Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast. 👋🏼

Applied Behavior Analysis and eating disorder recovery don’t usually show up in the same conversation—but in Kait’s recovery journey, that rule didn’t apply. By bridging her professional background with her personal healing, Kait used behavior principles in a completely new context—her own recovery—and ultimately found her way to full freedom from anorexia.

Tired of being stuck in the cycle of knowing what to do but not being able to follow through, Kait decided to try something different. She put on her BCBA hat and leaned into what she already knew: structure, reinforcement, and behavior change. The result? A self-written behavior contract that brought clarity, consistency, and just enough accountability to move her forward. In this episode, Kait gets real about the mental tug-of-war between her eating disorder self and her healthy self, the hesitation around using a clinical tool in such a personal space, and what actually happened when she shared her contract with two trusted friends.

This is a story about getting creative, getting honest, and building your own way out—bite by bite. 🍒

Episode topics:

• Kait’s background that led her to the use of a behavior contract (1:47)

• What is a behavior contract? (5:36)

• How Kait created and used a behavior contract for herself (6:24)

• How behavior contract provided structure for Kait (8:44)

• Kait’s specific reinforcement (10:27)

• Kait reflects on what using a behavior contract was like (12:09)

• The importance of accountability (13:11)

• How Kait’s recovery motivation shifted during accountability (14:40)

• People will still love you through your shit (16:16)

• Long term recovery versus recovery in this moment (21:15)

• Kait realized that recovery is not cookie-cutter (22:59)

• Kait highlights the episode’s biggest takeaways (24:09)

• Kait announces something exciting 👀 (28:50)

Connect with Kait

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected] 

Kait’s Recovery FREEBIES

Core Recovery Beliefs

20 Reasons to Recover From Your Eating Disorder

Behavior Contract Examples

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Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

In this episode, Kait shares TWENTY reasons why you should recover from your eating disorder. Throughout the episode, Kait emphasizes the importance of recognizing your reasons for why you are choosing to recover. All of the reasons that she shared are reasons she used to get through her own journey of recovery and has decided to share them here for anyone who may need a spark of inspiration and motivation to take their first step on their recovery journey.

Kait emphasizes how interconnected reasons for recovery can serve as anchors during difficult times or just as a reminder to ourselves so that we can stay aligned. Your reasons for recovery do not have to be groundbreaking - they just have to be enough to push you to take the first step.

While this episode is specific to eating disorder recovery, this can be easily applied to various forms of recovery. ❤️

Episode topics:

• Reason 1: You are worthy of recovery (2:49)
• Reason 2: Life gets so much better (3:52)
• Reason 3: You get to re-invent yourself (4:14)
• Reason 4: To live in the moment (4:23)
• Reason 5: To align with your values (5:15)
• Reason 6: To make memories (5:57)
• Reason 7: To choose your voice over the eating disorder’s voice (6:47)
• Reason 8: To have deep, fulfilling relationships (7:27)
• Reason 9: To give yourself freedom & flexibility (8:02)
• Reason 10: To live your life to the fullest (8:45)
• Reason 11: To honor your body (9:20)
• Reason 12: So you don’t look back and say, “What if?” (10:09)
• Reason 13: To redirect your energy (10:47)
• Reason 14: To live a life that is yours (11:34)
• Reason 15: To allow yourself to rest without guilt (12:02)
• Reason 16: To trust & love yourself (12:49)
• Reason 17: To enjoy spontaneous moments (13:37)
• Reason 18: To unlock doors your eating disorder closed (14:09)
• Reason 19: To give others hope (14:39)
• Reason 20: BECAUSE YOU CAN AND YOU WILL 🍒 (15:22)

Connect with Kait

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected] 

Kait's Freebies

Core Recovery Beliefs

20 Reasons to Recovery From Your Eating Disorder

Affiliate Links

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Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

In this impromptu and deeply honest episode, Kait opens up about a behind-the-scenes moment that sparked a much bigger conversation about recovery, perfectionism, and the messy beauty of healing. What started as a small podcast editing slip spiraled into a powerful reflection on the importance of embracing imperfection—and why the “why” behind your recovery doesn’t have to be perfect either.

Kait shares a real-time text exchange with a listener that led to a raw discussion about recovering for reasons beyond yourself, evolving motivations, and how healing doesn’t always look the way you think it should. Whether you're recovering from an eating disorder, perfectionism, or just trying to show up more honestly in your life, this episode is for you.

Episode Topics:

• Embracing imperfections with the podcast (2:03)
• Self-improvement and eating disorder recovery go hand-in-hand (5:46)
• Finding motivation beyond yourself (10:19)
• The importance of accountability in eating disorder recovery (15:05)
• Your reasons to recover from your eating disorder can evolve (19:26)

Connect with Kait

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected] 

Affiliate Links

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Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

Battling and recovering from an eating disorder does not mean you cannot be successful in life. It does not mean that you can’t reach your goals or not be able to bring your dreams to life. Rachel Evans is proof of that.

In this episode, Kait is joined by Rachel Evans to share her personal journey with her battle with Bulimia and her road to recovery. Rachel shares the influences that led to her struggles such as social media, diet culture, and societal pressure in general. As a psychologist, she discusses the importance of seeking support, understanding the cycles of bingeing and purging, and the role of family dynamics as it relates to each person. Ultimately, Rachel offers hope and encouragement to those who are facing similar challenges, reinforcing that change is possible and recovery is a learning process.

Episode topics:

• Rachel shares her personal struggle with Bulimia (2:25)
• Rachel touches on how social media impacted her (6:02)
• How Rachel navigated recovery and her support systems (10:24)
• Rachel highlights the importance of understanding the cycle of bingeing and purging (15:07)
• Rachel’s unique path to recovery and self-discovery (22:32)
• Family dynamics and how they impacted Rachels’ recovery (31:03)
• How Rachel transitioned into her professional life as a psychologist (37:38)
• Rachel and Kait discuss the gaps in eating disorder treatment (41:19)
• Rachel touches on the differences between recovery coaching and formal treatment (44:19)
• Rachel and Kait offer encouragement to those struggling (55:06)

Content Warning: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors that Rachel has previously engaged in. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery.

Episode guest:  Dr. Rachel Evans is a chartered psychologist, hypnotherapist and podcast host of the Just Eat Normally Podcast. She combines her lived experience of bulimia recovery with professional expertise and training to support one-to-one clients who feel obsessed with food, hate their body, and use increasingly extreme methods to try and control it. At the heart of her practice is a compassionate, individualized, and trauma-informed approach, focusing on the person rather than a label. She has been featured in leading publications such as Psychologies and appeared on BBC radio, sharing her expertise to challenge diet culture and break the stigma surrounding eating disorders. A sought-after speaker, she has delivered impactful workshops for large and small organizations and spoken at conferences and wellness festivals, inspiring audiences with her evidence-based insights and personal journey.

RELATED EPISODES:

Finding My Way Back to Myself Through Anorexia Recovery

Batting an Eating Disorder and The Healthcare System with Courtney Stoltzfus-Zvara

Finding Purpose in Eating Disorder Recovery with Alex Sublette

Connect with Kait
@bitebybiterecovery
[email protected]

Connect with Rachel
Recover with Dr. Rachel Evans
@rachel.evans.phd
Just Eat Normally Podcast

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Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

It is not uncommon for someone who struggles with an eating disorder to also struggle with addictions and/or other mental health struggles too.

In this episode, I’m joined by Rachel Frost, who bravely shares her lived experience of navigating both eating disorder recovery and sobriety. She opens up about the challenges of trying to heal one without addressing the other, the turning points that helped her move toward lasting recovery, and the support systems that made a difference along the way.

Episode topics:

• The intersection of eating disorders and substance abuse (10:09)
• The challenges of dual recovery for Rachel (13:23)
• Rachel shares what pushed her to choose recovery (19:11)
• Rachel and Kait discuss misconceptions of both eating disorders and sobriety (32:36)
• The role shame played for Rachel in her recovery journey (36:47)
• Rachel discusses recovery in relation to motherhood (44:32)
• Rachel provides encouragement for moms struggling with eating disorder recovery and/or sobriety (48:49)

Content Warning: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors that Rachel has previously engaged in. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery. 

Episode guest: Rachel Frost is an eating disorder recovery coach and psychiatric nurse practitioner. After overcoming a 20-year battle with anorexia and bulimia, she made it her mission to help women break free from dieting, find peace with food, and reclaim their lives. As a mom of two boys, Rachel knows firsthand how important it is to be present, authentic, and free from the constant fight with food and body image. When she's not coaching, you can usually find her outdoors or spending time with her family. In Rachel's work, she keeps things as real as possible — no perfection, no filters, just honest support and the belief that full recovery is possible for ANYONE.

RESOURCES FROM EPISODE:

EATING DISORDERS ANONYMOUS

8 KEYS TO RECOVERY FROM AN EATING DISORDER 

RELATED EPISODES:

My 10-Year Battle with Anorexia and My Journey to Eating Disorder Recovery

Amy Goeckel Talks About Her Battle with Bulimia and Her Road to Eating Disorder Recovery

A Necessary Conversation about Eating Disorders in Males with Eric Pothen

Unpacking Drunkorexia, College Sports, and the Pressure to Perform with Cassie Lincoln

Battling an Eating Disorder and The Healthcare System with Courtney Stoltzfus-Zvara

Finding Purpose in Eating Disorder Recovery with Alex Sublette

Connect with Kait

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected] 

Connect with Rachel 

@rachelfrost_coaching

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Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), is an eating disorder in which a person significantly limits the amount or variety of food they consume due to sensory sensitivities, fear of aversive consequences, or overall lack of interest.

In this episode, Kait sits down with Emily McGovern who shares her lived experience with an eating disorder that began when she was just four years old. What many brushed off as “just being a picky eater” eventually revealed itself as ARFID. Emily shares her transformative experience in eating disorder recovery and highlights the importance of community and support during said recovery. The conversation highlights the emotional struggles, coping mechanisms, and the journey towards self-acceptance and personal growth that Emily experienced during her recovery journey.

Episode topics:

• Emily’s early struggles with food (2:03)
• Understanding ARFID and its impact (4:34)
• Emily’s transformative experience in eating disorder recovery (14:30)
• The importance of community in Emily’s recovery (16:22)
• How to navigate personal relationships when people aren’t sure how to provide support (21:29)
• Emily shares what she grieved about the eating disorder during recovery (26:08)
• Emily speaks about the non-linear nature of recovery (29:56)
• How Emily challenged stigmas that surround eating disorders (39:49)
• The importance to Emily of finding positivity and creative outlets (42:13)

Episode guest: Emily McGovern is a blogger and mental health advocate. She runs Embracing Emily, a lifestyle blog with over 3,000 readers, where she shares reflections on wellness and recovery. On Instagram, @embracingemilyslife, she offers a more personal look into her world—sharing glimmers of daily life, mental health advocacy, and moments of inspiration for her community.

Content Warning: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors that Emily has previously engaged in. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery. 

RELATED EPISODES:

Finding My Way Back to Myself Through Anorexia Recovery

Batting an Eating Disorder and The Healthcare System with Courtney Stoltzfus-Zvara

Finding Purpose in Eating Disorder Recovery with Alex Sublette

Connect with Kait

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected] 

Connect with Emily

Embracing Emily

Affiliate Links

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Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

All recovery journeys are unique but they all end up with the same outcome: the feeling of reward, freedom, and a beautiful life.

In this episode, Alex shares her personal struggle with eating an disorder, the impact COVID-19 had on her mental health, and her path to recovery. She emphasizes the importance of individualized care, emotional awareness, and, for Alex, finding purpose in helping others. The discussion also touches on the complexities of navigating support from loved ones and the ongoing journey of recovery, highlighting that it is not a linear process but one filled with growth and learning.

Episode Topics:

• Alex shares the impact COVID-19 had on her mental health (7:50)
• Alex and Kait discuss the importance of individualized care for eating disorder recovery (14:05)
• How to find purpose in eating disorder recovery (19:52)
• The growth of emotional awareness during eating disorder recovery (23:27)
• Alex and Kait comment on navigating support from loved ones (31:08)
• Alex and Kait reflect on their recovery journeys and their future goals (40:47)

Content Warning: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors that Alex has previously engaged in. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery.

Episode guest: Struggling with food since middle school, Alex hit rock bottom after the COVID-19 pandemic and a traumatic event that shattered her world. Over the past 1.5 years, she’s been fighting her way back from PTSD, heartbreak, substance abuse, anorexia, and delayed stomach emptying. With the help of a doctor who changed everything, Alex has learned what it means to rebuild—and how to navigate the “messy middle” of recovery.

Related Episodes

 UNEXPECTED LESSONS: Lessons My Eating Disorder Taught Me About Healing & Self-Worth

A Look Into A Real-Time Eating Disorder Recovery Moment

Finding My Way Back To Myself Through Anorexia Recovery

Connect with Kait

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected] 

Connect with Alex

@be_well_with_alex

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Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

Eating disorders are isolating, exhausting, and debilitating on their own. Adding in the stress of finding answers within the healthcare system only adds fuel to the already burning fire.

In this episode, Courtney Stoltzfus-Zvara returns to the podcast to talk about her 16 year struggle with an eating disorder and her battle with the healthcare system. Courtney shares the early signs of her eating disorder as she looks back now, the challenges faced while navigating the healthcare system, and the impact of relationships on recovery. 

The discussion also highlights the importance of addressing the psychological aspects of eating disorders, critiquing the medical system's focus on weight restoration, and emphasizing the need for compassion and understanding in treatment. Ultimately, the goal of this episode is to offer hope and validation for those on their own healing journeys and to share harsh realities of the lack of understanding of eating disorders within the healthcare system.

Episode topics:

• Courtney shares the development of her eating disorder spanning over 16 years (2:28)
• Navigating and seeking help within the healthcare system (22:08)
• Courtney shares how her personal relationships positively impacted her recovery (27:24)
• Courtney elaborates on the importance of doing the internal work during recovery (45:32)
• Courtney gives her advice and opinions to medical professionals specifically for eating disorders (52:45)

Content Warning: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors that Courtney has previously engaged in. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery. 

Episode guest: Courtney is a sociologist with a philosophical bent. She studied sociology and peace & conflict studies at Gordon (MA), political theory and ethics at the University of Oxford (UK), and completed her postgraduate work in philosophy at University College Dublin (IE). A full-fledged academia-phile, she has conducted research at Oxford, for the European Center for the Study of War and Peace, and for human rights initiatives in Rwanda, Cambodia, and Honduras. She has taught subjects in philosophy and sociology at Trinity College Dublin, Boston University, and Boston College. These days, she is based at Boston College and specializes in the relationship between the body and the social world. Her guiding vocational question is: How does the embodied self experience violence--and what may be done for its flourishing? Currently, she is exploring the role of shame--understood as the internalization of an abstract negative judgement--in the development of eating disorders. 

RELATED EPISODES:

Eating Disorders and Their Relationship with Shame, Perfectionism, Control, and Recovery

Connect with Kait

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected] 

Connect with Courtney

[email protected]

Affiliate Links

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Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

College years are often described as “some of the best years of your life.” While that is true in many ways there are often hidden battles students may face that are independent of academics.

In this episode of Bite by Bite, Kait and episode guest Cassie Lincoln, dive into the hidden realities of drunkorexia and body image pressure in college culture. Together, Kait and Cassie unpack the silent struggles many students—especially athletes—face when navigating food, appearance, and identity on campus. 

From extreme social norms like skipping meals to “earn” drinks, to body shaming in athletics, we share personal stories that reveal how disordered eating patterns can become normalized within college culture.

Episode Topics:

• Cassie talks about her experience with college culture (4:45)
• The impact of the pressure in college culture (7:34)
• Cassie discusses the aesthetic and  pressure of college athletics (9:54)
• Cassie discloses disordered messages delivered by her college XC coach (12:20)
• The unenjoyable nature of competition in college (14:42)
• Understanding Drunkorexia (18:55)
• Reflections on disordered behaviors from Kait and Cassie (29:40)
• How to recognize disordered patterns (34:54)
• The advice Kait and Cassie would give to their younger selves (37:16)
• Let’s break societal expectations (40:14)

Content Warning: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery. 

Episode Guest:  Cassie Lincoln is a wife, a mom of two boys, and an Occupational Therapist who resides in Texas with her beautiful family. Cassie and Kait have been friends since the middle school years and have both their own experiences with disordered eating. Aside from being a close friend, Cassie has a special place in Kait’s heart as Cassie was the first friend to know about her struggle with an eating disorder over ten years ago. As Cassie’s life has evolved she has also noticed how pressures and judgements from society have evolved as well. Presently, Cassie strives to live her life to the fullest by breaking societal norms by living her life the way she wants to, as opposed to what society suggests and expects.

RELATED EPISODES:

THE SECRET THAT ATE ME ALIVE: My 10-Year Eating Disorder Recovery Timeline 

WHERE I'M REALLY AT: The Messy Reality of Eating Disorder Recovery

UNEXPECTED LESSONS: Lessons My Eating Disorder Taught Me About Healing & Self-Worth

Connect with Kait:

@bitebybiterecovery

[email protected] 

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Welcome back to the Bite by Bite Podcast.

Recent research shows that eating disorder rates in males are increasing at a faster rate as compared to females, according to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA).

In this episode, join Kait and episode guest Eric Pothen as he shares his personal journey of living with and recovering from an eating disorder as a male and the unique challenges he faced in recovery. Together Kait and Eric discuss the societal misconceptions surrounding male eating disorders, the importance of community support, and the need for more male representation in the treatment space. 

The episode emphasizes the significance of seeking professional help and encourages men to embrace their experiences and seek support. The conversation highlights the hope for the future as more men begin to share their stories and advocate for change in the perception of eating disorders.

Episode topics:

• Understanding eating disorders in men (3:32)
• Eric speaks about the isolation of male recovery (10:45)
• Gender norms and their impact on speaking out (13:49)
• Challenges in recovery for males (16:48)
• The under representation of males in eating disorder recovery treatment (20:28)
• Misconceptions relating to males and eating disorders (23:59)
• The importance of empowerment and advocacy (25:55)
• The future direction of male eating disorder awareness (27:59)
• The lack of education specific to eating disorders for medical providers (30:55)
• Eric suggests how to create a safe space for men (33:36)
• The importance of embracing vulnerability and sharing your story (37:23)
• Kait and Eric share their hopes for future eating disorder awareness (44:56)

Content Warning: This episode contains brief mentions of eating disorder behaviors that Kait has previously engaged in. Please listen in a way that feels safe for you and your recovery.

Episode Guest:
Eric Pothen is an eating disorder advocate who serves on the Peer Council for the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and the Community Engagement Committee for the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD). After struggling with an eating disorder for several years, Eric now uses his lived experience to raise awareness and support others on their recovery journeys, particularly around eating disorders, disordered eating, and body image — with a special focus on men. He is the founder of the apparel company Embrace Wear and host of the podcast Embracing You, both dedicated to helping others embrace themselves and discover beauty and self-worth from within. Eric is currently pursuing a degree in Counseling with the goal of becoming an eating disorder therapist, specializing in working with men and the LGBTQ+ community.

Connect with Kait
@bitebybiterecovery
[email protected]

Connect with Eric

@ericpothen 

Eric’s website 

Embracing You

National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)

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