Body image is complex, deeply personal, and tangled up in a lifetime of cultural, familial, and social messages. And newsflash—changing your body won’t magically deliver the love, confidence, and belonging you’re hoping for. If it did, then everyone with a so-called “ideal” body would be living in bliss, right?

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. 

In this episode, we cut through the jargon and get real about why BMI and weight-centric health advice might be doing more harm than good. Dr. Gordon shares her experiences, both personal and professional, that led her to ditch the "lose weight" script and actually listen to her patients. Spoiler: turns out, telling someone in a larger body to “just lose weight” is about as helpful as reminding them to drink water.

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.

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?

We’re talking about the age-old dilemma: caring way too much about what others think. And guess what? It’s not about magically not caring—because, spoiler alert, that’s just not human. Instead, we’re going to explore how to care in a way that doesn’t consume you and helps you navigate those tricky situations without becoming a people-pleasing puddle or a self-doubting wreck. 

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. 

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.

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.

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? We’ve all heard people throw the word “addiction” around casually, right? Like, "I'm addicted to coffee," or,  "I’m addicted to this podcast" (which, let’s be real, you probably are). But what happens when we start talking about it in the context of serious eating disorders? That’s where things get a bit sticky. Spoiler: This isn’t the food addiction conversation.

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.

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?