The Full Plate Podcast with Abbie Attwood, MS

"Dress for your body type", "define your waist", and "only wear what is flattering". How about...no.  As our bodies change (as they will continue to do throughout our life), many of us are met with barriers to body acceptance. And our clothes are a massive part of that. But they can also be a pivotal part of our liberation. Tune in to this week's episode to hear my conversation with Dacy Gillespie, a weight-inclusive anti-diet personal stylist. We untangle the mess of our closets, dismantle from patriarchal ideas of fashion, and challenge our sense of what we "should" be wearing based on our body shape and size. What’s on Dacy’s plate right now (and importantly, what's not) How she got into personal styling Being raised to think having a passion for clothing was vain The conversations that made her realize the ways patriarchy and white supremacy have informed our fashion choice How to approach shopping for new clothes as your body changes What steps to take to identify your personal style separate from patriarchal ideas of beauty and fashion  What to do with old clothes that no longer fit How clothing sizes impact our body image  The life-changing magic of finding your authentic style Challenging the inner critic when shopping Barriers to accessing clothing in a larger body The fashion rules we need to ditch  How to deal with your closet  All about the word “flattering”   About Dacy: As a weight inclusive, anti-diet personal stylist, Dacy Gillespie helps her clients reject fashion rules and ideal standards of beauty imposed by the patriarchy, white supremacism, and capitalism so that they can uncover their authentic style. Through their work building a functional wardrobe, Dacy’s clients make a mindset shift from thinking they need to wear what’s flattering to unapologetically taking up space in the world. After a lifetime of jobs in high-stress careers that didn’t suit her highly-sensitive, introverted personality, Dacy started mindful closet in 2013 in an attempt to create a more emotionally sustainable lifestyle. Her work has been featured in Forbes and Real Simple and she is a frequent podcast guest. Dacy is married and has two boys, ages 5 and 9. You can find more from her at mindfulcloset.com, @mindfulcloset on ig and tt, makingspacecourse.com for her group program.    Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate   Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching   Group membership: Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group   Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness   Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Abbie's website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast   Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate     This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

On this week's episode, we're joined by Leslie Schilling, registered dietitian and author. We focus on themes in her second book, Feed Yourself, which explores the intersection of diet culture and religion — how diet culture shows up in the safest spaces, including places of worship. We discuss interrogating the church, and how diet culture is perpetuated through its messaging and ideologies. From weight to food choices, to health and morality, to the lies that instill shame and guilt – specifically when it comes to our bodies. I’ve really admired and respected Leslie for years. We’re connected on social media, and hold similar values. I was really looking forward to in this conversation about faith and religion, because it’s not something that has been a big part of my life. And this is exactly why I have this podcast – to bring on all different lived experiences; discuss hard things; dig into the nuance and make sure that nuance is shared. I hope you enjoy this one, I know I did. Leslie Schilling, MA, RDN, CSCS, CEDS-S, owns a Las Vegas-based private practice specializing in nutrition counseling for families, people with disordered eating concerns, professional athletes, and performers. Leslie has served as a performance nutrition consultant for Cirque du Soleil® and the NBA and an expert contributor to U.S. News & World Report. You may know Leslie best as the creator and co-author of the award-winning book Born To Eat. Her new book, Feed Yourself, about how diet culture shows up in our safest places, is available anywhere books are sold.   Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate   Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching   Group membership: Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group   Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness   Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Abbie's website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast   Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.comThis episode is now available on Substack. You can hear the full conversation when you upgrade to paid. I appreciate your support so much!This episode is an answer to a question from Erica, who asked:“How can I manage my acid reflux without restriction? I've been told over and over that I should eliminate certain foods, but just thinking about restricting is triggering me. Other than limiting my caffeine intake I'm really trying not to cut out any specific foods because honestly I know that's what got here got me here to begin with. Supplements and some over-the-counter medications don't really seem to do much. I'm sure I can't be the only one in your community who is struggling with this as I heal my relationship with food. Do you have experience with this, or have you had success with any remedies with your clients that don't involve restriction? Thanks so much for what you do!"We dive into so much in the answer, including:How restricting food impacts acid refluxWhere acid reflux occurs in the bodyHow irregular eating and fasting can impact the digestive systemHow we can become even more sensitive to the foods that we restrictWhy certain foods may feel like the culprit for acid refluxHow stress and anxiety can worsen acid reflux symptomsCultivating a compassionate, low stress eating environmentHow intense exercise can exacerbate acid reflux symptomsUpdating your wardrobe to reduce anxiety and promote comfortTalking to your doctor about medications to help mitigate acid reflux symptomsNot slipping back into disordered eating patterns when trying to manage acid reflux symptomsCentering compassion and body trust  Social media:Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellnessGroup program:Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching Group membership:Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroyPodcast Editing by Brian Walters

Former weight-loss surgery dietitian turned intuitive eating specialist, Kirsten Ackerman Morrison, discusses the lack of post-operative support for bariatric patients, issues with informed consent in weight loss interventions, and societal pressures surrounding weight-loss surgeries. She sheds light on the disconnect between public image and private struggles, emphasizing the importance of informed, compassionate decision-making.

This week we are joined by the incredible Lauren Fleshman, New York Times bestselling author of "Good for a Girl", to discuss the systemic ways that our sports culture fails women and girls, and how we can create a better future for the next generation of female athletes.  We dive into how the natural and expected changes in a young women’s body during adolescence are met with misunderstanding and pathology, and how the sports systems that girls and women find themselves in are built by men, for men and boys. They don’t currently account for or support the experience of the female athlete. Even if you aren’t a female-bodied human or an athlete, I hope you’ll tune into this episode. This is such an important conversation about challenging the patriarchy and policing of women’s bodies, far beyond athletics and running. As always, please listen with compassion and empathy for yourself and any past (or current) experiences this may bring up for you. Tune in to hear more about… The inspiration behind Lauren's book, Good for a Girl How prevalent disordered eating is when girls in adolescence, even into their college years The objectification of female bodies during adolescence How the US sports systems are built for around a default male body The significant differences between young girls and boys when training for sports The lack of normalization and support that girls and young women receive in sports during adolescence What happens when girls fight against natural body changes The rate that young girls drop out of sports What is viewed as "essential equipment" for boys in sports versus girls The financial pressure of athlete scholarships and ensuring performance at the expense of health If weight loss and losing a menstrual cycle is "normal" during sports training The extended time period to truly recover from undereating and overtraining in a women's body Redefining excellence for women in sports beyond race times and body-focused numbers How high risk women athletes are funneled into college sports Performative health and how food choices are policed in athlete spaces What's next for Lauren in her career  About Lauren: Lauren Fleshman is an award winning author and one of the most decorated American distance runners of all time, having won five NCAA championships at Stanford and two national championships as a professional. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Time and Runner’s World. Her debut book was an instant New York Times Bestseller, and won the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award. She is the brand strategy advisor for Oiselle, a fitness apparel company for women, and the co-founder of Picky Bars, a natural food company. She lives in Bend, OR. Find Lauren on IG: @fleshmanflyer Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on my website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast  Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching Group membership: Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group   Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

There is a special brand of diet and wellness culture that comes for you when you're pregnant. From the “permission” for your body to change, to pressure around food choices, to beauty standards for pregnant people, we're getting into it all.  Artist Bri Custer joins the pod to share, vulnerably, about what pregnancy has been like as she heals from a lifetime of disordered eating, and works towards a peaceful relationship with her body. Bri is so special to me as a human being, a friend, and a client. She has done so much reflection around these topics and I think you'll get a lot out of this conversation, whether you are pregnant, considering getting pregnant, or even if you don't ever plan to. Gentle reminder that this can be a sensitive, difficult, and personal topic. I know this from personal experience. Please listen to this episode if it feels compassionate and kind to listen to a conversation about pregnancy. You are always loved and supported here. We discuss: Bri's experience with dieting as a child Unpacking generational cycles of body shame and restriction The temporary permission that society gives us for our bodies to change during pregnancy The pressure to maintain a specific diet during pregnancy to maintain your own health and a child's The blame and shame around not "eating right" during pregnancy The popularity of post-partum exercise programs and the harm they can cause The pressure for dietary changes to combat PCOS and infertility issues pre-pregnancy The importance of combating food morality and going back to foods we love as a kid during times where food and eating is difficult during pregnancy How pregnancy is a wonderful lesson in trusting the wisdom of your body Setting boundaries around social media and mental resilience to diet culture during pregnancy Challenges around body image during pregnancy Asking not to be weighed before and during pregnancy, and if weight is needed to monitor one's health and their growing child's Beauty standards during pregnancy and how harmful they are Body checking during & after pregnancy and the importance of centering curiosity and compassion   About Bri: Bri Custer is an en plein air painter investigating perception, memory, and color through the New England Landscape. Her work has been featured by Clover + Bee, Candyfloss, and on the Create! Magazine blog and can be found at Nahcotta in Portsmouth, NH and Sorelle Gallery in Westport, CT. Bri has been working with Abbie for roughly a year, and began her anti-diet journey in 2022. She is currently a full-time artist based in Concord, New Hampshire with her husband, Bryan and hound-lab mix, Vinny. Follow her @briiiiicuster on Instagram and see more of her art on her website.  Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes (like this one!), community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Abbie's website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast  Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness   Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching Group membership: Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group  Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode, which is available to our wonderful supporters on Patreon. To listen to the full episode, you can upgrade to paid on Patreon! If you’ve ever been curious if intermittent fasting’s claims about health benefits during menopause are true, this is the episode for you. This week on Full Plate, we're digging into the claims, the science, and debunking the myths around intermittent fasting during this season of life. If intermittent fasting has been something you've tried, have considered trying, or seem to find yourself surrounded by others touting its benefits, I am sending you compassion. I hope that this episode is grounding and informative. My goal is always to provide you with the full picture so that you can make decisions that truly support your well-being. I dive into so much in this episode, including: The claims that are made around the benefits of intermittent fasting during menopause Why women are more susceptible to falling back into disordered eating patterns - or building new ones - during this stage in their life The link between anti-aging culture and diet culture The nutrition misinformation around menopause If the research supports intermittent fasting's claims about menopause One of the longest, most recent scientific studies done on intermittent fasting and its results The potential damaging effects of intermittent fasting on the body Listen to the first episode on intermittent fasting here. It will help lay a good foundation for this follow up. Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes (like this one!), community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Abbie's website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast  Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness   Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching Group membership: Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group  Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate   This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

This week I am so thrilled to be joined by Kimmie Singh, RD to discuss PCOS: what it is, common misconceptions, why medical providers are so confused about it, its relationship to disordered eating, how to take a weight-inclusive and trauma-informed approach, and more. We also get into the nuances of weight and health in general around diagnosis and treatment, trusting your body and intuition, and navigating weight-centric recommendations for managing symptoms. Beyond just PCOS, we talk about grief, particularly expected and anticipated grief. I hope you get as much out of this episode as I did, even if you don't have a PCOS diagnosis. I hope it will allow you to bring more compassion and empathy to those in your life who may have PCOS, or may receive a diagnosis in the future. I really appreciate Kimmie’s vulnerability and honesty in this episode, and I deeply enjoyed talking to her.  We discuss... The vulnerability and overwhelm that can happen in our college years that gives rise to disordered eating Weight cycling and dieting and the harm done to our health Fat-positive recovery from disordered eating and the importance of mental health support How PCOS symptoms can impact body image and our relationship with food How PCOS and disordered eating can co-occur, and how PCOS can lead to a higher risk of eating disorders  Should you cut back on carbs with PCOS? What about weight-loss and PCOS? The fatphobia and weight-stigma that is baked into standard recommendations for managing PCOS Navigating medical providers that recommend food restriction to manage PCOS The shame around using medication to manage symptoms The health impacts of PCOS that can't be seen on the surface Trusting your body and intuition when it comes to your own health Kimmie's PCOS-focused courses and resources for providers   About Kimmie: Kimmie Singh is a self-proclaimed fat Registered Dietitian based in New York City. She is the owner of Body Honor Nutrition, a nutrition private practice that supports individuals to heal their relationships with food and body. Kimmie supports her clients with a fat-positive and anti-oppressive framework and has a special passion for working with people that have polycystic ovarian syndrome. Kimmie is also a sought-after speaker and has presented at several national conferences. She presents on the effects of anti-fat stigma in healthcare and nutrition. Kimmie is a believer in kindness, compassion, and the power of advocacy. Learn more about Kimmie at www.bodyhonornutrition.com. Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on my website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast    Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching Group membership: Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group    Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

What is alive in you right now? What does it mean to return to the body as the place where we experience life? The concept of embodiment has become more present in the lexicon of body image and body liberation. While deeply important to our collective divestment from diet culture, exploring your own embodiment may feel confusing, intangible, or incongruent with your lived experience. Neathery Falchuk, LCSW-S, CGP (they/them) joins us this week to dig all the way in: What is embodiment, really? What does it look like? Feel like? Is it a destination, or something different? And how can we practice it?  We’re diving into the answers to these questions and more with the amazing, wise, funny, Neathery -- who also speaks to intersectionality in embodiment as a queer, trans and non-binary, fat, neurodivergent, white Latinx therapist.  I can't wait to hear from you on this episode. I think it will bring together a lot of things we've been talking about on the show: from our relationship with food, to the identities we hold, and what it means to experience the world in the body we have. We discuss so (so!) much in this one, including… What's on Neathery's plate (hint: baby-led weaning and oatmeal) Neathery’s experience of disembodiment as a queer and trans teen How disordered eating develops without embodiment Why embodiment isn’t always a positive experience Barriers to embodiment, including those we can't control Working through trauma and the importance of co-regulation Self-compassion as a tool to connect to ourselves Learning to trust the wisdom of our body Grief work and its connection to embodiment The need for more access to supportive communities in the embodiment and body liberation space   Neathery Falchuk (they/them) is a queer, trans and non-binary, fat, neurodivergent, white Latinx therapist, licensed clinical social worker supervisor, certified group psychotherapist, certified Body Trust® provider, and certified meditation teacher. Neathery is the founder of Ample and Rooted, an inclusive psychotherapy, consulting, and training practice specializing in working with LGBTQ+ communities, eating disorders, body shame, sex and sexuality, gender, relationship concerns, trauma, mindfulness, grief and loss, and substance use. Neathery currently serves on the program committee for Project HEAL and is a past President of Central Texas Eating Disorder Specialists, past board member of Austin Group Psychotherapy Society and former chair of the DEI Committee, and past board member of the Association for Size Diversity and Health. Neathery lives in Austin, TX with their wife and child and enjoys hiking, meditation, sipping coffee on patios, and starting and never finishing books.   Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Abbie's website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast  Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching Group membership: Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group   Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

Emma Green joins us this week to talk about her diagnosis of autism as an adult and how it impacts her understanding of her eating disorder as a teen, as well as how healthism, ableism, and anti-fatness intersect. We can’t talk about disordered eating and eating disorders without acknowledging healthism and ableism, and this conversation brings in both Emma’s lived experience and a discussion on how to build inclusive, supportive spaces for neurodivergent folks. We discuss the connection between autism and disordered eating behaviors, and how common it is to receive a misdiagnosis. If you listened to the recent episode on OCD and eating disorders, this is a great continuation of the discussion of mental health conditions and their ties to the ED space. This was such a life-giving, healing conversation, and I so appreciate Emma’s voice on the matter and her willingness to share her personal experience. This is the kind of discussion I wish younger me would have heard, and I hope that it’s helpful for all of you, regardless of your lived experience. Tune in to hear more, including... What healthism is, and how it’s harming us Defining “health” The intersection between healthism, ableism, and diet culture  Weight stigma and health outcomes How healthism creates barriers to physical movement  Emma’s diagnosis of autism as an adult How autism can be mistaken for an eating disorder  Neurodivergence and disordered eating risk  Why “recovered” is a concept that requires fluidity and intersectionality  The difference between structured eating and disordered eating   Emma Green is a neurodivergent writer, editor and researcher. Her work aims to achieve social justice for people in all bodies by sharing science and lived experiences, and generating constructive conversations. Find her on Instagram @emmagphd.   Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on my website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast  Social media: Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness Group program: Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching Group membership: Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group  Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy Podcast Editing by Brian Walters This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe