We're revisiting this conversation with Dr. Diana Gordon, and it's everything. Big picture, Abbie and Diana discuss how to approach mental health in a sea of diet and wellness misinformation -- including whether or not movement and nutrition have a meaningful impact on anxiety and depression. They get into what it's like to ping pong back and forth between dieting and intuitive eating, how diet culture seizes on our fear of uncertainty to sell us a faulty product, and how to sit with and process our collective health anxiety.
Topics discussed...
Dr. Diana Gordon is a licensed psychologist, coach, and content creator specializing in Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size (HAES). She combines evidence-based skills, such as mindfulness, cognitive behavioral skills, and other coping tools with Intuitive Eating principles. As both a psychologist and an IE-certified provider, she offers evaluation and treatment for both eating-related concerns as well as other mental health concerns. As a person of size, she draws on both her personal and professional experience to dismantle fatphobia and to help people live a life free from dieting. You can find Diana on her website or Instagram.
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 at www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast
Social media:
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
Topics include reverting to only eating safe foods when presented with a lot more food than usual, feeling restless with unplanned time, dealing with other people’s food rules when you’re in their homes, and how to deal with judgement while eating what you truly want (regardless of other people’s comments).
Tune in to hear about...
What's on their plates right now (food, chronic illness, work stress)
Wrestling with guilt over needing to rest
Why old thought patterns come up when we're in pain
Comparisons and similarities with sobriety and diet culture
True safety versus routines that feel “safe” with food and our body
Reframing slowness and lack of structure as liberation
Releasing the productivity mindset
Handling other people's judgement about your food choices and body
Managing buffet anxiety while you're in recovery
Tips on putting together a plate for yourself using self-compassion
How to state your boundaries with loved ones
Figuring out which of other people’s routines to compassionately respect and which to set boundaries around
Prioritizing your own needs and wants during the holiday
This is a bonus episode, so to hear a free preview, listen on whatever app you're using. And, to listen to the whole conversation, come hang out on Patreon.
You can find the other episodes that Jeb did with Abbie right here, here, and here. They are great ones, too!
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
Administrative Support by Alexis Eades
This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate
Author and podcaster Mary Jelkovsky (@maryscupofteaa) joins us to share her journey about the harms and toxicity of becoming a fitness influencer, how fitness culture pushed her further into an eating disorder, and how she's healed from the damage to her sense of self. We also get into self-love versus self-compassion, confidence versus self-worth, healing from comparison, and why it's so stressful to worry about what other people think of your body.
"I prided myself on being this person who didn't give a shit what anybody thought of her. I was doing this food and body stuff for me and my own health and fitness and whatever. Then I was called out in a compassionate way, and saw that I was obsessed with how others viewed me." - Mary Jelkovsy, Full Plate episode #145
Listen to hear more about:
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
About Mary:
After recovering from a lifelong battle with food and body obsession, Mary Jelkovsky started her Instagram @maryscupofteaa to inspire people to accept their bodies and learn to love themselves unconditionally. Now Mary is the author of the bestselling book The Gift of Self-Love as well as the journal 100 Days of Self-Love. Over the past five years, she's been leading worldwide self-love retreats and her message has been highlighted in TEDx, Teen Vogue, Shape, and Health Magazine. She is also the host of the Mary’s Cup of Tea Podcast: the Self-Love Podcast for Women, which has more than 1 million downloads. By openly sharing her personal journey to self-acceptance, Mary has helped inspire millions to accept their bodies and love themselves unconditionally. When Mary's not writing, podcasting, or hosting retreats, she is spending time with her little sister Ilana, who is her biggest inspiration.
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
Administrative Support by Alexis Eades
This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate
Were you labeled a "picky eater" growing up? Or are you raising a child with sensory preferences, feeding differences, or neurodivergence? In this episode, we’re diving deep into Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), its connection to neurodivergence, and the misconceptions surrounding so-called “picky eaters.”
We also discuss the intense pressure parents face from diet culture and social media, the impact of disembodying feeding practices on kids, and why “normal” eating doesn’t exist.
You'll hear more about...
Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or curious about ARFID and food autonomy, this conversation offers validation, nuance, and radical reframing of what it means to nurture a truly embodied relationship with food. Don’t miss it!
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
About Kevin: Kevin Green (they/them) is a disabled, mad, and queer artist from Western Massachusetts located on Pocumtuc People's land. Kevin's work reflects their experiences with mental health, ARFID, queerness, and neurodivergence. Kevin is passionate about advocating for accessible, client-led, and non-carceral oriented care. Follow along on Instagram @kevindoesarfid
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
Administrative Support by Alexis Eades
This podcast is ad-free and support comes from our Patrons on Patreon: Patreon.com/fullplate
“I believe in body liberation and anti-diet culture. But what if I’m just uncomfortable being fat?”
This is a free preview of this week’s bonus episode, and truly, it’s not to be missed. It just might be my favorite conversation we’ve had yet on this podcast. This is the second part of a conversation with Therapist Edie Stark and Fat Activist Sharon Maxwell, and we’re answering a very important – very hard – listener question.
To listen to the full conversation, you can upgrade to paid on Patreon: www.patreon.com/fullplate
The full question comes from Amanda, who asks:
“I'm really struggling to accept my own body as I do this work to unlearn weight bias in our culture. It's frustrating, because I do believe all bodies are worthy. What if I'm just uncomfortable being in a larger body? What if I just don't want to be fat? Is it possible to desire weight loss for myself while believing in weight inclusivity?”
Tune in on Patreon for the full conversation to hear about...
About Edie:
Edie Stark, MSc, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Stark Therapy Group, a psychotherapy group practice specializing in eating disorders, trauma, and anxiety from a humanistic, fat-positive, and inclusive lens. She believes in the value of lived experience being met with clinical knowledge to create a collaborative therapeutic experience for all of the clients. Edie is passionate about Trader Joe's snacks– we talk a little bit about that–dismantling the US healthcare system, and the complete and total takedown of diet culture in no particular order.
Learn more at https://starktherapygroup.com/
About Sharon:
Sharon Maxwell (She/Her) is a mental health advocate and fat activist. She works as a weight inclusive consultant, providing education to treatment centers and healthcare providers on the immense harms of weight stigma. Due to her lived experience facing weight stigma, Sharon provides unique insight and offers practical tools to make treatment centers and healthcare settings safe and accessible for fat folks. Sharon is passionate about breaking down the stigma around eating disorders and working to eradicate societal anti-fat bias. When she’s not studying or engaged in her activism work, Sharon can be found exploring San Diego with her dog and her best friend.
Read "You Don't Look Anorexic" in New York Times Magazine
Connect with Sharon on IG: @heysharonmaxwell
Learn more about Sharon: https://www.heysharonmaxwell.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
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
Two returning guests join us (who happen to be my amazing friends and colleagues): therapist Edie Stark and fat activist Sharon Maxwell. We're getting into the impact of GLP-1s (like Ozempic, Wegovy, etc.) on disordered eating recovery, body acceptance, and generally navigating this world in a human body amidst the constant chatter about weight loss medications.
Edie and Sharon share their wisdom and lived experience as we talk about how we can keep hopeful in the face of increasingly problematic diet culture messaging, GLP-1s, and general uncertainty in the world. We explore the differences between individual and macro change, and the need for tangible ways to resist diet culture and comparison. It gets real, and honest, and I think it is a timely episode for anyone who has felt hope waiver these past few weeks.
Tune in to hear more about:
This episode is the first of two parts, so stay tuned for next week's second act!
About Edie:
Edie Stark, MSc, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Stark Therapy Group, a psychotherapy group practice specializing in eating disorders, trauma, and anxiety from a humanistic, fat-positive, and inclusive lens. She believes in the value of lived experience being met with clinical knowledge to create a collaborative therapeutic experience for all of the clients. Edie is passionate about Trader Joe's snacks– we talk a little bit about that–dismantling the US healthcare system, and the complete and total takedown of diet culture in no particular order.
Learn more at https://starktherapygroup.com/
About Sharon:
Sharon Maxwell (She/Her) is a mental health advocate and fat activist. She works as a weight inclusive consultant, providing education to treatment centers and healthcare providers on the immense harms of weight stigma. Due to her lived experience facing weight stigma, Sharon provides unique insight and offers practical tools to make treatment centers and healthcare settings safe and accessible for fat folks. Sharon is passionate about breaking down the stigma around eating disorders and working to eradicate societal anti-fat bias. When she’s not studying or engaged in her activism work, Sharon can be found exploring San Diego with her dog and her best friend.
Read "You Don't Look Anorexic" in New York Times Magazine
Connect with Sharon on IG: @heysharonmaxwell
Learn more about Sharon: https://www.heysharonmaxwell.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
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
Shana Spence, a registered dietitian (who you might know as @thenutritiontea on social media), joins the pod to bust myths about processed foods and to discuss how family, culture, privilege, and societal influences shape our relationship with food.
We recorded this conversation before the election, but given the outcome, we're going to see an influx of misinformation about wellness, health, and nutrition -- so this episode feels timely.
Shana shares how her initial career path and disordered eating fueled her decision to become a dietitian, and reflects on how dietetics education perpetuates diet culture, focusing on BMI and stereotypes. She talks about her perspective shift over time, the process of moving toward an anti-diet and weight-inclusive approach, and why the social determinants of health matter more than individual food choices.
Tune in to hear more about…
The pressure of food restriction as a badge of honor
Privilege affecting food choices
The misleading fears about processed foods
The oversimplification of food into good vs. bad categories.
How family and cultural background impact dieting
External societal pressures on our relationship with food
Diet culture and healthism
Dietitian education's role in perpetuating diet culture
Stereotyping in healthcare
Shana’s perspective shift on nutrition and dieting
Restriction as a form of validation
Black-and-white thinking in nutrition
Shana Spence is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist based in New York, who considers herself an “eat anything” dietitian, and counsels on a HAES (Healthy At Every Size) and an Intuitive Eating approach. She is also the author of Live Nourished - Make Peace with Food, Banish Body Shame, and Reclaim Joy. Find her website here https://www.thenutritiontea.com/ and find her on instagram at @thenutritiontea.
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
WalkingPad Discounts:
Use code ABBIEATTWOODWELLNESS for 30% off their WalkingPad Use code ABBIEWELLNESS for 20% off their treadmills
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
Podcast Administrative Support by Alexis Eades
Listen Ad-Free on Patreon: www.patreon.com/fullplate
Hi, my friends. In this last-minute episode, I am talking to you about election anxiety, and why times of political and personal uncertainty can stir up disordered eating thoughts and behaviors. From control to distraction, we often tend to turn to bodies as a coping tool. Join me for this brief (but hopefully meaningful) conversation about these thoughts, why they surface, and supportive tools to nurture yourself through challenging times. I hope this is a compassionate reminder on why and how we are reclaiming our power when we choose food, rest, and radical self-care. We're in this together -- you are not alone.
PS: This is an expanded version of my newsletter from Friday. You can read that newsletter as a member of Patreon right here.
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 free preview of a BONUS episode! To hear the full episode, make sure you're subscribed on Patreon. Your support is what keeps the lights on around here, so, thank you!
It's Halloween time. And that means...plenty of candy. Maybe more than usual? Maybe not. In this special bonus episode, I'm answering a listener question about what to do if you feel like you can't eat candy without binge-eating it, how to approach candy with your kids, and whether we can truly give ourselves unconditional permission to eat all that sugar.
👉 Listen to the full episode right here!
You'll hear more on:
Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Patreon for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at Patreon.com/fullplate
That's where you'll find this bonus episode, right at the top of the feed.
If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Patreon or on my website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast
Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast
Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness
Enroll for Group Support:
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
Author and well-being educator Nakeia Homer joins us to talk about releasing things (habits, people, beliefs) we've clung to for years—sometimes decades. As Nakeia beautifully explains, letting go is rarely about the thing or person itself, but rather what it symbolizes for us.
We discuss self-forgiveness, finding our people, making peace with other people’s opinions of us, and what real self-care is all about. Nakeia also walks us through the process of building habits that help us heal; that help us become whole; that help us find ourselves.
Things that stood out to me most:
Nakeia Homer is a Well-Being Educator, Author, and the founder of Heal & Grow Daily, a well-being community and private membership.
Through programs, speaking, workshop facilitation, and corporate wellness consulting, Nakeia helps people sustain their well-being, operate in their brilliance, and show up in their lives and work as the best versions of themselves. Her first books, I Hope This Helps (2020) and All the Right Pieces (2022), have been great resources for those seeking healing and growth all over the world. Her thrid book, Habits For Healing: Reclaim Your Purpose, Peace, & Power was released in the Fall of 2024 and is already dubbed "A Roadmap to Healing".
Nakeia is a sought-after wellness & well-being expert and trauma-informed educator, facilitating powerful workshops and keynotes on the power of story, self-love/self-care, and purpose. You can find her course, Healing Inequality Through Allyship, at David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah.
To stay connected, hire her to speak at your next event, or join her community, visit nakeiahomer.com and follow Nakeia on social media @nakeiahomer.
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
Chrissy King is BACK for her second round on the pod. This time, we’re diving deep into the intricate ways diet culture, body autonomy, dating culture, and yes, even childless cat ladies, are all connected. I promise there’s a through-line here—and it’s more liberating than any “hot girl summer” meme you’ve ever scrolled past.
Some of the things we chat about...
Good news! Enrollment is open for Abbie's next 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
Buy Chrissy's book "The Body Liberation Project" right here.
Chrissy King is a writer, speaker, strength coach, and educator with a passion for creating a diverse and inclusive wellness industry. She empowers individuals to stop shrinking, start taking up space, and use their energy to create their specific magic in the world. She has been featured in SELF, SHAPE, Health, Cosmopolitan, BuzzFeed, Muscle and Fitness, and Livestrong, among others. With degrees in Social Justice and Sociology from Marquette University, Chrissy merges her passion for Social Justice and her passion for fitness to empower individuals within the fitness and wellness industry to create spaces that allow individuals from all backgrounds to feel seen, welcome, respected, and celebrated.
She empowers individuals to stop shrinking, start taking up space, and use their energy to create their specific magic in the world. When she’s not serving her clients by empowering them to create stress-free and sustainable lifestyles and feel confident and empowered in their skin, she spends her time lifting all the weights, reading, traveling, and hanging with friends and family.
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
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
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