The Full Plate Podcast with Abbie Attwood, MS

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.comThis might be my favorite conversation we’ve had on this podcast. It's a conversation I had with Edie Stark (an ED therapist) and Sharon Maxwell (a fat activist and weight-inclusive consultant), and we’re answering a very important – very hard – listener question.The essence of it is: “I believe in body liberation and anti-diet culture. But what if I’m just uncomfortable being fat?”Tune in for:* How and why Sharon relates to this listener, and moments where she's worked through this thought* How Ozempic culture impacts the desire for weight loss* What it means to practice self-compassion while living within systemic anti-fatness* Whether changing your body can change discomfort* Times when eating disorder thoughts creep in the most* Discomfort as a signal of something deeper* The role of mental and emotional pain on physical symptoms* Navigating the medical system when it blames body size for everything * SO much more!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-groupAbout Edie: Edie Stark, MSc, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Stark Therapy Group, a psychotherapy group practice specializing in eating disorders, trauma, and anxiety from a humanistic, fat-positive, and inclusive lens. She believes in the value of lived experience being met with clinical knowledge to create a collaborative therapeutic experience for all of the clients. Edie is passionate about Trader Joe's snacks– we talk a little bit about that–dismantling the US healthcare system, and the complete and total takedown of diet culture in no particular order.Learn more at https://starktherapygroup.com/About Sharon:Sharon Maxwell (She/Her) is a mental health advocate and fat activist. She works as a weight inclusive consultant, providing education to treatment centers and healthcare providers on the immense harms of weight stigma. Due to her lived experience facing weight stigma, Sharon provides unique insight and offers practical tools to make treatment centers and healthcare settings safe and accessible for fat folks. Sharon is passionate about breaking down the stigma around eating disorders and working to eradicate societal anti-fat bias. When she’s not studying or engaged in her activism work, Sharon can be found exploring San Diego with her dog and her best friend.Read "You Don't Look Anorexic" in New York Times MagazineConnect with Sharon on IG: @heysharonmaxwellLearn more about Sharon: https://www.heysharonmaxwell.com/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.

In midlife, women are often handed diets disguised as wellness. More ways to stay young, stay thin, stay "timeless."Debra Benfield, RDN, joins me for a conversation that sits right at the intersection of diet culture, anti-fatness, and anti-aging. Together we talk about how these forces converge in midlife—often making women particularly vulnerable to disordered eating and harmful messaging at exactly the stage when we deserve peace, rest, and joy.Some of the things we get into…* Perimenopause and menopause diet culture messages* Why aging creates heightened vulnerability to diet and wellness culture* The impact of stress and restrictive eating on longevity* Mid-life marketing of disordered eating advice* Wrinkles, Botox, and the skin-care industry* The tyranny of the “belly fat” narrative* How wellness culture capitalizes on our fear of aging and death* Whether strength training is part of the anti-aging conversation* The ways ableism, sexism, and agism collide in media* How to navigate fear-mongering messages about food, weight, and health* What we can do to reclaim our time and energy and powerThis is an episode about reclaiming our power and time from the industries profiting off our insecurities. About saying no to being sold “youth in a bottle” and yes to embracing the fullness of who we are—wrinkles, softness, wisdom, and all.Debra has helped hundreds of women heal their relationship with food and their bodies over her 35-year career as a Registered Dietitian. She specializes in the prevention and treatment of disordered eating, and brings her passion, expertise, and lived experience to the intersection of pro-aging and body liberation work. Deb’s work is rooted in helping clients recognize internalized ageism and end it, dismantle internalized diet culture and fatphobia, see midlife and beyond as a time of Emergence, nourish their bodies to support vitality and aging, and develop a respectful partnership with their bodies.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

Dr. Colleen Reichmann—a clinical psychologist, author, and eating disorder specialist—joins me this week to talk about hopelessness and despair in eating disorder recovery.We explore how disordered eating, body shame, and perfectionism can create a landscape of deep emotional pain—and how that pain can lead to thoughts of giving up.Gentle Content Warning: This episode includes a nuanced discussion about suicidal ideation and eating disorders. It is hopeful, and without any graphic detail. That said, please take care while listening, and know that it’s okay to skip this one or come back to it when you're in a steadier place.Tune in for more on:* How common it is to feel deep despair in recovery* Personality traits that fuel hopelessness in eating disorders* Nutrition, physiology, and how undernourishment affects mood* The role of relationships in either deepening isolation or offering a lifeline* How anti-fat bias and weight stigma compound psychological suffering* How to hold hope while you’re struggling* The false timeline of recovery and the importance of “invisible” progress* Support strategies that center validation over toxic positivity* How clinicians, friends, and loved ones can stay present in the discomfortIf you're struggling, you are not alone—support is available (see resources below).Dr. Reichmann is a licensed clinical psychologist in Philadelphia, PA, and the founder of Wildflower Therapy LLC. She is an eating disorders specialist but also specializes in mental health specific to college students, maternal mental health, anxiety, and depression.Resources:Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (US) – Dial or text 988Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741 (Free, 24/7)Trans Lifeline – 877-565-8860The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ support) – 1-866-488-7386Support 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.comLately, intermittent fasting has been getting more attention as a possible approach for women in midlife. And as with most health trends, this has sparked a lot of questions — and just as many opinions.Inside this bonus episode, we look at:* What intermittent fasting is and the variations that exist* Common claims about its benefits during menopause* What current research suggests — and where findings are still emerging* The context of aging, wellness marketing, and body changes in midlife* Why this season of life can come with renewed vulnerability around food* One of the most comprehensive studies to date on intermittent fasting — and what it showed* Potential impacts on sleep, cognitive function, blood sugar, hormone fluctuations, weight, bone health, and moreYou can listen to a free preview wherever you get your podcasts, or access the full episode when you become a paid subscriber on Substack.Whether this is a topic you’ve explored personally, are hearing more about from friends, or are simply curious to understand better — I hope this episode offers a grounded, thoughtful space for reflection. My intention is always to present information with care, compassion, and context — so that you can make choices that feel supportive for your unique body, mind, and life.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 free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.comVinny Welsby (@fiercefatty) joins me for a lot of laughs this week, but mostly for a deeply important conversation about the dangers of weight-centric medical care.Tune in this week for more on:* How Vinny discovered fat liberation—and the moment everything started to shift* What food, culture, and identity have to do with our bodies and our healing* The sneaky and not-so-sneaky ways anti-fat bias shows up in healthcare settings* Real stories of how fat folks are dismissed, harmed, or ignored in medical appointments* Why microaggressions in healthcare aren't "small" at all—and how they add up over timeBehind the paywall, we get into so much more, including:* What happens when people avoid care because of past trauma with providers* The dangerous myths doctors are taught about fatness and health* How weight stigma impacts health outcomes—and what the research really says about the link between weight and health outcomes* What it means to navigate medical spaces with self-compassion and agency* Hopeful shifts happening in healthcare—and what fat-affirming care can look like* Strategies for protecting your peace and advocating for yourself in the exam roomVinny Welsby (they/them) is a world-leading expert on dismantling anti-fat bias and diet-culture, TEDx speaker, and best-selling author. They went from being homeless and abused with self-esteem that was achingly low into the courageous fat activist and change maker they are today. Vinny helps people fall in love with their bodies and is dedicated to shifting the way society views fat queer bodies.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: @abbieattwoodwellnessFind Vinny on Instagram: @fiercefattyVinny's website: https://fiercefatty.com/Vinny's study on fatness in healthcare: https://fiercefatty.my.canva.site/download-fat-in-healthcare-report Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian WaltersThis podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.

Nutritionist and eating disorder expert Chris Sandel joins me on the pod to unpack one of the most pivotal (and haunting) studies in nutrition science: the Minnesota Starvation Experiment.We explore the psychological, emotional, and physical impacts of semi-starvation — and how this study helps us better understand modern-day disordered eating, diet culture, and the realities of recovery. Chris shares powerful insights into the biological realities of hunger, why restriction so often leads to feelings of food obsession and binge eating, and why recovery isn't about “willpower” — it's about safety, nourishment, and compassion.We talk about so much, including:* The history and phases of the Minnesota Starvation Experiment* How body weight played a role in this study (in ways you may not expect)* Why we feel fine (and even “good”) for a while when first restricting food* How under-eating affects our mental health, mood, and personality* What calorie restriction actually does to our metabolism, cardiovascular system, hormones, and nervous system* Why eating disorders are more than “just about food”* Why hunger can feel insatiable after periods of restriction* The amount of food it really requires to help a body feel safe again* The role of body trust in healing, and how to move through the fear* What the study reveals about the failures of diets, GLP-1s, and the high-protein hypeWhether you're healing from disordered eating, supporting someone who is, or rethinking your relationship with food, this conversation offers deep validation and science-backed clarity.Today's episode is free, but if you're finding value in 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: @abbieattwoodwellnessAbout Chris: Chris Sandel is a nutritionist, coach and eating disorder expert. He graduated with a Diploma in Nutritional Therapy in 2008 and founded his own company, Seven Health, in 2009 and found his calling in working with eating disorders and helping people to fully recover. As a perpetual student, Chris Sandel is also trained in Intuitive Eating (IE), Health At Every Size (HAES)®, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), polyvagal theory, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), behavioural psychology, and habit formation. Originally from Sydney, Chris lives in Scotland with his wife Ali and 7-year-old son Ramsay.Chris's Website: https://seven-health.com/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1pWgaxVApnLKQNIknw86Dm?si=65b21245ffd74be6 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.comAbbie is joined by Dr. Rachel Millner — a brilliant, deeply compassionate psychologist and fat liberationist (and return guest!) — to talk about the overlap between GLP-1 use and disordered eating. They explore how these drugs impact the body, including the side effects and mechanisms of action, but also how they stir up old stories of control, restriction, worthiness, and shame.This podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.Some of what you’ll hear…- Rachel’s path away from punitive exercise towards a self-caring approach to movement that isn’t about weight loss- Her campaign to get more fat fitness instructors into spaces like PelotonBehind the paywall you’ll hear:- How GLP-1s reinforce the idea that we can (and should) override our body’s needs- The eerie similarity between side effects and eating disorder symptoms- Why the medicalization of weight loss is not neutral or harm-free- The emotional cost of being praised for disappearing- What it means to choose recovery in a culture that rewards restriction- And most of all, how we hold space for nuance and care — without shameDr. Rachel Millner (she/her) is a psychologist, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and Supervisor, and a Certified Body Trust® provider. She has spent her career working with people struggling with all forms of eating disorders and disordered eating and those wanting to break free from diet culture. She views herself as a therapist and activist, and her work is trauma-informed, fat-positive, anti-diet and rooted in feminist theory, relational theory, social justice, and body liberation.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-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.

What does it mean to live in a body that doesn’t always do what you wish it would?A body that’s unpredictable, maybe in pain, maybe exhausted — a body shaped by chronic illness, disability, or the long echoes of medical trauma?This week on the podcast, I’m joined by the brilliant and deeply compassionate Dr. Jennifer Caspari, a psychologist who specializes in health psychology and lives with cerebral palsy. Her personal and professional wisdom come together in such a powerful way — this conversation felt like a breath of fresh air in a world that so often asks us to override, fix, or fight our bodies.We talk about what it means to be in relationship with your body when it doesn’t feel like it’s on your side — and how to cultivate self-compassion, presence, and joy even in the midst of that. (Her new book is a beautiful read, by the way).Jen shares her own story — how she came into therapy, what it’s like navigating the world in a disabled body, and the mindset shifts that have helped her most during painful or difficult seasons.We explore:* How societal body image pressure intersects with disability and illness* Why we don’t have to wait for symptoms to go away in order to start living* The role of values-based living and gentle courage in hard moments* Practical strategies for coping with chronic pain* What it really means to practice radical acceptance* Why chronic illness often involves grief — of function, identity, possibility* Navigating relationships and communicating needs with loved ones* Finding agency, even when so much feels out of your control* Living fully with a body that’s chronically ill — and maybe always will beSupport 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.comIn this bonus episode, I’m answering a listener question that so many of us have carried, even quietly:Why does seeing a photo of myself — especially in a group — make me want to shrink my body, even though I know better?And so, this episode offers both understanding and tools. A soft landing, and also a gentle nudge toward reflection and repair.Here’s a little of what we explore:* Why photos can feel like a trap. We’ll talk about how images — especially unexpected ones — can serve as a form of body checking, pulling us into old loops of control and criticism.* The neuroscience of comparison. Social comparison isn’t a personal flaw — it’s a human tendency shaped by culture and the body hierarchies that keep us stuck in the cycle.* Body grief and the “I thought I was past this” spiral. We’ll name the grief that can rise up, especially if we feel like we should be immune to body shame by now. And we’ll talk through language and compassion for being in that in-between space.* What to do when you hate a photo of yourself. Because yes—there are practices you can lean on that are rooted in body neutrality, values, and self-compassion. This isn’t about pretending you love every photo. It’s about creating space between your image and your worth.Whether you’ve recently been tagged in a photo that made your stomach drop, or you’ve been here a hundred times before — 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.

“I want people to know that their bodies are not problems to be fixed, or problems to be solved. I want us to examine how do we look at ourselves — especially BIPOC folks, fat folks, and folks with chronic illnesses. What if we didn't have to fix anything? What if our bodies aren't broken? What if it’s society and not us?”— Jessica Wilson, RD on Full Plate PodcastEvery once in a while, a conversation cuts through the noise — and makes space for something deeper to settle in.This week on Full Plate, we’re revisiting a powerful episode from two and a half years ago (how?!) with Jessica Wilson — a clinical dietitian, author, and speaker whose work continues to shape this field in profound ways.Jessica’s book, It’s Always Been Ours: Rewriting the Story of Black Women’s Bodies, had just been released when we first spoke. And even now, listening back, I feel the same reverence and electricity in her words — and an even deeper appreciation for how much they’ve reshaped my own thinking.In this conversation, we explore:* How anti-fatness is rooted in anti-Blackness* Why thinness and “wellness” ideals are intentionally weaponized* How Jessica found HAES and anti-diet work, and the limitations that frustrate her* Jessica's experience of medical weight stigma as a child* How the BIPOC experience of diet culture diverges from that of white folks* What it really means to center lived experience and social justice in conversations about health* The myths that persist when it comes to nutrition and our wellbeing* Whether the Mediterranean diet is really all that "healthy"* The complex feelings we both hold about intuitive eating and how it can miss the mark for marginalized folksThere’s so much in here. So much that feels like exactly what we need right now — especially in the face of rising public health rhetoric (ahem, “Make America Healthy Again”) that continues to blame individuals instead of challenging systems.Jessica brings her full self: truth-telling, deeply embodied, relentlessly clear. She’s not here to make this comfortable — she’s here to make it honest.And just a heads up that this episode was recorded before the current wave of GLP-1 conversations, RFK Jr. headlines, and other recent chaos in the wellness world. But trust me, what she shares here still lays the groundwork for understanding it all.Whether this is your first time hearing it, or a second listen — I think you’ll walk away changed.P.S. Grab Jessica’s book here and read her incredible piece on ultra-processed foods here. And make sure you’re following her on Instagram.If you give it a listen, what stood out to you? What would you like to hear more about in a future episode?Lastly, don’t forget to hit the “like” button on this post! It’s a free way to help the show❤️ 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