Beyond The Mirror

Today's episode of Beyond The Mirror is dedicated to exploring men's body image, the concept of the "dad bod," and strategies for improving men's relationship with food and fitness. In today's society, men face significant pressures to conform to certain body ideals, which can lead to poor self-esteem and mental health issues. Join me as I delve into the complexities of men's body image and discuss how we can redefine fitness and promote a healthier relationship with our bodies.

In part 1, I delve into the concept of body image and its impact on men's lives. I examine the role of media in shaping unrealistic body ideals for men and discuss the harmful effects of body shaming. 

In part 2, I explore the rise of the dad bod. I define this cultural phenomenon and discuss why it has gained popularity and acceptance. Discover the potential benefits of embracing a more realistic and attainable body image, allowing men to find self-acceptance and confidence.

Part 3 focuses on men's relationship with food. I address the common challenges men face, including stress eating, diet culture, and restrictive eating patterns. I provide practical tips and strategies for developing a healthier relationship with food, emphasizing intuitive eating and mindful practices.

In part 4, I challenge traditional notions of fitness for men. We need to redefine what it means to be fit and masculine, shifting the focus from appearance to overall health and well-being. 

Part 5 addresses the stigma surrounding men's body image and seeking support. I discuss the importance of open conversations, support networks, and professional guidance in improving men's mental and physical well-being. 

Sign up to the presale list of the anti-summer shred and put body image concerns behind you: https://nextstepnutrition.co.uk/anti-summer-shred-project/ 

Today I have a very eclectic conversation with Leah Kern (https://www.instagram.com/leahkern.rd/) we cover:

• Who Leah is and why she's so passionate about intuitive eating.
• How to use cannabis and remain intuitive with your food intake, even with "the munchies".
• Why kid's books seem to be our first insight into diet culture and anti-fat bias and what to do about it as a parent.
• The combination of thoughts around loving your parents but also being annoyed about their diet culture habits.

Listen to Leah's podcast, Shoulders Down: https://leahkernrd.com/podcast/ 

Leah's blog on cannabis: https://leahkernrd.com/intuitive-eating-and-cannabis-use-how-to-prevent-binging-when-you-get-high-munchies/ 

Get in touch with Leah: https://leahkernrd.com/contact/ 

Download my free book: https://nextstepnutrition.co.uk/freeguide/ 

Sign up to the presale list for the ASS programme: https://nextstepnutrition.co.uk/anti-summer-shred-project/ 

Full Timestamps:

Introduction [00:00:11]
The host introduces Leah Kern, an anti-diet dietitian and certified intuitive eating counsellor, and explains the topics they will discuss, including marijuana and intuitive eating, and the impact of diet culture on children's books.

Discovering intuitive eating [00:04:32]
Leah shares her personal journey of discovering intuitive eating from a disordered place and how it changed her life, leading her to pursue a career as an anti-diet dietitian.

Transitioning to Weight Inclusive Health [00:08:59]
Leah talks about her experience in college and how her professors were transitioning the curriculum from being weight normative to weight-inclusive health at every size.

Using Cannabis and Intuitive Eating [00:12:22]
Leah discusses the importance of talking about cannabis usage and intuitive eating, and how it can affect people's relationship with food. She also shares her top tips for people who use cannabis recreationally and want to stay connected with their bodies.

Unwanted Side Effects of Cannabis Usage [00:13:22]
Leah emphasizes that people use cannabis for many different reasons, including medicinal use, but unwanted side effects such as feeling out of control with food can affect the quality of life. She encourages people to seek the right tools and support to get their relationship with food to a point where cannabis doesn't equal an automatic out of control binge situation.

Why it's important to talk about cannabis and intuitive eating [00:15:39]
Leah Kern discusses why it's important to talk about the relationship between cannabis and intuitive eating, and how it can be adapted to support people who use cannabis.

Using the intuitive eating framework with cannabis [00:17:30]
Leah Kern and the host discuss how the intuitive eating framework can be applied to the experience of using cannabis, and how it takes practice over time.

Food habituation and the sadness of saying enough [00:22:45]
Leah Kern explains the concept of food habituation and how it can help people who struggle with binging when high. She also discusses the sadness of saying enough and how it's a choice between feeling uncomfortable for hours or just a few moments.

Intuitive eating and children's books [00:25:58]
The speakers discuss the anti-fat bias and diet culture messages present in popular children's books, such as Harry Potter, and the impact they can have on children's body image and self-worth.

Parenting and body image [00:30:46]
The speakers discuss the difficulty of navigating popular media with harmful messages and the importance of providing explicit messaging at home to help children develop a healthy body image.

Media Literacy [00:31:55]
The host and guest discuss the importance of media literacy in helping pre-teens and teens understand why certain body image ideals are problematic.

Parents and Diet Culture [00:35:00]
The guest shares her experience growing up with a father who was always dieting and a mother who was not explicitly dieting but still had some diet culture tendencies.

Deeper Emotional and Mental Health States [00:39:03]
The hosts discuss the love-hate relationship with social media and how it has allowed for more conversations around deeper emotional and mental health states.

Healing relationships with food and body [00:40:06]
Leah Kern talks about how it's normal to have complex feelings about food and body, and how she helps her clients heal their relationships with food and body.

Finding a comfortable exercise environment [00:43:21]
Leah Kern talks about her struggle to find a comfortable exercise environment that is free from diet culture and how she has made notes to herself to find a teacher that she feels comfortable with.

Finding a Safe Fitness Space [00:48:17]
Leah and the host discuss the challenges of finding a safe fitness space, especially for people in larger bodies.

Creating a Directory of Trusted Professionals [00:49:31]
The host mentions Tali Rae's work on creating a directory of trusted professionals and places in the UK, and the need for similar directories in the US.

Leah Kern's Work and Content [00:49:51]
Leah shares her Instagram, website, and podcast, which covers topics such as cannabis and intuitive eating. The host links to her work in the show notes.

Today I welcome on Matt Davis from The Flourishing Athlete: https://www.instagram.com/theflourishingathlete/ to talk about Intuitive Eating for the athletic population.

Matt and I share our hatred of diet culture and our love of sports and fitness. We have a great conversation about how he is adapting the IE framework and creating his own model for athletes to listen to.

TW: there is talk of calorie counting with our past selves and talk of intentional weight loss, especially when we discuss weight-based sports.

Download my new free guide: https://nextstepnutrition.co.uk/freeguide/ 

Sign up for the ASS programme pre-sale: https://nextstepnutrition.co.uk/anti-summer-shred-project/ 

Today I'm joined again by my guy, Marcus, from Mkain Coaching (https://www.instagram.com/mkaincoaching/) and we discuss the dark truth of before and after photos and the dangers of wrapping up your entire sense of self-worth into your physique.

Break free from your own body and food obsession here: https://nextstepnutrition.co.uk/freeguide/ 

Sign up for the pre-sale of the anti-summer shred here: https://nextstepnutrition.co.uk/anti-summer-shred-project/ 

 Today I'm joined by Martinus Evans from the amazing Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/300poundsandrunning/ who is on a mission to prove that everyone can be a runner. We talk about why he started running and what his journey is out there to prove. 

Martinus Evans has run over eight marathons since his doctor told him to “lose weight or die” in July 2012. Since then, he’s also coached hundreds of runners and been featured in The New York Times, Men’s Health, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, LADbible, HuffPost, Magnolia, U.S. News & World Report and on the cover of Runner’s World Magazine.

Runners of the world. UNITE! 📢

If you’re looking to take your running to the next level and unlock your full potential, then Slow AF Run Club by is a must-read. This book is packed with 10+ years of running experience by @300poundsandrunning. With these strategies, and insights you’ll learn not only about running, nutrition and gear but how to overcome mental barriers and cultivate “a runners mindset”.

Whether you’re a seasoned runner or just starting out, Slow AF Run Club has something for everyone. And with pre-order bonuses like a free training plan and access to a private group, now is the perfect time to grab your copy. Don’t miss out on this game-changing resource – order now and get ready to crush your running goals!

Get your copy today! https://slowafrunclub.com/preorder

Sammy Previte is a Registered Dietitian (RD), Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Certified Personal Trainer, and the Founder of Find Food Freedom®. She is also lover of all things media, hosting the Find Food Freedom® Podcast, co-hosting of the What The Actual Fork™ Podcast. and featuring in many segments including CBS Mornings & The Drew Barrymore Show!

She earned her Bachelors of Science at Penn State University and then went to Adagio Health in Pittsburgh, PA to earn her RD credential. After completing traditional schooling, she went on to gain additional certifications in Intuitive Eating & Body Image which is where she found her true passion and Find Food Freedom® was born.

Find Food Freedom® is a virtual private practice made up of a team of Intuitive Eating Professionals dedicated to their mission of helping humans make peace with food and their body. Find Food Freedom® is a fierce team of women who are committed to bettering the lives of everyone they reach.

Check out Find Food Freedom here: https://find-foodfreedom.com/ 

Follow Sammy on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/find.food.freedom/ 

Download my new free guide here: https://nextstepnutrition.co.uk/freeguide/ 

Today I welcome Alex Rodriguez to the show who is an eating disorder recovery mentor and registered dietitian. Alex has his own lived experience struggling with an eating disorder, disordered eating and poor body image based on male societal ideas of fitness and health. In today's episode we unpick his story, these ideals and why as men we struggle to talk about these issues and seek support. 

Check out Alex on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/arod_dietitian/ 

Check out my guide, "Break Free From Food & Body Obsession", here: http://nextstepnutrition.co.uk/freeguide/ 

Natalie Rose Allen is a Toronto-based Registered Psychotherapist who specializes in treating eating disorders and disordered eating. She works primarily with adolescents and adults using a biopsychosocial approach to address emotion regulation, disordered eating, chronic dieting, negative body image and self esteem, and eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and orthorexia. Natalie also provides intuitive eating and emotion coaching to individuals worldwide. Natalie is passionate about helping people build healthier relationships with their emotions and with their bodies.

https://www.wakeupandsmelltherosay.com/ 

https://www.instagram.com/wakeupandsmelltherosay/

Book a free chat with me to end your disordered eating and body image struggles: https://tidycal.com/jonny2/lets-chat-about-you 

Today I'm speaking with Abby Langer from https://abbylangernutrition.com/.

Abby creates great blogs and social media content debunking the diet and wellness culture myths that plague our social media feeds.

Follow Abby here: https://www.instagram.com/langernutrition/ 

Check out her course: https://abbylangernutrition.com/course/ 

Book a free consultation with me here: https://tidycal.com/jonny2/lets-chat-about-you 

Today I'm speaking with Shannon Beer (https://www.instagram.com/shannonbeer_/) about her great article: https://www.coachshannonbeer.com/blog/flexible-dieting-what-does-the-evidence-say 

This is perfect to listen to if you're wondering why you struggle with macro tracking and flexible dieting and what you can do to improve your health beyond those means.

If you're sick of tracking and want to escape the perpetual dieting cycle, book a free call with me here: https://tidycal.com/jonny2/lets-chat-about-you