There is a great deal of fitness content about strategically modifying your diet or changing your physique. Many of these strategies may appear to be simple on paper, but they are inseparable from the complexity of human perception and emotion. Whether we like it or not, diet or physique manipulation inherently interact with concepts relating to one’s confidence, body image, self-esteem, and relationship with food. Further, many fitness coaches and clients mistakenly believe that poor body image or self-esteem are improved by simply changing one’s body. A growing area of interest in the fitness space aims to directly address and improve these outcomes by focusing on beliefs and behaviors in the absence of physique manipulation. In this crossover episode with Sigma Nutrition Radio and the Sports Nutrition Association, Eric Trexler and Danny Lennon are joined by Dr. Gabrielle Fundaro to take an evidence-based and practical look at the ways diet or physique modifications interact with confidence, body image, and self-worth.

00:00 Welcome to another crossover episode (passively) dominated by Iron Culture

02:09 Defining body image and self-esteem

07:49 Relationship with food and weight stigma

21:22 Are your behaviours and beliefs really sustainable?

32:13 Different approaches to safe weight modification

39:19 Screening for risk factors and contraindications

47:20 Scope of practice and individuals who fall into the gaps

53:20 Interventions and approaches for improving body image

 58:28 Closing out with some links

Sports Nutrition Association https://sportsnutritionassociation.com/

Sigma Nutrition https://sigmanutrition.com/