Shoulders Down

Leah Kern
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  • Nutrition
  • Updated weekly

When you live in the diet mindset, you spend much of your time living in your head- constantly tallying, dwelling, and stressing over your food and lifestyle choices. When you become an intuitive eater, you learn to drop into your body and start living shoulders down. The territory below your shoulders contains your innate wisdom and power. Shoulders Down is a podcast designed to teach you how to harness your intuition to govern not just how you eat but also how you live. Shoulders Down Podcast is hosted by Anti-Diet Dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Leah Kern, who works with clients to heal their relationships with food in her private practice, Leah Kern Nutrition. Disclaimer: All content in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. The information and education provided is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis.

  1. 3 days ago

    📊 The Weight Loss Research Nobody Talks About with Ragen Chastain

    In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with Ragen Chastain, speaker, researcher, board-certified patient advocate, and leading voice in the fields of weight science, weight stigma, and healthcare. Ragen shares her personal journey from years of chronic dieting and an eating disorder to becoming a weight-inclusive health advocate. She explains what happened when she conducted an extensive review of the weight loss literature and discovered that the evidence did not support many of the claims she had been taught to believe. Together, Leah and Ragen explore the intersection of weight science, healthcare, and stigma, unpacking why weight-inclusive care is an evidence-based approach and how weight-centered healthcare can create harm for patients in larger bodies. You’ll hear about: Ragen's experience with dieting, weight cycling, and eating disorder recoveryCommon misconceptions about weight science and healthcareThe impact of weight stigma on patient careHow Ragen became involved in fat activism and weight-inclusive healthcare advocacyWhat healthcare providers often get wrong about weight and healthThe growing influence of GLP-1 medications and how they are being marketedMore From Ragen: Newsletter: Weight and HealthcareHealth at Every Size® Health SheetsBlog: Dances With FatInstagram: @ragenchastainMore From Leah: 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.Send me a voice message on SpeakpipeEmail me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

    1hr 4min

  2. 8 Jun

    ✌️Responding To Hate Comments From The Jillian Michaels Debate

    In this episode, I respond to and unpack some of the most common comments I received after the viral Jillian Michaels vs. Body Positivity debate video was published. I’ll be honest: it took me a long time to record this episode. Reading through hostile and misinformed comments is unpleasant. But I ultimately decided this conversation was worth having, because the comments reveal deep misunderstandings about weight, health, and what ethical nutrition care actually looks like. In this episode, I cover: Why I said that I believe its unethical to encourage  weight los ( and how this differs from judging people who choose to pursue weight loss.The flawed assumption that a dietitian’s role is to control someone’s body sizeWhy weight is not a measure of healthThe criticism I received from fellow dietitians and why this hurt the mostMentioned in the episode: Behind the Scenes of the "Jillian Michaels vs Body Positivity" Debate with Edie StarkWe Watched The Jillian Michaels Debate Back... And Had Thoughts with Edie StarkUnpacking the Viral Jubilee Body Positivity Debate with Marcy GuevaraYou're Not Wrong For Desiring Weight Loss 5 Reasons Why Your Weight Doesn't Determine Your Health

    31 min

  3. 25 May

    🌞 Intuitive Eating 5 Years Later: Parts Work, Group Fitness, & Cycle Syncing with Lizzie

    In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah reconnects with former client Lizzie Marks for a conversation about what intuitive eating looks like five years later — and how healing your relationship with food can ripple into every area of life. Lizzie shares how her early intuitive eating journey began with swinging fully away from rigid food rules and exercise habits, and how she eventually found her way toward a more nuanced middle ground with movement, nutrition, and self-trust. Together, Leah and Lizzie explore how concepts from Internal Family Systems (IFS) and parts work have helped Lizzie navigate the return of old diet thoughts without fear or shame. They also discuss how Lizzie now approaches group fitness, movement, and food choices with more flexibility, nuance, and an ongoing commitment to trusting her intuition around food and body. You’ll hear about: What intuitive eating looks like for Lizzie in the early stages vs. nowHow intuitive eating can impact decision-making in other areas of lifeReclaiming exercise classes and fitness challenges from diet cultureUsing parts work and IFS to navigate lingering diet thoughtsIntegrating cycle-syncing and how even that requires an intuitive approachWhat Lizzie is focused on as she continues her intuitive eating journeyMore From Leah: 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.Send me a voice message on SpeakpipeEmail me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

    28 min

  4. 11 May

    🧠 ADHD, Body Image & Intuitive Eating: Making Sense of the Overlap with Brittany Modell

    In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with Brittany Modell to explore the nuanced relationship between ADHD, body image, and eating behaviors — and how neurodivergence can shape our experience with food in ways that are often misunderstood. Brittany shares her personal story growing up immersed in diet culture, from early Weight Watchers meetings to navigating a lifelong sense of feeling “out of control” around food. Together, she and Leah unpack how ADHD can intensify food thoughts, disrupt hunger and fullness cues, and complicate traditional approaches to intuitive eating. This conversation brings much-needed compassion and clarity to the intersection of neurodivergence and anti-diet work — offering a perspective that moves beyond willpower and into understanding. You’ll hear about: How growing up in diet culture shapes early food and body beliefsThe connection between ADHD and constant thoughts about foodWhy traditional nutrition advice often falls short for neurodivergent peopleHow impulsivity, dopamine-seeking, and structure impact eating patternsWhat a more supportive, individualized approach to food can look likeMentioned in this episode: 16 Satisfying Trader Joe’s Snack Ideas From An Intuitive Eating Dietitian🌵7 Unpopular Takes on Intuitive Eating & Body ImageMore From Brittany: Website: www.brittanymodellrd.comInstagram & TikTok: @nofoodfearsBlog: Why ADHD Makes Body Image More ComplicatedMore From Leah: 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.Send me a voice message on SpeakpipeEmail me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

    44 min

  5. 27 Apr

    🏃‍♀️ Extractive vs. Regenerative Movement: Reframing Your Relationship with Running with Karly Borden

    In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with Karly Borden, founder of The Public Run Club, to explore what it really looks like to rebuild a relationship with running after disordered eating. Karly shares her personal story of navigating eating disorder recovery and the often-overlooked challenge of returning to exercise in a way that feels safe, grounded, and self-trust-driven. Together, they unpack the tension between discipline and intuition, and why so many people feel stuck in the “murky middle” of movement — not fully disordered, but not fully free either. Leah and Karly also dive into Karly’s Intuitive Athlete Cycle, a powerful framework for approaching movement in a sustainable, non-extractive way that honors the body’s natural rhythms rather than forcing constant progress. You’ll hear about: Karly’s personal journey with running, disordered eating, and recoveryWhy movement is often the missing piece in eating disorder recoveryThe difference between extractive vs. regenerative movementHow to approach fitness goals without slipping into disordered patternsKarly’s Intuitive Athlete Cycle and how it supports sustainable movementPractical tools for tuning into your body before, during, and after exerciseMentioned in the Episode: 🎢 My Story (unfiltered, the whole saga)🏃‍♀️ Disordered Eating in the Running Community with Serena MarieMore from Karly: Website: https://www.thepublicrunclub.comInstagram: @thepublicrunclubKind and Consistent Jump Start Waitlist: https://thepublicrunclub.com/kcjsMore From Leah: 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.Send me a voice message on SpeakpipeEmail me: Leah@leahkernrd.com📚 Sources 📚 On the body as a site of self-trust: Inspired by Caldwell, C., & Leighton, L. B. (Eds.). (2018). Oppression and the Body: Roots, Resistance, and Resolutions. North Atlantic Books.On the hypothetical gaze, body-object, and eating disorders emerging in puberty: McBride, H. L. (2019). “Embodiment and Body Image: Relating and Exploring Constructs.” In H. L. McBride & J. L. Kwee (Eds.), Embodiment and Eating Disorders: Theory, Research, Prevention and Treatment. Routledge.

    1hr 3min

  6. 13 Apr

    🔄 Transfer Addiction: When Substance Recovery Shifts Into Orthorexia with Sydney Greene

    In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with certified eating disorder specialist Sydney Greene, to explore the overlap between disordered eating and substance use. Sydney shares her personal story of growing up around addiction, developing orthorexia, and later navigating sobriety — only to find her compulsive behaviors shifting toward exercise, clean eating, and wellness. Leah and Sydney unpack how addiction and disordered eating often co-occur, why recovery isn’t always linear, and how socially praised behaviors can mask deeper struggles. Together, they discuss the concept of transfer addiction, how one compulsive behavior can replace another, and why healing requires addressing the underlying unmet needs — not just the behavior itself. ⚠️ Content Warning ⚠️ This episode includes discussion of substance use, addiction, suicidal thoughts, and grief. Listener discretion is advised. You’ll hear about: Sydney’s personal story with substance use and disordered eatingWhat “transfer addiction” means and how it shows up in recoveryWhy sobriety can sometimes intensify disordered eating behaviorsWhy intuitive eating may not be appropriate early in addiction recoveryThe overlap between orthorexia, compulsive exercise, and addictionMentioned in this episode: 🥗 Orthorexia: When “Healthy" Eating Becomes Dangerous🧗‍♀️Wellness Culture in Mountain Towns with Katie Campbell🥛 Proteinification, Pilates, Glucose Monitors & The Wellness Trends That Shaped 2025💰Are You Binge Spending? Where Budget Culture Meets Diet Culture with Rachel Duncan More From Sydney Website: sydneygreenehealth.comInstagram: @greenehealthMore From Leah: 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.Send me a voice message on SpeakpipeEmail me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

    52 min

  7. 30 Mar

    📺 Unpacking the Viral Jubilee Body Positivity Debate with Marcy Guevara

    In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with plus-size style expert and reality TV producer Marcy Guevara-Prete to reflect on their experience participating in a viral Jubilee debate with fitness personality Jillian Michaels. Leah and Marcy unpack what it was like to engage in a highly charged, public conversation about body positivity, health, and weight — and how lived experience, media framing, and personal values shaped their perspectives in the moment and afterward. Marcy shares her journey from lifelong dieting to body acceptance and fat liberation, her nuanced perspective on health and movement, and the unexpected ways the debate impacted her own relationship with her body. ⚠️ Content Warning ⚠️ This episode includes discussion of weight stigma, diet culture, disordered eating, trauma, and intentional weight loss. It also includes nuanced and potentially conflicting perspectives on body positivity and health that may feel activating for some listeners. Please listen with care and take what serves you. You’ll hear about: What it was like to participate in the Jubilee debate with Jillian MichaelsHow reality-style media formats shape conversations about body and healthThe role of lived experience vs. scientific “evidence” in discussions of weightWhy shame, fear, and guilt are not sustainable motivators for changeThe tension between diet culture and finding a personal middle groundMentioned in this Episode: Surrounded Debate with Jillian Michaels (watch with caution)Is Body Positivity Disempowering? Follow-up ft Jillian Michaels and Marcy (watch with caution)🍫 Can You Be Addicted To Food?🌙 Fat & Beautiful: Unpacking Thin Privilege & Anti-Fat Bias with Debbie SaroufimNational Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA)More From Marcy: Instagram: @themarcyminuteWebsite: http://www.marcyguevara.com/Boutique: Perfect 10 Plus (Los Angeles)Mobile Boutique: The Plus BusMore From Leah: 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.Send me a voice message on SpeakpipeEmail me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

    1hr 5min

  8. 24 Mar

    🤔 We Watched The Jillian Michaels Debate Back... And Had Thoughts [with Edie Stark, LCSW]

    In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with therapist Edie Stark, LCSW, to discuss their thoughts on the final edit of the Jillian Michaels x Body Positivity debate.  Leah and Edie reflect on what they thought of the edit, how it felt to watch the video back (after experiencing it in real time a few months ago), and what frustrated them about the final video. Mentioned in this episode: First episode reflecting with Edie (before we saw the final edit)Watch the Debate Here! More From Edie Stark: Instagram: @ediestarktherapyTherapy Practice: Stark Therapy GroupConsulting & Media: ediestark.comMore From Leah: 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.Send me a voice message on SpeakpipeEmail me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

    32 min
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About

When you live in the diet mindset, you spend much of your time living in your head- constantly tallying, dwelling, and stressing over your food and lifestyle choices. When you become an intuitive eater, you learn to drop into your body and start living shoulders down. The territory below your shoulders contains your innate wisdom and power. Shoulders Down is a podcast designed to teach you how to harness your intuition to govern not just how you eat but also how you live. Shoulders Down Podcast is hosted by Anti-Diet Dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Leah Kern, who works with clients to heal their relationships with food in her private practice, Leah Kern Nutrition. Disclaimer: All content in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. The information and education provided is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis.

Information

  • Creator
    Leah Kern
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    142
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Shoulders Down
  • Show Website
    Shoulders Down

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