The Full Plate Podcast with Abbie Attwood, MS

There is a special brand of diet and wellness culture that comes for you when you're pregnant. From the “permission” for your body to change, to pressure around food choices, to beauty standards for pregnant people, we're getting into it all.  Artist Bri Custer joins the pod to share, vulnerably, about what pregnancy has been like as she heals from a lifetime of disordered eating, and works towards a peaceful relationship with her body. Bri is so special to me as a human being, a friend, and a client. She has done so much reflection around these topics and I think you'll get a lot out of this conversation, whether you are pregnant, considering getting pregnant, or even if you don't ever plan to. Gentle reminder that this can be a sensitive, difficult, and personal topic. I know this from personal experience. Please listen to this episode if it feels compassionate and kind to listen to a conversation about pregnancy. You are always loved and supported here. We discuss: Bri's experience with dieting as a child Unpacking generational cycles of body shame and restriction The temporary permission that society gives us for our bodies to change during pregnancy The pressure to maintain a specific diet during pregnancy to maintain your own health and a child's The blame and shame around not "eating right" during pregnancy The popularity of post-partum exercise programs and the harm they can cause The pressure for dietary changes to combat PCOS and infertility issues pre-pregnancy The importance of combating food morality and going back to foods we love as a kid during times where food and eating is difficult during pregnancy How pregnancy is a wonderful lesson in trusting the wisdom of your body Setting boundaries around social media and mental resilience to diet culture during pregnancy Challenges around body image during pregnancy Asking not to be weighed before and during pregnancy, and if weight is needed to monitor one's health and their growing child's Beauty standards during pregnancy and how harmful they are Body checking during & after pregnancy and the importance of centering curiosity and compassion   About Bri: Bri Custer is an en plein air painter investigating perception, memory, and color through the New England Landscape. Her work has been featured by Clover + Bee, Candyfloss, and on the Create! Magazine blog and can be found at Nahcotta in Portsmouth, NH and Sorelle Gallery in Westport, CT. Bri has been working with Abbie for roughly a year, and began her anti-diet journey in 2022. She is currently a full-time artist based in Concord, New Hampshire with her husband, Bryan and hound-lab mix, Vinny. Follow her @briiiiicuster on Instagram and see more of her art on her website.  Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes (like this one!), community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Abbie's website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast  Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness   Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching 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  Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate 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, which is available to our wonderful supporters on Patreon. To listen to the full episode, you can upgrade to paid on Patreon! If you’ve ever been curious if intermittent fasting’s claims about health benefits during menopause are true, this is the episode for you. This week on Full Plate, we're digging into the claims, the science, and debunking the myths around intermittent fasting during this season of life. If intermittent fasting has been something you've tried, have considered trying, or seem to find yourself surrounded by others touting its benefits, I am sending you compassion. I hope that this episode is grounding and informative. My goal is always to provide you with the full picture so that you can make decisions that truly support your well-being. I dive into so much in this episode, including: The claims that are made around the benefits of intermittent fasting during menopause Why women are more susceptible to falling back into disordered eating patterns - or building new ones - during this stage in their life The link between anti-aging culture and diet culture The nutrition misinformation around menopause If the research supports intermittent fasting's claims about menopause One of the longest, most recent scientific studies done on intermittent fasting and its results The potential damaging effects of intermittent fasting on the body Listen to the first episode on intermittent fasting here. It will help lay a good foundation for this follow up. Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes (like this one!), community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Abbie's website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast  Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness   Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching 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  Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate   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 week I am so thrilled to be joined by Kimmie Singh, RD to discuss PCOS: what it is, common misconceptions, why medical providers are so confused about it, its relationship to disordered eating, how to take a weight-inclusive and trauma-informed approach, and more. We also get into the nuances of weight and health in general around diagnosis and treatment, trusting your body and intuition, and navigating weight-centric recommendations for managing symptoms. Beyond just PCOS, we talk about grief, particularly expected and anticipated grief. I hope you get as much out of this episode as I did, even if you don't have a PCOS diagnosis. I hope it will allow you to bring more compassion and empathy to those in your life who may have PCOS, or may receive a diagnosis in the future. I really appreciate Kimmie’s vulnerability and honesty in this episode, and I deeply enjoyed talking to her.  We discuss... The vulnerability and overwhelm that can happen in our college years that gives rise to disordered eating Weight cycling and dieting and the harm done to our health Fat-positive recovery from disordered eating and the importance of mental health support How PCOS symptoms can impact body image and our relationship with food How PCOS and disordered eating can co-occur, and how PCOS can lead to a higher risk of eating disorders  Should you cut back on carbs with PCOS? What about weight-loss and PCOS? The fatphobia and weight-stigma that is baked into standard recommendations for managing PCOS Navigating medical providers that recommend food restriction to manage PCOS The shame around using medication to manage symptoms The health impacts of PCOS that can't be seen on the surface Trusting your body and intuition when it comes to your own health Kimmie's PCOS-focused courses and resources for providers   About Kimmie: Kimmie Singh is a self-proclaimed fat Registered Dietitian based in New York City. She is the owner of Body Honor Nutrition, a nutrition private practice that supports individuals to heal their relationships with food and body. Kimmie supports her clients with a fat-positive and anti-oppressive framework and has a special passion for working with people that have polycystic ovarian syndrome. Kimmie is also a sought-after speaker and has presented at several national conferences. She presents on the effects of anti-fat stigma in healthcare and nutrition. Kimmie is a believer in kindness, compassion, and the power of advocacy. Learn more about Kimmie at www.bodyhonornutrition.com. Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on my website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast    Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching 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    Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate 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

What is alive in you right now? What does it mean to return to the body as the place where we experience life? The concept of embodiment has become more present in the lexicon of body image and body liberation. While deeply important to our collective divestment from diet culture, exploring your own embodiment may feel confusing, intangible, or incongruent with your lived experience. Neathery Falchuk, LCSW-S, CGP (they/them) joins us this week to dig all the way in: What is embodiment, really? What does it look like? Feel like? Is it a destination, or something different? And how can we practice it?  We’re diving into the answers to these questions and more with the amazing, wise, funny, Neathery -- who also speaks to intersectionality in embodiment as a queer, trans and non-binary, fat, neurodivergent, white Latinx therapist.  I can't wait to hear from you on this episode. I think it will bring together a lot of things we've been talking about on the show: from our relationship with food, to the identities we hold, and what it means to experience the world in the body we have. We discuss so (so!) much in this one, including… What's on Neathery's plate (hint: baby-led weaning and oatmeal) Neathery’s experience of disembodiment as a queer and trans teen How disordered eating develops without embodiment Why embodiment isn’t always a positive experience Barriers to embodiment, including those we can't control Working through trauma and the importance of co-regulation Self-compassion as a tool to connect to ourselves Learning to trust the wisdom of our body Grief work and its connection to embodiment The need for more access to supportive communities in the embodiment and body liberation space   Neathery Falchuk (they/them) is a queer, trans and non-binary, fat, neurodivergent, white Latinx therapist, licensed clinical social worker supervisor, certified group psychotherapist, certified Body Trust® provider, and certified meditation teacher. Neathery is the founder of Ample and Rooted, an inclusive psychotherapy, consulting, and training practice specializing in working with LGBTQ+ communities, eating disorders, body shame, sex and sexuality, gender, relationship concerns, trauma, mindfulness, grief and loss, and substance use. Neathery currently serves on the program committee for Project HEAL and is a past President of Central Texas Eating Disorder Specialists, past board member of Austin Group Psychotherapy Society and former chair of the DEI Committee, and past board member of the Association for Size Diversity and Health. Neathery lives in Austin, TX with their wife and child and enjoys hiking, meditation, sipping coffee on patios, and starting and never finishing books.   Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Abbie's website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast  Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching 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   Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate 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

Emma Green joins us this week to talk about her diagnosis of autism as an adult and how it impacts her understanding of her eating disorder as a teen, as well as how healthism, ableism, and anti-fatness intersect. We can’t talk about disordered eating and eating disorders without acknowledging healthism and ableism, and this conversation brings in both Emma’s lived experience and a discussion on how to build inclusive, supportive spaces for neurodivergent folks. We discuss the connection between autism and disordered eating behaviors, and how common it is to receive a misdiagnosis. If you listened to the recent episode on OCD and eating disorders, this is a great continuation of the discussion of mental health conditions and their ties to the ED space. This was such a life-giving, healing conversation, and I so appreciate Emma’s voice on the matter and her willingness to share her personal experience. This is the kind of discussion I wish younger me would have heard, and I hope that it’s helpful for all of you, regardless of your lived experience. Tune in to hear more, including... What healthism is, and how it’s harming us Defining “health” The intersection between healthism, ableism, and diet culture  Weight stigma and health outcomes How healthism creates barriers to physical movement  Emma’s diagnosis of autism as an adult How autism can be mistaken for an eating disorder  Neurodivergence and disordered eating risk  Why “recovered” is a concept that requires fluidity and intersectionality  The difference between structured eating and disordered eating   Emma Green is a neurodivergent writer, editor and researcher. Her work aims to achieve social justice for people in all bodies by sharing science and lived experiences, and generating constructive conversations. Find her on Instagram @emmagphd.   Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on my website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast  Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching 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  Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate 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 free preview of a paywalled episode, which is available to our wonderful supporters on Patreon. To listen to the full episode, you can upgrade to paid on Patreon! This episode is an answer to a question submitted on Patreon from Andy, who asked: How can we approach meal planning without falling into old patterns? Every time I start to think about meal planning or meal prep, it triggers me, and reminds me of dieting. But as a parent, I know I’ll go nuts if I don’t have some kind of plan to get dinner ready. I’d love to be able to find the balance between planning meals and maintaining the flexibility I’ve built with food, and continue to work on. I’m so reluctant to slip back into old behaviors and that restrictive mindset, and I guess I’m just looking for insight from you. I’m assuming you’ve had clients navigating this! Thank you so much for everything. Abbie dives into so much in the answer, including: The difference between self-compassionate meal planning and self-controlling Ideas for making mealtime easy, enjoyable, and convenient Stepping into a calm and relaxed approach to meals How to release the diet culture mindset around "meal prep" How to know whether your approach to planning meals is embedded in sneaky food rules What we gain back when we create flexibility Whether structure is possible without falling into restriction   Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate   Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Abbie's website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast    Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness   Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching   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    Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate 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

The co-occurence of OCD and disordered eating is a topic we've wanted to cover for some time now. It was a big part of Abbie's lived experience, and something that comes up consistently with clients in her practice. It's a common overlap that isn't discussed enough, and when it is, it rarely comes through an anti-diet culture lens. This episode features guest Jenna Overbaugh, LPC, who specializes in OCD and anxiety. Together, Abbie and Jenna discuss the misconceptions, steriotypes, and assumptions that do a disservice to those with OCD, and unearth the truths about what it means to live with OCD. They also talk about why it's difficult to parse out ED thoughts and behaviors from intrusive thoughts and compulsions, and how to get support for one or both. Tune in to hear more about: What is OCD? How do we define obsessions and compulsions? What makes something a “disorder”? Signs that you may be struggling with OCD The difference between experiencing intrusive thoughts and having OCD Common misconceptions about having OCD Personality traits that tend to put someone at risk for certain mental health conditions When and how to receive help  Types of treatments available for OCD The difference between OCD and an eating disorder What happens when you have a co-occurring ED and OCD Breaking up with rituals and maladaptive behaviors Orthorexia and OCD Steps we can take to start challenging our intrusive thoughts   Jenna Overbaugh is a licensed professional counselor based in Wisconsin and has been working with people who have OCD and anxiety since 2008. Previously, she worked at world renowned facilities including Johns Hopkins Hospital and Rogers Memorial Hospital, where she treated some of the most debilitating cases of OCD and anxiety in the world.  She has contributed to several peer reviewed literature articles as well as spoken at national conferences on OCD, anxiety, hoarding, and related issues.  She is the host of the "All The Hard Things" podcast and the creator of her signature program "The OCD and Anxiety Recovery Blueprint". She’s also a mom to a 5 year old and has lived experience with OCD and anxiety.    Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate   Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Abbie's website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast    Abbie's group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching   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.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness   Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate You can find Jenna’s free video mentioned 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

Cole Kazdin, author of What's Eating Us: Women, Food, and the Epidemic of Body Anxiety, joins us to explore, what it would mean to truly be free of disordered eating. Not just the behaviors -- but the constant mental chatter, the critical voice, and the restrictive thoughts. We ask the tough questions about whether full recovery possible, and how for much of her life, Cole wondered if freedom was ever possible, or if disordered eating is more of a chronic condition that ebbs and flows throughout life.  Tune in to hear more, including... What led Cole to write the book, why she wrote it at this point in her recovery, and what her goal was in doing it through the investigative journalism lens What it feels like to be in partial recovery Shocking statistics about eating disorders How ED funding and research compares to other health conditions Why disordered eating and body shame is rising Risk factors for eating disorders that go unnoticed  The imperative of community in healing / recovery, including Cole's experience and how we can use this in future ED research and treatment How Cole thinks about “ full recovery” now What we can all be doing to move forward towards more peace with food and our body   Cole Kazdin is a writer, Emmy Award winning television journalist, and author of What's Eating Us: Women, Food, and the Epidemic of Body Anxiety. She has written for The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Magazine, The Daily Beast, Cosmopolitan, and was a regular contributor to VICE. Kazdin has been featured on NPR as part of The Moth Radio Hour, and is a contributing author to the bestselling book, The Moth Presents All These Wonders: True Stories About Facing the Unknown. Cole is a graduate of Northwestern University and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She lives in Los Angeles.   Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate   Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on my website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast    Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness   Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching   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    Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate 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 Q&A bonus episode, which is available on Patreon! Three listener questions are covered, all submitted by Patrons of the show. We're talking about what the science actually says about hydration (how much water do we REALLY need?), how eating fast food impacts our health, and whether we can engage in body checking without it being harmful to our body image. To listen to the FULL episode, upgrade to paid to support the show on Patreon! Here are the listener questions discussed on this episode: Fast Food: "What’s the actual research on fast food? I’ve lately been eating more fast food in an effort to normalize it after having restricted it my whole life. It has opened up a fun new world of menu items I’ve never tried, and has also made me appreciate the affordability and convenience during extremely busy times at work. My positive experience has me wondering…is there actually good research on the health effects of frequent fast food consumption, or are any reported negative effects (of which it seems there are many, though I am skeptical!) generally a correlation not causation?" Body Checking: "I have a question about body checking: when is body checking unkind, and when is it OK to normalize to ourselves what our bodies look and feel like?" Hydration: "What is the actual science behind the amount water we should consume or is that a diet culture myth?" This was an awesome bunch of questions, and we'll be doing another one of these episodes soon. Thank you so much to those subscribing on Patreon. You make this podcast possible!   Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate   Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on my website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast    Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness   Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching   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    Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate     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. Diana Gordon, expert in mental health and debunking diet and wellness misinformation, joins Abbie Attwood in a conversation about approaching mental health in a sea of misinformation. They discuss anxiety, depression, intuitive eating, diet culture, health anxiety, true self-care, and the truth about exercise and mental health.