The "anti-diet" and "diets don't work" messages can be very empowering for many people, but how do we reconcile these ideas when there seem to be people that do, in fact, diet and lose weight? In this episode, we discuss: Dieting as a physical trauma stored by the body Biology of weight set point and safety Psychology tendencies toward one-track thinking “Diets Don’t Work” vs “Do Diets Work For Me?” Envy as “I think I am capable of something” What is enough? The Hedonic Treadmill Join the LAD Me...
Aug 03, 2022•35 min•Ep. 55
In 1978, Susie Orbach wrote the groundbreaking book: Fat is a Feminist Issue (FIFI) to decontrust the role of dieting as oppressive to women. She has remained an author, psychoanalyst, advocate for women and women's bodies. In this episode, we discuss: Dieting is taking your agency back The beauty of hunger in all forms The mother’s body anxiety & feeding her baby as an origin of dysfunction The body, weight, and attention Why is the body so important as identity? Admiration versus connectio...
Jul 27, 2022•33 min•Ep. 54
Why is eating in moderation so hard? In this episode, Sarah & Stef discuss: What does moderation mean? Is the 2000 calorie RDA based on moderation? Satisfaction and extreme hunger Why are some people able to eat in moderation more easily? Is moderation a challenge for impulsive people? How other parts of our lives can influence the reward aspect of food and impact the ability to eat in moderation. Does it make sense to leave certain foods out of the house? Join the LAD Membership Connect wit...
Jul 20, 2022•46 min•Ep. 53
Intuitive Eating advocates may have us believe that we will naturally start to crave nutritious food after allowing ourselves to eat what we want, but is this true? What does it look like if you're someone who feels more selective around food or doesn't really like vegetables? In this episode, we talk about... The foods that Sarah and Stef don’t like Do you say cilantro or coriander? What do you do if you don’t like vegetables? Are there foods we don’t like or foods we believe we don’t like? And...
Jul 13, 2022•35 min•Ep. 52
The summertime can be a difficult time of year when we’re dealing with body image – the heat, the clothes, the vacations. In this conversation, we break down some reasons why summertime can be difficult, share our own experiences with summer and body image, and offer mindset shifts that can help. Summer bodies syndrome Summer clothing – is fashion harder? Do you feel like you’re “allowed” to wear shorts in the summer? Body objectification as part of the vacation experience Stef’s episode with ge...
Jul 06, 2022•33 min•Ep. 51
If intuitive eating is the gold standard of a healthy relationship with food, how do we actually become more intuitive? In this episode, Sarah & Stef talk about: The definition of Intuition (UK vs US) What role does conscious reasoning play in intuition? The role of intuition in Sarah & Stef’s lunches this week How long does it take to become more intuitive? Things that get in the way of our intuition How community might help us access intuition Is there a difference between intuition an...
Jun 29, 2022•36 min•Ep. 50
This week we talk to Molly Forbes, author of the book Body Happy Kids and founder of The Body Happy Org. Molly talks to us about her experience raising children in diet culture and the work she does to educate and empower both children and adults to create body image resilience. We discuss: Molly’s experience on Naked Beach TV How Molly navigates her children’s exposure to media What if you are a parent with your own body image issues? How to handle when your child comes home and says “someone c...
Jun 22, 2022•40 min•Ep. 49
Dieting can promote disconnection from self. Sometimes we use food to further disconnect from our experience or our shame. As we heal our relationship with food, body, and self, how do we address the tendency to disconnect? What is the difference between disconnection and self-abandonment? Sarah’s airport story of accepting the moment How to stay connected to the Self during a body image flood Stefanie’s “flood” concept The slippery slope of emotional eating Commitment to self vs discipline of s...
Jun 15, 2022•49 min•Ep. 48
A follow up to last week’s episode is out by popular demand. In this episode we continue talking about the nuances of restriction and the ways this might be showing up in your disordered eating and/or recovery process. We cover: What is emotional restriction? What does it look like to have emotional regulation instead of emotional restriction? Restriction of authenticity, desires, and self Why does it make sense to honor mental hunger in the absence of physical hunger? Restriction during certain...
Jun 08, 2022•40 min•Ep. 47
These days, restriction is a buzzword in the anti-dieting space, and it’s often talked about in disordered eating recovery. But what does it really mean, and how do you know if it applies to you? In this episode, we cover: The difference between physical and mental restriction The relationship of self talk with mental restriction Is it always restricting to choose not to eat if you’re hungry? Portion control as an example of restriction Examples of when you think you’re restricting, but you migh...
Jun 01, 2022•37 min•Ep. 46
We talk a lot about binge eating in this podcast, but this episode is dedicated to our experiences with bulimia – how it looked, how it felt, and how it was different from binge eating disorder. We’ll discuss: What is bulimia? Purging as an aggressive emotional expression Purging as a perceived boundary against binge eating Bulimic behavior feeling like defiance for Stef versus collapse for Sarah The addictive nature of purging How recovery looked for Sarah v Stef We are now on Patreon! Join the...
May 25, 2022•31 min•Ep. 45
In this episode, Sarah and Stef discuss the role of the inner critic, and how each host dealt with the evolution of the critic during recovery from binge eating. We'll cover: Sarah’s embarrassment of her self critic versus Stef’s comfort with her own Binges as a criticism of being “out of control” Identifying as a Critic or not Does your critic speak in first person or in third? Our various “best selves” ebb and flow Do we need support to leave our critic? Practical tools for dealing with our in...
May 18, 2022•40 min•Ep. 44
Back with another guest! In this episode, we talk to Becca Robinson, a BEAT advisor in recovery from bulimia, about her experience with breast implants and her decision to ultimately have them removed. “As long as your belly is never wider than your bust, you’re fine.” Puberty, developing breasts, and having “real woman” proportions Does cosmetic surgery fix body image? The distinction between hating your body vs feeling obsessed with perfecting it (objectifying it) The difference between feelin...
May 11, 2022•45 min•Ep. 43
What does humility have to do with binge eating recovery? In this episode, we discuss: Is it wrong to be self-focused? Stef’s “fall from grace” during college and how humility diminishes the ego The power of letting go of how things “should be” The relationship between our humility and our insecurities Leaning into our insecurities to see that they don’t destroy us Sarah’s memory of a Clubhouse event with Stef The role of humility with an inferiority complex We are now on Patreon! Join the priva...
May 04, 2022•38 min•Ep. 42
There is a relationship between fatigue, tiredness, and food. In this episode, we discuss: The evolution of Sarah & Stef’s fatigue over the years "Fatigue" versus "being tired" Sarah naps! Rest: Splitting attention versus single-focus restoration Connection and purpose to mitigate fatigue Routines, intentions, and structure as coping tools We are now on Patreon! Join the private FB group. Connect with the show! Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast/ Email – lifeafterdie...
Apr 27, 2022•41 min•Ep. 41
In this episode, Sarah and Stef pull out old journals to read excerpts from their deepest binge eating days. In this vulnerable episode, we share: Stef’s entries from college: feeling like the cycle never stop repeating, and themes of loneliness and disconnection Sarah’s “Fasting Journal” The difference between Sarah’s despair and Stef’s inner critic Sarah’s experience in OA and ups and downs from one day to the next What we see in the entries now versus what we saw then We are now on Patreon! J...
Apr 20, 2022•40 min•Ep. 40
In this episode, Sarah and Stef review Caroline Dooner’s book: The F*ck It Diet . We’ll talk about: The book that changed Stef’s life The power of the Minnesota Starvation Experiment Caroline’s Five Tools The parts of the book most helpful to Stef versus Sarah Orthorexia and “in defense of sugar and carbs” Does food become a “non-issue” after we heal from binge eating? Is all binge eating rooted in restriction? We are now on Patreon! Join the private FB group. Connect with the show! Instagram – ...
Apr 13, 2022•37 min•Ep. 39
Improving body image is one of the most popular topics in this field. In this episode, we talk about our own stories of making more peace with our bodies and offer concrete tools we use with clients and ourselves. We discuss: Stef’s initial body image recovery journey in a group Sarah’s sense of “splitting” from her identity Stef’s story of being called “fat” on the ice rink Do body gratitude journals work? Word scanning as a body image tool Writing a letter from your body to yourself People ple...
Apr 06, 2022•38 min•Ep. 38
Our very first guest on the podcast! This week we’re talking to former dieter Katie Thistleton, host of Life Hacks on BBC radio. Katie has given up on dieting while in the public eye as a media presenter and is here to chat with us about her experience. We’ll discuss: Katie’s New Year’s Instagram post and how that prompted this episode The “Last Supper” epiphany moment How Katie sees the media changing behind the scenes Feeling shame eating “unhealthy” food in a bigger body as compared to smalle...
Mar 30, 2022•47 min•Ep. 37
Talking to loved ones about recovery from disordered eating (or the choice to give up dieting) is complicated. We created this episode to share with friends and family who want to support your journey but aren’t quite sure what to say. We’ll discuss: Sarah & Stef’s experience of talking to friends about binge eating When your disorder is not taken seriously The difference between support and “getting it” What do we need from loved ones to support us? When supporters are “concerned for your h...
Mar 23, 2022•39 min•Ep. 36
Deciding not to diet anymore can feel empowering…especially from the safety of social media communities or inside of a pandemic. But what happens when we go out into the world and get confronted with people who actively trying to lose weight and eat “healthy?” What comes up for us? In this episode, Sarah & Stef discuss: Dieting with others as a form of community and connection Wanting other people to “fail” at their diet Why can other people do it and I can’t? Stef’s friend who has a “dietin...
Mar 16, 2022•36 min•Ep. 35
Greed is a word that comes up a lot around binge eating and overeating. What if you believe that your binges aren’t a disorder or a “problem,” but a manifestation of being greedy? In this episode, Sarah and Stef address questions like: Do we want too much food or do we simply want too much? Where does greed come from? Does greed have a reason, or are reasons just an “excuse”? What does greed have to do with emotional discomfort or sensitivity? Is binge eating self-indulgent?...
Mar 09, 2022•37 min•Ep. 34
Do you struggle to be more consistent in your life? Whether its with food, exercise, self-talk, or pretty much anything else in life, what is the story with consistency (or lack of it)? In this episode, Sarah & Stef talk about: What consistency looks like for Sarah & Stef Consistency depends on your context of the day How do you know when to push yourself or not? Example: journaling How consistency is related to self-trust Why might we resist being consistent? The power of the present mo...
Mar 02, 2022•36 min•Ep. 33
In this episode, Sarah & Stef talk about the influential Geneen Roth, author of books like "Breaking Free from Compulsive Eating" and "Women, Food, and God." The hosts discuss how Geneen's work influenced their own recovery and ways in which they still agree and depart from her message. We are now on Patreon! Join the private FB group. Connect with the show! Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lifeafterdietspodcast/ Email – lifeafterdietspodcast@gmail.com Connect with Sarah Dosanjh Website...
Feb 23, 2022•40 min•Ep. 32
The Intuitive Eating approach sometimes gets portrayed as a “junk food free for all.” So does eating nutritious food only happen in the context of a diet, or are there ways to incorporate nutrition intentionally without dieting? In this episode, we explore: What is your definition of “healthy eating”? The role of flexibility in a non-diet world What if you don’t automatically crave nutritious food when you give yourself permission to eat all foods? Adding in versus taking out “Do It For Future Y...
Feb 16, 2022•39 min•Ep. 31
Have you ever heard people talk about their experiences of eating in secret? How does secret eating make us feel? In this episode, Sarah and Stef talk about: Shame as it relates to secret eating Binge eating with roommates Eating privately as a way to focus on pleasure and “me time” Feeling more “in control” when eating in front of others The connection between eating alone and loneliness or disconnection The lows of feeling like we need to hide all the time Is the “secret self” the true self? W...
Feb 09, 2022•38 min•Ep. 30
Food guilt is a popular theme in the disordered eating community. How often has food guilt been linked to your own behaviors of binge eating and/or restricting? In this episode, we look at: Guilt induced by food excess How understanding the primal brain’s role in binge eating can help reduce guilt Is “permission to eat” alone enough to reduce guilt? Guilt about the health impact of binge eating Reducing guilt by seeing nutrition as a part of health Challenging guilt by understanding the belief u...
Feb 02, 2022•37 min•Ep. 29
Does intuitive eating and not dieting anymore sound good – but you’re afraid that the alternative is to “let yourself go?” In this episode, we discuss: What does it actually mean to “let yourself go”? Love from others vs approval from others Creating your own template for existing in a larger body in this culture Admiration VERSUS connection & love Inherent worth (we go down the rabbit hole) What is the role of the ego in being afraid to let yourself go? Judgment as other projections Connect...
Jan 26, 2022•40 min•Ep. 28
Have you ever felt like you don’t want to start eating because it actually makes it harder to stop? Why do you think that is? In this episode, we discuss: The desire to put off eating to reduce “out of control” eating The psychology of the ego in diet mentality, and how that sets up expectations and perfectionism with food The “Eat When You’re Hungry” downfall of some Intuitive Eating mindsets What state are you in when you start eating? Biofeedback & self-talk during rapid eating periods Bl...
Jan 19, 2022•41 min•Ep. 27
Have you ever thought: “I’ve gained weight and now I don’t want anyone to see me?” In this episode, Sarah & Stef talk about: Stef & Sarah’s family reactions to weight changes How it feels to see ex-partners The opinion of the collective versus the personal How our brains recalibrate weight changes Do you like someone less when their weight changes? The power of appearance based hierarchy systems Seeing people at your own pace Connect with the show! Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/l...
Jan 12, 2022•36 min•Ep. 26
