Life After Diets

In this episode, Stef and Sarah are talking about body image fluctuations.

They kick things off with Stef admitting she's been in a bit of a funk lately, which has her feeling some body image blues.

They chat about how our moods can totally mess with how we see our bodies—like when you're tired or anxious, everything feels heavier and more irritating.

Stef talks about the importance of recognizing these mood shifts and working on regulating them before trying to 'fix' anything else.

They also tackle the topic of 'floods'—those visceral reactions to body image triggers—and share some strategies for managing them when they hit. They also highlight the confusing mix of emotions when weight changes feel different depending on the context.

Sarah shares an amusing anecdote about feeling self-conscious in a string bikini.

Stef touches on her past struggle with 'reverse body dysmorphia,' where she clung to an outdated image of her younger self.

They wrap up with some thoughts on how seasons influence our body image and the power of gradual exposure.

Overall, this episode is a mix of raw honesty, empathy, and practical tips for anyone navigating the ever-changing landscape of body image.

Join our support community. This community is for you if you want a safe space to work through your daily struggles with food and body image. Community membership includes livestream episode recordings (online), monthly Zoom support meetings, a private Facebook group and member-only Q&A episodes. For more information go to: https://www.patreon.com/lifeafterdiets

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast

Email – [email protected]

Connect with Stefanie Michele, Recovery Coach, Somatic Therapist IT

Website – www.iamstefaniemichele.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele

Connect with Sarah Dosanjh, Author & Psychotherapist

Website – www.thebingeeatingtherapist.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/the_binge_eating_therapist

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBingeEatingTherapist

Sarah's book I Can't Stop Eating is available on Amazon

If you find this episode helpful, you can subscribe to the Life After Diets podcast, leave us a review, and share your thoughts with us on Instagram and YouTube (@lifeafterdietspodcast). Your feedback helps us create content that matters to you

In this heartfelt episode, Sarah and Stef explore the concept of self-forgiveness, including that it isn't about excusing harmful behaviors but rather about understanding and acknowledging the underlying causes of our actions.

Sarah emphasizes the role of self-forgiveness in her personal growth, sharing how recognizing our inherent innocence can change the way we address self-blame and guilt.

Stef reflects on the interplay between self-forgiveness and accountability, discussing the importance of balancing compassion with the acknowledgment of our responsibilities.

Listeners will find relatable anecdotes about personal struggles with self-forgiveness and practical insights into how to navigate these feelings.

The conversation touches on themes of regret, grief, and the importance of staying present and regulated while addressing past actions.

Together, Sarah and Stef offer a compassionate perspective on how to hold discomfort, avoid the trap of self-victimization, and move toward a healthier, more forgiving state of mind.

Join our support community. This community is for you if you want a safe space to work through your daily struggles with food and body image. Community membership includes livestream episode recordings (online), monthly Zoom support meetings, a private Facebook group and member-only Q&A episodes. For more information go to: https://www.patreon.com/lifeafterdiets

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast

Email – [email protected]

Connect with Stefanie Michele, Recovery Coach, Somatic Therapist IT

Website – www.iamstefaniemichele.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele

Connect with Sarah Dosanjh, Author & Psychotherapist

Website – www.thebingeeatingtherapist.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/the_binge_eating_therapist

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBingeEatingTherapist

Sarah's book I Can't Stop Eating is available on Amazon

If you find this episode helpful, you can subscribe to the Life After Diets podcast, leave us a review, and share your thoughts with us on Instagram and YouTube (@lifeafterdietspodcast). Your feedback helps us create content that matters to you

The main topic of the episode addresses the recent cultural emphasis on thinness and the use of weight loss drugs like GLP-1 medications. Stef and Sarah explore the societal pressure for thinness, the resurgence of weight loss as a value, and how it impacts people on a personal level, particularly those in recovery from eating disorders.

They delve into their own experiences and observations about how the culture of weight loss drugs affects our body image. Stef discusses the guilt and pressure experienced by both those who choose to take or avoid these medications and shares personal reasons for choosing not to use them. Sarah shares experiences of interactions with friends who have undergone significant weight changes and the emotional complexities involved.

They talk about emotions like jealousy, frustration, and FOMO.

The conversation also touches on the ethics and responsibilities of influencers regarding transparency about weight loss, especially when it involves medications like GLP-1.

Both hosts express a sense of hope despite the current cultural climate, acknowledging the pendulum swing in societal values and emphasizing patience and trust in an eventual rebalancing towards body diversity and acceptance.

Join our support community. This community is for you if you want a safe space to work through your daily struggles with food and body image. Community membership includes livestream episode recordings (online), monthly Zoom support meetings, a private Facebook group and member-only Q&A episodes. For more information go to: https://www.patreon.com/lifeafterdiets

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast

Email – [email protected]

Connect with Stefanie Michele, Recovery Coach, Somatic Therapist IT

Website – www.iamstefaniemichele.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele

Looking for a course about how to fold in health considerations after recovery without a diet culture lens? "Refining Intuitive" (formerly the Gentle Nutrition Mindset) course starts on April 28.)

Connect with Sarah Dosanjh, Author & Psychotherapist

Website – www.thebingeeatingtherapist.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/the_binge_eating_therapist

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBingeEatingTherapist

Sarah's book I Can't Stop Eating is available on Amazon

If you find this episode helpful, you can subscribe to the Life After Diets podcast, leave us a review, and share your thoughts with us on Instagram and YouTube (@lifeafterdietspodcast). Your feedback helps us create content that matters to you

In this episode, Sarah and Stef explore the topic of why they decided to make this a rare two-part series. Stef sparked the idea due to a client's suggestion to dive deeper into the emotional aspects tied to realizing one can't diet anymore.

They chat about their personal experiences and how differently they feel about the inability to diet.

Stef shares that she often felt anger, stemming from the frustrating feeling of being controlled by an uncontrollable force.

Sarah, on the other hand, felt sadness and a bit of unease about not being able to diet, describing a conflict between what she believed and what she felt.

The discussion then shifts to the process and emotions tied to this realization. Stef talks about how her next phase of evolution might be becoming softer with herself, while Sarah contemplates if she should be more disciplined. They both recognize that regardless of the approach, the feeling of trying their best despite obstacles is very sobering.

Both hosts touch on the grief associated with recognizing they can't diet anymore—an emotion that only surfaced fully during their recovery journeys. They discuss how memories of past attempts come rushing back, creating a whirlwind of feelings and self-reflection.

Join our support community. This community is for you if you want a safe space to work through your daily struggles with food and body image. Community membership includes livestream episode recordings (online), monthly Zoom support meetings, a private Facebook group and member-only Q&A episodes. For more information go to: https://www.patreon.com/lifeafterdiets

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast

Email – [email protected]

Connect with Stefanie Michele, Recovery Coach, Somatic Therapist IT

Website – www.iamstefaniemichele.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele

Looking for a course about how to fold in health considerations after recovery without a diet culture lens? "Refining Intuitive" (formerly the Gentle Nutrition Mindset) course starts on April 28.)

Connect with Sarah Dosanjh, Author & Psychotherapist

Website – www.thebingeeatingtherapist.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/the_binge_eating_therapist

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBingeEatingTherapist

Sarah's book I Can't Stop Eating is available on Amazon

If you find this episode helpful, you can subscribe to the Life After Diets podcast, leave us a review, and share your thoughts with us on Instagram and YouTube (@lifeafterdietspodcast). Your feedback helps us create content that matters to you

Sarah and Stef delve into the complex emotions around dieting and the struggles of non-diet living. To kick things off, Sarah brings up the topic of feeling stuck between wanting to diet and feeling like you can't, even if you wanted to. This sets the stage for a thoughtful discussion about how dieting, and the decision to step away from it, evokes a range of emotions—from failure to empowerment. Stef offers personal anecdotes and client stories, revealing how the dieting mindset is often ingrained in us from a young age, making it a tough cycle to break. She highlights the difference between making an active decision to stop dieting and feeling like you simply can't keep up with it anymore. Throughout the episode, both Sarah and Stef share their own journeys and how they moved from a place of restrictive eating to embracing a non-diet lifestyle. Along the way, they touch on common pitfalls, like fantasizing about the benefits of dieting, only to be reminded of its psychological toll. The duo also explores how important it is to find a middle ground. This is not about completely giving up or indulging without thought but about finding a balanced, mindful approach to eating that nurtures both body and soul. One standout moment is when they discuss the concept of agency—and the sticky truth that empowerment can indeed come from weight control -- but it can also come from self-alliance. Looking for a course about how to fold in health considerations after recovery without a diet culture lens? "Refining Intuitive" (formerly the Gentle Nutrition Mindset) course starts on April 28.)

Join our support community. This community is for you if you want a safe space to work through your daily struggles with food and body image. Community membership includes livestream episode recordings (online), monthly Zoom support meetings, a private Facebook group and member-only Q&A episodes. For more information go to: https://www.patreon.com/lifeafterdiets

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast

Email – [email protected]

Connect with Stefanie Michele, Recovery Coach, Somatic Therapist IT

Stef's Binge Recovery Course -- www.iamstefaniemichele.com/iamstefaniemichelecourse

Website – www.iamstefaniemichele.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele

Connect with Sarah Dosanjh, Author & Psychotherapist

Website – www.thebingeeatingtherapist.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/the_binge_eating_therapist

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBingeEatingTherapist

Sarah's book I Can't Stop Eating is available on Amazon

If you find this episode helpful, you can subscribe to the Life After Diets podcast, leave us a review, and share your thoughts with us on Instagram and YouTube (@lifeafterdietspodcast). Your feedback helps us create content that matters to you.

This episode delivers a nuanced discussion to help you differentiate between health concerns and health anxiety/disorder.

Stef shares her personal journey of health with her development of orthorexia, sharing insights into how she navigated fear and eventaully learned to balance awareness with emotional regulation.

The hosts both highlight the impact of diet culture and wellness culture on their perceptions of health and food, and how diverging from these influences helped them take care of their health without excessively attaching to food as the end-all-be-all of health outcomes.

Sarah's Your Intuitive Eating Blueprint Course

Join our support community. This community is for you if you want a safe space to work through your daily struggles with food and body image. Community membership includes livestream episode recordings (online), monthly Zoom support meetings, a private Facebook group and member-only Q&A episodes. For more information go to: https://www.patreon.com/lifeafterdiets

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast

Email – [email protected]

Connect with Stefanie Michele, Recovery Coach, Somatic Therapist IT

Stef's Binge Recovery Course -- www.iamstefaniemichele.com/iamstefaniemichelecourse

Looking for a course about how to fold in health considerations after recovery without a diet culture lens? "Refining Intuitive" (formerly the Gentle Nutrition Mindset) course starts on April 28.)

Website – www.iamstefaniemichele.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele

Connect with Sarah Dosanjh, Author & Psychotherapist

Website – www.thebingeeatingtherapist.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/the_binge_eating_therapist

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBingeEatingTherapist

Sarah's book I Can't Stop Eating is available on Amazon

If you find this episode helpful, you can subscribe to the Life After Diets podcast, leave us a review, and share your thoughts with us on Instagram and YouTube (@lifeafterdietspodcast). Your feedback helps us create content that matters to you.

In this heartfelt episode of the Life After Diets podcast, Sarah and Stef dive into the complex topic of "the father wound." Sarah Dosanjh, a psychotherapist, and Stef, a binge recovery health coach, share personal stories and insights about how their relationships with their fathers have impacted their lives and emotional well-being.

Sarah opens up about her father's unpredictable nature, oscillating between fun, adventurous moments and explosive anger, which left her feeling punished and bewildered. Stef adds her perspective, sharing how her father's volatility has rendered her feeling helpless at times and describes how she has navigated her own patterns of anger.

Additionally, they touch on broader themes, such as the idea of fathers wanting to feel appreciated yet struggling with their vulnerabilities, and how these dynamics play out in their children's lives. The conversation also explores the effects of absent fathers, touching on how such wounds could manifest in hypersexualization, anxious attachment, and hyper-independence.

Through candid dialogue, Sarah and Stef exemplify how unresolved parental issues shape one's relationship to body image.

Sarah's Your Intuitive Eating Blueprint Course

Join our support community. This community is for you if you want a safe space to work through your daily struggles with food and body image. Community membership includes livestream episode recordings (online), monthly Zoom support meetings, a private Facebook group and member-only Q&A episodes. For more information go to: https://www.patreon.com/lifeafterdiets

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast

Email – [email protected]

Connect with Stefanie Michele, Recovery Coach, Somatic Therapist IT

Stef's Binge Recovery Course -- www.iamstefaniemichele.com/iamstefaniemichelecourse

Website – www.iamstefaniemichele.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele

Connect with Sarah Dosanjh, Author & Psychotherapist

Website – www.thebingeeatingtherapist.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/the_binge_eating_therapist

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBingeEatingTherapist

Sarah's book I Can't Stop Eating is available on Amazon

If you find this episode helpful, you can subscribe to the Life After Diets podcast, leave us a review, and share your thoughts with us on Instagram and YouTube (@lifeafterdietspodcast). Your feedback helps us create content that matters to you.

In this guest episode, Stef's former client Melissa shares her story of leaving Overeaters Anonymous after twenty years to heal her "inner munchie." Melissa, a therapist from Michigan who also has ADHD, explains how her disordered relationship with food began at a young age when she couldn't "control" her sweet cravings and inherited shame about this part of herself. Working to integrate all of her Parts through Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, Melisssa worked towards an Intutive Eating model and allowed herself to incorporate all foods in a radical departure from her OA food plan.

Melissa Persechini is a licensed therapist specializing in trauma and addiction. With a Master's Degree in Social Work and 17 years of clinical experience, she integrates techniques such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness, and somatic approaches. She founded the Women and Girls Empowerment Center in 2015 after noticing women shared common threads of inner strength and resiliency. Melissa believes women have a unique ability to heal themselves once they are able to uncover their inner resources and learn to practice self-compassion. She identifies as a wounded healer and is committed to ongoing personal growth.

Website: wagecenter.org Email: [email protected]

Sarah's Your Intuitive Eating Blueprint Course

Join our support community. This community is for you if you want a safe space to work through your daily struggles with food and body image. Community membership includes livestream episode recordings (online), monthly Zoom support meetings, a private Facebook group and member-only Q&A episodes. For more information go to: https://www.patreon.com/lifeafterdiets

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast

Email – [email protected]

Connect with Stefanie Michele, Recovery Coach, Somatic Therapist IT

Stef's Binge Recovery Course -- www.iamstefaniemichele.com/iamstefaniemichelecourse

Website – www.iamstefaniemichele.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele

Connect with Sarah Dosanjh, Author & Psychotherapist

Website – www.thebingeeatingtherapist.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/the_binge_eating_therapist

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBingeEatingTherapist

Sarah's book I Can't Stop Eating is available on Amazon

If you find this episode helpful, you can subscribe to the Life After Diets podcast, leave us a review, and share your thoughts with us on Instagram and YouTube (@lifeafterdietspodcast). Your feedback helps us create content that matters to you.

In this episode, Sarah and Stef dive into the topic of food permission, addressing the intriguing question: "Can you really eat whatever you want whenever you want?"

They share personal insights and client experiences to unpack the concept of intuitive eating, discussing the common misunderstandings and the nuanced approach necessary for true food freedom.

They emphasize the importance of balancing permission with consideration, understanding emotional and mental restrictions, and the role of gentle nutrition.

They also highlight how different individuals might need to approach intuitive eating uniquely based on their personal history and relationship with food.

With warmth and compassion, they guide listeners through the complexities of healing their relationship with food, making it clear that there's no one-size-fits-all answer, but rather a journey of self-discovery and self-compassion.

Sarah's Your Intuitive Eating Blueprint Course

Join our support community. This community is for you if you want a safe space to work through your daily struggles with food and body image. Community membership includes livestream episode recordings (online), monthly Zoom support meetings, a private Facebook group and member-only Q&A episodes. For more information go to: https://www.patreon.com/lifeafterdiets

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast

Email – [email protected]

Connect with Stefanie Michele, Recovery Coach, Somatic Therapist IT

Stef's Binge Recovery Course -- www.iamstefaniemichele.com/iamstefaniemichelecourse

Website – www.iamstefaniemichele.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele

Connect with Sarah Dosanjh, Author & Psychotherapist

Website – www.thebingeeatingtherapist.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/the_binge_eating_therapist

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBingeEatingTherapist

Sarah's book I Can't Stop Eating is available on Amazon

If you find this episode helpful, you can subscribe to the Life After Diets podcast, leave us a review, and share your thoughts with us on Instagram and YouTube (@lifeafterdietspodcast). Your feedback helps us create content that matters to you.

In this episode, Sarah and Stef explore how body acceptance might feel like defeat for many who have struggled to change their bodies and feel oppressed by their circumstances. They dissect how acceptance is a proactive practice that differs from the feeling of defeat, which is reactionary and involves a perceived loss against external forces. Stef shares personal insights on how acceptance can feel oppressive when it seems to invalidate self-advocacy, while Sarah discusses how resistance to acceptance often stems from fear and shame.

The conversation touches on therapeutic techniques to work through resistance, the importance of validating and allowing resistant feelings, and the transformative power of willingness and allowing reality as it is without judgment. They also talk about the importance of having a supportive space where resistance can be discussed openly and without the urge to "fix" it immediately.

Towards the end, they discuss real-world applications of these concepts, bringing in examples like discomfort on airplanes due to body size and personal triggers in relation to diet culture. They also investigate how contextualizing experiences as non-personal and understanding biological and psychological underpinnings can help shift perspectives from defeat to empowerment.

Join our growing support community. This community is for you if you want a safe space to work through your daily struggles with food and body image. Community membership includes livestream episode recordings (online), monthly Zoom support meetings, a private Facebook group and member-only Q&A episodes. For more information go to: https://www.patreon.com/lifeafterdiets

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast

Email – [email protected]

Connect with Stefanie Michele, Recovery Coach, Somatic Therapist IT

Stef's Binge Recovery Course -- www.iamstefaniemichele.com/iamstefaniemichelecourse

Website – www.iamstefaniemichele.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele

Connect with Sarah Dosanjh, Author & Psychotherapist

Website – www.thebingeeatingtherapist.com

Instagram – www.instagram.com/the_binge_eating_therapist

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBingeEatingTherapist

Sarah's book I Can't Stop Eating is available on Amazon

If you find this episode helpful, you can subscribe to the Life After Diets podcast, leave us a review, and share your thoughts with us on Instagram and YouTube (@lifeafterdietspodcast). Your feedback helps us create content that matters to you.