Wake Up with Natalie Rose

When you feel the urge to control your food, your body, or other people’s reactions, you may actually be trying to regulate something much more vulnerable inside. Obsession and urgency are often protective responses to shame, fear, conflict, or fragile self-worth. In this episode, I sit down with Marcus Kain to explore how emotional healing happens through safe relationships, self-compassion, emotion regulation, and reconnecting with the parts of you that once felt unseen.

Marcus is an Eating Disorder informed Nutrition and Strength and Conditioning Coach with additional certifications in Stress Management and Couples Coaching. His podcast, Strong Not Starving, was born from his own experience of navigating body image struggles and disordered eating in the fitness industry.

▶️ Marcus' YouTube

🎙 Marcus' Podcast: Strong Not Starving on Apple & Spotify

📌 TIME STAMPS

00:00 Introduction

02:44 Why You Feel the Constant Need to Fix Your Body

07:47 What's the Obstacle to Food Freedom

11:49 Managing Your Body to Fit In Socially

14:29 It Was Never About Your Body

15:37 Red Flags: Obsession & Urgency

16:56 Physical Insecurities Are Relational

19:58 Noticing Old Patterns

23:54 Love That is Not Conditional

26:08 Compassion Isn't Coddling

29:24 You're In the Middle!!

33:16 Why You Avoid the Inner Work

35:48 How to Deal with Urgency

42:13 How to Break the Cycle

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💁🏻‍♀️ ABOUT NATALIE ROSE

Hey, I’m Natalie Rose, a licensed therapist and coach. I help women break through the real, raw healing of food and body image struggles, to find peace, joy and deep self-worth.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice.

Body changes can feel destabilizing, especially when you’re working to heal your relationship with food and let go of control. In this episode, I’m sharing how to move through uncomfortable body changes without quitting on yourself. I talk about a real situation I’m navigating in my career that’s bringing up insecurity and self-doubt, and how I’m choosing confidence and competence instead of shrinking or micromanaging myself.

We explore what it actually looks like to build self-trust when things feel exposed. How your mind can quietly pull you back toward old patterns. And how to keep showing up for your life instead of obsessing over your weight.

If you struggle with body image, fear of weight gain, perfectionism, or self-abandoning when things get hard, this one’s for you.

📌 TIME STAMPS

00:00 Introduction

01:03 Context: Life and Body Changes

04:06 Standing in My Own Way

06:05 When You Can't Deny Weight Gain

07:33 Step One: Awareness

09:58 Willingness Is the Key

10:46 Willful is the Opposite of Growth

12:25 Overwhelm is a Symptom

14:04 Step Two: Nobody Cares

16:16 Step Three: Don't Ask for Reassurance

18:49 Postponing Confidence

21:41 Keep Moving Forward

22:59 Self-Compassion

24:07 Step Four: Take Action

24:33 Summary of 4 Steps

25:38 How I'm Handling Body Changes

28:51 Conclusion

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💁🏻‍♀️ ABOUT NATALIE ROSE

Hey, I’m Natalie Rose, a licensed therapist and coach. I help women break through the real, raw healing of food and body image struggles, to find peace, joy and deep self-worth.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice.

What happens when you stop dieting… but your changing body makes you feel like you’re in freefall? In this episode of Wake Up with Natalie Rose, I’m joined by former client and CommunEATy member Ashley Hyland, who shares what it actually took to let go of her “skinny identity” and rebuild self-worth beyond body size. We talk about intuitive eating, body image healing, fear of weight gain, and why recovery isn’t about feeling confident — it’s about taking values-aligned action even when discomfort shows up.

Ashley opens up about navigating photos, weddings, visibility, and body changes without falling back into restriction, over-control, or self-abandonment. If you’ve ever wondered whether full recovery is real, or how to feel okay in your body without returning to your smallest size, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

📌 TIME STAMPS

00:00 Introduction

02:35 Pre-CommunEATy: The Skinny Identity

07:54 Why Typical Recovery Methods Didn't Work

09:20 How the Skinny Identity Prevented True Love

13:05 "I Was Afraid of Joining a Community"

13:20 "My Body Was Changing and I Felt Like I Was In Freefall"

17:02 Knowing It Was Time to Join CommunEATy

18:50 When You Think Your Body Image "Isn't That Bad"

21:33 Combating the Final Feared Foods

22:20 Coming to Grips with Letting Go of the Skinny Identity

23:40 Facing Her Biggest Trigger and Worst Fear

25:24 From Dreading Photos to Loving Them

26:30 Building Genuine Friendships

27:41 The Turning Point in Her Healing Journey

28:24 Pivotal Steps That Led to True Body Peace

29:56 How She Let Go of Control

32:04 From Living in Fear to Living in Love

35:31 No Longer Fearing Judgment

38:08 Conquering Life's Challenges Without Body Obsession

41:21 Developing Self-Trust

42:20 When Triggers Lose Their Meaning

46:55 How to Stay Committed to Achieve Full Recovery

49:36 Words of Encouragement

53:31 How to Join CommunEATy

⭐️ WORK WITH ME

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💁🏻‍♀️ ABOUT NATALIE ROSE

Hey, I’m Natalie Rose, a licensed therapist and coach. I help women break through the real, raw healing of food and body image struggles, to find peace, joy and deep self-worth.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice.

If you’ve stopped dieting and are eating more freely, and your body image feels worse than ever, this episode is for you. I’m talking about the messy middle of body image: that emotionally charged phase where the physical healing is done, your body is changing, and your mind hasn’t caught up yet. This is where fears resurface, confidence feels shaky, and old beliefs about worth, belonging, and identity get activated.

In this episode, I share my own experience moving through the messy middle, why this phase feels so destabilizing, and why it’s actually a beautiful turning point! We’ll explore what the deeper inner work looks like, how to regulate emotions without turning them into self-criticism, and how to build self-trust that isn’t dependent on appearance. If you’re here, not wanting to go backward, but not yet feeling at peace, you're in the right place.

📌 WHAT'S IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Introduction

00:25 I Was At War With My Body

01:59 Seeing My Body Change

03:47 The Healthiest Shift I Made

04:56 What is The Messy Middle

08:16 Why Losing Your Identity Feels So Hard

10:39 The Beauty of This Transition

12:34 How to Do "The Inner Work"

13:26 Part 1: Shifting Beliefs

18:08 Part 2: Regulating Emotions

21:05 Part 3: Taking Action and Identity Shifting

24:02 From Dreading Photos to Loving Them

28:01 Don't Get Stuck in the Messy Middle

28:56 How Negative Self-Image Destroys Relationships & Career

30:27 How Self Image Work Improves Your Life

31:49 Your Focus Right Now

32:51 The CommunEATy

⭐️ WORK WITH ME

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💌 WAKE UP WEDNESDAY NEWSLETTER

Sign up here to receive your free weekly dose of self-discovery and personal growth.

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💁🏻‍♀️ ABOUT NATALIE ROSE

Hey, I’m Natalie Rose, a licensed therapist and coach. I help women break through the real, raw healing of food and body image struggles, to find peace, joy and deep self-worth.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice.

In this episode, we explore how releasing the need to control food, weight, and outcomes creates safety in the body—and why that safety is often the missing piece in period recovery and body image healing. If you’re someone who feels the need to be in control of your body, your routines, or your food in order to feel good about yourself, this conversation is for you. I’m joined by Cynthia Donovan, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, who shares her journey of losing her period due to over-exercising and under-fuelling and ultimately restoring her fertility. This episode goes beyond period recovery to explore why true healing requires letting go of control so you can reconnect with your body, your self-worth, and your life.

📌 IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Introduction

02:28 Cynthia's Story of Period Loss & Recovery

09:51 Weight Does Not Determine Energy Availability

12:32 Missing Puzzle Piece for HA

16:09 Dealing with Weight Gain

18:34 Finding Body Safety

28:01 Energy Availability

33:10 How Healing Happens

37:54 Replacing Control with Hope

38:53 Benefits of Healing from Food and Body Struggles

46:12 Conclusion

How to find Cynthia Donovan, MS RDN CDN:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/period.nutritionist/

Website: www.periodnutritionist.com 

The Period Recovery Podcast

Free Period Recovery Guide

⭐️ WORK WITH ME

Apply for The CommunEATy

💌 WAKE UP WEDNESDAY NEWSLETTER

Sign up here to receive your free weekly dose of self-discovery and personal growth.

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💁🏻‍♀️ ABOUT NATALIE ROSE

Hey, I’m Natalie Rose, a licensed therapist and coach. I help women break through the real, raw healing of food and body image struggles, to find peace, joy and deep self-worth.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice.

Obsessed with food, your body, or your weight? In this episode, I share why disconnection is at the root of every meltdown about body changes, and how connection is the opposite of obsession. I dive into how vulnerability (without over-sharing) helps you build real connection, and how connecting with yourself cultivates lasting self-worth. I also offer actionable guided journal prompts to help you practice self-honesty, tune into your body and emotions, and take tangible steps toward peace and presence. If you’re ready to stop criticizing your body and start living in it fully, this episode will give you both insight and tools to get started.

00:00 Introduction

01:26 **Main Message**

02:12 The Root of Food & Body Obsession

06:53 Underneath the Meltdown is Disconnection

10:38 Vulnerability is the Key 

13:01 Acts of Self-Honesty

14:47 Comfort vs. Control

18:02 Reflection Prompts for More Connection

22:26 Conclusion

⭐️ WORK WITH ME

Apply for The CommunEATy

💌 WAKE UP WEDNESDAY NEWSLETTER

Sign up here to receive your free weekly dose of self-discovery and personal growth.

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💁🏻‍♀️ ABOUT NATALIE ROSE

Hey, I’m Natalie Rose, a licensed therapist and coach. I help women break through the real, raw healing of food and body image struggles, to find peace, joy and deep self-worth.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Jennifer Caspari, author of You Are More Than Your Body, for a compassionate and deeply practical conversation about body image healing, body acceptance, and self-worth. We explore what body neutrality and radical acceptance actually look like in real life, not forced positivity or “just love your body,” but learning how to stop fighting reality and step out of the constant tug-of-war with your body. Drawing from both clinical expertise and lived experience with disability, chronic pain, and fatigue, Jennifer shares grounded tools for emotion regulation, easing harsh self-talk, making room for discomfort, and understanding the difference between pain and suffering. Whether you struggle with body image, food, chronic illness, or perfectionism, this episode offers tangible guidance for staying connected to yourself, building unconditional self-worth, and using your energy to live your life instead of battling your body.

📙: You Are More Than Your Body

⭐️ WORK WITH ME

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Sign up here to receive your free weekly dose of self-discovery and personal growth.

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💁🏻‍♀️ ABOUT NATALIE ROSE

Hey, I’m Natalie Rose, a licensed therapist and coach. I help women break through the real, raw healing of food and body image struggles, to find peace, joy and deep self-worth.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice.

In this Q&A-style episode, I answer the most common vacation and holiday questions IG users submitted after my first trip traveling with a five-month-old. I share how I navigate eating more on vacation without guilt, being in a swimsuit postpartum, noticing bloating and water retention without letting it hijack my mood, letting go of food rules and routines, making food choices effortlessly, and taking breaks from exercise without panic.

Drawing from my own recent experience, I explain why discomfort on vacation doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong, and how healing your relationship with food and your body is less about avoiding triggers and more about staying regulated, present, and self-compassionate when they arise. This episode is for anyone who wants to enjoy travel, holidays, and time away without food obsession, body shame, or the urge to “get back on track” afterward.

⭐️ WORK WITH ME

Apply for The CommunEATy

💌 WAKE UP WEDNESDAY NEWSLETTER

Sign up here to receive your free weekly dose of self-discovery and personal growth.

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💁🏻‍♀️ ABOUT NATALIE ROSE

Hey, I’m Natalie Rose, a licensed therapist and coach. I help women break through the real, raw healing of food and body image struggles, to find peace, joy and deep self-worth.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice.

If you’ve ever worried, “What if I don’t like my body after I fully heal my relationship with food?” this episode will help you understand where that fear comes from and what to do with it. I walk you through how I help my clients build real safety and trust within themselves as their bodies change, the deeper roots of body insecurity, and the limiting beliefs that keep you stuck in cycles of control. You’ll learn what becomes possible when you stop tying your worth to food or weight, and how to feel more grounded, confident, and connected to your body so you can move through your healing journey with clarity, compassion, and a sense of peace that isn’t dependent on how you look.

⭐️ WORK WITH ME

Apply for The CommunEATy

💌 WAKE UP WEDNESDAY NEWSLETTER

Sign up here to receive your free weekly dose of self-discovery and personal growth.

🫶🏻 LET'S SOCIALIZE

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💁🏻‍♀️ ABOUT NATALIE ROSE

Hey, I’m Natalie Rose, a licensed therapist and coach. I help women break through the real, raw healing of food and body image struggles, to find peace, joy and deep self-worth.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice.

In this episode, I dive into how to rebuild trust with your body after years of dieting, disordered eating, or body-image insecurity. I break down practical steps you can use to tune out food noise and tune back into your body’s signals, meet your needs, and make choices from support instead of fear. I also share the KNOW self-trust framework from my CommunEATy program and real examples to help you get out of your head, reconnect with your intuition, and feel more grounded, safe, and at peace in your body again.

⭐️ WORK WITH ME

Apply for The CommunEATy

💌 WAKE UP WEDNESDAY NEWSLETTER

Sign up here to receive your free weekly dose of self-discovery and personal growth.

🫶🏻 LET'S SOCIALIZE

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Youtube

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💁🏻‍♀️ ABOUT NATALIE ROSE

Hey, I’m Natalie Rose, a licensed therapist and coach. I help women break through the real, raw healing of food and body image struggles, to find peace, joy and deep self-worth.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for medical advice.