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  • You know that feeling when a conversation veers off the rails, but you can’t look away because the train wreck is oddly fascinating? Yeah, we’re about to do that—but in a way that will make you think, “Wait, why aren’t more people talking about this?”

    In this episode, I’m joined by Jenna Hollenstein. Together, we’re talking about what’s happening in the field, how we navigate division, and what it looks like to move from conflict to connection.

    Spoiler alert: it’s not glamorous, but it’s worth it.

    Jenna Hollenstein, MS, RDN, CDN, is an anti-diet dietitian-nutritionist, certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, speaker, meditation teacher, and author of five books, including Eat to Love and Intuitive Eating for Life.

    Tweetable Quotes

    "What I'm missing and what I'm really hungry for are public examples of repair, public examples of somehow continuing the conversation." - Jenna Hollenstein

    "Boring has got such a bad rap, right? Because boring is not just boring. Boring is also repetitive enough that you notice the subtle variations from day to day." - Jenna Hollenstein

    "Something that I realized meditation had done for me was that it increased my appetite for reality as opposed to fantasy." - Jenna Hollenstein

    "In our efforts to be inclusive, we’ve been so exclusive about it." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "My fear is that when we're secretly hoping that we never publicly screw up, we actually stop doing any of the useful stuff we can really do to learn." - Jenna Hollenstein

    "What helps us feel safe is the feeling that we are safe through our connection with others." - Jenna Hollenstein

    Resources

    Visit Jenna’s Website Here!

    Connect with Jenna on Instagram!

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Looking for a speaker for an upcoming event? Let’s chat!

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!



    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

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    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • What happens when “just eat” isn’t the solution, and the stakes are literally life or death?

    Picture this: you’re at the dinner table. Your teenager is glaring at you like you’ve personally served up their worst nightmare—maybe broccoli, maybe a slice of pizza, who knows? They shout, “You’re ruining my life!” Meanwhile, you’re just trying to figure out if this counts as “parenting” or if you’re starring in some twisted reality show.

    In this episode, I’m joined by Susannah Neufeld—a licensed psychotherapist, certified eating disorder specialist and consultant, author, and all-around badass about how FBT turns the chaos of food fights into moments of healing. Spoiler alert: it’s as heartwarming as it is messy.

    Tweetable Quotes

    "You know your kid the best, and I know a lot about eating disorders, and we're going to work together to figure this out." - Suzannah Neufeld

    "When your kid yells at you, you're getting a gift because you're getting to see what's happening inside their head... if you can respond to it with strength and love, they're going to internalize that." - Suzannah Neufeld

    "FBT really supports the idea that the kid is not alone in it. They're part of a team working on this." - Suzannah Neufeld

    "The kid is not the one who's lying. The kid is not the one who might hide the food. That's the illness. That's the eating disorder that's doing that." - Suzannah Neufeld

    "I’m not going to be the person who saves you or your family. You’re saving your own life, and I’m on the journey with you." - Rachelle Heinemann

    Resources

    A network that supports the Bay Area ED Care Community

    Suzannah’s book - Awake at 3 a.m.: Yoga Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Pregnancy and Early Motherhood (Parallax Press, 2018).

    Suzannah is a contributing author in the anthology, Yoga Rising: 30 Empowering Stories from Yoga Renegades for Every Body.

    Suzannah Neufeld's Website

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Looking for a speaker for an upcoming event? Let’s chat!

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

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  • Body image is one of the most overused but essential topics in mental health.

    So why does poor body image seem to be the last clingy guest at the recovery party, the one who refuses to take a hint and just leave? Sure, changing your body might give you a short-term confidence boost, but once that “ideal” inevitably slips away, so does that fragile confidence. Turns out, there’s no quick fix here. Instead, there’s a long road to unpacking why we’ve all bought into the lie that self-worth and body size go hand in hand.

    Tweetable Quotes

    “I know that you might feel more confident when you shrink your body and then you feel like you have a better body image, but that confidence is very much tied to your body.” - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Body image is really not at all like a symptom." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Who said that working on our body image is supposed to be easy?" - Rachelle Heinemann

    "What would people think about you if you took up more space?" - Rachelle Heinemann

    "If I want to feel more confident, I have to take a lot of risks with doing things that I don't want to do, whether it's interpersonally or just with tasks." - Rachelle Heinemann

    Resources

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • Body size does NOT equal health status.

    Let’s be real: there’s a lot of confusion surrounding weight, health, and chronic illnesses like diabetes and PCOS. And if you’re like me, you’re probably tired of hearing the same old, tired advice. There are so many mixed messages when it comes to health and body size. Especially this myth that being in a larger body means you’re unhealthy.

    Tweetable Quotes

    "There’s so many different things that you can do to manage chronic illness that have absolutely nothing to do with your body size." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "You can't tell from looking at somebody if they're healthy or not." - Chelsea Levy

    "Over 90 percent of the population will gain back weight that they intentionally lose." - Chelsea Levy

    “Diet culture is always selling us to do more, eat less, go harder.” - Chelsea Levy

    “We know that it’s unethical to prescribe weight loss and also we see a lot of doctors prescribing behaviors without actually asking what clients are doing.” - Chelsea Levy

    Resources

    Check out Chelsea Levy’s website here!

    Connect with Chelsea on Instagram

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • Tweetable Quotes

    "It's pretty rare to find a doctor who practices from a weight-inclusive perspective." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Obesity stigma is extremely common in healthcare settings. People with larger bodies like consistently in research study after research study say, that healthcare settings are some of the most stigmatizing places that they go." - Dr. Mara Gordon

    “Even the American Medical Association has said that clinicians shouldn't be using BMI to really be making decisions about their individual patients.” - Dr. Mara Gordon

    "My approach as a size-inclusive doctor is basically like I let the patient initiate that conversation." - Dr. Mara Gordon

    "Food is so important. It's so cultural. It's a way that we share community, a way that we show respect to people, and it really can change the way that people sort of experience food." - Dr. Mara Gordon

    Resources

    Dr. Mara Gordon’s website

    Dr. Mara Gordon’s substack

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • If you’ve ever stood on the brink of a party, heart racing, contemplating whether to take the plunge into a sea of social awkwardness, you’re in good company. I mean, who doesn’t love the thrill of risking utter humiliation over finger foods and small talk, right? Spoiler alert: I don’t.

    In this episode, I’m unpacking the intricacies of anxiety around social situations, recovery, and all those delightful emotions we tend to shove down deep. We'll explore the ever-elusive idea of "recovery"—which, let’s be honest, can feel like trying to define “normal.” Is it just me, or does it come with as many definitions as there are people trying to navigate it?

    Tweetable Quotes

    "Recovery means something different to every person, and it's really great to try to describe it and break it down, what it means, and what it could look like." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "If you're more vulnerable with somebody, you develop more trust, deeper trust." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "We just sort of have to close our eyes and jump off the cliff to [a certain extent] with someone that lets us know that they might be a safe enough person to be vulnerable with." - Rachelle Heinemann

    “You can't just build authentic connection by hanging out and not being vulnerable at all.” - Rachelle Heinemann

    Resources

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • Whether you are active on social media or not, it’s probably had an impact on your life in one way or another. Let’s be honest—most of us have a love-hate relationship with it, and it’s the same story when it comes to how it impacts our relationship with food and body image. But, hey, why delete Instagram when you can just add more stress to your life, right?

    In this episode, I’m joined by Lily Thrope, a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in NY, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Together, we’re diving into how social media can serve as a breeding ground for comparison, misinformation, and, surprise surprise, worsening self-esteem.

    Lily Thrope, LCSW is the founder of Thrope Therapy LCSW PLLC, a group psychotherapy practice located in Midtown Manhattan. Thrope Therapy specializes in supporting individuals who experience eating disorders, disordered eating, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and LGBTQ+ clients. Lily helps her clients find the confidence to face these issues and find ways to live their happiest and most authentic lives. that they want in their lives. Thrope Therapy is built on the belief that each and every person deserves support and a safe space to work towards their most fulfilled and happy self.

    Tweetable Quotes

    "Social media is not inherently bad or good... It is what we make of it or how it impacts us." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "You cannot possibly give general advice 
. that would apply to everyone." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "It’s this pressure to constantly prove yourself and show who you are, but like be really cool and beautiful and thin and all these other ideals." - Lily Thrope

    “The problem with social media is that those people who are validating you often don't know you
 They're not validating you as a human being. They're validating you as a square on an app on a phone.” - Lily Thrope

    “Social media is not going anywhere, so instead of saying how terrible it is, we have to say, how can we support our clients in setting good boundaries with it?” - Lily Thrope

    “If your strategy is to exit out [from distressing situations], you're not going to be able to grow together with people, and you will end up more lonely.” - Lily Thrope

    Resources

    Connect with Lily on Instagram!

    https://thropetherapy.com/

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • Stop caring what others think about you.

    Now that I’ve got your attention, let me back up. We’ve all been there—so consumed by “what will they think?” that we lose sight of what we think. But if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that trying to please everyone just makes you boring.

    Tweetable Quotes

    “It's not necessarily about caring less because there's no magic in that. It's how do we care just as much, but then make decisions based on what we need, our values.” - Rachelle Heinemann

    “For those of the people who, at least on the outside, look like they don't care, I think for the most part, they're faking it.” - Rachelle Heinemann

    “Can we be impacted less by our anticipation of other people's reactions or responses?” - Rachelle Heinemann

    “If I push you away, you don't learn. I don't get to teach. I don't get to learn from other people. And one of the things that I absolutely love is being an educator.” - Rachelle Heinemann

    “It's not necessarily about caring less. It's about doing things that feel better for you, that feel more aligned with your values, and keeping other people in mind.” - Rachelle Heinemann

    Resources

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • ADHD + a complicated relationship with food = a recipe for disaster. Am I right?

    If you’ve ever found yourself forgetting key ingredients at the grocery store or using snacks to calm your brain from its chaotic circus act. If you're nodding along and thinking, "Yep, that's me," then listen up.

    In this episode, I’m joined by Brittany Modell, a registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor who knows exactly how overwhelming it can be to juggle all the things, especially when ADHD makes remembering groceries or even meals feel like an Olympic event.

    Tweetable Quotes

    “When someone struggles with something like ADHD, eating disorder recovery can get really, really complicated for a variety of reasons.” - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Self-compassion is a practice, it's not something you experience once or twice, and all of a sudden you have compassion for yourself." - Brittany Modell

    "ADHD looks different for various people." - Brittany Modell

    "Food is powerful, but food is not the end-all, be-all... it can play a role, but my brain's not going to change because I ate differently." - Brittany Modell

    "This is general information. This is not one size fits all." - Brittany Modell

    "Routine is really important, and it's hard because people with ADHD tend to struggle with routine, but they can thrive when they have it." - Brittany Modell

    Resources

    Connect with Brittany Here!

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • Flashback to your teenage years.

    What a blissful, uncomplicated time... said no one ever. Adolescence can be a confusing time—so confusing, in fact, that most of us can’t even make sense of our own teenage years even as adults. Prevention happens during these years, and because of that they are complicated.

    But here’s the thing: preventing eating disorders, or at least minimizing the chances, is more about fostering self-worth and emotional health than just keeping them off the latest fad diet.

    This episode isn’t just for parents who feel like they’re constantly playing catch-up with their kids' mental health. It’s for educators, clinicians, and anyone who's had the absolute pleasure of trying to navigate the tangled web of teenage emotions.

    Tweetable Quotes

    "The words that you say about someone's body matter. They matter so much." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Let's go in with an open mind; we have no idea what a person is like before we get to know them." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Self-compassion is really one of the most powerful sources of coping and resilience that we have, and resilience building is very important for people's mental health." - Marcy Forta

    “How people internalize the messages they hear actually makes a very big difference.” - Marcy Forta

    “The most important thing about talking with your child about social media is that they can feel comfortable to come to you when they hear or see something that is concerning to them, they don't feel like, 'Oh, my mom's going to judge me.'” - Marcy Forta

    Resources

    Connect with Marcy Here!

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • Calling moms everywhere: if you have ever found yourself standing in front of the fridge, starving but too tired to decide between a sandwich or just grabbing the entire pint of ice cream, then stick with me, because I’m talking to you.

    Mom life is amazing (read: exhausting). But let’s be real, it’s all about balancing both motherhood and a healthy relationship with food. Spoiler alert: it’s not as easy as those Instagram influencers make it look.

    Tweetable Quotes

    "The number one thing you have to do is nourish yourself." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Don't skip any meal or snack ever." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Treat yourself as if it's a normal thing and it's not because you deserve it or you earned it." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Think about the way that we've methodically gone through different parts of the day during a random person's day today, and think about the different intricacies about your life, and your week, and your month, and apply some of these ideas to your life." - Rachelle Heinemann

    Resources

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • Are eating disorders actually a type of addiction?

    It’s easy to think of eating disorders as, well, a disorder. But when we start to really dive into the nitty gritty, are they actually considered an addiction?

    In today’s episode, I am joined by Iris Epstein.

    Since 2004, Iris Epstein RD, CDCES, CEDS-S, CAI has focused her career on eating disorder awareness, treatment, family coaching, and intervention at her practice in Pomona, New York. Her philosophy is one of compassion along with hard work to break through the determined mindset that takes hold of people with eating disorders. By addressing the medical and malnutrition issues that give eating disorders their strength, we can weaken the grip they have on our clients. Just as there are many causes for eating disorders, it often takes a variety of strategies to treat them. Iris is confident that her team at the Nutrition Improvement Center can help provide a successful path for our clients to resume a healthy and balanced relationship with food and their bodies. Iris recently graduated from the ARISE intervention program where she received her certification in family coaching and intervention work for addiction. She believes that the addiction model has a place in the eating disorder recovery process.

    Note: We’re celebrating three amazing years of the Understanding Disordered Eating podcast! Just as a reminder, this is the last episode for the next two weeks! We will be back on September 10th. In the meantime, catch up on our older episodes—they're still gems!

    Tweetable Quotes

    "Eating disorders just don't happen fully. It starts sometimes as innocently as having a diet.” - Iris Epstein

    "When you remove the substance, then their brain feels relief and calm. When it's there, their brains go into more of a depressed mode, an anxious mode." - Iris Epstein

    "You have to reestablish good connections with people. And I think that's where the secrecy and everything comes into play." - Iris Epstein

    "Eating disorders are a coping mechanism for survival." - Iris Epstein

    Resources

    Connect with Iris Epstein here!

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • How do we challenge cultural norms when society has a strong perception of how things “should” be?

    Cultural and environmental factors undeniably influence our understanding and experience of our relationship with food and our bodies. But, let’s reconsider them. This is an opportunity to examine how our personal, professional, and political actions can drive meaningful change.

    This exploration blends personal experiences with broader societal observations, encouraging us to reflect on how culture shapes our views on body image. The insights from this conversation are both enlightening and empowering, prompting us to think about how we, as individuals and as a society, can combat pervasive negativity and work towards a future of body positivity, equality, and genuine connection.

    In this episode, I’m joined by Michael Levine. Together, we explore life skills that go far beyond just getting by. These skills challenge the norms that society loves to impose—norms that make us question our worth based on how we look or how we measure up to others. Spoiler alert: these norms are garbage, and we're here to dissect them.

    Michael P. Levine, Ph.D., is an Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he taught from 1979 through 2012. In the field of eating disorders, his commitment to research, writing, and advocacy focuses on the intersection between sociocultural risk factors, prevention, and community psychology. He has authored three books and three prevention curriculum guides, and he has co-edited three books on prevention. In 2015, as co-editor with his long-time collaborator and colleague Dr. Linda Smolak, he published a two-volume Handbook of Eating Disorders (Wiley & Sons Publishing). In 2021 he and Dr. Smolak published a new, extensively revised, and expanded edition of their 2006 book The Prevention of Eating Problems and Eating Disorders (Routledge/Taylor & Francis). In addition, Dr. Levine has authored or co-authored approximately 115 articles, book chapters, and book reviews, and he has presented his work throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, England, Spain, Austria, and Australia. Dr. Levine is a Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED), which has awarded him their Meehan-Hartley Award for Leadership in Public Awareness and Advocacy (2006), and their Research-Practice Partnership Award (2008).

    Note: We’re celebrating three amazing years of the Understanding Disordered Eating podcast! Just as a reminder, we’re taking a two-week break at the end of August. We’ll be back with fresh content after Labor Day weekend, on September 10th. In the meantime, catch up on our older episodes—they're still gems!

    Tweetable Quotes

    "These are life skills which are going to work on the personal level, the professional level, and the political level." - Michael Levine

    "A sense of hope that the same kinds of massive transformations that have taken place in our culture can take place, and in fact are starting to take place, when it comes to the issues of body image, of equity, of control." - Michael Levine

    "I really do see a world also where the exploitation of bodies, particularly female bodies, but bodies is not a multi-trillion-dollar industry." - Michael Levine

    "It's going to require citizens and professionals from multiple disciplines, thinking about really complex matters. And I fall back to the fact that I believe we can do this." - Michael Levine

    Resources

    Michael Levine’s Book: Prevention of Eating Disorders

    Michael Levine’s Book: Paradigm clash in the field of eating disorders

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • The idea of eating disorder treatment can feel very overwhelming.

    If you aren’t sure where to start, then this episode is for you. Think of it as your crash course—because who doesn't love a good cliff notes version?

    When it comes to eating disorder treatment, building an outpatient team (if we’ve excluded higher level of care for now) is probably the most important factor; the indispensable trio of a therapist, dietitian, and doctor.

    Note: We’re celebrating three amazing years of the Understanding Disordered Eating podcast! Just as a reminder, we’re taking a two-week break at the end of August. We’ll be back with fresh content after Labor Day weekend, on September 10th. In the meantime, catch up on our older episodes—they're still gems!

    Tweetable Quotes

    "None of us here are okay with the unknown." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "It's really important to share everything with your team. And I know that there are lots of parts of this that feel really embarrassing." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "You absolutely can. You just have to get through this hump. You got this." - Rachelle Heinemann

    “It's important to have some sort of family involved, especially the family that you currently have a relationship with." - Rachelle Heinemann

    Resources

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • How many old wives’ tales have you heard about nutrition and fertility?

    More importantly, how often have doctors told you that intentional weight loss will miraculously improve your IVF outcomes? If you’re even slightly “overweight” and experiencing fertility issues, it’s common for doctors to subtly (or not so subtly) suggest you “lose a little weight” as a solution.

    In this episode, I’m joined by Rachelle LaCroix Mallik. We’ll take a deep dive into the limitations of studies claiming that weight loss boosts health. Spoiler alert: these studies often miss the mark by not considering other crucial factors like specific eating habits, physical activity, and improved glucose metabolism. Imagine that!

    Rachelle (Rachel) LaCroix (LaCwa) Mallik (Mal-ick), MA, RD, LDN. She is a dietitian and founder of The Food Therapist, a virtual private practice specializing in nutrition counseling and education for reproductive health. Rachelle supports clients who are trying to conceive, pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding or managing conditions like PCOS and endometriosis with a weight-inclusive approach that focuses on nourishment rather than restriction.

    Rachelle has been working in reproductive health for 18 years, starting as an IVF patient coordinator at the Weill Cornell Center for Reproductive Medicine, and is a mom to two young children.

    Rachelle is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, including the Women’s Health Dietetic Practice Group. She is also an active member of the Nutrition Special Interest Group of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). Rachelle serves as the reproductive nutrition content expert for the Nutrition Care Manual. She has presented for the Chicago Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and at the ASRM Scientific Congress, and advocates for the role of nutrition and dietitians in multidisciplinary reproductive healthcare.

    Note: We’re celebrating three amazing years of the Understanding Disordered Eating podcast! Just as a reminder, we’re taking a two-week break at the end of August. We’ll be back with fresh content after Labor Day weekend, on September 10th. In the meantime, catch up on our older episodes—they're still gems!

    Tweetable Quotes

    "Intentional weight loss doesn't necessarily improve your IVF outcomes." - Rachelle LaCroix Mallik

    "If any of the information that you are consuming, whether it’s on this podcast or outside, especially in regards to fertility, if it makes you stressed and anxious, it is not for you." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "We all have to eat, so let's use nutrition to really work for us and help us feel as good as we can along that journey." - Rachelle LaCroix Mallik

    "Nutrition may have an impact on both natural conception as well as fertility treatment outcomes." - Rachelle LaCroix Mallik

    Resources

    Connect with Rachelle here: http://www.rachellemallik.com

    Find Rachelle on Instagram! @rachellemallik

    Learn more about her Fertility Foundations nutrition course here

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • Have you ever noticed how sometimes substance use and eating disorders are intertwined? It turns out, these issues like to hang out together more often than not, complicating treatment and recovery. So, why do we keep these so separate in our conversations?

    There’s this illusion that some people can juggle their substance use with such precision. Spoiler alert: it's not as glamorous as it sounds.

    In this episode, I’m joined by Sydney Greene, a Registered Dietitian specializing in behavioral health nutrition.

    Tweetable Quotes

    “Write out all the times you remember drinking. What was the outcome of that?” - Sydney Greene

    "I never thought that I had an issue. I thought I was just a young person partying in New York City and everything was fine. And then it really quickly became not so fine." - Sydney Greene

    “Treatment is so complicated.” - Rachelle Heinemann

    "I see disorders as something that's protective in many ways, but then it becomes totally maladaptive and harmful. And then we find alcohol or weed or opioids or something like that, and it does the same thing." - Sydney Greene

    "There's a tiger in a cage and you have to go and let the tiger out three times a day and put the tiger back in. Whereas for alcohol, you don't.” - Sydney Greene

    “I'm going to say when someone has both an eating disorder and substance use issues, we just can't follow some of the cookie cutter suggestions.” - Sydney Greene

    Resources

    Connect with Sydney here: https://www.sydneygreenehealth.com/

    Find her on Instagram!: @greenehealth

    Resource Library: https://www.sydneygreenehealth.com/resources (Offering 50% off for my food and mood training for therapists. Use code PODCAST)

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

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    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

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    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • Recovery is overwhelming.

    If it feels like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube blindfolded, you’re not alone. But guess what? There’s one (okay, maybe two, but let’s not split hairs) thing that’s crucial for recovery to happen. Just one. And that is: eating adequately and consistently. It's the magic bullet that helps decrease food obsessions, restores physical health, boosts focus and memory, and—drumroll, please—improves your mood almost immediately.

    Tweetable Quotes

    "When you are eating consistently and enough for your body, the food obsessions decrease significantly." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "If you're not feeding yourself adequately across the board, your focus will be off." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "There really does need to be one thing that you focus on, and that is going to be eating adequately and consistently." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Eating consistently means eating every two to four hours throughout the day. And it ends up being five to six times a day." - Rachelle Heinemann

    Resources

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • “This intuitive eating thing is BS, I tried it and it didn’t work.”

    Sound familiar? Trust me, you’re not alone. Today we’re talking about another hot topic that’s been buzzing all over social media, popping up in emails and filling my DMs. \

    That’s right, we’re talking about critical thinking in the realm of anti-diet messaging.

    Tweetable Quotes

    "I love the fact that intuitive eating and anti-diet messaging is out there and becoming a little bit more accepted." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "If you don't feel like you can trust yourself around food, then having pints of ice cream in your freezer will not feel safe." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "The most important thing [you can do] to develop structure is to eat consistently and eat enough." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "If you are not currently having breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and two to three snacks a day, throw the intuitive eating book in the back of your closet and don't take it out until you are doing that." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Healing one's relationship with food will not heal all for every single person." - Rachelle Heinemann

    Resources

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • Saying “no” sometimes means saying “yes”.

    Okay, don’t let me misguide you here. What I mean, is that sometimes when you say “no” in one area of your life, you’re often saying “yes” to another. When you say “no” to working overtime, you are saying “yes” to spending time with your family. When you say “no” to going out for drinks on a Friday evening, you might say “yes” to an early morning trip to the Farmer’s Market on Saturday.

    In this episode, I’m joined by Eli Weinstein, and we're taking a slight detour from our usual deep dives into food relationships to talk about relationships in general. Because let’s face it, whether you’re the life of the party or the king of introversion, we all have to deal with people.

    Tweetable Quotes

    "When we don't have boundaries, someone else is controlling what comes in and comes out." - Eli Weinstein

    "You never have to explain why you have boundaries to people." - Eli Weinstein

    "For growth, we need boundaries with relaxation." - Eli Weinstein

    "Boundaries keep us safe. Boundaries keep us healthy. And we are in control of who we let in, what we let in, and how we let it in." - Eli Weinstein

    Resources

    Connect with Eli here!

    Find him on social media: @eliweinstein_lcsw / @thedudetherapist

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]

  • Remember the last time we dipped our toes into the hot world of Ozempic and other GLP meds? Yeah, we barely scratched the surface. The world is absolutely obsessed with GLP medications, and the more we know, the better we can make informed decisions—without all the drama, please.

    But honestly, conversations around Ozempic, Wegovy, and other GLP medications can get super heated with not nearly enough facts to back them up.

    In this episode, I’m chatting with Dr. Kim Dennis about the science and controversy of GLP medications.

    Kim Dennis, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist, eating disorders specialist and board-certified in addiction medicine. She specializes in treating eating disorders, addiction, trauma, and complex co-occurring psychiatric disorders. Dr. Dennis also brings lived experience to her work as a physician with long-term recovery from ED, addiction, and developmental trauma.

    Tweetable Quotes

    "They never think, well, maybe that treatment isn't tailored to me, or maybe that there's something wrong with that treatment when applied to me." - Dr. Kim Dennis\

    "When we hit some slumps, whether it's with relationship food or otherwise, it's so much harder to get ourselves out and actually make progress." - Rachelle Heinemann

    "Even if I want to stop, I can't, I can press on the brakes, but they're not helping me at all because my brakes are faulty." - Dr. Kim Dennis

    "Bolstering the brakes can help people make decisions about what they want to eat, when they want to eat in ways that they feel like they actually have more autonomy over the car, right?" - Dr. Kim Dennis

    “Imagine being a patient that has that co-occurrence coming to your eating disorder team's office and being told one thing and going to your endocrine or your primary care office and being told a completely different message." - Dr. Kim Dennis

    "We inadvertently sort of reinforce that or insurance reinforces that by saying, for sure, we're denying your care because you're not making progress, or we're denying your care because you've made too much progress." - Dr. Kim Dennis

    Resources

    Connect with Dr. Kim Dennis Here!

    Check out this recent blog from Dr. Kim Dennis

    Grab my Journal Prompts Here!

    Grab the Replay of the Resistance in Treatment Webinar

    Now accepting new clients! Find out if we're a good fit!

    LEAVE A REVIEW + help someone who may need this podcast by sharing this episode.

    Be sure to sign up for my weekly newsletter here!

    You can connect with me on Instagram @rachelleheinemann, through my website www.rachelleheinemann.com, or email me directly at [email protected]