Full But Not Finished

If you're in recovery and you keep hitting the same walls, you might need more help than you want to admit. In this episode, I'm talking about what it looked like for me to recruit support during my all-in recovery from years of binge eating + restriction, and why it can feel so loaded to say, "I can't do this by myself right now." Here's what we get into:  Why needing help can feel like a character flaw when you're used to being capable The specific kind of overwhelm that makes "self-help" tools bounce right off How having a small "buffer" can change what you're able to tolerate in recovery  What it means when support creates stability so the actual healing work can happen The guilt math of asking for more help when you already feel like you ask for too much Why "accepting help" doesn't work if you're still punishing yourself for needing it What specialized support can do that love and reassurance can't (even when someone means well) The relief of making a clear decision in a hard season so you're not renegotiating everything daily A practical way to handle the inner critic: "not right now — we'll revisit later" How letting your body be part of the process can become a form of support, even if you're skeptical at first If you're in a season where recovery is asking more of you than you expected, this episode will make that feel a lot more normal. RESOURCES: Binge Eating to Intuitive Eating Self-Study Course Read my Substack essays Read my short-form content on Instagram

Many of us live in a nervous system state where movement, productivity, and momentum feel like safety. Slowing down doesn't feel restful — it feels threatening. And when the body starts asking for less, the mind often panics and tries to think, plan, or "fix" its way out. This episode explores what happens at the edge of capacity, when exhaustion collides with fear, and your system begins demanding a different pace. ✨ Why slowing down can feel terrifying even when you're exhausted ✨ How a lot of "motivation" is actually fear dressed up as productivity ✨ The difference between intuition and fear when your energy starts dropping ✨ "Wintering" — seasons where your system asks for less, whether you agree or not (from Wintering by Katherine May) ✨ How the body eventually forces a slowdown when the mind keeps trying to plan its way out ✨ Why consuming more content and "trying harder" often makes things worse ✨ A simple 10% practice: slowing speech, movement, and pace just enough to feel the body again The episode also connects this to eating disorder recovery, body image work, and nervous system healing — especially the pressure to keep fixing yourself, keep learning, and keep doing recovery "right," instead of allowing space for integration. Mentioned: Wintering (Wintering), Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals (Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals). RESOURCES: Binge Eating to Intuitive Eating Self-Study Course Read my Substack essays Read my short-form content on Instagram

In this Q&A episode, I answer three listener questions that sit right at the intersection of body image, recovery, hormones, and nervous system patterns—especially in midlife. First: a listener in perimenopause is struggling with body acceptance and has convinced herself she needs to lose weight now to "get ahead" of the weight gain she expects menopause will bring. We start by naming what this fear is really asking for, and what it costs to try to solve it through control. Second: a listener notices a strong sense of urgency around cooking—food feels allowed and safe, but the act of cooking feels rushed, and the restless energy doesn't stop after the meal. We look at what urgency can mean when it's more about physiology than food rules, and why it shows up differently depending on context. Third: a listener asks about eating with PMS and describes extreme hunger and cravings for higher-calorie, processed foods in the week before her period. We talk about how to relate to cyclical hunger without turning it into panic, moral judgment, or a new restriction project. If you have a question you want me to answer on a future Q&A, send it in—and if you enjoy the show, a rating/review helps more people find it.   RESOURCES: Binge Eating to Intuitive Eating Self-Study Course Read my Substack essay Read my short-form content on Instagram

Restriction doesn't only mean "eating less." It can also mean living with food rules in your head, shutting down emotions you don't know how to hold, or staying stuck in a stress state without relief. Any of those experiences can create a scarcity of safety, and scarcity is one of the biggest drivers of binge eating and overeating. This episode breaks down four types of restriction: • Physical restriction: not eating enough for your body (including subtle versions like portion control, cutting out food groups, or unintentionally under-eating during the day) • Mental restriction: the constant "I shouldn't," guilt, and food rules—even when you're eating plenty • Emotional restriction: using food to shut down feelings before they move through • Nervous system restriction: when your stress cycle stays open and food becomes a safety cue or a way to come back down If you've ever felt confused because you eat "normally" (or a lot) and still binge, this will help you understand what's actually driving the pattern and where to start. RESOURCES: Binge Eating to Intuitive Eating Self-Study Course Read my Substack essay Read my short-form content on Instagram

Ever feel bad about your body and go straight to food? That moment feels confusing, self-defeating, and impossible to explain to anyone who hasn't lived it. This episode is about that moment — why it happens, what's actually driving it, and why the reaction makes far more sense than you've been told. Inside this conversation, we look at the psychological and nervous-system dynamics that turn body image distress into powerful eating urges, and why the more you care about your body, the more intense this loop can become. In this episode, you'll learn: • why body image distress creates all-or-nothing thinking and urgency • how mood-congruent cognition makes your thoughts spiral to match the mood • why the nervous system prioritizes escaping immediate discomfort, even when it creates more later • how binge urges can come from both collapse/soothing and mobilized, high-energy stress • why "self-punishment" is often about control, predictability, and making pain make sense • how the rebel/protector part responds to the invisible labor of body-image panic • why your brain anticipates restriction before you ever change a single behavior • and how slowing down becomes the doorway back to choice This conversation connects binge eating, body image, trauma, nervous system regulation, and scarcity psychology — giving language to a pattern that a lot of people live inside, but rarely understand. Work with me If you want support applying these ideas, I offer 1:1 coaching for binge eating recovery, intuitive eating, and body image healing. Apply here!

For years I have talked about binge eating, compulsive eating, and the binge & restrict cycle — and how chaotic and dysregulated those patterns feel in the body. But what if restriction itself is also a form of nervous system dysregulation? In this episode, I break down how food restriction shows up inside the four trauma responses — fight, flight, freeze, and fawn — using polyvagal theory, nervous system regulation, and real lived experience to give it context. I also announce that my SENSR course is open for enrollment: all of the details are right here! In this episode, you'll learn: • why restriction can be an expression of anger and control (fight) • how chronic dieting becomes emotional avoidance and hyper-vigilance (flight) • why restriction is often about belonging, approval, and social safety (fawn) • how food restriction becomes self-punishment, penance, and disappearing after trauma (freeze) • how the body uses restriction to regulate overwhelm, threat, and emotional overload • why both binge eating and restriction are attempts at safety, not failures of character • how diet culture, weight stigma, and cultural power feed these nervous system loops • and why true healing requires learning how to complete stress cycles and build regulation without food control This conversation connects ED recovery, intuitive eating, body image, trauma, somatic therapy, and nervous system education — showing how our relationship with food is inseparable from how our body experiences safety, threat, and connection. If you struggle with restriction or periods of restriction, this episode offers a radically different lens — your nervous system is trying to protect you. Work with me If you want support applying these ideas to your actual life (not just your notes app), I offer 1:1 coaching for binge eating recovery, intuitive eating, and body image healing. Apply here! If this episode helps, subscribe and leave a rating or review—it's the best way to support the podcast and get this message out there!

If you're already thinking about how to "fix" your eating in 2026, listen to this first.    This Q&A episode covers three of the biggest pressure points people hit at the end of December and the start of January:   Last Supper eating, diet-culture talk in fitness spaces, and the anger that can come from getting food gifts from friends in their own food dysfunction.   I'm answering these questions with a grounded, anti-diet lens that helps you stay out of the reset → restrict → rebound cycle and move into the New Year in a more regulated way.   Q&A topics in this episode:   ⭐ New Year "start fresh" → Last Supper eating: why it happens, how it restarts the binge–restrict cycle, and what helps you stay out of the loop ⭐ Diet culture in fitness spaces: how to handle "work off the holiday calories" messaging, how to set boundaries, and what to look for in more weight-neutral/body-inclusive movement environments ⭐ Food gifts: when food gifts feel emotionally loaded, why that can be activating, and how to protect your relationship with food without turning it into a power struggle   SENSR COURSE OPENS JANUARY 2026 -- Save your seat here: https://www.iamstefaniemichele.com/sensr   You'll also hear...   ✨ The "fishing rod" visualization: noticing when your mind is 50 feet in the future and reeling it back into today ✨ How to tell grounded goals from hype: the physical difference between calm steadiness vs. "jazzy" urgent energy ✨ A language swap for goals that doesn't turn into food rules ✨ The "spam filter" method for diet-culture talk  ✨ What to do with the energy of anger   If you're navigating binge eating recovery, chronic dieting history, emotional eating, or "healthy eating" obsession, this episode gives you a steadier way to approach the New Year.   Subscribe for more Q&A episodes and conversations on binge eating recovery, body image, diet culture, nervous system regulation, and building a sustainable relationship with food.    BODY INCLUSIVE FITNESS STARTER PACK Louise Green Jessamyn Stanley Amy Snelling of The Snack Pass Meg Boggs SITA Size Inclusive Training Superfit Hero Body Positive Fitness Joyful Inclusive Movement  Search terms: weight inclusive fitness or body positive fitness  Apply to work with me: www.iamstefaniemichele.com/application

Nostalgia, body image, and high sensitivity are connected—and this episode explains why. This is for highly sensitive people who experience nostalgia as a full-body emotional event. Do you notice that when the past gets stirred, food and body stuff gets louder? Songs, places, photos, endings, and transitions don't just bring up memories, they can trigger urges to control food, reconsider our appearance, check, plan, restrict, overeat, or isolate. In this episode, we cover: Why highly sensitive nervous systems experience nostalgia as embodied memory, not just thought How childhood and adolescence can leave open stress loops that keep pulling us back Why food and body control can become a reliable way to contain emotional overwhelm Why you can feel pulled toward a time in your life that was actually painful or unstable Why longing for an old body and old coping patterns is often about unresolved emotional safety What recovery looks like when the buffer is gone and emotions come back online How to feel deeply without getting swallowed by it You'll also get a practical way to work with this when it hits: how to recognize the moment nostalgia arrives, how to give your body a short, contained window to feel what's there, and how to return to the present on purpose through simple routines that re-anchor you. Work with me If you want support applying these ideas to your actual life (not just your notes app), I offer 1:1 coaching for binge eating recovery, intuitive eating, and body image healing. Apply here! If this episode helps, subscribe and leave a rating or review—it's the easiest way to support the podcast and get this message out there!

In this episode, I explain my all-in recovery process and how it helped me stop binge eating after decades of battling food noise. I break down what "all in" actually means in practice, why unconditional permission to eat means (and doesn't mean), and how body image work played a central role in becoming binge-free for over six and a half years. I'm sharing my personal all-in recovery process—the shift that helped me become binge-free for over 6.5 years—and what I learned about unconditional permission to eat, food scarcity mindset, body image, and body neutrality along the way. This isn't a quick fix or a one-size-fits-all method. But if you've tried "moderation" a hundred different ways and it keeps turning into a failure, this episode will give you a different framework to consider. Work With Stef In this episode, I cover: What "all-in recovery" means (and why it doesn't have a formal clinical definition) Why unconditional permission to eat was the turning point for my binge eating recovery How restriction fuels binge eating through scarcity (not lack of "willpower") How intermittent fasting pushed my binge eating further (and what that taught me) The role of body image, culture, and conditioning (capitalism, feminism, racism) in food + self-trust What changed over time as my appetite regulated and food stopped feeling urgent My backstory (quick version) My relationship with food was chaotic from my teens until I turned 40—years of negotiating, compensating, and trying to outthink my body. Eventually it became clear that the "careful" approaches weren't working for me. I needed a more radical reset. A huge catalyst was reading "The F**k It Diet" by Caroline Dooner, because it named what I had been living: the bingeing wasn't some character flaw—it was an understandable response to deprivation and fear. Why unconditional permission matters The core of the all-in process (for me) was stopping the constant bargaining. When eating is no longer treated like a limited resource, binge urges lose their job. That's the part people miss: binge eating is often a scarcity response, not "lack of control." Body image isn't a side quest Working with body image coach Jessi Kneeland expanded the whole conversation for me. It helped me see that body hatred doesn't exist in a vacuum—there's a system that benefits when we stay preoccupied with shrinking ourselves. Body neutrality became a steadier foundation than chasing body "confidence." Want more context? If you haven't listened to my episode about losing control with food (episode , start there—it'll give you helpful background for this conversation. Work with me If you want support applying these ideas to your actual life (not just your notes app), I offer 1:1 coaching for binge eating recovery, intuitive eating, and body image healing. Apply here! If this episode helps, subscribe and leave a rating or review—it's the easiest way to support the podcast and get this message in front of more people.

Celebrity weight loss is back in the spotlight — in headlines, before-and-after photos, GLP-1 speculation, and nonstop commentary online. Alongside that has come a louder insistence that we "shouldn't talk about people's bodies" at all. But should we really keep quiet? This episode focuses on body image, diet culture, celebrity bodies, and how weight loss is discussed on social media. I talk about why I personally don't comment on bodies in everyday life, why praising weight loss is never neutral to me, and why that rule becomes harder to apply once bodies move into public media, celebrity culture, and influence. The episode moves through the different ways this conversation shows up right now — criticism, praise, silence, and backlash — and what happens when the only option we allow is not speaking. I also touch on kids growing up inside these images, the "double standard" argument, and the tension between personal body autonomy and cultural symbolism, and Lizzo's recent essay on "weight release." This is a conversation about what we're allowed to say, what we're told not to say, and how to redefine the conversation. Work With Stef Instagram Substack YouTube

In this guided meditation, I use pendulation to help you work with fullness without getting pulled into the usual fear or anxiety. You'll move between the sensation itself and calmer places in your body or environment, so your nervous system has room to settle in the here and now. This practice supports both everyday fullness and the kind of fullness that can happen after a binge. We keep the focus on separating sensation from story, giving your body a way to process what's happening without getting lost in meaning-making. Work With Stef Instagram Substack YouTube

Thanksgiving can bring up a lot for people who are working on binge eating recovery, intuitive eating, or nervous-system regulation. Big meals on holidays have more stimulation, more exposure, more history, and more pressure to "be good" even though your nervous system is doing its own thing underneath. In this episode, I talk through why the holiday environment makes appetite, pacing, and fullness feel different than they do on regular days, and what actually helps your body stay steady here. We look at the nervous-system side of hunger and fullness, why predictability matters (and how to use it), and how the pace of the room may be influencing you in ways you didn't even realize. I also talk about widening your focus so the entire holiday doesn't reduce down to "fixing this."  You aren't broken! The goal isn't a perfect Thanksgiving; it's a more regulated one. Work With Stef Instagram Substack YouTube Timestamps 00:00 — Intro: why holidays feel different 00:33 — Eating earlier vs. "saving up" 08:26 — Checking your pace 15:53 — Building a satisfying plate 22:11 — Navigating fullness 26:19 — Expanding the day beyond food

In this episode of Full But Not Finished, Stefanie breaks down somatic work in a practical, accessible way for anyone who has ever felt confused, skeptical, or resistant to it. She shares her own path toward becoming a Somatic Experiencing practitioner and how body-based work shifted patterns that mindset alone doesn't fully address -- including anxiety, depression, and long-standing food and body struggles. Stefanie explains the core ideas behind somatic therapy and nervous system regulation, then walks through the five most common barriers people face when trying to engage in somatic practices: resistance, lack of time, the belief that it's "too slow," assumptions that it's "woo woo," and not knowing where to begin. Each barrier is approached with clear language and real-world context. The episode also includes simple, effective somatic exercises to help you reconnect with interoception, regulation, and a steadier internal baseline — especially useful if you're navigating binge-restrict cycles, body image distress, or chronic stress responses. If you've been wanting a grounded entry point into somatic work, nervous system science, and the body-based side of healing your relationship with food, this conversation gives you the outbreath and direction you might need to start. Work With Stef Instagram Substack YouTube 00:01 What is Somatic Work 00:11 Personal Journey and Initial Skepticism 01:48 Understanding Somatic Therapy 03:06 Top Five Barriers to Somatic Work 06:09 Barrier 1: It Doesn't Work 12:39 Barrier 2: I Don't Have Time 18:14 Barrier 3: I Can't Slow Down! 26:29 Barrier 4: It's Too Woo Woo 30:49 Barrier 5: I Don't Know How 33:04 Practical Somatic Exercises

Are you eating out of habit or because your body actually needs something? In this episode of Full But Not Finished, I'm breaking down one of the most common recovery questions I get: how to know when it's a true habit versus a leftover pattern from restriction or stress eating. This isn't another "habit stacking" podcast. We're talking about how nervous system coding, allostatic load, and emotional regulation influence what we call "food habits"—and why as straightforward as "discipline" seems. You'll learn: 0:00 – Why food habits are different from other habits 2:15 – The Dunkin' Donuts story and what it reveals about emotional regulation 7:42 – How willpower really works (and why it's about energy, not strength) 11:05 – The difference between habit, restriction, and nervous system need 15:00 – How to approach food habits without falling back into diet mentality If you've ever said "I don't want to restrict, but I also want to stop doing this thing with food," this episode is for you. About this podcast: I'm Stefanie Michele — a coach who helps people recover from binge eating, food obsession, and body image struggles using a mix of psychology, nervous system science, and real-life context. New episodes every week. Work with Stefanie: https://www.iamstefaniemichele.com Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele Read my essays on Substack: https://iamstefaniemichele.substack.com  

In this episode, Stefanie Michele shares the full story of her ED — from early dieting and body image issues to decades of binging, restriction, and an obsession with healthy, clean eating. She explains how family dynamics, cultural pressure, and the physiology of restriction shaped her relationship with food, and what finally changed in her late thirties that led to recovery at forty. This episode breaks down the psychology of binge eating, the impact of diet culture, and how understanding the body's response to deprivation can open the door to long-term healing. Connect with Stefanie: 🔗 iamstefaniemichele.com 📸 Instagram 📰 Substack ▶️ YouTube  

When we're back around family, something ... regressive happens. Old dynamics resurface, our nervous systems fire, and parts of us we thought we'd outgrown suddenly take the wheel. In this episode of Full But Not Finished, I explore how family gatherings activate protective parts of the psyche, and how that shows up in our relationship with food. Drawing from Parts Work (Internal Family Systems therapy), we look at the inner characters that might appear in these moments — the Rebel, Pleaser, Victim, and Educator — and the roles they play in keeping us safe. We also talk about how these parts intersect with food: rebellion that turns into "what the hell" eating, people-pleasing that overrides hunger cues, and the Victim part that seeks comfort when connection feels out of reach. You'll also meet the helpful parts that can bring balance: the Inner Anthropologist who observes without absorbing, the Nervous System Whisperer who tracks overwhelm, the Protector who validates without spiraling, and the Inner Humorist who remembers that laughter regulates, too. 🎧 Listen for insights on: Why family gatherings reactivate old protective parts How food becomes a coping tool in relational stress Somatic tools to regulate before reacting Balancing authenticity and connection Using humor as nervous system balm Work With Stef! Instagram Substack YouTube

Struggling with weight gain or needing to size up your clothes?  In this episode of Full But Not Finished, Stefanie Michele explores the emotional and psychological side of upsizing — the moment you realize your clothes no longer fit the same, and what that stirs up in a culture obsessed with shrinking. We talk about why sizing up isn't a failure or loss of control but a reflection of healing, safety, and body trust. Whether you're recovering from diet culture, learning intuitive eating, or navigating body changes in midlife or perimenopause, this episode helps you see clothing and body image through a new lens. ✨ What you'll learn in this episode: Why tight clothing can trigger stress responses in your nervous system How "upsizing" can be an act of self-advocacy, not giving up Why cultural stigma makes buying new clothes feel harder than it should How to separate body discomfort from self-judgment Practical ways to feel grounded and comfortable in the body you have today Stefanie shares insight from years of coaching people through binge eating recovery, body image work, and nervous system regulation — reminding us that growth often looks like softness, not control. 🎧 Tune in for a thoughtful conversation about body acceptance, self-compassion, and emotional recovery. Connect with Stefanie! Website Substack Instagram YouTube

Have you ever found yourself eating when you weren't hungry—but something in you needed to? This episode explores how the body remembers the trauma of restriction, overexercise, and food insecurity long after the behaviors end. We'll talk about how those old survival codes get reactivated—like feeling an urgent pull to eat after movement, or panic when food feels limited—and why this isn't a lack of willpower, but the body's memory of danger. Learn how to recognize when your nervous system is driving your eating patterns, what it means to respect the body's "flinch," and how to begin rewriting those old hunger stories. Work With Stef Instagram Substack #eatingpsychology #bingeeatingrecovery #bodyimagehealing #intuitiveeating #nervoussystemregulation

In this very first episode of Full But Not Finished, host Stefanie Michele (formerly of Life After Diets) shares why this new podcast exists, what's changing in her own life, and how the themes of food freedom, body image recovery, and ED healing always circle back to the larger work of self-development. From 25 years of binge-compensation cycles to going "all in" on recovery in 2019, Stefanie reflects on what it means to face personal changes like perimenopause, career choices, and social media algorithms while still choosing growth over old coping mechanisms. This episode explores: Rebirth through letting go of outdated roles and labels Body image shifts and learning tolerance instead of panic Somatic practices for sitting with change The messy but necessary work of self-reinvention If you've ever wondered how to rebuild your relationship with food, body, and self—or you're simply navigating a new season of life—this pilot invites you into the conversation. Connect with Stefanie: Website: www.iamstefaniemichele.com YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@iamstefaniemichele Instagram: www.instagram.com/iamstefaniemichele Substack: https://substack.com/@iamstefaniemichele Have questions to submit for Q&A? Please send them via Instagram DM!