Away Yet Close

In this episode of the Away Yet Close podcast, Mandy and Lamia dive into the topic of cultural food traditions and how to embrace and integrate new tastes while living abroad.

Episode Highlights:

• The significance of food in their home cultures: Lamia from Tunisia and Mandy from Mexico.
• The personal adjustments they faced when moving to new countries and encountering different food traditions.
• How to approach new foods with curiosity rather than judgment.
• Blending old and new flavors to create unique and personal meals that represent their expat journeys.
• The importance of sharing food as a way to build connections and community in a new country.
• Practical tips for expats on integrating new culinary experiences while staying connected to their cultural roots.

Tune in for personal stories, helpful tips, and inspiration on how to enjoy the journey of embracing new food cultures without losing touch with your own.

Connect with us on Instagram @Away Yet Close Podcast
Mandy's Instagram @intuyemx
Lamia's Instagram @lamiascoaching
Email [email protected]

In this episode of the Away Yet Close podcast, hosts Lamia and Mandy dive into the joys and challenges of practicing intuitive eating while traveling. Fresh off a trip to Istanbul, Lamia shares her personal experiences navigating the vibrant and tempting food scene without losing touch with her body’s cues. From savoring Turkish delights and baklava to finding balance with lighter meals, this episode is packed with practical tips and strategies for maintaining your intuitive eating habits on holiday. Whether you're planning your next getaway or reflecting on your recent travels, this episode will help you embrace local cuisines with curiosity and mindfulness—without the guilt. Tune in for an insightful discussion that will make your next trip both satisfying and nourishing!

Connect with us on Instagram @Away Yet Close Podcast
Mandy's Instagram @intuyemx
Lamia's Instagram @lamiascoaching
Email [email protected]

In this episode, we dive into the challenges of emotional eating, especially as it relates to expats navigating big life changes like moving to a new country. Emotional eating is something we all experience at some point, and it can be particularly intense during times of stress and uncertainty.

What to Expect:

• Personal Stories: Mandy and Lamia share their own experiences with emotional eating while adjusting to life in new countries.
• Why It Happens: We explore the reasons behind why we turn to food for comfort during challenging situations.
• Practical Tips: Learn how to develop awareness of emotional eating, find healthier coping mechanisms, and practice self-compassion.

Resources Just for You:

• Mindful Eating Workbook: A comprehensive guide to help you start your mindful eating journey. It includes exercises and tips to develop a more mindful approach to eating, enhancing your awareness and enjoyment of food. 
• Food and Mood Journal: A practical tool to track what you eat and how you feel. This journal helps you identify patterns in your eating habits and emotional triggers, providing valuable insights to improve your relationship with food.

🎧 Listen Now and start your journey towards a healthier relationship with food.

We hope this episode resonates with you and provides the support you need during your expat journey. Remember, it’s all about finding balance, not perfection. If you have any questions or want to share your experiences, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Connect with us on Instagram @Away Yet Close Podcast
Mandy's Instagram @intuyemx
Lamia's Instagram @lamiascoaching
Email [email protected]

In this episode, Mandy and Lamia explore the concept of mindful eating, especially in the context of living abroad as an expat. They discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with adapting to new food environments and provide practical tips for incorporating mindful eating into daily life.

Episode Highlights:

1. Introduction to Mindful Eating:
   • Definition: Paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking, being present in the moment.
   • Practice: Slowing down, recognizing hunger and fullness cues, appreciating flavors, textures, and aromas.
2. Challenges for Expats:
   • New food environments can be overwhelming.
   • Differences in food types, meal structures, and cultural significance.
   • Stress and novelty can lead to mindless eating.
3. Personal Experiences:
   • Mandy shares her struggles with stress-related mindless eating after moving to the Netherlands.
   • Lamia discusses adapting to different food cultures in France and the Netherlands and dealing with emotional eating.
4. Practical Tips for Mindful Eating:
   • Immerse in Local Cuisine: Explore local supermarkets, ingredients, and traditional dishes. Approach new foods with curiosity.
   • Savor Your Food: Notice flavors, textures, and aromas. Eat slowly and mindfully.
   • Address Emotional Eating: Identify if you're eating out of stress or boredom. Find alternative ways to address emotions.
   • Create a Pleasant Eating Environment: Set the table nicely, avoid distractions, and take deep breaths before meals.
   • Engage All Senses: Focus on the colors, textures, and aromas of food to stay present.
   • Be Kind to Yourself: Accept that not every meal will be mindful and keep practicing without seeking perfection.
5. Mindful Eating Journal:
   • Keep a food and mood journal to track eating habits and emotional triggers.
6. Final Thoughts:
   • Cultivating a healthy relationship with food through mindfulness.
   • Encouragement to share experiences and questions on social media and email.
   • Availability of a free mindful eating workbook.

Resources Mentioned:

Mindful Eating Workbook: A comprehensive guide to help you start your mindful eating journey. It includes exercises and tips to develop a more mindful approach to eating, enhancing your awareness and enjoyment of food. 
Food and Mood Journal: A practical tool to track what you eat and how you feel. This journal helps you identify patterns in your eating habits and emotional triggers, providing valuable insights to improve your relationship with food.

Connect with us on Instagram @Away Yet Close Podcast
Mandy's Instagram @intuyemx
Lamia's Instagram @lamiascoaching
Email [email protected]

In this episode of Away Yet Close, Mandy and Lamia dive into the timely topic of the "summer body" and its associated myths, especially as the warm season approaches. Building on the previous episode's discussion about the pressure of achieving a summer body, they debunk common myths and misconceptions around body image. They also explore how these myths uniquely affect expats who face different cultural pressures and circumstances while living away from their home countries.

Episode Highlights:

1. Introduction:
   • Recap of the last episode on summer body pressures.
   • Overview of today's topic: debunking summer body myths and addressing expat-specific challenges.
2. Defining the Summer Body:
   • The societal concept of the "summer body" and its unrealistic standards.
   • The role of media and advertising in shaping these perceptions.
3. Understanding Body Image:
   • The difference between positive and negative body image.
   • The impact of internal dialogue and emotional responses on body perception.
4. Common Myths About the Summer Body:
   • Myth 1: A summer body means being thin.
   • Myth 2: You need to diet and exercise excessively.
   • Myth 3: Tanning is essential for a summer body.
   • Myth 4: Only young people can have a summer body.
   • Myth 5: Achieving a summer body will solve all personal problems.
5. Expat-Specific Challenges:
   • The additional pressures expats face in conforming to local beauty standards.
   • Cultural differences in beauty ideals and their impact on body image.
   • Personal anecdotes from Mandy and Lamia about their experiences as expats.
6. Practical Tips for Expats:
   • Building a supportive network.
   • Focusing on body functionality and self-appreciation.
   • Enjoying diverse foods without guilt.
   • Emphasizing health and self-acceptance over societal standards.
   • Wearing comfortable and confidence-boosting clothes.
7. Conclusion:
   • Encouraging listeners to foster a positive body image.
   • Reminding them that their worth is not defined by appearance.
   • Promoting a healthier and more inclusive understanding of body image.

Tune in to the previous episode for more on summer body pressures.

Share your own experiences and tips for navigating body image as an expat on our social media.

Interesting Resources:

• Workbook: Detox Your Social Media Feed
• Guide: How to Start Accepting My Body at Every Size English Version / Spanish Version

Stay connected for more insightful episodes on living away yet close.

Connect with us on Instagram @Away Yet Close Podcast
Mandy's Instagram @intuyemx
Lamia's Instagram @lamiascoaching
Email [email protected]

In this episode, hosts Lamia and Mandy dive into a timely topic as summer heats up: the pressure to attain the elusive "summer body." This societal ideal is heavily promoted by media, advertising, and social norms, often leading to harmful consequences for our mental and physical health. Join us as we explore the origins of the summer body ideal, its impact on self-esteem, and practical tips for navigating these pressures.

Episode Highlights:

• Introduction to the Summer Body Pressure
  • Lamia and Mandy discuss the seasonal pressure to achieve a "summer body."
  • The influence of rising temperatures and outdoor activities on body image.
• Media and Social Norms
  • How media, advertising, and social norms promote unrealistic beauty standards.
  • The harmful effects of striving for the ideal summer body, including anxiety, stress, and disordered eating.
• Defining the Summer Body Ideal
  • Lamia breaks down the societal and cultural roots of the summer body concept.
  • The role of immediate social circles in perpetuating these ideals.
• Personal Experiences
  • Lamia and Mandy share their personal struggles with summer body expectations.
  • The impact on social events, clothing choices, and overall mental wellbeing.
• The Role of Social Media and Advertising
  • How platforms like Instagram and TikTok contribute to body dissatisfaction.
  • Research findings on the link between social media exposure and eating disorders
  • The influence of 80s and 90s media, including magazines and TV shows, on body image.
  • The portrayal of thin, tan, and often blonde ideals in popular culture.
• Critical Media Literacy
  • The importance of questioning and analyzing media messages.
  • Programs that teach media literacy to reduce body dissatisfaction.
• Practical Tips for a Healthier Body Image
  • Detox Your Feed: Curate a social media feed that promotes body neutrality.
  • Limit Screen Time: Tools and tips to reduce time spent on social media.
  • Educate Yourself: Understand how media manipulates images and promotes certain ideals.
  • Practice Gratitude: Shift focus from appearance to appreciation of what your body can do.
• Resources
  • Downloadable workbook to help clean your social media feed.
  • Free guide on body acceptance and gratitude practice.

Resources Mentioned:

• Workbook: Detox Your Social Media Feed
• Guide: How to Start Accepting My Body at Every Size English Version / Spanish Version

• Botta, R. A. (1999). Television images and adolescent girls' body image disturbance. Journal of communication, 49(2), 22-41.
• Harrison, K., & Cantor, J. (1997). The relationship between media consumption and eating disorders. Journal of communication, 47(1), 40-67.
• Aparicio-Martinez, P., Perea-Moreno, A. J., Martinez-Jimenez, M. P., Redel-Macías, M. D., Pagliari, C., & Vaquero-Abellan, M. (2019). Social media, thin-ideal, body dissatisfaction and disordered eating attitudes: An exploratory analysis. International journal of e

Connect with us on Instagram @Away Yet Close Podcast
Mandy's Instagram @intuyemx
Lamia's Instagram @lamiascoaching
Email [email protected]

In this episode, we explore our personal journeys into intuitive eating, particularly as expats. We discuss the differences between diet culture and intuitive eating, highlighting the latter's focus on internal cues and overall well-being. Sharing our own stories, we touch on the challenges of adapting to new cultural and dietary environments and the impact of stress eating. We offer practical tips for incorporating intuitive eating into daily life, such as exploring local cuisines, adapting to new environments, practicing self-compassion, and seeking support. Join us as we embark on this ongoing journey towards a healthier relationship with food and self-acceptance.

Show notes:

Understanding Intuitive Eating

• Discussion on the drawbacks of today’s diet culture, emphasizing the negative impact of calorie counting and food restrictions.
• Introduction to intuitive eating as a healthier alternative that focuses on listening to the body’s internal cues and promoting overall well-being.

Benefits of Intuitive Eating

• Highlighting how intuitive eating fosters self-acceptance and body neutrality, encouraging a healthier relationship with food.
• Emphasis on the importance of mental and physical health over achieving a specific body type.

Personal Journeys

• Sharing personal journeys into intuitive eating, explaining that it's an ongoing process without a definitive end.
• Discussion on struggles with diet culture and how intuitive eating transformed lives during the pandemic.
• Importance of self-acceptance and the impact of intuitive eating on overall happiness and well-being.

Combining Professional and Personal Experiences

• Integration of intuitive eating into professional life as therapists and coaches, and how it benefits clients with anxiety and depression.
• Influence of healthcare research background on the approach to intuitive eating.

Challenges as Expats

• Cultural and dietary adjustments when moving to a new country, such as different meal times and food availability.
• Impact of stress eating due to the challenges of adapting to a new environment.

Adapting to New Environments

• Experience of starting intuitive eating in the Netherlands and overcoming cultural and food-related challenges.
• Importance of making peace with cultural foods and reconnecting with body signals of hunger and fullness.

Benefits of Intuitive Eating in a Foreign Country

• Exposure to new foods and increased flexibility in dietary choices.
• Importance of adapting to the local environment and the benefits of a diverse diet.

Practical Tips for Incorporating Intuitive Eating

• Exploring Local Cuisines Mindfully: Experiment with new flavors and ingredients, paying attention to physical and emotional responses.
• Adapt to Your Environment: Embrace local foods to nourish and sustain yourself in a new environment.
• Practice Self-Compassion: Be gentle with yourself throughout the process, understanding that it’s a journey with ups and downs.
• Seek Support: Recognize when to seek help and join communities or groups that share the same values.

Connect with us on Instagram @Away Yet Close Podcast
Mandy's Instagram @intuyemx
Lamia's Instagram @lamiascoaching
Email [email protected]

In the launching episode of the 'Away Yet Close' podcast, hosts Lamia and Mandy introduce themselves and their backgrounds, setting the stage for the podcast's focus on navigating food and body image challenges as expats. Lamia, originally from Tunisia, and Mandy, from Mexico, share their personal journeys of moving to the Netherlands, their professional backgrounds in health and psychology, and their passion for intuitive eating and coaching. They discuss how they met, their shared vision for the podcast, and their goal of creating a supportive community for expats facing similar challenges.

Show Notes:

• Meet the Hosts:
  • Mandy's Background:
    • Originally from Monterrey, Mexico.
    • Bachelor's in psychology.
    • Moved to the Netherlands for a Master's in health and social psychology.
    • Works as a therapist and intuitive eating counselor in Amsterdam.
  • Lamia's Background:
    • Originally from Tunisia.
    • PhD in health informatics in the Netherlands.
    • Transitioned to coaching with a focus on intuitive eating.
• How We Met:
  • Mandy reached out to Lamia on LinkedIn to network and discuss intuitive eating.
  • They met for coffee and discovered their shared interests and goals.
• Podcast Mission:
  • Helping expats navigate food and body image challenges.
  • Sharing personal experiences and professional insights.
  • Building a community for support and connection.
• Content Overview:
  • Future episodes will cover various topics related to food, body image, and mental well-being for expats.
  • Inviting guests to share their experiences and insights.
  • Practical tips and tools for intuitive eating and maintaining mental health.
• Community Engagement:
  • Encouraging listeners to share their stories, suggest topics, and provide feedback.
  • Contact information for listener contributions and participation.

Contact Information:

• Email: [email protected]

Call to Action:

• Like, subscribe, and review the podcast.
• Reach out with stories, suggestions, and feedback.

Next Episode Teaser:

• Stay tuned for discussions on the first challenges faced by expats and practical advice on managing food and body image expectations in a new country.

Connect with us on Instagram @Away Yet Close Podcast
Mandy's Instagram @intuyemx
Lamia's Instagram @lamiascoaching
Email [email protected]