The Full Plate Podcast with Abbie Attwood, MS

Whether or not you’ve done a Whole30, this episode goes through how this diet is a specific example of wellness culture – the new version of diet culture, where restrictive eating is disguised as “health”. Abbie’s husband Jeb joins to keep her from going on a 3-hour tangent, which trust us, is a good thing.  Topics discussed: Wellness culture and healthism as a new form of diet culture Abbie’s experience with Whole30 Using “elimination protocols” outside of medical supervision Why Whole30 is popular and seductive Is Whole30 a “diet”? Food morality and sneaky weight-loss language What’s the deal with the food groups that are eliminated in Whole30, and is there science to support it (sugar, grains, legumes, alcohol…) The problems with this approach to “food freedom” More to come on this one! So stick around for part 2. Full Plate is listener-supported (no ads!) so please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes at Patreon.com/fullplate Patreon is also home to the episode transcripts (which are publicly available to everyone, not just our patrons!). If you’re looking for those, head over to Patreon.  Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast  Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness  Abbie’s website: www.abbieattwoodwellness.com   Episodes referenced: #35 - Jeb’s episode on sobriety and alcoholism #47 - Sugar and sugar addiction research   Studies referenced: (TW for weight stigma)   Disordered eating and digestive disorders: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16170899/  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21105315/   Restriction and binge eating, loss-of-control eating: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/10/hunger    Grains and health outcomes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3744518/#!po=22.7273 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26062574/    Legumes, digestion, and disease prevention: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4608274/    Soy not linked to hormonal imbalances: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5188409/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33383165/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5188409/    Anti-nutrients and phytic acid health benefits: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19774556/ 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

Let's talk about MOVEMENT (without a side of diet culture). Kira Onysko Jones joins the pod to share her journey with fitness, body image, and her relationship with food. We discuss so much on this one -- from cooking new foods as a part of healing from disordered eating, to Gilmore Girls (just kidding, that was only for a few minutes at the end, I PROMISE). The main topics include: Disordered eating as an athlete, how wellness culture influences fitness goals, the process of releasing body control when it comes to movement, disconnecting food from exercise, finding joyful forms of movement, and making peace with rest. Abbie leaves you with a tip depending on whether you feel resistant or reliant on exercise at this point in your journey. Kira Onysko Jones is a certified personal trainer and holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science. She entered the fitness world during the days when skinny-tea promoting influencers and bodybuilders dominated social media. Because of that, she spent several years never feeling satisfied with her appearance, chasing the workout and eating habits of what she thought were her "healthy" role models, and as a result, developed disordered eating habits and a terrible relationship with exercise and her body. She now focuses her career around teaching people how to enjoy exercise without feeling pressured to lose weight, or letting it consume their lives, and how to fight back from the constant messaging online that tells us that our bodies aren't good enough. Full Plate is listener-supported (no ads!) so please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes at Patreon.com/fullplate Patreon is also home to the episode transcripts (which are publicly available to everyone, not just our patrons!). If you’re looking for those, head over to Patreon.  Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast  Find Kira on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiraonysko/  Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness  Abbie’s website: www.abbieattwoodwellness.com   Studies / research mentioned: Obligatory exercise and eating pathology: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17606231/ Obligatory exercise attitudes and negative affect: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3427598/   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

Aleta Storch joins the pod to talk about her experience growing up with ADHD, how her disordered eating began in college, and the ways in which that manifested alongside her navigating a mental health condition. Abbie shares ways in which this relates to her experiences with anxiety and OCD. We also discuss food rules when you have a mental health condition, how athletes are impacted by diet culture, how Aleta realized she needed support for disordered eating, what finally propelled her to look into a diagnosis for ADHD, and how she came into the weight-inclusive anti-diet approach. We also explore neurodivergence and eating – how to cultivate a less chaotic relationship with food so you can physically nourish your body while supporting yourself mentally and emotionally. This was a wonderful conversation, and I think there is something for everyone in this one, regardless of what you’ve experienced from a mental health standpoint.  Aleta is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist as well as a Washington State Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She is the founder of Wise Heart Nutrition where she provides weight-inclusive, compassionate nutrition and mental health support. Aleta has combined-type ADHD, and dedicates much of her work to the neurodivergent population. Find Aleta on IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_adhd_rd/ Aleta’s website: https://www.wiseheartnutrition.com/ADHD  Full Plate is listener-supported (no ads!) so please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes at Patreon.com/fullplate Patreon is also home to the episode transcripts (which are publicly available to everyone, not just our patrons!). If you’re looking for those, head over to Patreon.  Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast  Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness  Abbie’s website: www.abbieattwoodwellness.com 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

In this episode, Abbie answers a listener question from Patreon and talks about the seduction of diet culture in the New Year. You’ll hear about how you can challenge the diet culture mindset using self-compassion rather than comparison, a values-based framework, and the body of evidence on "weight management". This episode is an important reminder of ways to navigate the feeling of wanting to do a “reset”, and how to take tangible action to approach those feelings and desires without spiraling. Diet and wellness culture is STRONG in January, but you are stronger. The question in this episode comes from Christina, who writes: Hi Abbie! Thank you so much for everything you're doing! I've been off dieting for a few months, and I've had a generally very positive experience, but I feel like I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop. I had a couple of big setbacks early on, and with work stress and the holidays coming, I'm really anxious about the idea that the stress will cause me to start panic-dieting again. I'd like to have a game plan for what to do when I start to freak out, and I'd love to know if you have any advice for how to plan in advance for those bad days.   Full Plate is listener-supported (no ads!) so please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes at Patreon.com/fullplate Patreon is also home to the episode transcripts (which are publicly available to everyone, not just our patrons!). If you’re looking for those, head over to Patreon.  Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast  Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness  Abbie’s website: www.abbieattwoodwellness.com    Studies / resources mentioned: *TW for mention of “obesity” and other forms of weight-stigma The Weight-Inclusive versus Weight-Normative Approach to Health: Evaluating the Evidence for Prioritizing Well-Being over Weight Loss https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11684524/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17469900/    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

Summer Innanen joins the pod to talk about body image and self-worth. We go into a little bit of everything on this one – from Summer’s experience of diet culture growing up, to the crossfit world and Paleo diet, to bargaining with herself as she learned about intuitive eating and body acceptance.  We explore tangible tips on how to get out of a negative body image spiral, how dieting harms our confidence and self-esteem, and the ways in which our sense of worth and value is tied up in our appearance.  Summer is a professionally trained coach specializing in body image, self-worth and confidence. She is the best-selling author of Body Image Remix.   Follow Summer on IG: @summerinnanen Summer’s website: https://summerinnanen.com/  Abbie’s IG: @abbieattwoodwellness Abbie’s website: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/ 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

Let's talk diet talk. It's the holiday season, and that means plenty of opportunities to be surrounded by other people WHILE being surrounded by food. Cue the "I'm being so bad!" and "Good thing I'll be doing a January detox!" and "Are you really eating ALL of that?" comments.  In this episode, Abbie walks through how to prepare for food and body comments ahead of time and how to navigate them in the moment. Topics discussed: - Defining your limits - Applying your values - How to prepare to set boundaries - Three ways to approach diet talk boundaries - Specific examples of how to respond in certain scenarios   Full Plate is listener-supported (no ads!) so please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes at Patreon.com/fullplate Patreon is also home to the episode transcripts (which are publicly available to everyone, not just our patrons!). If you’re looking for those, head over to Patreon.  Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast  Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness  Abbie’s website: www.abbieattwoodwellness.com 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 joins the pod to talk about her own lived experience with an eating disorder and the rocky road of recovery that led to her becoming a psychologist who specializes in eating disorders. We also talk about how early childhood and our personality and temperament impact why and how we reach for coping mechanisms like food restriction. Colleen speaks openly and generously about infertility and IVF, how that relates back to her experience of ED recovery, and the ways in which she is approaching (and fighting!) diet culture with her children. We get into so much – including plenty of laughs. I appreciate Colleen for her wisdom, her work in this space, and her humor. I think you’ll love this conversation! 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. Find Colleen on IG Colleen's website Find Abbie on IG Abbie's website Full Plate is listener-supported (no ads!) so please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes at Patreon.com/fullplate Patreon is also home to the episode transcripts (which are publicly available to everyone, not just our patrons!). If you’re looking for those, head over to Patreon.  Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast 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

Let’s chat about sugar – specifically the concept of “sugar addiction” and what the science says. This topic has been requested countless times, and I can absolutely understand why. Diet culture has demonized sugar in a myriad of ways, leaving so many of us to feel like we “can’t control ourselves” around sweet foods. If you’ve ever felt like you are addicted to sugar (or food, for that matter), tune in to this one.  Abbie talks through the scientific research on sugar addiction, including: How it impacts the reward centers in our brain What it means that it lights up neural pleasure pathways How deprivation and restriction (including “intermittant access” play a fundamental role in our behaviors with sugar Cravings, mental restriction, and more -- Full Plate is listener-supported (no ads!) so please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes at Patreon.com/fullplate Patreon is also home to the episode transcripts (which are publicly available to everyone, not just our patrons!). If you’re looking for those, head over to Patreon.  Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast  Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness  Abbie’s website: www.abbieattwoodwellness.com  Abbie's Group Program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching  Studies / resources mentioned:  Exposure Therapy In Binge Eating Sugar Addiction: The State of The Science  Intuitive Eating Improves Health Indicators Episode 35: Addiction, Sobriety, and Disordered Eating: An Interview With Abbie & Her Husband 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

Body acceptance coach Kristina Bruce joins the pod to talk about how our thoughts and conditioning shape our the experience we have in our body. We discuss the impact of body comments on body image, why dieting and body control can feel like a form of safety, how diet culture keeps us from living an authentic life, and what we can do to begin challenging the negative beliefs we hold about our bodies.  About Kristina: As a Body Acceptance Coach, Kristina Bruce specializes in helping women know their worth and value beyond their body size and appearance. Calling upon her training and as a certified Integrative Life Coach, education in health studies, sociology, yoga, meditation, and self-inquiry methodologies, Kristina works with clients to help them re-connect to their deeper selves so they can live empowering lives in the bodies they have. Kristina’s IG: @kristinabrucecoach Kristina’s website: www.kristinabruce.com -- Full Plate is listener-supported (no ads!) so please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes at Patreon.com/fullplate Patreon is also home to the episode transcripts (which are publicly available to everyone, not just our patrons!). If you’re looking for those, head over to Patreon.  Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast  Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness  Abbie’s website: www.abbieattwoodwellness.com  Group coaching application: www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching 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

Time for some holiday Q&A! In this episode, Abbie answers two listener questions relating to food guilt, over-eating, and general anxiety about holiday food festivities. You'll hear about common causes of guilt with eating and how to rethink guilt in the context of diet culture. These questions also take us on a bit of a road trip through mental restriction and physical restriction and how those impact our experience of over-eating. Question 1 -  Sarah asks: How do you learn to approach holiday meals with a no-guilt mindset? Question 2 - Em asks: Hi Abbie! Thank you so much for this podcast. It’s been transformative for me and continues to challenge the way I think about food, bodies, and health. With the holidays coming up, I’m finding myself anxious about all the food-related activities. In particular, I am scared of falling into a pattern of over-eating. I’m about a year into this journey, and anticipating how tough it will be with all the special foods and treats around the holidays. What advice do you have in handling this from an intuitive eating lens? Full Plate is listener-supported (no ads!) so please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes at Patreon.com/fullplate Patreon is also home to the episode transcripts (which are publicly available to everyone, not just our patrons!). If you’re looking for those, head over to Patreon.  Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast  Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness  Abbie’s website: www.abbieattwoodwellness.com  Studies / resources mentioned (TW for weight stigma): Restrained versus unrestrained eating and responses to food cues: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28205156/ Children, food rules, and M&Ms: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17490786/  Episode 24 about Food Rules Episode 25 about Emotional Eating 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