The F*ck It Podcast

In today's episode, reporter Jessica DeFino explains how our skin works, and how beauty culture is actually damaging our skin health with skin "care" products. This is one of my favorite episodes on my podcast so far, (up there with my Laziness Does Not Exist episode from a year ago).Just like our relationship with food and diets, where we are led to believe we need diets, which leads to worse health and a worse relationship with food longterm… the same thing is true for our skin. Beauty companies have convinced us we need their products, but their products are disrupting our natural skin barrier and biome, and lead us to needing MORE of their products. Great for them. Not so great for us.Important Links:Find Jessica's Substack: The UnpublishableRead the beginning of Tired as F*ckPre-order Tired AF and get your pre-order bonuses (including Author's Commentary on The F*ck It Diet book) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

Today's episode is a conversation I had with Tash Ngindi, aka @thethicknutritionist. We talk about her early diet days, her disordered days in nutrition school, and her journey to realizing that weight loss does NOT work the way we think it does.Find and follow her here: @thethicknutritionist and thethicknutritionist.com***And, as I mention at the end of the episode, you can read the beginning of my second book, Tired AF here: thefuckitdiet.com/tired And learn about pre-order bonuses here: thefuckitdiet.com/tafbonus This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

This post and episode is brought to you by my live program, The F*ck It Diet Club. It's only running one time in 2021. Two months of live support, community, video Q&As, daily prompts, weekly beliefs to focus on, and all of us using TFID book as a textbook. Enrollment closes January 14th.Six years before I started my own "F*ck It Diet," I read the Intuitive Eating book by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, and decided I was going to heal my eating. I was 18 years old, and I'd already been extreme dieting for over 4 years. I was an extreme dieter, and an extreme binger. My weight violently yo-yo'd up and down every few months. And I was sure I was a food addict.Reading the Intuitive Eating book was the very first time I had any idea that dieting was toxic, and wired to backfire. It spoke to me. I wanted to heal. But I was young, and desperate, and still stuck in extreme self-objectification. I was about to go to school at NYU for Musical Theater, and I also had a lot of health issues that I'd been trying to heal with my extreme diets. I wanted to heal my relationship with food, but I wasn't ready. I also didn't really understand some very important parts of the journey to food and body freedom. Remaining thin was still my top goal, and there was really no way to fully heal while continuing to prioritize weight control.So over the next 6 years, while I thought I was eating intuitively, I was actually not. I was still dieting, and obsessing over my hunger and fullness cues, and calling it "intuitive eating."Then I'd read the books and blog posts from other "mindful eating" gurus, and assume they were continuing my education on intuitive eating, when in reality, they were taking me further and further away from true intuitive eating.Sometimes people read my work and think I'm ragging on Intuitive Eating and saying it doesn't work. I promise you, I am not. Intuitive eating is life changing, evidence based, and the dietitian authors of the book are trail-blazing experts who have changed more lives than anyone could begin to count. But people do misinterpret intuitive eating, en masse. A lot of those people become influencers themselves, and water down the intuitive eating teaching.There are a lot of deeply ingrained diet beliefs that many of us hold, that will keep us from truly eating intuitively, and instead, keep us in a quasi-healed state, where we're still sneakily micromanaging our food intake, which will inherently still keep us obsessed with food, and feeling out of control around food.I made a lot of mistakes during those 6 long years, so I'm sharing those mistakes in the hopes that you won't make the same mistakes I made.Ready??? 1. I thought I had to listen really, really closely to my hunger and fullness cuesListening to your body is one thing. It's what we want! But listening obsessively? Not exactly what we want. And not exactly what is gonna lead to a better relationship with food.Here is the thing: after years of dieting, we usually feel REALLY out of control around food, so it makes sense that we assume that we need to pay extreme attention to every bite we take, and our exact level of hunger or fullness. The problem is, we don't trust ourselves or our bodies. We are still operating under the belief that our appetite has to be micromanaged. It actually doesn't.In the beginning of stepping away from diets, we are often extremely hungry, hungrier than we think is ok or healthy or rational. And we think it's a sign that we are out of control, and that our hunger needs to be curtailed. But actually, our hunger needs to be fed. Which brings me to.... 2. I thought I would immediately eat a small / "perfect" amount of foodAlong the same lines, I thought when I started 'eating intuitively' - I'd eat small, perfect intuitive amounts of food. But that is still diet culture. That is still making assumptions about how much we "should" need to eat. Guess what?!?! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

Today I'm sharing my chat with Annie, one of my very best friends from all the way back in High School. We talk about our disordered eating that started in high school, and how we got out of the diet cycle in our twenties. Annie also just had a baby and has things to say about toxic diet culture during pregnancy.Content Warning: Talk about disordered habits, disordered thoughts, and pregnancy weight gain amounts.Annie's current favorite pregnancy & post-partum accounts:@Drsterlingobgyn@drcassidy@mypelvicfloormuscles @ourmamavillage @prenatalyogacenter @karrie_locher @drnicolerankins@onestrongmamaprenatalAnnie also mentioned that if anyone has questions for her about pregnancy/post-partum, they can follow her private instagram @anniebmccarthy and DM her :-)***Sponsors:-TANYA MARK. Tanya is a non diet nutritionist, body image coach, and she’s professionally certified in Intuitive Eating and Eating Psychology. She gets it. It’s not easy ditching diet culture’s BS messages. And she has a plan for you. If you’re ready to ditch food guilt and body shame for good, grab her free guide: 5 Steps to Stop Feeling Crappy About Your Body & Make Eating Easy. Grab the free guide and get started today. And follow Tanya on Instagram!-SIDE BY SIDE NUTRITION. Side By Side’s dietitians work to empower people to become their own nutrition experts. Their team of health at every size and weight inclusive nutrition therapists work virtually all over the United States - and locally in Colorado. They work both individually with clients of all ages, genders, and diagnoses in addition to running ongoing online groups - including an IE and body image support group, meal support groups, Binge Eating Disorder Support Group, and Restorative Yoga.They put out free weekly content on their YouTube channel, blog, and instagram to help inspire your journey to a trusting and self-compassionate relationship with food and your body. They offer one on one nutrition and body image therapy to those who struggle with eating disorders, disordered eating, chronic dieting, they also take a variety of insurances including the large commercial insurance companies Cigna, Aetna, and United Healthcare. If you are ready work one-on-one, you can email contact@sidebysidenutrition.com or call 708-717-7394. sidebysidenutrition.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

Today I'm reading stories that were sent in by listeners, and answering some questions that were sent in!Just me and you babyyyyyyyy. Today's Sponsors:Alissa Rumsey is a registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor who empowers women to eat and live unapologetically. Her weight-inclusive private practice specializes in intuitive eating, body image healing, and disordered eating recovery with virtual 1:1 coaching, group programs, and online courses. She is also the author of the upcoming book, Unapologetic Eating. You can check out all of her offerings at alissarumsey.com or access her free guide: 5 steps to Getting Started with Intuitive Eating at http://alissarumsey.com/getstartedStefanie Michele -  A certified health coach and Mother of 3, Stefanie healed from binge eating and orthorexia after years of struggling (thanks in part to TFID) and now helps other people through the process as her job. She also specializes in helping women heal from long standing body image issues. Follow @iamstefaniemichele and go to iamstefaniemichele.com/get-started to get her Free Guide: Unsubscribe from diet culture). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

Today I chat with Casey Bonano, a dietitian specializing in eating disorders, about what to expect when you are in the early stages of re-feeding. For instance, what if someone eats a whole box of waffles?! Is that too much? We also focus on how to support a loved one who is healing their relationship with food, as well as how to talk to your loved ones if you are healing your relationship with food. *Instagram quick follows:Casey Bonano - @dallasnutritionalcounselingSide By Side Nutrition -@sidebysidenutritionKirsten Ackerman - @theintuitive_rdUnmeasured - @movementunmeasuredSimi Botic - @simibotic*Learn more about this episode's sponsors:SIDE BY SIDE NUTRITION. Side By Side’s dietitians work to empower people to become their own nutrition experts. Their team of health at every size and weight inclusive nutrition therapists work virtually all over the United States - and locally in Colorado. They put out free weekly content on their YouTube channel, blog, and instagram to help inspire your journey to a trusting and self-compassionate relationship with food and your body.They work both individually with clients of all ages, genders, and diagnoses in addition to running groups -including a body image group and binge eating group. They offer one on one nutrition and body image therapy to those who struggle with eating disorders, disordered eating, chronic dieting, they also take a variety of insurances including the large commercial insurance companies Cigna, Aetna, and United Healthcare. If you are ready work one-on-one, you can email contact@sidebysidenutrition.com or call 708-717-7394. sidebysidenutrition.comKIRTEN ACKERMAN, NON-DIET DIETITIAN. This episode is brought to you by Kirsten Ackerman, who was my guest on the April 12th episode where we talked about Weight Loss Surgery. Kirsten works virtually and can help guide you to restore trust in your body, attune to your own internal cues, and explore practices of body image healing. She is also the author of The Intuitive Eating Plan, host of the Intuitive Bites Podcast,  follow her on instagram @theintuitive_rd. Or go to theintuitiverd.com/UNMEASURED is a virtual monthly barre membership that trades the toxic diet culture BS for body celebration. For just $25 / month you get access to a virtual library of do-anywhere barre classes refreshed weekly, curated playlists, form + modification tutorials. UNMEASURED was created for you by barre instructor Simi Botic.  Free from shame and judgment, you can honor your body and enjoy a fun, intuitive relationship with movement. you can go to unmeasured.simibotic.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

Today I'm talking to my college best friend, Melanie Morgan. I met her freshman year when I was a raw vegan, and she tells the story of when we first met (and she thought I was nuts). And apparently, six years later, I also forced her to become paleo with me. I totally forgot that.In this episode we chat about mental health, my diets before The F*ck It Diet, and lots of other absurd things.You can find Melanie on instagram here, and Melanie's podcast with her husband and other friends at Have You Seen The Podcast!This episode's anti-diet sponsors!(In the very least, I recommend you follow them on social media and get their free content!)Side By Side NutritionFree Video Series: Weight Gain WTFThe #1 Thing stopping people from successfully Intuitive Eating? Fear of Weight Gain. If that's your fear around healing your relationship to food, you're not alone! The Body Love Society is offering a free 5 day video series called Weight Gain WTF! It will provide mindset shifts and tools for you to see past your fear of weight gain, and move forward in your journey to food and body freedom. You can access the video series for free at bit.ly/weightgainwtfLinda Tucker CoachingLinda Tucker is proud to call herself an Anti-Diet Coach, supporting people as they re-learn how to enjoy food and trust their body again. She has a specific interest in the nuances of how to stay on the non-diet path while also trying to manage chronic health issues.Keeping her coaching accessible and affordable, she offers virtual sessions to people all around the world. Linda has hosted multiple book clubs, including The F**k It Diet !!! - and she provides free consultations for anyone who may be curious, reach out and say hi at LindaTuckerCoaching.com !Lauren Redwine of Wellness with RedwineLauren is an anti-diet coach, and her mission is to challenge “wellness as usual” and give you some motherf*cking freedom.She received her health coaching certification back in 2013 from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and her Masters in Psychology in 2019.  She follows an Intuitive Eating, anti-diet approach with her clients.When Lauren was going through her health certification she tried diets, cleanses, and “healthy lifestyle” eating in order to live like she thought a health coach should. After each attempt to follow a plan she would inevitably find herself in a violent binging phase only to start a new diet plan all over again on Monday. Lauren felt extremely alone because NO ONE was talking about this, especially in the health & wellness world.But she has since found freedom -- and can help you get there too. In Lauren’s 1:1 coaching program, she helps health-conscious entrepreneurs: lose the obsession with food & gain freedom, stop the diet-binge cycle, learn how to connect to & trust their bodies again, and separate their self-worth from their appearance.If you are interested in learning more about Lauren's work, you can find her on Instagram @wellnesswithredwine or sign up for her newsletter at laurenredwine.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

Is bingeing the same thing as Binge Eating Disorder? (No, not exactly.)Does Binge Eating Disorder require restriction to treat? (NO.)Is bingeing a response to physical and/or mental restriction? (YES.)Can trauma/emotions/anxiety cause Binge Eating Disorder without the presence of restriction?? (Yes! However it is extremely rare in our culture for restriction/guilt to not ALSO enter the picture after the fact, and therein lies the importance of addressing restriction, even if and when it isn’t the cause.)The line between disordered eating (bingeing) and Binge Eating Disorder is blurred, just like it is for all disordered eating/eating disorders.People binge in response to restriction, and they binge in response to trauma, anxiety, or difficult emotions. The important thing to remember though, is even if restriction isn’t the main cause of your bingeing, it is probably a big piece of it, just because of the culture we live in. Addressing restriction is extremely important, along with any other emotional/trauma-based treatment.Anyone with an active eating disorder should be getting treatment, and The F*ck It Diet is just a supplement.(Note: This particle post is associated with an episode that I recorded on August 1st, 2020, responding to a disgruntled instagram follower who was angry that I was “ignoring binge eating disorder” in my instagram posts, and saying that I imply that all binge eating disorder is a response to restriction. To get the full drama, (anonymous) angry comments and DMs, the accusations of being unethical and predatory, and my full response, listen to the episode above. For the purposes of this post, I am going to distill it down to discussing the nuance of bingeing vs. BED.)The first and most important thing I want people to know about bingeing, is that when it is in response to calorie restriction, it is the body's attempt to protect you against past and future famine. In a very basic sense: it is protective. And if you've tried to diet a lot, whether you were "successful" or not it is also going to be a response to diet thoughts. That's an example of what people mean when they say: "mental" restriction. Restriction doesn't have to be literal and physical (ie, less calories), it can just be mental guilt, rules, or diet ideation.A LOT of our collective bingeing is because of our collective dieting, and out collective diet culture. The question then becomes, is that all? Do we binge for other reasons?To make sure I've covered my bases, I consulted Casey Bonano, CEDRD-S to weigh in on bingeing vs Binge Eating Disorder (BED). She is a Dietitian specializing in Eating Disorders, an anti-diet approach, HAES, & Intuitive Eating. You can follow her on instagram here, and find her Food Freedom Guide here.Here is Casey’s breakdown of the difference between bingeing and Binge Eating Disorder:“Bingeing is usually based on restriction, and with incorporating all foods, some self reflection, and general coping skills it can be resolved. BED is more complex and will take a deeper dive into the psychological or emotional components, usually requiring mental health professions such as a therapist and a dietitian, but restriction (whether physical or mental) is often a component of BED as well and must first be addressed or ruled out before the emotional work can be done.”There are people who believe that avoiding binge trigger foods is the way to treat Binge Eating Disorder, along with addressing the emotional/mental components of BED. I do not consider this a full recovery, as it uses restriction as a treatment. This is treating one eating disorder with another eating disorder. This will tend to backfire longer term, or just be manifested as restrictive disordered eating. When people claim that avoiding binge foods is how they “recovered” – I would never tell them that their lived experience isn’t valid, people should do what they feel is working for them, This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

Welcome to this non-episode episode where I talk about how I am doing not-that-great during month 4 of this quarantine, how me and my soul are boiling alive, and share some inspiring listener stories with you.If you want to send in your own stories for the podcast, please send them to podcast@carolinedooner.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

Common question: "So you say that restricting food causes food fixation, what about alcohol? Should I stop restricting it?"The answer isn't straight forward, but the short answer is: food and alcohol are different beasts.So, today I'm sharing my conversation with Amanda White, LPC. This one is about alcohol culture, disordered drinking, and the overlap it can have with diet culture and our relationship with food. This episode, and my perspective, is not anti-alcohol. I am hoping we can all have curiosity around our relationship with alcohol (and everything, really!) And this conversation may be helpful to reflect on your own relationship with alcohol, and our culture's relationship with alcohol too!Follow Amanda White on Instagram!Therapy For Women Website This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

Hello! Here is an erratic and haphazard Q&A! Just what you've always wished for!The F**k It Diet book club is only enrolling for a few more days, check out the details here!And this is the link I promised during the Q&A This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

Listen this Q&A! That's all I have to say This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

Let's talk about bariatric surgery/weight loss surgery! Today I am chatting with registered dietitian Kirsten Ackerman, who specializes in intuitive eating and health at every size, who also used to work with patients who had a bariatric surgery.We talk about lots of risks and common experiences that people who have undergone bariatric surgery experience. We also talk about how now, during this pandemic, is a really hard time for people to begin healing their relationship with food, and why!I also talk about my new quarantine activity: watching all the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and watching every Sebastian Stan interview. A Sebastian Stan Stan, if you will.Show Notes:00: HELLO YOU COOL CATS AND KITTENS2:40 My chat with Kirsten Ackerman on intuitive eating weight loss surgery.Follow Kirsten on instagram!Kirsten's website and podcast!28:45 Reading two listener emails!37:57 EFT Tapping / Energy Work43:19 Rambling about tiny head concert series, marvel, and how I'm reverting to old coping mechanisms of living in a fantasy life during quarantine. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

This is a bonus episode! Today is a shorter little minisode where I talk about letting go of the unnecessary shoulds during this weird time (like: I gave myself permission NOT to do this bonus episode... but...), plus I read some listener emails and answer two questions.I'll be back next week with a full episode!Sign up for free book bonuses and ::5 Tools Workshop:: on April 17th! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com

We are talking about both type 1 and type 2. Did you know that sugar does not cause diabetes? Not even type 2? Did you know that weight gain does not cause diabetes either? Did you know that the issue with diabetes is that your cells aren't getting sugar, not that you shouldn't eat sugar?Today I'm talking to dietitian and diabetes expert Lauren Newman RD, LD, and busting lots of unhelpful myths about diabetes.In the episode we also break down the difference between type 1 and type 2, but debunk a lot of blame that people with type 2 get.Type 2 is caused by metabolic factors, often genetic or chronic stress related - it’s a dysfunction of the way the body metabolizes sugar. And/or insulin resistance, which means the cells aren’t getting sugar even though it’s in the blood stream. But our cells need sugar to keep us alive. Insulin resistance is not caused by consumption of carbs or sugar or (or higher weight). There are lots and lots fo reasons people might have insulin resistance, one of them, is yo-yo dieting and weight cycling. The other important thing to remember, is that Type 2 diabetes it can and does exist in thin people and people who eat an objectively “healthy diet.”Conversely, lots and lots of people eat a lot of sugar and never get diabetes. People blame it on the carbs or sugar, but it’s the underlying conditions in the first place. Another example, is that exercise is good for insulin resistance, with or without weight loss, but if people start to exercise and lose weight, and their symptoms improve, weight loss tends to gets the credit, when exercise should be getting the credit.Blaming sugar is easy, but it is still missing the mark, and is an oversimplification that can also make people dysfunctional with food which ironically, can exacerbate insulin resistance all on its own.Listen to episode for way more context from Lauren! Show notes:00: Lots of rambling housekeeping today, you can fast forward and here is the gist: The F*ck It Diet Book Club is coming up and if you've read the book, I'm releasing a free Workshop on The 5 Tools, sign up to be sent the free workshop here.8:45 Reading listener emails about TFID + Quarantine Silver Linings. Send yours to podcast@carolinedooner.com16:48 My convo with Lauren Newman! Be sure to follow her on instagram at @gofeedyourself_47:56 More listener emails! Plus Tiger King and RHOCPodcast Sponsor: Better Help! Get 10% off of your first month of online counseling at betterhelp.com/tfid and use code TFID. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefuckitdiet.substack.com