Good Bodies

Sami and Aleen are back for another DST bonus episode. This week a listener writes in wondering how to handle feeling like her husband’s active lifestyle is affecting her relationship with food and body image. They give advice on ways to bring up the conversation with the listener’s husband, and lend their thoughts on productive ways to not let his behavior affect her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sami and Aleen are back to answer another listener-submitted ‘Dear DST’ question all about how to respond to compliments you receive after losing weight, even if you’re not dieting. How do we overcome diet culture when these comments reinforce our desire to be skinny? Plus, they talk about the challenge to accept compliments in general, even when they’re not the best thing for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aleen and Sami return to share some recent food stories and talk about the urge to count calories. They start with a convo about food sensitivities limiting what you can have, and hate-eating in the run up to a wedding. They also talk about the pitfalls of calorie counting and how to kick the habit. Next, they dive into a listener-submitted question all about maintaining mindfulness when you’re feeling angry. Plus, they talk about difficult experiences early in life preparing you for challenges that come later, leading to a conversation about embracing your imperfections. Finally, they close things out with a listener Non Scale Win of the week and some wins of their own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode presented by Midol®, Sami and Aleen are joined by Dr. Alyssa Dweck, a practicing gynecologist who provides care to women of all ages and has delivered thousands of babies, to talk about how your cycle might be different in a pandemic. They start with a conversation about the stress of quarantine, and why it’s a factor in the severity of symptoms. They also talk about the value of tracking your cycle, how hormones drive our cravings, and why exercise might help with cramping. Next, they ask whether or not there’s such a thing as a “normal period” and discuss the value of using an app for your cycle. Finally, they close the show with some advice for managing your own symptoms, including what you should and shouldn’t be eating depending on how close you are to your period. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sami and Aleen are joined once again by registered dietician (and fan-favorite) Lisa Hayim, aka @thewellnecessities, to talk all about mindfulness. They start with a reflection on the overwhelming anxiety many of us are feeling right now, and share some emotional tools to deal with these feelings. They talk about connecting with resources to help you, including breathing techniques and physical touch, and share how to use these tools in your own life. Next, they discuss staying in the moment, why it’s impossible to always stay as mindful as we’d like to be, and why Lisa takes a week (yes, a week!) off from her phone. Plus, they talk about identifying real danger vs perceived danger in order to gain perspective on your own thoughts. Finally, they finish out the show with a conversation about gently untangling your own emotions the way you would a piece of jewelry.Thanks to our sponsors:Brideside: Brideside was founded by women, for women. Get started on Brideside.com and sign up for a free bridal or bridesmaid stylist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aleen and Sami return to answer a listener ‘Dear DST’ question all about balancing an anti-diet intuitive eating lifestyle with losing weight for her wedding. Is it possible to both practice intuitive eating and also actively try to lose weight? Sami shares her own experience with the final stretch of planning for her wedding, and how it’s getting in the way of her pizza eating. Then they share their Non Scale Wins of the week and preview an upcoming episode all about mindfulness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aleen and Sami are back to talk all about intuitive eating. They start with an explanation of what exactly intuitive eating means, including how Aleen first gave it a chance after returning from her honeymoon. They talk about the lack of pressure involved, and describe what an intuitive eating therapy session is like. Plus, they discuss the role of fatphobia in our eating habits, and how important it is to acknowledge that role before you can make a mental shift. Next, they discuss what it’s like to stop checking yourself in the full-length mirror (even if you grew up in a house of mirrors). They talk about the overuse of the term “mindfulness” and why it doesn’t seem to have any real meaning anymore. Finally, they close the show with a conversation about how to eat less by simply giving your body exactly as much as it wants.Thanks to our sponsors: Thrive Market: Join Thrive Market at ThriveMarket.com/DST and get up to $20 in shopping credit toward your first order. Brideside: Brideside was founded by women, for women. Get started on Brideside.com and sign up for a free bridal or bridesmaid stylist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sami and Aleen are back to talk about Sami’s upcoming wedding ceremony and how to plan a wedding in a pandemic. They start with a recap of her original wedding plans, how they got disrupted by coronavirus, and why it’s so difficult to plan a normal-sized event right now or possibly even in the next couple of years. They talk about how she settled on a backyard wedding, and explain the precautions in place for ensuring guest safety. Next, they discuss the pressure to lose weight for your wedding and how you carry yourself differently when you’re confident in your body. Then Aleen gives Sami her best wedding advice, which leads to a conversation about living in the moment and being mindful of your experiences. Finally, they close the show with their NSWs of the week, including a great listener win and a conversation about a delicious bowl of pasta.Thanks to our sponsors: Breyer’s: Go to Breyers.com/DST to get a coupon to try Breyer’s CarbSmart! Stitchfix: Stitch Fix is a personal styling company that brings you the world of fashion and style. Get started today at StitchFix.com/DST and you’ll get 25% off when you keep everything in your Fix!  Brideside: Brideside was founded by women, for women. Get started on Brideside.com and sign up for a free bridal or bridesmaid stylist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aleen and Sami are joined by Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, obesity medicine doctor and health policy expert from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. They start by talking about how she got into obesity medicine, both as a researcher and practitioner, and just how new the field really is. They discuss the definition of obesity, whether or not BMI is a useful measurement, and why it’s important where you’re carrying weight on your body. Next, they talk about the ‘health at every size’ movement, and what the medical evidence tells us about the level of control we actually have over our own bodyweight. Plus, they discuss the gaps in our healthcare that are influenced by race, income, and opportunity, and just how hard it is to see those gaps when they’re right in front of you. Finally, they finish out the show with their Non Scale Wins, leading to conversation about not stressing over bikini season.Thanks to our sponsors: Future Fitness: Sign up for Future today at tryfuture.com/dst and get your first two weeks with your personal trainer for just $1! Nextdoor: Nextdoor is THE hub for everything happening in your neighborhood. Go to Nextdoor.com/DST to sign up and see what’s happening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Sami and Aleen are joined by Chrissy King, fitness coach and creator of the Body Liberation Project, to talk about anti-racism in the wellness industry and why a woman’s self-worth should not be tied to how her body looks. Chrissy starts with the story of how she got into fitness and eventually found self-acceptance by hitting rock bottom, inspiring her body liberation philosophy. They discuss the #takeupspace movement and explain why you shouldn’t shrink yourself for the comfort of other people; plus, the impact of white male mediocrity on the available space for women, and women of color in particular, to thrive. Next, they discuss the role of fat phobia in our daily lives, including the historical connection with racism followed by answering a listener email about setting boundaries with friends. Finally, they close out the show with their Non Scale Wins, including a story about literally turning your back on the scale, and another about not judging yourself for not working out.Thanks to our sponsors: Breyer’s: Go to Breyers.com/DST to get a coupon to try Breyer’s CarbSmart! Daily Burn: Get fit, they say. Stay active, they say. But the gyms are closed! Give at-home workouts a try with Daily Burn. Sign up at dailyburn.com/DST for a free 30-day trial Book of the Month: Book of the Month is a fun, commitment-free book subscription, you get to choose a new book each month. Get your first month for just $9.99 with code BETCHES. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices