Life After Diets

• 193. But Now I Can't Diet Even if I Want To!

  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.

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• 192. Health Anxiety Or Health Concern?

  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.

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• 191. The Father Wound

  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.

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• 190. Melissa Guest

  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.

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• 189. But is Food Freedom Eating Whatever I Want?

  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.

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