Food, Body and Beyond – Details, episodes & analysis

Body image struggles commonly coincide with issues around food, with 93% of women struggling with some level of body image dissatisfaction.

In this episode, I read an excerpt from my book, No Apologies, and give you some tips on how to deal with body image challenges.

Sign up for the Embody You workshop here

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How I can support you:

Want to know if you have a healthy relationship with food? Take the 2-min quiz here.

Did you know I have a book, that teaches you how to ditch diet culture and rebuild your relationship with food? Find out more about my book here

Interested in working with me? Find out more about working with me and book a free discovery call here

My guest on the show today is Grace Alice Ó Sé, a sex and intimacy specialist and author from Kerry, Ireland. She is deeply passionate about playing her part in making Ireland a more sex-positive, sex-literate nation – one where we can talk honestly and without shame about ALL aspects of sexuality. Sex is a very intimate and private part of our lives, and body image issues often coincide with struggles around sex or intimacy, which we get into in this episode, along with:

• An intro to Grace and why she does what she does today

• The discomfort and shame that often arises when speaking about sex and how to move past this

• What holds people back from addressing sexual issues

• Addressing sex and intimacy issues as a couple

• The intersection between sex, intimacy and body image issues

• The body image issues Grace sees impacting women’s sex lives

• The value of embodiment and sensuality in helping us connect with pleasure

• Using food as a way to express pleasure

• The role of self-pleasure in improving confidence

• The pressure to look ‘perfect’ to satisfy your partner

• Body changes and sex

Grace's website

Grace's Instagram

Grace's podcast

Sign up for the Embody You workshop here

______

How I can support you:

Want to know if you have a healthy relationship with food? Take the 2-min quiz here.

Did you know I have a book, that teaches you how to ditch diet culture and rebuild your relationship with food? Find out more about my book here

Interested in working with me? Find out more about working with me and book a free discovery call here

This week, in another real-life, unscripted nutrition counselling session, I speak with a woman who is struggling to integrate a regular and consistent exercise routine into her life. 

Exercise for her has always been associated with diet plans and losing weight, or has been used as a stick to beat herself with after she ‘fell off the wagon’. She has a desire to change that but is fearful that she’ll fall into old habits and is unsure how to go about this change.

Fancy some free nutrition counselling? If you're struggling with something you'd like to get my support with, put yourself forward for a future 'In Session' episode by emailing me on nutritionwithniamh@gmail.com 

How I can support you:

Want to know if you have a healthy relationship with food? Take the 2-min quiz here.

Did you know I have a book, that teaches you how to ditch diet culture and rebuild your relationship with food? Find out more about my book here

Interested in working with me? Find out more about working with me here

Food and body image issues affect men too, but the male perspective often isn't heard.

Today's guest, James O'Hagan, a queer activist, Champions Manager for LGBT Ireland, and radio host at Dublin City FM, tells us his body story.

We speak about:

• James’ fat shaming experience at Dublin Pride
• How to deal with fatphobia
• The power of softness within activism
• James’ personal story around food and body image
• His journey of becoming his authentic self
• How he improved his body image
• What helped him to live more authentically and unapologetically
• His advice to others who struggle with their relationship with food and their bodies

How I can support you:

Want to know if you have a healthy relationship with food? Take the 2-min quiz here.

Did you know I have a book, that teaches you how to ditch diet culture and rebuild your relationship with food? Find out more about my book here

Interested in working with me? Find out more about working with me here

Bariatric surgery, the surgical intervention for weight loss, can feel like a necessary, last-ditch attempt for many people. But what are the implications? In today’s episode, fellow nutrition professional Aoife McMahon and I discuss this and more. 

We speak about:

• Aoife’s experience working as a bariatric dietitian 

• The different types of bariatric surgery 

• How bariatric surgery may affect one's relationship with food

• Going abroad for bariatric surgery and the concerns surrounding this

• The benefits of specialist, weight-inclusive nutrition and/or psychological support if considering bariatric surgery

• The interconnectedness between trauma and the desire for weight loss

• The potential risks associated with bariatric surgery

• How bariatric surgery may complicate an already disordered relationship with food

• The dietary changes that are required pre and post-surgery

Aoife, AKA thatirishdietitian, is a specialist in the weight-inclusive field, with a unique background as an ex-weight loss dietitian. Aoife aims to help you move beyond a world of scales and food obsession, embrace life with confidence, and be at peace with your body. Aoife currently offers one-to-one counselling, blending nutritional expertise and therapeutically informed approaches to help you achieve your most radical food & body freedom dreams.

Disclaimer: Please note that the content of today's discussion is for general information purposes only and does not constitute individual medical or dietetic advice.

P.S. This episode is not a place where Aoife or I will be shaming anyone who is considering bariatric surgery or has undergone it in the past. Education and informed consent are very important when making a decision about your health. This episode aims to support you in that so that you can do what's best for you.

How I can support you:

Want to know if you have a healthy relationship with food? Take the 2-min quiz here.

Did you know I have a book, that teaches you how to ditch diet culture and rebuild your relationship with food? Find out more about my book here

Interested in working with me? Find out more about working with me here

This week, in another real-life, unscripted nutrition counselling session, I speak with a woman who feels stuck in a cycle of self-deprecating, conflicting thoughts about food and her body.

Her partner has recently lost a lot of weight and this has triggered some doubts about herself and her own body. As our session evolved, we discovered the emotional needs that food is fulfilling and how she might go about lessening her dependency on food by attuning to her inner expert.

Book into the Setting Sustainable Wellness Goals Workshop here

How I can support you:

Want to know if you have a healthy relationship with food? Take the 2-min quiz here.

Did you know I have a book, that teaches you how to ditch diet culture and rebuild your relationship with food? Find out more about my book here

Interested in working with me? Find out more about working with me here

When the New Year hits, it comes with a lot of diet culture BS. This can be incredibly difficult for those who struggle with food, weight or body image. 

In this episode, I share five New Year reminders that I know so many of you will need to hear. 

Book into the Setting Sustainable Wellness Goals Workshop here

How I can support you:

Want to know if you have a healthy relationship with food? Take the 2-min quiz here.

Did you know I have a book, that teaches you how to ditch diet culture and rebuild your relationship with food? Find out more about my book here

Interested in working with me? Find out more about working with me here

The Christmas period can be challenging for those who struggle with food or body image. 

In this episode, I share five tips to keep in mind that will help you navigate the festive season.

Thank you so much for listening to the Food, Body and Beyond podcast this year!

See you in 2024,

Niamh

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Want to join my 'Yin-To the New Year' yin yoga and journalling workshop at the end of the month? Learn more here.

How I can support you:

Want to know if you have a healthy relationship with food? Take the 2-min quiz here.

Did you know I have a book, that teaches you how to ditch diet culture and rebuild your relationship with food? Find out more about my book here

Interested in working with me? Find out more about working with me here

Today I speak with a woman who feels like her eating is chaotic and out of control. She has struggled with anorexia in the past and is now struggling with binge eating. Her attempts to get a handle on her issues with food have led her down many different paths, but she feels lost as to what her next step should be. This episode demonstrates that struggles with food may be about much more than the food itself.

These new ‘In Session’ podcast episodes feature people who need support with their relationship with food, body image, or nutrition. Think of it like listening in on a real-life, once-off, nutrition counselling session. They feature real-life people with real-life problems and real-life questions.

How I can support you:

Want to know if you have a healthy relationship with food? Take the 2-min quiz here.

Did you know I have a book, that teaches you how to ditch diet culture and rebuild your relationship with food? Find out more about my book here

Interested in working with me? Find out more about working with me here

Weight loss injections. They’re everywhere. But are they the answer? In today’s episode, fellow nutrition professional Aoife McMahon and I discuss this and more. 

We speak about:

• Why Aoife moved from a weight-centric to a weight-inclusive approach

• What weight loss injections are

• Whether or not this medication results in long-term weight loss

• The potential risks and side effects of weight-loss injections

• The potential impact on one’s relationship with food

• Whether or not they improve health outcomes

• Some critiques and thoughts around what needs to change when it comes to weight ‘issues’

This episode is not a place where Aoife or I will be shaming anyone who is considering weight-loss injections, has taken them in the past or is currently taking them. Education and informed consent are very important when making a decision about your health. This episode aims to support you in that so that you can do what's best for you.

Aoife, AKA thatirishdietitian, is a specialist in the weight-inclusive field, with a unique background as an ex-weight loss dietitian. Aoife aims to help you move beyond a world of scales and food obsession, embrace life with confidence, and be at peace with your body. Aoife currently offers one-to-one counselling, blending nutritional expertise and therapeutically informed approaches to help you achieve your most radical food & body freedom dreams.

Disclaimer: Please note that the content of today's discussion is for general information purposes only and does not constitute individual medical or dietetic advice.

How I can support you:

Want to know if you have a healthy relationship with food? Take the 2-min quiz here.

Did you know I have a book, that teaches you how to ditch diet culture and rebuild your relationship with food? Find out more about my book here

Interested in working with me? Find out more about working with me here