Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith - podcast cover

Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith

Virginia Sole-Smithvirginiasolesmith.substack.com
Weekly conversations about how we dismantle diet culture and fatphobia, especially through parenting, health and fashion. (But non-parents like it too!) Hosted by Virginia Sole-Smith, journalist and author of THE EATING INSTINCT.

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Episodes

A Pudgy Belly Can Be a Strong Core

Today Virginia is chatting with Anna Maltby. Anna is a health journalist, editor, content strategist, personal trainer, and author of the newsletter How to Move . Anna also created Pilates For Abortion Funds , a monthly online class that has raised about $30,000 for abortion funds since July 2022. She has been an ACE-certified personal trainer since 2015, and a certified mat pilates instructor since 2021. She’s also a certified prenatal and postpartum exercise specialist. Anna lives in Brooklyn ...

Dec 12, 202453 min

The Tyranny of the Millennial Camisole

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe Welcome to Indulgence Gospel After Dark! It's time for your December Extra Butter! Today, we’re talking about bellies—and how we’ve been taught to dress them. You need this conversation if you have feelings about: Spanx Horizontal stripes The Millennial structured camisole era + long, flowy tops Always tucking in your shirt/never tucking i...

Dec 05, 20242 min

What Are We Doing All Day on Our Phones?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com It’s time for your November Indulgence Gospel. Today, we’re doing an old fashioned mailbag episode for you. We are going to chat about grocery shopping. We’re going to talk about what to do if you are “not fat enough” to be in a fat space. We are going to talk about how to get divorced. We’re going to talk about a mom who wants to stop her adult daughter from getting diabetes. And we’re both going to dig...

Nov 21, 20242 min

The Curious Evolution of Emily Oster

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe Welcome to Indulgence Gospel After Dark! It's time for your November Extra Butter! This month we’re talking about Emily Oster—and her evolving views on kids, weight and health. We recorded this before the election. But as we all continue to grapple with how America slid to the right, the story of a public health advocate and scholar who is...

Nov 14, 20242 min

Healthcare is Ground Zero for Fatphobia

Today Virginia is chatting withMara Gordon, MD. Dr. Gordon is a family physician on the faculty of Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, as well as a writer, journalist, and contributor to NPR. Dr. Gordon also writes Chief Complaint , about her efforts to make medicine more fat friendly, and help her patients and herself explore body liberation and radical bodily autonomy. In our conversation today, Dr. Gordon and I get into why the healthcare system is set up the way it is, and what we can...

Nov 07, 202449 min

We're Not Calling It Girl Dinner

Today Virginia is chatting with Amy Palanjian. You probably already know Amy as Yummy Toddler Food , which is her blog/ Instagram / Tiktok . She’s also the bestselling author of Dinnertime SOS , and writes a great bi-weekly newsletter called YTF Community , which comes with super helpful meal plans. Some of you may have listened to our old podcast, Comfort Food , or maybe you’ve just heard Amy on her previous appearances on Burnt Toast (one , two and three ). But we realized that Amy hasn’t been...

Oct 31, 202441 min

We Could Buy Less Stuff From Target?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com It’s time for your October Indulgence Gospel. And today… we’re going to look back at all of our Butters! If you’re new here, Butter is the recommendation segment that runs at the end of every podcast episode . Butter is sometimes things you can buy, but it can also be a show or book we love, something great that we ate, a current mood, etc. Butter is any small moment of joy. (It can also, ofc, be literal...

Oct 24, 20242 min

Julia Turshen Is Your Home Depot Dad

Today Virginia is chatting with the delightful Julia Turshen! Julia is a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, and today we’re celebrating her brand new cookbook What Goes With What . WGWW is built on the simple premise that if we understand what makes food delicious, we can feed ourselves well. Nobody understands this better than Julia, who has been excavating the rules, limitations, and hidden diet mindset of food writing for years now, and in doing so, offers us all a better, more strai...

Oct 17, 202453 min

What To Do When You Miss Your Smaller Body

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe Welcome to Indulgence Gospel After Dark! It's time for your October Extra Butter! This month we’re diving into some big, hard questions, like: How do you mourn big body changes? What happens if your body size really is the reason you can’t do something you used to love? Does the “Health At Every Size” framework ever fail fat people? When i...

Oct 10, 20242 min

There are No Gold Stars for Packing Light!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com It's time for your Indulgence Gospel! And today we’re talking all things Fat Travel! We’ll be answering your questions, sharing travel hacks, and just getting into the nitty gritty of how to be a fat person going places in the world. And so much more! To hear the whole conversation or read the whole transcript, you'll need to become a paid Burnt Toast subscriber. Subscribe here. If you are already a paid...

Oct 03, 20242 min

How to Make an Unapologetic Fat Film

Today Virginia is chatting with Claire Ayoub. Claire is the writer and director of the brand new feature film—opening tomorrow!!— called Empire Waist , a heartfelt comedy about teens learning to love their bodies through fashion design and friendship. Empire Waist opens in movie theaters across the country tomorrow, September 27! Go to empirewaistfilm.com for screening info, or set an alert on Fandango . You can also download the Empire Waist Curriculum at empirewaistfilm.com/curriculum . And fo...

Sep 26, 202434 min

We Need To Talk About Fat Fertility

Today Virginia is chatting with Nicola Salmon . Nicola is a leading voice for fat folks seeking fertility support, and author of the book Fat and Fertile . As a fertility coach and fat activist, Nicola works to challenge the fertility industry’s entrenched weight bias and empower marginalized folks to take control of their reproductive health. (You may know her from Instagram .) If you want more on this whole conversation, check out episode 29 of this podcast , where I talked through all of my r...

Sep 19, 202437 min

Dating While Fat!

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe Welcome to Indulgence Gospel After Dark! It's time for your September Extra Butter! Today we are discussing... dating as a fat person! We'll get into navigating the apps, Corinne's rules for first dates, and why do so many cishet men post fishing pictures. If you are already an Extra Butter subscriber , you’ll have this entire episode in y...

Sep 12, 20242 min

"People Read My Sex Scenes and Ask: Is That Possible for Fat Bodies?"

Today Virginia is chatting with romance author Nisha Sharma , author of Marriage & Masti . We discuss Nisha's own writing and get into some big questions about the romance genre: What is happening with bodies? How do romance authors think about fatness? And where are all the fat male love interests already? Marriage & Masti is available in the Burnt Toast Bookshop ! Don’t forget, you can always take 10 percent off that purchase if you also order (or have already ordered!) Fat Talk from S...

Sep 05, 202443 min

What If I Just Don't Want My Kid To Be Fat?

You’re listening to Burnt Toast! We are Virginia Sole-Smith and Corinne Fay , and it’s time for another Indulgence Gospel. It’s the last week of our summer break, so we’ll be back after Labor Day with all new podcast episodes for you. We so appreciate everyone who has been continuing to listen and support the podcast during our hiatus . It means a lot to know that our community enjoys our work and cares that we’re able to make it sustainable too . So as a thank you for listening, today’s Indulge...

Aug 29, 202456 min

If You're Losing Weight, Should You Tell Your Kids Why?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com You’re listening to Burnt Toast! We are Virginia Sole-Smith and Corinne Fay and it’s time for your Indulgence Gospel! We’ll be getting into: * How to navigate it when you’re taking a semaglutide for your health but your kids are noticing your weight loss? * Fat fashion * Some good old fashioned hate mail * And Corinne got a tattoo! This is a paywalled episode. That means to hear the whole thing you’ll ne...

Aug 22, 202412 min

Why Ultra Processed Foods Save Family Dinners

You’re listening to Burnt Toast. I’m Virginia Sole-Smith. Today I am chatting with the brilliant Laura Thomas, PhD. Laura is a Registered Nutritionist who specializes in responsive feeding and anti-diet, body affirming nutrition. Her work centers on helping parents and families end inter-generational dieting and body shame, and work towards a greater sense of embodiment and ease in their relationship with food. She writes the newsletter Can I Have Another Snack? and is the author of two books; J...

Aug 15, 202444 min

Nobody Cares About Your "Health and Fitness" Journey

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe Welcome to Indulgence Gospel After Dark! This month we’re unpacking content from Rosey Beeme, Brianne Huntsman, and other influencers who long identified as body positive, plus size fashion folks—and now are talking proudly about their intentional weight loss journeys. But it’s not a moral failing if you can’t wipe your own ass. CW: This e...

Aug 08, 20241 min

Why America is Scared of Single Women

Today Virginia is chatting with Lyz Lenz, author of the newsletter Men Yell at Me and the brand new book This American Ex-Wife: How I Ended My Marriage and Started My Life . This American Ex-Wife is available in the Burnt Toast Bookshop ! Don’t forget, you can always take 10 percent off that purchase if you also order (or have already ordered!) Fat Talk from Split Rock Books! (Just use the code FATTALK at checkout.) To get all of the links and resources mentioned in this episode, as well as a co...

Aug 01, 202451 min

Fatphobic Roller Coasters and Fatphobic Socks

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com It's time for your July Indulgence Gospel! We’ll be getting into: Millennial vs Gen Z feelings about socks How to even begin a closet reorganization project What to do when the roller coaster doesn’t fit your body. And so much more! To hear the whole conversation or read the whole transcript, you'll need to become a paid Burnt Toast subscriber. Subscribe here. If you are already a paid subscriber, you’ll...

Jul 25, 20242 min

That Time I Spent $200 On My Chin.

Today Virginia is chatting with Anita Bhagwandas, author of Ugly: Giving Us Back Our Beauty Standards . Ugly is available in the Burnt Toast Bookshop ! Don’t forget, you can always take 10 percent off that purchase if you also order (or have already ordered!) Fat Talk from Split Rock Books! (Just use the code FATTALK at checkout.) To tell us YOUR thoughts, and to get all of the links and resources mentioned in this episode, as well as a complete transcript, visit our show page. If you want more ...

Jul 18, 202439 min

"Like Hand Soap In Your Fruit Juice"

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe Welcome to Indulgence Gospel After Dark! It's time for your July Extra Butter! Today we are discussing the intersection of sobriety and diet culture—and taste testing a whole bunch of mocktails! If you are already an Extra Butter subscriber , you’ll have this entire episode in your podcast feed and access to the entire transcript in your i...

Jul 11, 20242 min

"If Trump Wins, State Legislatures Are A Best Defense"

Today Virginia is chatting with Melissa Walker, head of Giving Circles at The States Project about how to save democracy. The States Project works to flip state legislations blue around the country. In 2022, Burnt Toast raised over $28,000 to hold ground in the Arizona State Senate. Last year we raised over $15,000 to elect majority making candidates in Virginia, where we defended the State Senate and flipped the House of Delegates to put a wall in front of Governor Youngkin’s right wing agenda....

Jul 04, 202415 min

Is It Diet Culture to Want a Breast Reduction?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com It's time for your June Indulgence Gospel! We’ve got an old-fashioned listener Q roundup today, including: How should we think about breast reductions—are they medically necessary or diet culture or both? How are we solving chub rub this summer? Do they make fat-friendly toilet seats? (Corinne says yes!) And so much more! To hear the whole conversation or read the whole transcript, you'll need to become ...

Jun 27, 20242 min

"Health Is Not What Makes You A Good Person."

Today Virginia is chatting with Angel Austin and Ani Janzen from the Association for Size Diversity and Health . To tell us YOUR thoughts, and to get all of the links and resources mentioned in this episode, as well as a complete transcript, visit our show page. If you want more conversations like this one, please rate and review us in your podcast player! And become a paid Burnt Toast subscriber — subscriptions are just $5 per month! —to get all of Virginia's reporting and bonus subscriber-only...

Jun 20, 202447 min

Did Virginia Get Divorced Over Butter?

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe Welcome to Indulgence Gospel After Dark! It's time for your June Extra Butter! Today we are giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how we make Burnt Toast. And yes, finally addressing some of the butter-related Internet rumors about Virginia’s personal life. If you are already an Extra Butter subscriber , you’ll have this entire episode in...

Jun 13, 20241 min

"A Fancy Prison Run By Skinny, Wealthy, White Women."

Today Virginia is chatting with Jenn Romolini, author of the memoir Ambition Monster , which just came out on Tuesday! Ambition Monster is available in the Burnt Toast Bookshop ! Don’t forget, you can always take 10 percent off that purchase if you also order (or have already ordered!) Fat Talk from Split Rock Books! (Just use the code FATTALK at checkout.) To tell us YOUR thoughts, and to get all of the links and resources mentioned in this episode, as well as a complete transcript, visit our s...

Jun 06, 202442 min

"Heavy Boobs Are Very Frump."

Today Virginia is chatting with Emma Copley Eisenberg, author of the hybrid nonfiction book The Third Rainbow Girl , and the new novel, Housemates , which just came out on Tuesday! Housemates is available in the Burnt Toast Bookshop ! Don’t forget, you can always take 10 percent off that purchase if you also order (or have already ordered!) Fat Talk from Split Rock Books! (Just use the code FATTALK at checkout.) To tell us YOUR thoughts, and to get all of the links and resources mentioned in thi...

May 30, 202441 min

Should We Reclaim the Swim Dress?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com It's time for your May Indulgence Gospel! And it's FAT SWIM WEEK so we are doing an entire swim-themed episode for you! We’ll get into: Can we reclaim the swim dress? (And should we?) Why is the Lands End swimsuit website so bad? How to get sunscreen in impossible-to-reach spots? Why does Corinne hate flip flops? More thoughts on visible pubic hair. And so much more about how to show up fat at the pool o...

May 23, 20242 min

Wait, Is Nicola Coughlan Even Fat?

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe Welcome to Indulgence Gospel After Dark! It's time for your May Extra Butter! Today we are talking about the bodies of Bridgerton . If you’re listening to this the day it drops, season three is out! We love the show. We love Nicola Coughlan. And we do not love the way the Internet talks about her body! If you are already an Extra Butter su...

May 16, 20243 min
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