions women have, such as "How long will it take to recover?" "Will I be able to get pregnant?" and "Will I resume cycling after pregnancy?". Finally, the book includes Dr. Rinaldi's own story along with those of hundreds of other women, providing hope and reassurance to women following in their footsteps. Since publishing "No Period. Now What?" Dr. Rinaldi has been a guest on multiple podcasts, attended the ACSM and SCAN conferences, and presented the winning poster at the 2017 Female Athlete Conference. In this episode we talk about how you can advocate for yourself when you’re suffering from amenorrhea (absence of a period) or Oligomenorrhea (irregular periods), how to know the difference between amenorrhea and PCOS, and what it takes, and how long it takes to get your period back, and how to check out your cervical mucus for a more intuitive way to track your ovulation. You can check out her website and popular blogs below and make sure to check out her book, ? For more details on all of the information we talked about in this episode! Bleeped Content: 24:18: “I did a survey for my book of over 300 women who experiences HA… Over 82% of them lost 10 pounds or more in the last few years. That’s a significant weight loss for anybody.” 30:06: “[getting your period back] will happen more quickly if you’re able to go “all in” and eat more than 2500 or more calories per day…” Navigating BodyLove IRL: In this episode we talk about how to advocate for yourself at the doctor if you are experiences amenorrhea; especially if you are living in a larger body, or struggling with a ‘false’ PCOS diagnosis. Listener Q/A In this episode we answer: How long does it take to get your period back? Is soy really bad for hormonal health? How do you actually “check” your cervical mucus? Resources: Nicola’s Most Popular Blogs:
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Ep. 053: Anna Chapman on Navigating Body Love and Checking Thin Privilege
02/14/2018
Ep. 053: Anna Chapman on Navigating Body Love and Checking Thin Privilege
In this episode Anna and I talk about what the term “Body Love” means to us, how she developed Body Love Yoga, how ableism in the yoga and fitness industry is rooted in the patriarchy, and how to get comfortable taking up space in this world. In this episode we cover how to navigate difficult conversations around asking for seat belt extenders, chairs without arms (AKA fat positive chairs), and writing open letters to public figures to elicit uncomfortable but necessary conversations. Anna also answers a listener question about her favorite fat positive yoga clothing brands. Navigating BodyLove IRL At the Airport It’s no secret that airplanes are uncomfortable. But if you’re living in a thin body, you might not realize that this discomfort is heightened if you’re living in a larger body. Anna gives some practical tips on how to make traveling more physically and emotionally comfortable. Get a seat belt extender (bring one or ask for one) Keep bags in the overhead to save leg room Always bring your own snack Noise cancelling headphones to block out sighs or negative comments Hoodie or scarf to “cocoon up” Make sure to go to the bathroom before getting on plane Travel with a friend + put the armrest up! Breathing - 3 counts in and out Grounding practice - Feel your feet on the ground With Public Figures Anna talks about how author Brene Brown has played a vital role in her ability to navigate fatphobia, but also doesn’t recognize how some of her writing perpetuates the shame that people in larger bodies feel on a regular basis (). Anna went to one of Brene’s events a few months back and felt empowered to ask for a more comfortable chair (without armrests), and when she returned home, which is one of my favorite things ever written. Listener Q/A What are your favorite plus size activewear brands? Resources:
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Ep. 052: How Diet Culture Impacts our Body Image Katherine Zavodni
01/31/2018
Ep. 052: How Diet Culture Impacts our Body Image Katherine Zavodni
Katherine Zavodni is a non-diet, Health at Every Size registered dietitian/nutritionist specializing in eating disorder treatment, intuitive eating, chronic dieting and weight concerns, and family and childhood feeding dynamics. In this episode Katherine and I talk about how diet culture impacts how we feel about our body, how our body is not the problem (diet culture is), and how it’s OK to be part of the body positive movement and still have days where you hate you body. Resources:
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Ep. 051: Dana Sturtevant & Hilary Kinavey on Building Body Trust
01/24/2018
Ep. 051: Dana Sturtevant & Hilary Kinavey on Building Body Trust
Dana Sturtevant and Hilary Kinavey are the co-founders of Be Nourished, a weight neutral practice based in Portland, OR. In this episode Dana and Hilary talk about how to build Body Trust(TM), why it's so important for clinicians doing this work to use weight neutral messaging in our marketing materials, and why this work has to support people in ALL bodies. You can learn more about Be Nourished and their upcoming workshops at: https://benourished.org/
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Ep. 050: Is Your Body Acceptance Conditional? With Guest Liz Fayram, CEDRD
01/17/2018
Ep. 050: Is Your Body Acceptance Conditional? With Guest Liz Fayram, CEDRD
In this episode Liz hits the nail on the head, naming a place where I hung out for a long time: Conditional Body Acceptance (see also: healthism). This idea that you can accept your body at any size, if and only if you are meeting orthorexic ideals. If this resonates for you, you might also know that these ideals differ from person to person, and my (past) ideals not only kept me deeply dissatisfied with my body, they also wreaked havoc on my health and kept me in a disconnected and disordered relationship with food, movement, and my body. Liz also sheds light on how Conditional Body Acceptance also plays a role in the yoga community, and how she is working to spread the Health at Every Size and Unconditional Body Acceptance movement as a newly registered yoga teacher. Resources:
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Ep. 049: Is the Whole 30 Productive or Just Seductive?
11/29/2017
Ep. 049: Is the Whole 30 Productive or Just Seductive?
Jessi is flying solo in today's episode to talk about the pro's and con's (ok they're all con's) of doing the Whole 30 diet (lifestyle, protocol, program etc). She talks openly about how she used to sell a similar "program" and why she will *never* do it again. She also lays out why the Whole 30 is so harmful to your health (both physical and mental) and hopes you can use this framework to think critically when you find similar programs as seductive as this one! Resources
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From the Archives: Intuitive Eating Co-Authors Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole
11/22/2017
From the Archives: Intuitive Eating Co-Authors Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole
To celebrate ONE YEAR of the BodyLove Project Podcast I'm re-releasing an episode with the women who inspired me to start this podcast in the first place: Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole, the dietitians who literally wrote the book on Intuitive Eating. Give it a listen and make sure to download my free if you're ready to dig in for more!
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Ep. 048: Caroline Dooner, Founder of the Only "Diet" I'll Stand Behind
11/15/2017
Ep. 048: Caroline Dooner, Founder of the Only "Diet" I'll Stand Behind
Caroline Dooner is a former food & dieting addict turned writer and storyteller. She is also the founder of the only diet I will ever recommend: The F It Diet. This diet (although literally not a diet at all) was created after Caroline decided to get off the diet-binge rollercoaster and stop measuring her self worth by the number on the scale. In this episode Caroline shares her personal story with dieting and disordered eating, talks about the difference between a good teacher and a cult leader, and shares some information about her upcoming course: How to Be Your Own Damn Guru. She is hilarious and insightful and I can’t wait for you to give this episode a listen!Resources: How to Be Your Own Damn Guru: Intuition Intensive (Email Caroline.Dooner@gmail.com)
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Ep. 047 Haley Goodrich on Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown
11/08/2017
Ep. 047 Haley Goodrich on Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown
Haley Goodrich is a registered dietitian fiercely passionate passionate about helping others create flexible, joyful eating habits and cultivate a peaceful relationship with their body. Haley is the founder of her Pittsburgh-based private practice, . She specializes in intuitive eating, eating disorder recovery and digestive health from a Health At Every Size perspective. She is currently pursuing her Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) Certification. In addition to her full-time private practice she is also the co-founder of , a community- based learning experience designed to mentor and guide nutrition entrepreneurs to build amazing businesses. In today's episode we're digging into Brene Brown's new book, Braving the Wilderness and how it relates to our wok as advocates for body justice and fat acceptance. Resources
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Ep. 046: Dr. Laura Douglass on How We Learn Through the Body
11/01/2017
Ep. 046: Dr. Laura Douglass on How We Learn Through the Body
Dr. Laura Douglass is the Academic Dean of Professional Studies at Endicott College, where she also serves as the faculty advisor for the Trauma Studies Club. She is an interdisciplinary scholar with research interests in trauma, eating disorders, and the integration of yoga as pedagogy in higher education settings. She also owned her own yoga studio in Watertown for five years. In this episode, Dr. Douglass talks about learning through our bodies, how we use verbal narratives to describe how we’re feeling in our bodies, and how we shift from hyper- and hypo-aroused states through physical activity in order to feel safe in our bodies. She talks about the importance of slowing down to listen to our bodies in their present moment and to break down the communication between the body and the narrative to create a new, more intuitive narrative. It is typical human nature not to trust our bodies, not to connect with them in the present, and to constantly chase what they "used to be" or what we want them to be. Dr. Douglass feels that the loss of communication in the relationship between self and body translates to how we treat other relationships we have, with ourselves and with others. To learn more about how to learn from your body, to stop chasing your “past self,” and to connect with your body through movement, listen to the full episode. Resources:
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EP. 045: Robyn Nohling on Hormone Health Through a Health at Every Size Lens
10/25/2017
EP. 045: Robyn Nohling on Hormone Health Through a Health at Every Size Lens
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Ep. 044: Rachel Estapa on Wellness in the Body Positive Space
10/18/2017
Ep. 044: Rachel Estapa on Wellness in the Body Positive Space
For years, Rachel Estapa felt that, in order to get people to like her, she needed to change her body. Comments like, “you have a big belly,” or “you’re not graceful” defined who she was in the world. In college, she successfully pursued a weight loss journey that she thought would open up more opportunities that were previously off limits due to her body size. When this didn’t happen, Rachel felt angry and betrayed by both herself and society. In a moment of grief, Rachel cried to her husband, “there has to be more to love about me than this!” Thus was born, More to Love Yoga. As soon as Rachel embraced herself as a person, that’s when the opportunities began to open up for her. Rachel’s first experience with yoga was challenging as she unknowingly took a hot yoga class and wound up outside in the middle of a Boston February, grateful for the cold air. But, she kept going until she found a yoga class that, in yoga’s true and authentic form, allowed her to just be. No judging, no comparing, no overthinking. After that, she chose to study at Kripalu, learning yoga skills specifically for teaching to larger bodies. Rachel currently teaches weekly yoga classes in Somerville, MA and offers an online WELL by MTL wellness program. She aims to educate and support plus size people on body acceptance and self-worth. Tune into the whole episode to learn more about Rachel journey to ditching diet culture, embracing her body and learning to live an authentic and abundant life. Resources:
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Ep. 043: Michelle Vina-Baltsas on Navigating Emotional Eating
10/11/2017
Ep. 043: Michelle Vina-Baltsas on Navigating Emotional Eating
Michelle Vina-Baltsas spent decades struggling with her relationship to food and body. Feeling like an outsider in her community and experiencing trauma at an early age drove Michelle to turn to food as her companion, her friend, her comfort when times were tough. In college, Michelle knew her eating patterns weren’t “normal,” and looking back, she believes she had Binge Eating Disorder. At that time, that wasn’t a term people were using. After college, Michelle turned to Overeaters Anonymous, which helped her feel connected, like she wasn’t alone. During her ten years with OA, she was able to unravel and begin to understand her deep connection with food, eventually realizing that she wanted more freedom in her relationship with food. This led her to stumble upon Intuitive Eating. Michelle’s skepticism and curiosity kept her committed to this new journey and inspired her to become an Intuitive Eating Counselor. In this episode, Michelle talks about her constant battle with self worth, how she turned to food to protect her against outside triggers, and the fear she faced as she learned to give herself unconditional compassion and permission. She talks about the stigma of emotional eating and how it’s actually a positive thing. You eat because it makes you happy, because it tastes good. Through her own experiences and her journey with Intuitive Eating, Michelle has been able to repair her relationship with food, her body and exercise. Exercise is now about feeling good and having fun, not changing her body. She is able to nurture and respect her body and where she’s at right now. She’s happy. Today, Michelle works with women heal their relationship with food and body through Intuitive Eating. She helps women relearn self-compassion, self-awareness and how to trust in themselves again. Through self care and coaching, you can learn how to love yourself and food again. Tune into the whole episode to learn more about Michelle’s path to self-love and how she believes that you can reach that, too. Resources:
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Ep. 042: Dr. Stephanie Waitt on Disordered Eating Glorification in the Fitness Industry
10/04/2017
Ep. 042: Dr. Stephanie Waitt on Disordered Eating Glorification in the Fitness Industry
Dr Stephanie Waitt specializes in treating eating disorders at her practice, Texoma Specialty Counseling. In her work with people she aims to help men and women find balance, peace, confidence, and happiness with their bodies, relationships, and life. She emphasizes the importance of self-care and encourages people that being a little selfish is a really good thing. Stephanie is also an online recovery coach. In her recovery coaching Stephanie helps people learn to find peace with their bodies and ditch dieting. She helps people find confidence and the power to live the life they want right now! You can learn more about her practice and online recovery coaching at . Resources
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Ep. 041: Melissa Carmona on Body Image Across Cultures
09/27/2017
Ep. 041: Melissa Carmona on Body Image Across Cultures
Today I’m speaking with Melissa Carmona, a HAES therapist in North Carolina. Melissa talks about her experience growing up in Columbia, South America and what messages she received about body image from a Latino Country and what it was like making the transition to live in the US. We dig into how mental health stigma runs deep in South America, and how there are so few resources for women especially, to receive help. Resources
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