In this episode Katie shares her complicated relationship with food growing up and through college, and the tools she used to ultimately address the underlying issue: “I just didn’t know myself”. As a child she fell victim to the the issues our culture has with body image. She constantly found herself wanting to look like what she saw on TV and comparing herself to her friends.

Her freshman year she gained some weight, and unintentionally lost it (and then some) while studying abroad. When she returned home she received positive feedback and validation for losing weight which motivated her to “keep going”. Katie continued to lose more and more weight by engaging in unhealthy behaviors that eventually spiraled out of control. After seeking guidance through self-help books, Katie stumbled onto journaling as a tool to help her express some of her deepest feelings, which eventually helped her heighten her self awareness and get to know herself better in the process. Journaling had such a profound affect on Katie, that she eventually wrote a book on it, Let it Out a Journey Through Journaling. This book contains over 50 journaling exercises to help you process difficult feelings and emotions. Katie also uses her podcast (also called Let it Out) as a tool to curate conversations about anything and everything that sparks her curiosity.

In this episode we talk about life on the “other side” and how she (and I) still dance with bad body image days, and how inevitably old feelings and habits around food can sneak up on us when we least expect it. Our conversation has some really interested nooks and crannies about mindfulness, spirituality, technology (ehem, iPhone) addiction, and a PSA to Uber drivers (stop using perfume to “freshen up” your car). Listen to the full episode below, and then get in on the conversation! Let me know your thoughts or questions in the comments below!

Resources:

• Jessi's Free Intuitive Eating Download
• Katie's Website, Book, and Podcast
• Get Messy Art Journaling
• Clip on Conan Louis CK
• Linda Bacon - Health at Every Size and Body Respect
• Isabelle Foxen Duke
• Christy Harrison
• Kelsey Miller
• You are a Badass by Jen Sincero
• You Made it Weird with Pete Holmes (Podcast)