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• Rebirth through letting go of outdated roles and labels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!

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

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