Does Food Addiction Exist and What's the Middle Way Between Diet and Anti-diet Approaches? with Michelle Shapiro

Happy Satiated Saturday! 

As many of you know, I adore my dog, Tato. He's taught me a lot over the years about unconditional love, how to stop and literally smell the roses, and about boundaries.

 When Tato was 6 months old, we started taking him to puppy school to get some training. We learned early on that Tato gets overwhelmed easily and gets scared of other dogs. So what the trainers started to do when we arrived, is they would set us up in a corner and put a gate in front of him. Now, he had a boundary between him and the other dogs where he could look out, assess the room, see he wasn't in danger and we could slowly take the gate away. 

My experience with creating a boundary for Tato to feel safe in his world gave a whole new meaning to the importance of learning to set boundaries for your body's safety. Setting a boundary is in service to you feeling like you can be present in the here and now. 

In this week’s episode, we will explore the importance of boundaries when you're healing from trauma and how to set them with food without your body experiencing them as restriction and sparking binge eating.

You can also read the transcript to this week’s episode ​here​: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/embodied-boundaries-with-food

As a reminder, the next class of the Somatic Eating® Program starts April 22nd! If you're feeling an internal pull toward understanding what your body is trying to tell you through your food behaviors, go to ​somaticeating.com​ to join the waitlist and be first to know when doors open.

With Compassion and Empathy, 
Stephanie Mara Fox

Keep in touch with Stephanie Mara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/
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Website: https://www.stephaniemara.com/
https://www.somaticeating.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafox
Contact: support@stephaniemara.com

Support the show:
Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/support
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Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.bensound.co...

Happy Satiated Saturday! 

When everything goes haywire in your life, what's your first impulse? Do you isolate yourself from your friends, family, and those who love you when your stress levels reach a critical point? 

Self isolating can feel like a wise strategy in the moment. When you disconnect from those around you, it can feel like it's protecting you from being in your body and how you feel. Connection brings sensation. If sensation feels like too much to digest then distancing from yourself and others keeps you at a distance from your emotions.

It can also feel difficult to know what to say to someone about what you need when you're isolating. You may feel like you're in such a threatened state that the words don't come.

So, in this week’s episode, I speak to your loved ones and offer key points they may need to know on how to support you. You can send this to those who want to support you on this food and body healing journey or use it as a template of what you might say to someone who wants to be there for you. 

You can also read the transcript to this week’s episode ​here​: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/a-guide-for-loved-ones-supporting-your-healing-from-disordered-eating

If there is anything you would add to this list, email me and let me know! 

With Compassion and Empathy, 
Stephanie Mara Fox

Keep in touch with Stephanie Mara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafox
Website: https://www.stephaniemara.com/
https://www.somaticeating.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafox
Contact: support@stephaniemara.com

Support the show:
Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/support
My favorite water filter: https://www.pureeffectfilters.com/#a_aid=somaticeating
Receive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/discount/STEPHANIEMARA?rfsn=7433250.c99684
Use my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPl

Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.bensound.co...

Happy Satiated Saturday! 

After I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome around the age of 20, I dove deep into the holistic health world. I was not going to settle with the doctor's suggestion of just managing my stress and watching out for my triggers. 

 I discovered so many resources to support my digestion and feel more at ease when eating any meal. Herbs continued to support me after a big binge. This is why I've always fallen in the middle of that food matters and food doesn't matter when healing from disordered eating and digestive complaints. Food and herbs can be an incredible resource in helping to regulate your nervous system AND your body also needs to feel safe regardless of what you're ever eating. 

In this week’s episode, I chat with Olivia Amitrano, clinical herbalist, host of the What's the Juice Podcast and the founder of Organic Olivia. 

We chat about the journey Olivia went on to heal her gut which led her to discover Traditional Chinese Medicine, becoming a clinical herbalist, and then sharing her wisdom to support others on their wellness journeys. We talk about the wisdom in digestive complaints, herbs that can support a dysregulated nervous system, her binge eating healing adventure, and the foods and herbs that supported her in creating a more regulated relationship with food and her body. 

You can also read the transcript to this week’s episode ​here​: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/breaking-free-from-binge-eating-and-digestive-issues

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did! 

With Compassion and Empathy, 
Stephanie Mara Fox

Keep in touch with Olivia here:

Website: https://www.organicolivia.com/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@organic_olivia
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/organic_olivia
https://www.instagram.com/shoporganicolivia
Herbs: https://www.organicolivia.com/products/glucobitters-1

Keep in touch with Stephanie Mara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafox
Website: https://www.stephaniemara.com/
https://www.somaticeating.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafox
Contact: support@stephaniemara.com

Support the show:
Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/support
My favorite water filter: https://www.pureeffectfilters.com/#a_aid=somaticeating
Receive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/discount/STEPHANIEMARA?rfsn=7433250.c99684
Use my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPl

Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.bensound.co...

Happy Satiated Saturday! 

I first started learning about the vagus nerve when I did research for my published thesis on how to cultivate a relationship with the gut brain.

The vagus nerve plays a role in hunger, satiation, cravings, taste buds, and digestion. So you can imagine that having a toned vagus nerve is highly important when you're trying to cultivate a peaceful and regulating relationship with food.

In this week’s episode, you'll learn about what the vagus nerve is and 5 ways you can stimulate your vagus nerve before you eat to support your body in feeling safe around food. 

You can also read the transcript to this week’s episode ​here​: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/creating-safety-with-food-through-toning-your-vagus-nerve

If you try out some of these vagus nerve toning exercises when around food, email me and let me know how it's going!

With Compassion and Empathy, 
Stephanie Mara Fox

Keep in touch with Stephanie Mara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafox
Website: https://www.stephaniemara.com/
https://www.somaticeating.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafox
Contact: support@stephaniemara.com

Support the show:
Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/support
My favorite water filter: https://www.pureeffectfilters.com/#a_aid=somaticeating
Receive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/discount/STEPHANIEMARA?rfsn=7433250.c99684
Use my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPl

Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.bensound.co...

Happy Satiated Sunday! 

I remember during my binge eating years that at times I would be like, "What is going onnnnn!?!?!"

Binge eating can be confusing and disorienting. It can at times be an out-of-body experience. Yet, sometimes, the emotions and sensations showing up in your body may feel like too much (I know at times they were for me) that you don't want to be IN your body. 

I often like to rename binge eating to protective eating. This kind of eating behavior is trying to protect and support you in many different ways. 

In this week’s episode, I share what exactly defines a binge eating experience, 4 leading triggers preceding a binge, and redefine restriction and that it doesn't only have to come from food. 

You can also read the transcript to this week’s episode ​here​: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/the-many-reasons-why-you-binge-eat

We cannot change what we're not aware of and so I hope this episode cultivates new awareness for you about what may be preceding some of your binge eating patterns. 

With Compassion and Empathy, 
Stephanie Mara Fox

Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2694569/

Keep in touch with Stephanie Mara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafox
Website: https://www.stephaniemara.com/
https://www.somaticeating.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafox
Contact: support@stephaniemara.com

Support the show:
Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/support
My favorite water filter: https://www.pureeffectfilters.com/#a_aid=somaticeating
Receive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/discount/STEPHANIEMARA?rfsn=7433250.c99684
Use my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPl

Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.bensound.co...

Happy Satiated Saturday! 

More and more adults in the U.S. are being diagnosed with adult ADHD. For many with adult ADHD, there is an overlap in struggling in their relationship with food. The impulsiveness that comes with ADHD can lead to binge eating or emotional eating behaviors and the time blindness can lead to restriction as a person forgets to eat which can spark the restrict-binge cycle. 

For some (not all), ADHD can be a reaction to past trauma. If it didn’t feel safe to be here, your mind scatters itself in a million different directions. The binge-restrict cycle can also perpetuate as these food behaviors give a focus and something that can be completed when presence feels threatening to the body.

In this week’s episode, I chat with Aleta Storch about the overlap between ADHD and disordered eating, why someone navigating ADHD may be drawn to diet culture, and tips for ensuring adequate nourishment is coming in while navigating patterns of ADHD, which can be supportive for any person trying to create more consistency in their eating day. 

You can also read the transcript to this week’s episode ​here​: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/healing-the-binge-restrict-cycle-of-disordered

If you're ever looking for more support on this healing journey, as always, reach out anytime!

With Compassion and Empathy, 
Stephanie Mara Fox

Keep in touch with Aleta here:

Website: www.wiseheartnutrition.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/eatingwithadhdofficial

Instagram:  instagram.com/the_adhd_rd

Email: admin@wiseheartnutrition.com

Keep in touch with Stephanie Mara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafox
Website: https://www.stephaniemara.com/
https://www.somaticeating.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafox
Contact: support@stephaniemara.com

Support the show:
Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/support
My favorite water filter: https://www.pureeffectfilters.com/#a_aid=somaticeating
Receive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/discount/STEPHANIEMARA?rfsn=7433250.c99684
Use my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPl

Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.bensound.co...

Happy Satiated Sunday! 

With my feeling word of 2024 being vulnerable, this will be one of the most vulnerable things I've put out since starting the Satiated Podcast. 

I often share stories of the distant past and rarely share what's currently going on in my life or what I'm navigating. Yet, it is my life experiences that have cultivated so much of my wisdom and so I'll be sharing what I've been going through for the past two years with you all and also what I've learned about food and body along the way. 

It is my journey through healing from long covid and losing my ability to swallow that has informed me even more about my approach to food and contributed to my creation of Somatic Eating®. 

In this week’s episode, I'll share the healing journey I've been on for the past two years and what it's taught me about our relationship with food and body image. I offer a lot of little tidbits where you can utilize what I've learned toward your own healing.

You can also read the transcript to this week’s episode ​here​: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/my-long-covid-journey

If you have any questions after listening to this vulnerable share, email me anytime and I'm here for you with whatever you're also currently navigating. 

With Compassion and Empathy, 
Stephanie Mara Fox

Keep in touch with Stephanie Mara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafox
Website: https://www.stephaniemara.com/
https://www.somaticeating.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafox
Contact: support@stephaniemara.com

Support the show:
Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/support
My favorite water filter: https://www.pureeffectfilters.com/#a_aid=somaticeating
Receive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/discount/STEPHANIEMARA?rfsn=7433250.c99684
Use my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPl

Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.bensound.co...

Happy Satiated Saturday! 

This holiday season, I've been offering the somatic resources I wish I'd had when I was healing my relationship with my food and body and one's that I've discovered along the way. 

Holidays had always brought up so much for me emotionally that I found myself binging or restricting to try to manage all of the emotions and sensations arising in my body. 

Think of the holidays as the Olympics of practicing staying in relationship with yourself through every family, friend, and food interaction. 

In this week’s episode, I'll walk you through some somatic practices you can explore when you're driving to parties, to family gatherings, or when you're perhaps alone and wishing you were around others. 

You can also read the transcript to this week’s episode ​here​: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/holiday-somatic-reminders-when-struggling-with-your-food-and-body

Whatever happens in the next few days and weeks, keep debriefing with yourself on how you're feeling and check in with yourself even after a food coping mechanism occurs. It is never too late to repair your relationship with your body if a break occurs. 

I'll be taking next week off from putting out a new podcast and will be back in the new year with brand new interviews you will not want to miss. I hope you all have a regulating and safety-producing holiday season and excited to connect with you all in 2024! 

With Compassion and Empathy, 
Stephanie Mara Fox

Keep in touch with Stephanie Mara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafox
Website: https://www.stephaniemara.com/
https://www.somaticeating.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafox
Contact: support@stephaniemara.com

Support the show:
Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/support
My favorite water filter: https://www.pureeffectfilters.com/#a_aid=somaticeating
Receive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/discount/STEPHANIEMARA?rfsn=7433250.c99684
Use my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPl

Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.bensound.co...

Happy Satiated Saturday! 

What does the holiday season mean to you? What memories do you have around this time of year?

The holiday season can be associated with warmth, joy, and togetherness. However, when you've experienced past trauma with family or in the environment you grew up in, this time of year can be a source of stress, triggering your body's survival states. This can also be a time when you're face to face with your body's memories of being around specific environments, homes, or people. 

The somatic memory of trauma refers to how the body retains the physical and sensory experiences associated with a traumatic event. Trauma can leave a lasting imprint on the body in many ways that can show up during the holidays and holiday gatherings.

In this week’s episode, I talk about how the body remembers trauma and three somatic explorations you can practice this holiday season to support yourself in feeling safe and secure so that you feel like you can make different decisions with food.

You can also read the transcript to this week’s episode here: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/bodys-traumatic-memories-during-the-holidays

If you ever need to share with someone what you're navigating this holiday season, email me anytime!

With Compassion and Empathy, 
Stephanie Mara Fox

Keep in touch with Stephanie Mara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafox
Website: https://www.stephaniemara.com/
https://www.somaticeating.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafox
Contact: support@stephaniemara.com

Support the show:
Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/support
My favorite water filter: https://www.pureeffectfilters.com/#a_aid=somaticeating
Receive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/discount/STEPHANIEMARA?rfsn=7433250.c99684
Use my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPl

Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.bensound.co...

Happy Satiated Saturday!

As a kid, you couldn't get me to move. My mom tried to put me in dance and gymnastics and while I enjoyed both, neither stuck. I tried soccer and tennis. In soccer, I ended up kicking the ball to my best friend who was on the other team. In tennis, my favorite part was walking through the tunnels at the back of the indoor court. 

The joy of moving started to come in when I got into musical theater and had to dance my way through shows. And then, in college, I was required to take two gym credits and was told by a friend that the easiest class to take was weight training.  So now I was thrown into the world of weight lifting and the teacher gave no guidance on how to nourish one's body while suddenly having an increase in physical movement. Now, I was dieting, undereating, and overexercising which led to complete disaster for my body. 

I remember my muscles twitching and feeling so tired I could barely walk up a flight of stairs and completely confused as to what was going on. It was seeing my first on campus nutritionist that changed everything and where I started to see food in a brand new light. 

In this week’s episode, I talk with Stephanie Roth-Goldberg, psychotherapist specializing in eating disorders and anti-diet athleticism, about the difference between physical movement and exercise, how to assess what movement is going to be the most regulating and aligned movement to do based on where you're at in your food and body healing journey, and how physical movement can also help heal from a trauma response held in your body. 

You can also read the transcript to this week’s episode here: https://www.stephaniemara.com/blog/are-you-overexercising

With Compassion and Empathy, 
Stephanie Mara Fox

Keep in touch with Stephanie here:

Websites: www.springpsychotherapyandwellness.com
www.intuitivepsychotherapynyc.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/embodiedpsychotherapist/
Recommended Book: Lifting Heavy Things by Laura Khoudari

Keep in touch with Stephanie Mara:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stephaniemara/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniemarafox
Website: https://www.stephaniemara.com/
https://www.somaticeating.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmara/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stephaniemarafox
Contact: support@stephaniemara.com

Support the show:
Become a supporter: https://www.buzzsprout.com/809987/support
My favorite water filter: https://www.pureeffectfilters.com/#a_aid=somaticeating
Receive 15% off my fave protein powder with code STEPHANIEMARA at checkout here: https://www.equipfoods.com/discount/STEPHANIEMARA?rfsn=7433250.c99684
Use my Amazon Affiliate link when shopping on Amazon: https://amzn.to/448IyPl

Special thanks to Bendsound for the music in this episode. www.bensound.co...