In this episode, the Food Shrinks—Molly C., Molly P., and Clarissa—gear up to combat the "diet culture vultures" that descend during the New Year season. They discuss empowering listeners to reclaim their role as the solution to their challenges rather than falling victim to shame-based marketing tactics. This conversation is packed with insights into navigating January's pressures with mindfulness, self-compassion, and an emphasis on long-term recovery.

Key Takeaways:
🔥"You're Not the Problem" Mantra: Shift the narrative—you're not the problem; you're the solution.
🔥Avoiding Shame-Based Marketing: Recognize when urgency or fear tactics are being used to manipulate you. YOUR healing is not for sale; recovery isn’t about dependency on a single program or coach.
🔥The Power of Mindful Choices: Making decisions from a grounded place, rather than in states of shame, fear, or urgency, leads to sustainable recovery.
🔥Understanding the Brain and Nervous System: Trauma responses like fight, flight, and appease can cloud judgment. Regular self-care practices, such as mindfulness and peer support, help regulate these responses.
🔥Recovery is Personal: Growth requires evolving tools and practices. What worked years ago might not be what you need today. Stay curious about your changing needs.

Listener Challenge:
As you face the tidal wave of New Year’s diet marketing, ask yourself:
🔥"Does this program enhance me as the solution?"
🔥"Am I buying this out of fear or empowerment?"
🔥"What do I truly want for myself this year?"

Molly C.'s Pro Tip:
"If it’s urgent, it’s not wisdom." Take your time and trust your inner guidance.

Quotes from the Episode:
🔥"Your healing is not for sale." – Clarissa
🔥"Their urgency is not your emergency." – Clarissa
🔥"When we make decisions in a dysregulated state, we lose the thread." – Molly C.

Connect with the Food Shrinks:
Have questions or stories about navigating diet culture vultures? Share them with us!
📧 Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
We’ll incorporate your stories and questions into upcoming episodes and YouTube content. Let’s face the January frenzy together—empowered and awake!

Subscribe & Share:
Love this episode? Don’t forget to like, comment, and share with friends. See you next week!
Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
Website: www.foodshrinks.com
Instagram: @foodshrinks

In this heartfelt and thought-provoking episode, your hosts, Molly Painschab, Molly Carmel, and Clarissa Kennedy, dive into the topic of 12-step programs and their role in food addiction recovery. This conversation explores their diverse experiences with 12-step recovery, its benefits, challenges, and alternatives, offering valuable insights for anyone navigating their own path to healing.

Key Takeaways from the Episode

🩷Personal Experiences with 12-Step: Molly Carmel shares her transformative journey through OA (Overeaters Anonymous), from initial skepticism to finding a foundation for her spirituality and emotional recovery. Meanwhile, Clarissa Kennedy reflects on how her experience with AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) differed, highlighting challenges like shame and fear-mongering but also discussing how she found support in alternative recovery programs like Women for Sobriety and Monument.

🩷The Power of Community: All three hosts agree on the vital importance of community in recovery, whether through 12-step programs or other support networks. They emphasize the value of finding what works best for each individual.

🩷Trusting Yourself in Recovery: This episode tackles balancing outside advice with self-trust. The hosts discuss the importance of listening to your inner wisdom while navigating the complexities of recovery programs.

🩷Finding the Right Fit: Whether exploring different meetings, seeking out supportive sponsors, or finding alternative programs, the hosts encourage listeners to stay curious and keep searching until they find the right recovery environment.

🩷Practical Advice for Recovery: From learning tolerance and humility to understanding the neurobiology of addiction, this episode is packed with actionable advice for those in any stage of their recovery journey.

Episode Highlights

🩷Molly Carmel’s candid story of reluctantly joining OA and how it became the foundation for her spiritual and emotional recovery.

🩷Clarissa’s experience of leaving AA and finding healing in alternative programs felt more compassionate and empowering.

🩷The hosts’ discussion on the pitfalls of diet culture infiltrating food-based recovery groups and the importance of rejecting shame-based approaches.

🩷Practical advice for interviewing sponsors, navigating challenging recovery environments, and staying open to new possibilities.

We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts on this episode, and let us know what topics you'd like us to cover next.

Please email us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com. We’re here to support you on your recovery journey.

🩷Stay Connected
Follow The Food Shrinks for more insights, personal stories, and expert advice on food addiction recovery. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review—it helps us reach more listeners like you!

Resources Mentioned
🩷Overeaters Anonymous (OA)
🩷Women for Sobriety
🩷Monument: An online recovery community for alcohol addiction
🩷Sweet Sobriety: A supportive community for food addiction recovery

Tune in, stay curious, and remember—you’re not alone on this journey. Let’s recover together!

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
Website: www.foodshrinks.com
Instagram: @foodshrinks

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

Ever wondered whether stepping on the scale supports or sabotages your food recovery? This week on Food Shrinks, we're tackling this tricky topic head-on! Today, the Shrinks discuss the complexities of weighing oneself during recovery, the potential triggers, and the importance of tailoring recovery to individual needs.

Key discussions include:
🔥The dangers of focusing on weight loss over recovery.
🔥How scales can act as triggers and distractions for those in recovery.
🔥The power of spiritual and emotional growth in stabilizing recovery.
🔥Understanding recovery non-negotiables for long-term success.

Takeaways:
🔥Recovery over weight loss: Focusing solely on weight can undermine recovery. Prioritize healing and stability.
🔥The role of the scale: Weighing oneself can be helpful but must be approached with caution, neutrality, and clear intent.
🔥Patience with weight stalls: A stall in weight loss may require patience, medical intervention, or acceptance—it’s a journey, not a race.
🔥Tailored recovery: Every individual's journey is unique; avoid cookie-cutter solutions and work with an experienced practitioner.
🔥Self-care is key: Regular routines, mindfulness, and support systems are essential to maintaining recovery and mental health.
🔥Recovery non-negotiables: Identify daily practices that keep you grounded and focused on long-term healing.

We want to hear from you! Do you weigh yourself as part of your recovery, or have you let go of the scale? Please share your thoughts, questions, and recovery stories with us at asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com. Your feedback inspires our future episodes!

📩 Connect with us: Do you have ideas for future topics? Please send us an email or comment on our social platforms. Let’s continue the conversation together!

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Please stay connected for more honest conversations about recovery, tools, and hope.

Email: asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com
Website: www.foodshrinks.com
Instagram: @foodshrinks
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EURgLlAddwE

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.