The Full Plate Podcast with Abbie Attwood, MS

Abbie is joined by Christyna Johnson, a registered dietitian whose work sits at the intersection of nourishment and social justice (a perfect fit for Full Plate, as you all know).They unpack the way systems have weaponized hunger. And why that matters so much at a time where extreme thinness is being celebrated, hunger suppression is being normalized, and health is feeling more like a performance than ever.Tune in for more on:* Hunger as a tool of control—historically, politically, and culturally* Growing up with limited food variety, dieting, and respectability politics* Diet culture as a cult (yes, it’s fascinating)* Why appetite suppression is being framed as “health”* GLP-1 medications, food noise, and informed consent* Epigenetics, famine, dieting, and intergenerational impact* The difference between the performance of health and actual well-being* Pleasure, nourishment, and why enjoying food matters* Why younger generations give us real reasons to hopeThis episode is honest, funny, gentle, and deeply unsettling in the best way. It invites us to ask bigger questions:Who benefits when we’re disconnected from our bodies? And what becomes possible when nourishment takes up less brain space—so we can look up and care for one another?Make sure you’re following Christyna on Instagram. And check out her book, 100 Food Affirmations, right here.Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribeApply for Abbie’s Group Membership:Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-groupFind the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcastFind Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellnessPodcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian WaltersThis podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.comAbbie is joined by registered dietitian Anna Sweeney for a conversation that gently but firmly pushes back on the loudest nutrition narratives we’re seeing and hearing right now (carbs, sugar, protein hype, processed foods, “good fats” and everything in between). Together, they unpack the potential harms of the newly released dietary guidelines, the moral panic around convenience foods, and the way “real food” nutrition messaging lands on disabled folks, people with eating disorders, parents, and anyone just trying to get fed.Tune in for more on:Anna’s lived experience with disability and how that impacts eatingWhy convenience foods are not something to fearWhat is inside the new dietary guidelines (and what’s left out)How “clickable nutrition advice” is fueling misinformationThe violence of demonizing accessible foodsWhy “real food” is a misleading (and loaded) conceptProtein recommendations, cultural bias, and who gets left outShould we be avoiding sugar?Carbohydrates as essential (and why the fear-mongering won’t stop)How nutrition messaging creates shame instead of supportThe missing role of pleasure in conversations about healthWhy individual responsibility is overemphasized—and systems are ignoredSocial determinants of health and nutrition conversationsLearning to trust your body in a culture that profits from distrustAnna Sweeney (she/her) is a chronically ill and disabled relational nutrition therapist and registered dietitian. She has dedicated her career to counseling, supervising, and consulting in the field of eating disorders. Anna is the owner of a group nutrition therapy practice dedicated to anti-oppressive, fat-positive eating disorder care. Anna has spoken nationally at numerous conferences and media outlets, is globally recognized as a resource in her field, and regularly communicates on social media as @dietitiananna.Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group Social media:Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcastFind Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian WaltersThis podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.

Sharon Maxwell returns (she might hold the record!?) to talk about embracing pleasure with food and bringing fat joy into the new year. Oh and...why body liberation is not dead, they just want us to think it is.Tune in for more on:- Why pleasure matters in healing- How Sharon is learning to savor food, perhaps for the first time- Psychedelics in Sharon's recovery - Finding “glimmers” of joy during hard seasons- Fat joy in the new year- How community support helps us resist diet culture- Body liberation as an everyday practice- Using play as an act of resistanceSupport the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribeSharon Maxwell (she/they) is an educator, speaker and fat activist. With compassion as a guiding principle, Sharon is a leading force in dismantling systemic anti-fat bias. She dedicates her work to eradicating weight stigma on both a social level and within healthcare settingsFind Sharon on IG: @heysharonmaxwellApply for Abbie’s Group Membership:Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but in need of community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group Social media:Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcastFind Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian WaltersThis podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

Because it's the end of the year, I figured we needed this one: Yasmine Cheyenne helps us walk some of our most challenging paths: self-forgiveness, people-pleasing, unhealthy relationships, and comparison.In this revisited episode, we explore:How perfectionism leads to self-abandonmentSetting boundaries as protection from burnoutHow early relational dynamics shape the way we show up in the worldIdentifying red flags in relationshipsBreaking free of what keeps us stuck in painful cyclesHow we lose ourselves when we make choices out of fearWhat is really happening when we compare ourselves to othersUsing our past as information — not a life sentenceYasmine Cheyenne is a self-healing educator, mental wellness advocate, author, and motivational speaker who helps people cultivate daily practices to build healthy, joyful lives. Yasmine’s app, The Sugar Jar Community®, provides meditations and healing workshops to support our mental wellness. She’s been featured on the Today show, InStyle, Forbes, and more. An Air Force veteran and native New Yorker, she now lives in Washington, DC with her family.Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group Social media:Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcastFind Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian WaltersThis podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.comIf you’re heading into this season feeling overwhelmed, under-rested, or bracing yourself for the inevitable comments about food, bodies, health, or “being good”… you’re in good company. And you deserve support.Below are the questions I’m answering this month’s community Q&A episode (thinking we should call these Q&As our monthly Full Plate Potluck??? Anyone?!🤣).My thoughts on the first two questions are free for everyone, and the rest are behind the paywall. Join as a paid subscriber for access to this full Q&A, all other bonus content, and my undying love and gratitude for helping to keep the lights on around here.Question 1: Prioritizing rest while others are prioritizing diet cultureQuestion 2: Clothing, Consumerism, and Body Image “Fixes”Question 3: The Temptation to Restrict with Body Comparison (to our former selves and others)Question 4: Other People’s Opinions and Choices with FoodQuestion 5: Comparison and Boundaries with Close Friends and FamilyI hope you enjoy this episode, and please use the Substack comments to let me know what questions you have for our next Q&A!Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribeApply for Abbie’s Group Membership:Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-groupSocial media:Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcastFind Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellnessPodcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian WaltersThis podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.

Perimenopause often starts quietly. Maybe your sleep gets weird, maybe your cycles change, maybe you just don’t feel like yourself. And when that happens, most of us do the obvious thing: we start looking for information. We want reassurance. We want a roadmap.And that’s where the trap springs.Because the loudest voices don’t talk to you like a human moving through a profound hormonal transition. No—they talk to you like a problem, a project, and a body in need of tightening, shrinking, purifying, or fixing.Cole Kazdin returns (her second time on the pod!) to talk to me about this whole mess.We get into so much in the episode, including:• the sneaky ways diet culture slips into menopause advice• the reactivation of old eating disorder behaviors• orthorexia, “eating clean,” and restriction as coping mechanisms• the research on midlife vulnerability to dieting• longevity and nutrition misinformation• reclaiming exercise from wellness culture• how we can experience more joy, autonomy, and nourishment during this transitionSupport the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribeApply for Abbie’s Group Membership:Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-groupAbout Cole:Cole Kazdin is a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, writer, and performer. She is the author of What’s Eating Us: Women, Food, and the Epidemic of Body Anxiety and has contributed to The Moth Presents All These Wonders. Cole has written for outlets including VICE, TIME, The New York Times, and Cosmopolitan, and produced for Good Morning America, Nightline, and Netflix. A celebrated storyteller, she’s performed on The Moth Mainstage nationwide and NPR’s The Moth Radio Hour, and currently teaches writing at UCLA Extension. She lives in Los Angeles. Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcastFind Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian WaltersThis podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.comEating disorders have long been treated through talk therapy, nutrition support, and medication, but what happens when these approaches aren’t enough? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Marissa Raymond-Flesch, a leading researcher exploring the potential of psychedelic therapies as a treatment for anorexia.We dive into:The science behind psychedelic therapy and its emerging applications in mental health.Current research on psychedelics for anorexia and what the early findings suggest.How psychedelic therapy could complement traditional approaches to eating disorder care.The ethical and safety considerations surrounding this innovative treatment.Questions researchers are still asking and the future possibilities in the field.Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, or someone with lived experience, this episode offers a thoughtful, evidence-based look at a groundbreaking frontier in eating disorder treatment.Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribeApply for Abbie’s Group Membership:Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-groupMore on Dr. Raymond-Flesch's clinical trial: https://eatingdisorders.ucsf.edu/spanya-studyMore on Dr. Raymond-Flesch: https://profiles.ucsf.edu/marissa.raymond-fleschSocial media:Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcastFind Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellnessPodcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian WaltersThis podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.

Deb Benfield, RDN, returns to talk about what it really means to age unapologetically. We explore how diet culture and anti-aging messaging collide in midlife, why our bodies deserve more kindness (not more control), and how to build a relationship with food, movement, and aging that feels spacious and grounded rather than restrictive and punishing.Deb shares practical, compassionate ways to reclaim vitality, joy, and presence in a world obsessed with youth and thinness.We get into:How to move from “I know diet culture is harmful” to actually living differentlyWhy aging can feel so emotionally charged — and how to process grief without self-criticismNourishment vs. optimization: fueling your body without chasing “anti-aging fixes”Navigating ageism, visibility, and the pressure to stay youthfulWhat joyful, sustainable movement can look like in midlifeHow to reclaim pleasure, rest, and spaciousnessThe legacy we offer younger generations when we age without apologySupport the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group Social media:Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcastFind Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian WaltersThis podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.comLiving with chronic illness changes everything—energy, trust in your body, and even your relationship with food. In this episode, I answer a listener question about why chronic illness and disordered eating overlap so often.I get personal about:My own experiences with autoimmune flares and how they made wellness “solutions” tempting.Pain, uncertainty, and hyper-awareness of the body.Navigating food choices with chronic illness.Nutrition misinformation about “inflammation” and health conditions.Weight stigma, ableism, and moralizing health.How disordered eating can become a coping mechanism—and ways to step out of that cycle.If you’ve ever felt pulled into restriction, protocols, or wellness promises while living in a sick body, this episode is for you.Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group Social media:Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcastFind Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian WaltersThis podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.

Shana Spence, a registered dietitian (who you might know as @thenutritiontea on social media), joins the pod to bust myths about processed foods and to discuss how family, culture, privilege, and societal influences shape our relationship with food.This is a rerun – we recorded this conversation over a year ago, and misinformation about food and ingredients has only intensified. This episode feels important to share again right now, especially in light of recent reductions in food assistance programs.Shana shares how her initial career path and disordered eating fueled her decision to become a dietitian, and reflects on how dietetics education perpetuates diet culture, focusing on BMI and stereotypes. She talks about her perspective shift over time, the process of moving toward an anti-diet and weight-inclusive approach, and why the social determinants of health matter more than individual food choices.Tune in to hear more about…The pressure of food restriction as a badge of honorPrivilege affecting food choicesThe misleading fears about processed foodsThe oversimplification of food into good vs. bad categories. How family and cultural background impact dietingExternal societal pressures on our relationship with foodDiet culture and healthismDietitian education's role in perpetuating diet cultureStereotyping in healthcareShana’s perspective shift on nutrition and dietingRestriction as a form of validationBlack-and-white thinking in nutritionWhy we don't need to "fix" people's eating habitsShana Spence is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist based in New York, who considers herself an “eat anything” dietitian, and counsels on a HAES (Healthy At Every Size) and an Intuitive Eating approach. She is also the author of Live Nourished - Make Peace with Food, Banish Body Shame, and Reclaim Joy. Find her website here https://www.thenutritiontea.com/  and find her on instagram at @thenutritiontea.Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group Social media:Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcastFind Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian WaltersThis podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe