5 DAYS AGO

7 No BS Tips to Not Binge Over the Holidays

This week on the pod I’m sharing some REAL tips on how you can enjoy your holiday season completely free from the urge to binge. I know it might sound too good to be true, and you’ve probably already tried a million things to not act on the urge to binge. My approach is different. It’s not about finding ways to NOT eat when that urge hits. It’s about getting to the root cause and eliminating the urge all together. If you started binge eating after losing weight or getting fit - this episode is for you. The 7 tips are: #1: Start disordered eating recovery NOW (this is going to involve actually acknowledging you HAVE disordered eating and that the solution is not to just “have more willpower”) In the podcast episode - I define what recovery means in depth. But basically, it involves 3 steps: Letting go of control over your weight Giving yourself permission to eat Giving yourself permission to rest #2: Implement a mental health morning routine I recommend: 5-10 minutes of mindfulness meditation to ground your mind and body. Writing out any thoughts that are causing anxiety or guilt around food and reframing them to statements that feel more true, compassionate or aligned with how you WANT to feel. #3: Eat consistently throughout your day - don’t skip meals 3 meals, 2 snacks, starchy carb/protein/fat in each of them, eating something within 1-2 hours of waking and going to bed, and eating every 2-3 hours throughout the day are good places to start. #4: Expect uncomfortable fullness in the beginning - that’s normal. Your mental hunger is going to be higher than what your physical stomach is used to, these cues will regulate over time as you continue to honor your hunger and cravings. #5: Stop body checking - hide the scale, cover the full length mirrors, peel yourself away from the mirror #6: Focus on physical self-care behaviors like prioritizing sleep, moisturizing your skin, and creating an ambience of cozy/calm in your home #7: Open up to your trusted and loving family and friends about what’s going on with you and the process you are following More details in the episode itself + supportive free resources in the show notes! Hope this helps and sending lots of love. Contact me: DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird Email me at elena@elenakunicki.com ✨ Learn more about my group program + fill out an application: bit.ly/normaleater ✨ Watch my free class - How I Stopped Binge Eating: bit.ly/howIstoppedbingeeating ✨ Free meal guide: bit.ly/bprmealplan ✨ Free workbook: bit.ly/ekfreeguide

37 min

15 NOV

The Moment Your Fitness Journey Turned Disordered (+ How to Prevent it From Going There Again)

This was my story and I’ve heard it HUNDREDS of times from women I’ve worked with over the years: You grow up feeling obsessed or insecure about your body. You lose weight (usually through an intentional fitness/weight loss journey but sometimes due to illness, grief or a traumatic event). You experience an INFLUX of compliments and you LOVE what you see in the mirror. You become *anxiously attached* to this result…your subconscious mind says: “I MUST KEEP MY BODY LOOKING THIS WAY. AT. ALL. COSTS.” ❗This is the moment❗ You start restricting food to the point of ignoring your human needs. ➡️ Physical needs - hunger cues/cravings ➡️ Emotional needs - connecting with others over food ➡️ Mental needs - enjoying food for pleasure, honoring cravings, feeling flexibility and freedom in what you can eat Symptoms start developing as the body’s (smart) way of trying to get its needs met: Constant food thoughts Extreme hunger/cravings Binge urges Missing periods Slowed digestion (constipation, bloat) If you can relate to this story and are experiencing these symptoms now…play with me for a sec. 🪄 Let’s turn back time and consider an alternate reality with the same original circumstances: You learn healthy coping skills to deal with your body image issues. You get into fitness and make some conscious changes to your diet *without* restricting in an unhealthy way. You lose fat and build muscle. You experience the flood of compliments and the pride in how your body looks. The voice comes in: “WE MUST KEEP THIS BODY AT ALL COSTS”, but this time… …it’s no longer so intense. And you’re AWARE of it. Your CONSCIOUS (smart, higher brain) comes in and says: “We hear you - AND we need to still meet our needs.” “Our bodies will be exactly what they’re supposed to be when we are taking care of our needs.” “Anything that would require us to sacrifice mental or physical health is not truly going to bring us health/happiness and is not sustainable.” “I will accept wherever my body ends up when I’m meeting my needs and I understand these things will change with time.” You may practice *restraint* around food to try to maintain your physique…but it does not lead to restriction. You: Continue to honor hunger cues Continue to honor strong desires for food, and pull back when cravings are not as strong Don’t obsess or stress over eating socially or spontaneous eating experiences because you know these are non negotiables for your life Negative symptoms DON’T develop because your body and mind feel safe. You don’t think about food between meals. Your hunger and cravings ebb and flow but don’t feel intense most of the time. Urges to binge do not develop. Periods remain normal. Digestion remains healthy. And you proceed on your merry way to enjoying a full life feeling confident in your skin and at peace around food 💃🏼. ✨ YOU CAN STILL GET TO THIS PLACE NOW ✨ You can effectively turn back time by letting go of restriction and healing your relationship with food and body image. It’s been an honor to help hundreds of women get here over the last 5 years, and I’ve done it myself. To learn more about all of this, listen to this episode! Contact me: DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird Email me at elena@elenakunicki.com ✨ Learn more about my group program + apply: bit.ly/normaleater ✨ Watch my free class - How I Stopped Binge Eating: bit.ly/howIstoppedbingeeating

35 min

8 NOV

Stephanie Buttermore's "All In": Is it Right for You?

Stephanie Buttermore is a fitness influencer who in 2019, popularized going “All In”. She’d spent years tracking macros, cutting and bulking, and working to be as lean and muscular as possible. But she was struggling with extreme hunger, irregular periods, and constant thoughts about food. The “All In” approach, for her, meant eating to complete satiety, every meal. Eating to satiety means eating until you feel completely content. You genuinely don’t want to eat anything else. Stephanie Buttermore did this for several months and at the beginning was eating over 5000 calories per day. Her Youtube videos showed her VERY physically full, with a distended belly…but feeling satisfied and like she actually could stop thinking about food between meals. She gained weight rapidly in the beginning, then hit a plateau a few months in, and about a year later seemed to lose some body fat naturally. If you’re struggling with binge eating, thinking about food and feeling hungry all the time… …or you’ve lost your period and have a similar background to Stephanie Buttermore, you may wonder if this approach is right for you. As an RD who works with women along the disordered eating/eating disorder spectrum, and have guided MANY clients through the all in process… …I have some thoughts. Who “All In” is right for: People who lost weight, got fit and are considered the “picture of health” - and that’s when these symptoms started: People who’ve grown an enjoyment for nutritious food, an understanding of macros, and are in the habit of creating “balanced” meals. People with OK mental health, not dealing with severe mental health issues OR are working with a therapist that you find very effective and helpful at providing skills to cope with difficult emotions. Who “All In” is NOT right for: Someone who is currently struggling at a very high body weight. Someone has been dealing with severe restriction or purging - like in the case of Anorexia, Bulimia or ARFID - or are at a clinically low body weight. I give lots more detail/nuance and explain the WHY behind each of these points in this week’s podcast episode! Contact me: DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird Email me at elena@elenakunicki.com ✨ Learn more about my group program + book a free discovery call: bit.ly/normaleater ✨ Watch my free class - How I Stopped Binge Eating: bit.ly/howIstoppedbingeeating Resources for this episode: Nicola Rinaldi - noperiodnowwhat.com Stephanie Buttermore’s Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@StephanieButtermore Eating Disorder Helplines: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/

27 min

1 NOV

From 210 lb Weight Loss to Missing Period and Binging: Client Interview Heather

Heather’s story is nothing short of amazing. She went on a MAJOR weight loss journey, losing 210 lbs over 2 years, and then went into the other direction: Restricting food so heavily as she became addicted to the numbers. Leading her to lose her period for a year, and start experiencing out of control episodes of binge eating. She went to Overeaters Anonymous to try to gain control around food - but it didn’t work. Finally she realized - her missing period and urges to binge eat were signs that she was not eating enough food. She took the plunge to join my group program and face her fear of weight gain so she could heal her body from the effects of under eating and find a healthy balance. Now? She’s stronger than ever in the gym (hello 200 lb deadlift 😍). Her binge urges are gone. Her period comes every month. And she can finally LIVE a full life again - travel, enjoy delicious food, and make memories with her husband and friends. This is what TRUE health and fitness looks like in my humble opinion. If you want to get inspired af - give this episode a listen! Contact me: DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird Email me at elena@elenakunicki.com ✨ Learn more about my group program + book a free discovery call: bit.ly/normaleater

55 min

25 OCT

Healing the Anorexic Mindset and Experiencing Pleasure in Life Again with Amy Margolis, LCSW

This week on the podcast I had a licensed clinical therapist, Amy Margolis, share her own story of recovery from anorexia and perfectionism + how she now helps her clients do the same. She talks about the “anorexic mindset” and how it extends far beyond food. If you’re someone who’s struggling with anxiety, guilt or feeling out of control around food AND… ➡️ You always feel like you need to be doing MORE… ➡️ You need to do a million things to EARN something pleasurable (whether that be rest, food or a shopping spree)… ➡️ You’re highly disciplined and it’s brought you success but you’re not able to actually ENJOY the fruits of your labor because you can’t relax and take a break… …this episode is going to help you. Finding a peaceful and free relationship with food can coexist with being a high-achieving, driven person. But it’s going to require you to LET GO OF CONTROL and FACE YOUR FEARS. We talk about: Allowing yourself to be SLOPPY Taking the leap of faith to give yourself permission to eat Knowing how to restrict but not knowing how to GIVE to yourself without guilt Eating when you’re hungry, eating what you want and learning to trust your body Looking at what comes BEFORE a binge (were you fully listening to your hunger? Were you planning to restrict later on?) As someone who has disconnected her perfectionism from food/body/exercise but still REALLY struggles with it in other areas of life…I really loved recording this and can’t wait for you to hear it. Amy’s Resources: Here’s the Memo Book: https://amymargolislcsw.com/new-book-from-amy-margolis-heres-the-memo/ Amy’s Website: https://amymargolislcsw.com/ Amy’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heres_the_memo/ Contact me (Elena): DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird Email me at elena@elenakunicki.com ✨ Learn more about my group program + book a free discovery call: bit.ly/normaleater

56 min

18 OCT

Eating Disorders vs Disordered Eating: Getting the Support You Need

In school to become a dietitian, I was struggling massively in my relationship with food. Weekly binge episodes that felt like an addict getting their fix - lying, stealing and hiding so I could eat, then crying and feeling depressed for days after. Intense anxiety in any situation that was off my “usual routine” with food - holidays, parties, restaurant meals. I distinctly remember one day, sitting in lecture and learning about eating disorders. The words “Anorexia Nervosa” plastered across the big projector in front of class. Pictured was an emaciated woman standing in front of a mirror that reflected a larger bodied lady back at her. I resonated with all the big 3 eating disorders, but not fully. I had the extreme fear of weight gain of anorexia, but I was never clinically under weight. I had at times fasted, exercised more, or used laxatives after a binge - but not frequently enough to be classified as bulimic. I struggled with the binge eating episodes described in binge eating disorder - but I DID compensate sometimes after a binge. “So”, I reasoned, “I don’t have any eating disorder. It must really just be a will power issue then.” And I went back on my not-so-merry way, reading articles from my favorite fitpros every night with advice on how to stick to your plan with food to reach your physique goals. If you can relate, I want you to know these 3 things: ➡️ Relationship with food is a spectrum from normal, healthy eating to a full blown eating disorder. ➡️ “Disordered eating” has serious mental and physical health consequences and requires specific solutions to heal from (hint: not general advice from fit pros or wellness influencers). ➡️ The vast majority of disordered eating involves food restriction, and you can be unhealthily restricting food while still being at a “healthy weight”. The sooner you take your issues seriously, the sooner you can be free from them. This episode of The Binge Eating Dietitian Podcast unpacks eating disorders vs disordered eating and gives you resources for healing! Learn more about my group program + book a free discovery call: bit.ly/normaleater Contact me: DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird Email me at elena@elenakunicki.com Eating Disorder Helplines: Australia The Butterfly Foundation: Phone: 1800 334 673 | Email: support@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au InsideOut Institute: Phone: (02) 8627 5690 | Email: admin@insideoutinstitute.org.au Eating Disorders Victoria: Phone: 1300 550 236 | Email: hub@eatingdisorders.org.au Eating Disorders Queensland: Phone: (07) 3844 6055 Australia & New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders: Phone (AU): +61 491 134 289 | Phone (NZ): +64 9 887 0552 | Email: anzaed@anzaed.org.au New Zealand Canopy Eating Disorder Support Services: Email: info@canopyeds.co.nz EDANZ: Phone: 0800 233 269 | Email: info@ed.org.nz United States National Eating Disorders Association: Phone: 1-800-931-2237 | Email: info@nationaleatingdisorders.org National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders: Phone: 1-888-375-7767 | Email: hello@anad.org The Alliance for Eating Disorders: Phone: 1-866-662-1235 Canada Body Brave: Phone: 1-905-312-9628 | Email: info@bodybrave.ca National Eating Disorder Information Centre: Phone: 1800 866 NEDIC 20 (1-866-633-4220) | Email: nedic@uhn.ca National Initiative for Eating Disorders: Email: info@nied.ca United Kingdom BEAT Eating Disorders: Phone: +44 (0)808 801 0677 | Email: help@beateatingdisorders.org.uk Ireland Bodywhys: The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland: Phone: 01 – 2107906 | Email: info@bodywhys.ie Denmark LMS: The National Association against Eating Disorders and Self-Harm: Phone: 7010 1818 | SMS 7710 1818 | Email: info@lmsos.dk Norway Norwegian Society for Eating Dis

56 min

11 OCT

Obesity Epidemic: Can I Really “Trust My Body”?

So last week I sent an email to my list talking about food freedom and fat loss. I said: “Food freedom feels like being in control around food but not NEEDING to control food - because: 1. It’s just not AS exciting anymore (don’t get me wrong I still LOVE food but I don’t feel addicted to it) 2. You trust your body. That when you have more cravings or hunger you must need the food, and you know it will balance out later on” And one of my list members responded. She said: “If that is the case then why do people become overweight or obese in the first place if they listen to their body? Isn't that the trouble, that listening to our bodies can make us unhealthy, unfit, reduces life span etc?” VALID. This is basically the biggest fear my clients have when they start my program. They are fit women struggling with binge eating, missing periods and digestive issues. These are all signs of under-eating. And I tell them they need to take a break from exercise and start eating what they want, when they want, until they don’t want anymore food. They're like…uhhh Elena? Aren’t I just going to endlessly gain weight and end up on “My 600-lb Life?” But that’s not what happens. Listening to their hunger and giving their bodies temporary rest allows their hormones to heal, their binge urges to go away, and their cravings to decrease. And I’m explaining WHY in this episode of the podcast. It’s truly too long for me to type in an email lol, so I hope you give it a listen. Any questions? Contact me: DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird Email me at elena@elenakunicki.com ✨ Click here to learn more + apply for my small group program: https://6c4aacdb6e461e386fe04ab2538fc20f.mykajabi.com/normaleater Resources for this episode: Previous episode: Hyperpalatable foods: How to Trust Yourself Around Them https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/hyperpalatable-foods-how-to-trust-yourself-around-them Metabolically healthy obese https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2802164#:~:text=Main%20Outcomes%20and%20Measures%20Metabolically,%2DC)%2C%20or%20triglycerides%20based Dieting predicting future weight gain: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3759019/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16650913/ https://www.nature.com/articles/s41366-020-0547-1#:~:text=The%20notion%20that%20dieting%20makes,classic%20longitudinal%20Minnesota%20Starvation%20Experiment. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471015315000045 2014 meta-analysis showed: Compared to normal weight-fit individuals, unfit individuals had twice the risk of mortality regardless of BMI. Overweight and obese-fit individuals had similar mortality risks as normal weight-fit individuals. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033062013001552?via%3Dihub Restraint vs Restriction past podcast episode: https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/dietary-restraint-vs-restriction-the-key-to-reaching-physique-goals-without-binge-eating

56 min

8 OCT

Free Class: How I Stopped Binge Eating, Got my Period Back and Reach Physique Goals With Food Freedom

Live Class + Q&A - Thursday Oct 10th! (*You can still watch the recording if you're seeing this in the future!) Register, or catch the recording, via this link: bit.ly/howIstoppedbingeeating

2 min

The Binge Eating Dietitian Podcast

7 No BS Tips to Not Binge Over the Holidays

The Moment Your Fitness Journey Turned Disordered (+ How to Prevent it From Going There Again)

Stephanie Buttermore's "All In": Is it Right for You?

From 210 lb Weight Loss to Missing Period and Binging: Client Interview Heather

Healing the Anorexic Mindset and Experiencing Pleasure in Life Again with Amy Margolis, LCSW

Eating Disorders vs Disordered Eating: Getting the Support You Need

Obesity Epidemic: Can I Really “Trust My Body”?

Free Class: How I Stopped Binge Eating, Got my Period Back and Reach Physique Goals With Food Freedom

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The Binge Eating Dietitian Podcast

Episodes

7 No BS Tips to Not Binge Over the Holidays

The Moment Your Fitness Journey Turned Disordered (+ How to Prevent it From Going There Again)

Stephanie Buttermore's "All In": Is it Right for You?

From 210 lb Weight Loss to Missing Period and Binging: Client Interview Heather

Healing the Anorexic Mindset and Experiencing Pleasure in Life Again with Amy Margolis, LCSW

Eating Disorders vs Disordered Eating: Getting the Support You Need

Obesity Epidemic: Can I Really “Trust My Body”?

Free Class: How I Stopped Binge Eating, Got my Period Back and Reach Physique Goals With Food Freedom

About

Information

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