Results Without Restriction

Laurie Mallon
  • 5.0 (1)
  • FITNESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Reclaiming the word \\\’results\\\’ to reflect a weight-neutral approach to setting and reaching health and fitness goals.

  1. JAN 23

    Exploring Your Relationship with Alcohol with Teri Patterson

    The holidays are once again upon us… a time to eat, drink, and be merry! But if one of those activities is taking up more time, energy, and headspace than you’d like or causing friction in your relationships (I’m looking at you, Drink!) then this episode is for you. Exploring Your Relationship With AlcoholEpisode TranscriptFrequently Asked Questions About Your Relationship With AlcoholWhat does “relationship with alcohol” mean?How can my relationship with alcohol impact my health?Can alcohol affect relationships even if I don’t drink “too much”?Do I need to quit drinking to improve my relationship with alcohol?How is exploring alcohol different from restriction?What are signs my relationship with alcohol might be worth exploring?How is alcohol similar to diet culture patterns?Can taking a break from alcohol improve mental clarity?What’s a supportive first step to explore my relationship with alcohol? I chat with Teri Patterson, also known as The Sober Nutritionist, who helps women explore and understand their relationship with alcohol with curiosity and without judgement.  Teri shares her own experience of looking at how alcohol fit into her life… until it didn’t… the resistance she had to giving it up, and the amazing things she has discovered being sober for the last 7 years. Download Teri’s free gift for listeners… 5 Healthy Reasons to Take a Break From Alcohol   Teri’s website: https://thesobernutritionist.com/ Connect with Teri on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teri.thesobernutritionist Connect with Teri on Instagram Book a call with Teri Episode Transcript Laurie:I’m Laurie Mallon and this is the Results Without Restriction podcast. The show where results have nothing to do with weight and everything to do with setting and reaching health and fitness goals that focus on what we’re achieving and not what we’re losing. We’ll talk about deprogramming from diet culture and get expert advice on reclaiming your relationship with food and movement. Join me on this journey to get results without restriction. Welcome everyone. I am here with Teri Patterson. She is a functional nutritionist and she is also a This Naked Mind senior coach. Teri blends her knowledge of nutrition with her passion for living an alcohol-free life into a unique business as The Sober Nutritionist. Teri’s mission is to help her clients discover how drinking less can actually be the key to better health. Teri is also the host of the popular podcast The Sober Edge, inspiration for alcohol-free living, and she’s the creator of the brand new Self Experience, a place for women after alcohol who want to build a life by design and not by default. Welcome, Teri. Teri:Well hello Laurie, thanks for having me on the podcast. Laurie:I have to tell you that I got so much great feedback and excitement about having you on the podcast to talk about alcohol consumption and health and all of the things that surround that. One thing that I like to kind of start with at the beginning of this episode is, you know, the podcast is called Results Without Restriction and how can we talk about cutting out alcohol, right? Isn’t that restriction? The way that I see restriction is when you tell yourself you can’t have something. And the lens that we’re looking at this through is you’re choosing. You’re examining. You’re exploring the relationship between what happens when you consume something. How does it feel in your body? How do you feel about it? If it’s working for you, if it’s not working for you, you can choose not to consume. You can choose to avoid it. That’s not restriction. So I’d like to get that out of the way before I get any messages about that. So Teri, what I like to do first with my guests is go over backstory. How did you get to the point where you are The Sober Nutritionist? Teri:Yeah, so that’s a great question. And really for me, I think I was kind of what I would call myself a wellness enthusiast. I was always interested in just kind of trying some things, whether it was green smoothies or lifestyle hacks. I always considered myself kind of a normal drinker. I just sort of socially drank. And then as alcohol does, it does create a tolerance. We can talk a little bit about why that happens in the brain, but I started finding myself drinking more to get the same effects. I got to a place where I looked at my life and I thought, well, if I value wellness and I just don’t feel like alcohol is really creating that sense. I was spending a lot of mental energy thinking about drinking, thinking about not drinking, wondering if I should cut back. I just started to have this disconnect with alcohol. In the beginning it was sort of fun and social and take it or leave it, and then it got to be much more consuming. I didn’t have any rock bottoms. I didn’t have, fortunately, no DUI. I didn’t lose a job. Although those things can happen when we have a complicated relationship with alcohol and we find ourselves over-drinking. But for me it was really just this sort of nagging voice that said, “Is this really working for you?” And what would happen if you took a break? So it’s coming up on seven years for me. And seven years ago I didn’t really know if there were other options out there. I really thought twelve-step, the traditional Alcoholics Anonymous, was kind of the thing, and I really didn’t want to do that. I live in a small town. I had a lot of unfounded fears about what that might look like. And so I had tried moderating for a long time, and again it took up a lot of headspace. If I don’t drink on Wednesday, can I drink on Friday? And if I only have beer, can I have something else? It was just kind of a mental game and that wasn’t working. And so when I stopped drinking, I just stopped. And I told myself if I couldn’t stop, I might need to go to meetings. That was kind of the beginning for me of this journey that is now coming up on seven years of not drinking alcohol. Laurie:One thing that you said there, and it really rang true for me, was it taking up a lot of mental space for you to kind of moderate. If I do this on Thursday, can I do this Friday? If I only have beer, then can I have one? A lot of correlations there with diet culture, making those distinctions where you have to spend a lot of time thinking about if I do this, can I do that. It just didn’t seem like it was worth it for you to keep having to do these calculations. I think it’s interesting that you mentioned that it was black or white. It was either drink and figure out how to do that in a way that worked for you, or twelve-step, go the recovery route, and that really wasn’t working for you either. There wasn’t a lot of middle ground there. And now what’s so fascinating is where we are in our culture. We’ve really had this sober curious movement, and there are lots of options out there now. Teri:Yeah. And so what happened for me was when I stopped drinking, I suddenly had all of this time and energy. So I took that passion for wellness and I decided to become a nutritionist. I went to the Nutritional Therapy Association and became a nutritionist. When I got there, I thought, well, these are my people. Everybody will be valuing wellness and they won’t be drinking alcohol. And that wasn’t the case at all. They’re humans. And there is a lot of information out there, a lot of misinformation, a lot of misdirection around the health benefits of alcohol, for example. I was learning so much about the body, but we weren’t learning a lot about alcohol in the body. So I did that independent research myself. I found that my nutrition clients, their health just wasn’t turning the corner if alcohol was still involved. So I started coaching people to take a look at alcohol. I found that that was a really challenging place for people, and I didn’t have as many tools as I wanted to. So I went and became a certified coach in the methodology of This Naked Mind, which helps people take a break, but it looks very different than those traditional twelve-step programs. When I discovered the work of Annie Grace, who founded This Naked Mind, I thought, that’s what I would have needed. And that’s something I can offer to my clients. It’s a very different model of how to explore our relationship with alcohol without all of the black-and-white that comes with those traditional views and programs. Laurie:I like this because growing up, you know, like in my twenties, it was either you drank or you didn’t. And if you didn’t, you were either pregnant, you had a problem. There wasn’t this space where you could really just choose to not drink and people mind their business about it. So I love that this is becoming more prevalent, more acceptable, to just say, yeah, this is just not something I participate in. Let’s move on. It’s not a thing. When you started working with your clients and their relationships with alcohol, what were some of the things that you were seeing that were coming up for them in terms of what they expected to find when they looked into that, and what they actually found? Teri:Yeah, it’s fascinating because there’s a lot to unpack there. It can be around their health. For me, if I take my own story, I was really stuck on it’s going to be boring, people are going to be boring, I might be boring. How will I have fun? Alcohol was just a part of my world. If I went to a baby shower, there were mimosas. If I went out to dinner, there were drinks. I often had a drink before I went to dinner. I did a lot of drinking at home. Wine while cooking dinner. Wine after dinner. Cocktails on the weekend. Breweries. Going to festivals where there was beer. Goin

    30 min

  2. 11/15/2025

    Intuitive Eating with Sarah Burby

    Table of ContentsListen to the Episode with Sarah BurbyEpisode Transcript – Intuitive Eating with Sarah BurbyFAQ with Sarah BurbyMeet Sarah Burby M.A., BCBA, NBC-HWC Listen to the Episode with Sarah Burby Episode Transcript – Intuitive Eating with Sarah Burby Welcome everyone, I am here with Sarah Burby who is a health coach and she’s the owner of Small Changes Health and Wellness Coaching where she supports and empowers her clients to meet their health and wellness goals by focusing on small, sustainable changes that they can maintain for the rest of their lives. She also helps her clients heal their relationship with food and exercise as well as improve their body image.  Welcome Sarah. I’m actually really excited about this episode because this is the meat, I hate to use, I don’t eat meat, but the meat of like what this whole brand is about. So having coaches, you know, intuitive eating, health at every size, really promoting that weight neutral approach to health is really important. So I’m excited. So start kind of at the beginning.  What brought you to this point? What is your origin story?  Sarah Burby: Yeah, so I have kind of a long and not very straight way.  I got a master’s degree in applied behavior analysis. And typically ABA is most commonly associated with autism. So working with with children, adults on the autism spectrum. And I think there’s a great need for that. And I think I will always love working in that space in some capacity.  But I just thought, you know, how cool would it be to apply the science of applied behavior analysis to health and wellness. And at the time when I was in graduate school, which feels like yesterday, but was like 10, 11 years ago, no one is really doing that yet. Everyone was saying, oh, you can apply ABA anywhere. But but it was really only widely applied to autism. So at the time, being new in the field and not really having my feet wet yet, I just didn’t have, I guess, maybe the confidence or the direction of how to get into this field. So then kind of fast forward, a few years later, I started really taking on some additional certifications.  I got a health coaching certification, a nutrition certification, most recently an intuitive eating counselor certification and just started to kind of build up my expertise in that area. So then I could feel confident in applying ABA to health coaching.  Sarah Burby: So in 2020, the famous 2020 year, I opened Small Changes Health and Wellness Coaching, where I primarily coach based using the science of ABA, but with an intuitive eating framework.  So it sounded like you were kind of like on a teacher track, like you were going to be a teacher. Very similar school conflict, working in school as a consultant.  But you took the knowledge that you gained and you said, oh, you know what, I really want to apply this to health and health and wellness. What prompted you to want to apply it in that area?  Sarah Burby: I think I’ve always been really interested in that area. Personally, I’ve had my own personal journey of poor body image and kind of orthorexic type behavior with this obsession with being healthy. And I went through that and I had that struggle and it I went through it for for many years. I aspire now to be what I wish I had 15, 10, 15 years ago. So that’s kind of what piqued my interest. And again, to me, the science of applied behavior analysis just so naturally flowed into health coaching, right? Because behavior is behavior, whether we’re talking about maybe reducing maladaptive behavior and then individual with autism and trying to teach some replace the behaviors or we’re talking about, you know, behavior as far as your relationship with exercise, your relationship with food.  To me, it’s all it’s all the same thing, right? It’s just how we address it. So I think that’s kind of where my interest kind of sparked.  So it was your own personal journey that that shaped the direction that you you saw you saw an opportunity to take what you were learning and apply it in a way that would have been helpful for you for your own personal experience. And I love that we are seeing now so many coaches and trainers.  It has really come a long way in the last few years and recognizing the harm that’s being done with, you know, pushing over exercising, under eating, calorie counting, all that stuff. Really the long-term effects of it. So we talk a lot here about intuitive eating. Can you talk about how intuitive eating and mindfulness are integrated into the process that you use with your clients?  Sarah Burby: Yeah, so and the missing of your listeners already have a backstory of what intuitive eating is, but just a quick, you know, recap. It’s really healing your relationship with food, healing your relationship with exercise, and also healing your relationship with yourself, right?  Like, like, what do you think of yourself when you look in the mirror? Do you do like what you see? And if you don’t like what you see, are you perseverating on it all day? Is that constantly what you’re thinking about? And to me, that’s health, right?  Like we think about health and we think about what we eat and we think about exercise, but we don’t think about this constant, what the constant stress of constantly worrying about what you’re eating and you’re putting into your body or constantly worrying about if you’re getting the most intense exercise in, like that affects our health so much too. Sarah Burby: So with intuitive eating, I really like to, number one, work with my clients and say, it’s not just eating, right? The name intuitive eating is we think it’s just eating skills, but it’s so much more raw than that. And there’s so many different areas we can work on.  Like I said, with exercise, repairing your relationship with exercise and movement, how you, how you feel about yourself and kind of breaking down maybe what area of the client is struggling the most, starting with that, and then going into all the different aspects of intuitive eating. I do appreciate that you gave us that description of what intuitive eating is because they could be the first time here and learning about that. So this is really important. You just mentioned that, you know, Learning to eat intuitively can impact mental health, physical health. Why is that important?  Sarah Burby: There’s such a strong focus or push, if that’s the right word, on, on weight loss and looking a certain way and having this like ideal body.  And I think that was probably always around, but now with every social media app and platform there is out there, it’s certainly getting worse and it’s starting at a younger age. There’s this like pressure to have to look a certain way or eat a certain way. And that’s not reality, right? And it’s really, really harmful, but I also think it’s the norm.  So it’s really hard to kind of separate from that. And that’s where I see the importance of intuitive eating is like talking even about body diversity, right? I talk about that with my clients all the time is like you and I could literally eat the exact same thing every single day for the rest of our lives. We could exercise the exact same way every day for the rest of our lives. And we are never going to look exactly the same because we have a different genetic blueprint, but that’s not pretty to talk about on social media. That’s not glamorous. Sarah Burby: Like no one wants to post about that on social media because it’s not as glamorous as, Oh, I lost 30 pounds in a month by drinking the shake or going on this diet. You know what I mean? So I think intuitive eating is more, it’s a little bit deeper, but I think it’s so, so important because of all these messages that we’re getting.  And I kind of say the opposite and kind of glamorize really restricted eating or over exercise and things like that to get, like I said, this ideal body, which is so silly because what does that even look like? It’s an illusion, right? And unfortunately we live in a world where being in a smaller body is idealized, right? We live in a world that favors people in smaller bodies. So I don’t, I don’t shame anybody and I don’t fault anybody for having the feelings like, Oh, you know what, I look in the mirror and I wish that, you know, smaller because you know what? Your life would maybe be easier, right?  This is the world that we live in, but we’re all doing our part here to normalize, like you said, body diversity and acceptance and respect for people in all different shapes, sizes. I love that this is becoming more widespread and people like you are sharing the good word. And especially on social media where you said it’s teens, young adults on these platforms and they’re being bombarded by all this messaging. So I love that this is, this is becoming more popular. So we talked a little bit about diet culture, the prevalence of this messaging and how harmful it is.  What are some, some negative impacts that you’re seeing on your clients due to exposure to diet culture?  Sarah Burby: Oh, I see a lot, a lot of, um, labeling how they eat as good or bad, right? So like I ate a salad last night, I was good. Or I ate ice cream last night, I was bad. And, and that breaks my heart when I hear things like that, because I’m like, well, did you enjoy the ice cream? Yeah. Okay. Like, like their food is neutral, right? It’s not good or bad. But if you look at diet culture and again, social media, it’s, it’s, um, putting food into these categories.  Even the term clean heat, clean eat

    34 min

  3. 11/10/2025

    Eat Like a CEO with Holistic Nutritionist Sarah Knight

    In this episode I’m chatting with Sarah Knight, who is a holistic nutritionist and founder of Eat Like a CEO. She helps entrepreneurial and professional women get out of the tired-wired cycle and have natural energy without relying on caffeine or sugar. Listen to the Episode We specifically talk about how meal planning is a form of self-care as we’re taking intentional action to reduce the stress for future us! What’s ahead…Listen to the EpisodeAbout SarahEpisode Transcript About Sarah Sarah Knight is a holistic nutritionist and founder of Eat Like a CEO. She helps entrepreneurial and professional women get out of the tired-wired cycle and have natural energy. She’s passionate about helping women systematize their nutrition to reduce decision fatigue and get the nutrients they need to have the energy, focus and confidence to make power moves in their businesses, careers and lives. Episode Transcript You know, getting off of diets and learning how to take care of yourself in a way that works for you and makes you feel good because ultimately it’s all about how you feel, right? Because your body is here to allow you to experience the world and I think that we flip that a lot and see our bodies as a way for other people to experience us and that’s not, that’s not what it’s for and it took me a long time to learn that.  Welcome everyone. I am here with Sarah Knight. She is a holistic nutritionist and she is the owner of EatLikeACEO.com and she helps women who own their own business or even if you are just entrepreneurially minded or driven to eat healthy and eat in a way that promotes lots of energy, better sleep and just better living in general. Welcome, Sarah. Sarah Knight: Thank you so much for having me. I am really excited. This isn’t about me, but I’m really excited because I, you know, as you know, I’m a business owner and I need help eating like a CEO because right now I eat like a five-year-old.Okay, so I need, I definitely need help in this department. What I like to do is I like to just start at the beginning like your origin story. So what brought you to this point? How you, your, your background, how you became a holistic nutritionist and got you to this point?  Sarah Knight: Yeah, so when I was in about second grade, I had this experience that I remember so vividly… Oh, we’re going way back. We’re going way back. Oh, okay. All right.  Sarah Knight: my best friend at the time, you know, the boys thought it was hilarious because when she was sitting in a chair at a desk they could push it in to the point where the chair was almost touching the desk with her sitting in it and that is the point where I became very conscious of my body. And from that point on, I was really focused on losing weight. So from the time I was about 12 years old, so that was like the beginning. And then when I hit about 12, you know, I was starting to look for different diets. I joined Weight Watchers before I could drive. Sarah Knight: I remember putting myself on the special K diet where you eat half a cup of cereal for two meals a day. And this is when I was in high school. I was playing volleyball. I was a very active teenager and I felt miserable. Like I would get home from school or from practice and I would go straight to sleep until dinner because I was exhausted and I didn’t want to be awake to feel how hungry I was. And so after living that life for my entire teens and early 20s, when I was in college, I realized like this isn’t working for me. So I need a better way. I need to learn how to just take care of my body so that I can feel good, so that I can have the energy to get through, you know, college and school and work and be able to focus when I’m studying and actually remember things. So I started working with the nutritionist at the School Wellness Center. I was really lucky to have that access. And that’s what kind of sparked for me, this idea that being healthy and feeling good. It doesn’t have to be all about restriction and it doesn’t have to be hard and miserable, which is what I had been led to believe up until that point. So all of us. Yes, we all we all got fed that that nonsense.  Sarah Knight: So that is what got me to being really interested in nutrition and how to eat to just feel good and take care of myself. And then from college, I started a corporate career. I realized that was not the place for me. And so I went back to school and studied holistic nutrition, earned my holistic nutrition certification from Bowman College. And now here I am. OK, so this gets you to the point where you are a holistic nutritionist, but you specifically work with entrepreneurs or people. You could be working literally with any demographic, but you are focused on helping CEOs and those who are professionally driven. Why is that?  Sarah Knight: Because I believe that in order to make big moves, to go for big goals like that, to run a business, to be ambitious in your career and strive for more impact and influence, you need to have energy and focus and productivity. All of that requires physical and mental stamina to be successful. And so I’m really passionate about helping women learn how to eat, to have that stamina, to feel good, to support their mental health so that what they eat is not taking up all of their mental energy anymore. They have systems in place to know what they’re going to have. They don’t have to think about it. It eliminates a lot of the decision fatigue that women experience in daily life. And that all adds up. So if I can take that burden away, help them systematize their nutrition so that they’re eating well, they know they’re getting the nutrients they need and they’re feeling good. And then they have all of this energy to put toward building their business or being promoted in their career or running for office or writing a book or raising a family, whatever that is, that can become their primary focus instead of just being worried about what they’re going to have for dinner. OK, I know we we talked a little before the call, but I am your ideal client. Like I need help with all of this because I have the decision fatigue like the whole like creating a meal plan and making a shopping list and prepping and all of this stuff. Like if you leave this up to me, I will eat sandwiches and cereal because I just don’t have the bandwidth. I run my own business and it’s exhausting. And by the by the end of the day or by the time I have time to think about what I’m going to eat, I don’t have the energy to make decisions. And it drives my husband insane. But like you said, like that decision fatigue or the mental fatigue of making those decisions, I just I relate with that because that is where I am by the end of the day or by the end of the week. I can’t I don’t have the wherewithal to do to do any of that. So what I wanted to kind of talk to you, you know, here at results without restriction, we’re all about self-care. And meal prep is a is a form of self-care rate because we’re managing our time to kind of help future us. You know, we’re alleviating some of the pain and aggravation of of doing all this work for future us.  So can we talk a little bit about how you help your clients give themselves the space or permission that some of them might need to indulge in this self-care and meal prep as self-care?  Sarah Knight: One thing I talk with my clients about a lot is don’t make it harder than it has to be and don’t strive for perfection. Like I used to have this mindset. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, which is something that, you know, we learn from diet culture where you’re eating that’s not sustainable.  So you revert to maybe like for me in college, sometimes it was Pop-Tarts and tortilla chips. And so it’s just this pendulum. And I think that that all or nothing mindset stays with us even when we let the diets go. And so just learning, like, you know, if buying pre-chopped vegetables is the thing that makes this feel easier for you. And it means that you’re more likely to prep some food for yourself than if you bought a head of broccoli that you have to wash and chop yourself. Then do that. Like buy the frozen vegetables, if that’s what’s going to work for you. Find like that sweet spot where you’re taking care of yourself, but you’re not making it so hard that it feels like a burden.  So path of least resistance.  Sarah Knight: Yes. And in terms of like just being able to put together meals so that, you know, when we get hangry or, you know, we are and I’m guilty of this. I’ll be working and I don’t even notice the clock. Like hours go by and I’m like, oh, I forgot to eat lunch. Like I was so engrossed in what I was doing. And then and then it hits me and I’m starving and there’s nothing ready.  Sarah Knight: Yeah. And I’m like, I want to go back in time and punch myself in the face for not setting myself up for some kind of success here. But it’s almost like, you know, if we could do that thing for ourselves, that self care of putting together planning for future you to have something healthy to eat, to help keep your energy up.  Sarah Knight: Yes, exactly. Do you talk a lot with your, with your clients about self care, just kind of in general and not just in meal prep, in the, in the area of meal prep, but just in general of how they treat themselves?  Sarah Knight: Yeah. We talk a lot about like the internal dialogue that’s playing and stress management, because when you have chronic stress, that is a huge impact on your health and also how you take care of yourself.  Because for a lot of my clients, lik

    25 min

  4. 03/01/2024

    My Sleep Challenge - Part 2: My 30-Day Challenge Results with Christine Meyer

    Sleep coach Christine Meyer is back for the 2nd part of my 30-day sleep challenge results.Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimized by your own bad sleep habits. This episode is all about my triumphs, from enjoying my evening ritual of Sleepytime teas to sleep-inducing hypnosis audiobooks played through headband headphones. Table of ContentsKey Takeaways:Quotes:Resources MentionedAbout Sleep Coach Christine Meyer: Connect with Christine:Click here to check out more episodes of the Podcast! Episode Transcript: Key Takeaways: Prioritize Quality Sleep: Recognize that quality sleep is essential for overall well-being, impacting mood, energy levels, and productivity. Make it a priority to improve the quality of your sleep. Start Small: Implement small changes in your sleep routine, such as creating a relaxing sleep environment and establishing a consistent bedtime routine. These small adjustments can lead to significant improvements over time. Adapt and Overcome Challenges: Be prepared to adapt to challenges that arise during your sleep journey. Whether it’s managing distractions or adjusting your routine, stay flexible and find creative solutions to overcome obstacles. Notice Positive Changes: Pay attention to the positive changes you experience as a result of improved sleep habits. Increased energy, better mood, and enhanced productivity are all signs of progress on your sleep journey. Take a Holistic Approach: Approach sleep improvement holistically by considering various factors that affect sleep, including sleep hygiene, stress levels, lifestyle habits, and physical health. Addressing these factors collectively can lead to more effective and sustainable improvements in your sleep quality. Quotes: “I had no energy, and [the lack of sleep] affected my mood, it affected my activities, it affected my work. It impacted everything.” “It was little things. It was a lot of little tweaks, but they’ve made a big difference.” “Sleep doesn’t just happen by itself. It’s not in a vacuum. So many things can impact your sleep and then your sleep can impact so many other things.” “When you focus on it, when you’re intentional about improving the quality and the quantity of your sleep, it’s going to help you in other areas.” Resources Mentioned These are some of the items that we discussed using during my sleep habit makeover challenge (links to Amazon): Daytime Sleep Helpers Sodastream – In an effort to cut down on my afternoon caffeine consumption, I traded in my daily Dr. Pepper Zero for seltzer (or ‘spritzies’ as we call them in our house). Sometimes I drink it plain, but most of the time I add a little bit of flavor to jazz it up. Water enhancer – I add this to my seltzer water to up the fun drink factor. I like Stur brand because it’s naturally sweetened, but there are no rules here. Evening Wind Down Reading light – This little gadget has been invaluable for my night time routine. It’s helped get back into reading more often, and it doubles as my bookmark! Kindle – Some people are diehard physical book fans so if you’re one of them, skip to the next item. For everyone else, if you’re someone who falls asleep reading and drops their physical book on their face, this hurts less. Headband headphones – As I mentioned in the episode, I have freakishly small ears and so I have a hard time with most headphones and earbuds. These bluetooth headphones are perfect as they lay over the ears. I’ve also started using them for listening to audiobooks when I walk the dog and when I go running. They’re great because I can hear my books/music but I’m also able to hear traffic because it doesn’t block out outside noise. Essential Oil Diffuser – Studies have shown that certain scents can contribute to better sleep quality. I used eucalyptus and lavender essential oils in my diffuser, but different scents work for different people, so if those don’t do it for you, try something else! Blue light glasses – If you use devices close to bedtime, the bluelight they emit can interfere with your sleep. Using these glasses can help minimize that effect Downdog yoga app – Studies have shown that practicing yoga can improve sleep quality, including sleep duration and reducing the number of nighttime wakings. If you choose to include yoga in your wind-down routine, look for slow and relaxing practices such as restorative yoga or a yoga nidra (yogic sleep). Yoga mat – Not required but makes lying on the floor a little more comfortable. Bolster – A fancy word for a yoga pillow. You can use one to support different parts of your body during your practice. Sleepytime Tea – This is a staple in my night time routine. I put it in a BIG mug and add a touch of honey. I was surprised to learn there were so many varieties of Sleepytime! Bedtime Journal – During our call I mentioned I had a hard time turning off my brain at night so one of the wind-down options was a brain dump into a journal so my mind could relax knowing all the things it didn’t want me to forget were safely documented somewhere, and all those mental sticky notes could go right in the mental trash basket. In bed/Sleeping White noise machine – I had this left over from when my son was a baby and we recently brought it out of retirement to help mask the cat noises that were waking up the dog during the night. There are also white noise apps that can be used as well. Weighted Face mask – I’ve had this for years, I think my husband bought it for me when I was having a lot of migraines because it doubles as a mini-heating pad. I find the pressure on my eyes while I’m falling a sleep very relaxing! Weighted blanket – Another present from my husband (I think from a Christmas or two ago?) that I hadn’t really been using but pulled it out for the challenge and have used it nightly since! Note, these types of blankets can trap in heat, so while it was great during the winter, I’ll be switching to a Cooling Weighted blanket for the warmer months ‘The Rabbit Who Wanted to Fall Asleep’ hypnosis audiobook – For years I had no idea how this book ended because it was so effective at putting me to sleep. I now know how it ends (I won’t spoil it for you!) but this is really helpful to have cued up for those nights when I wake up and have a hard time falling back asleep. Apple Watch – I use this to track my sleep, which is how I found out how much worse it was than I thought! It records your data in the Health app on your phone and it tracks how much time you’re in bed vs actually sleeping, how many times you wake up during the night, how much time you spend in the different sleep cycles, plus your sleeping heart rate and respiratory rate. Rise sleep tracking app – This is the app I used to track my sleep debt. Even though I could feel it when my sleep debt was high and I knew I needed to prioritize getting caught up, seeing the actual number of hours of sleep my body was missing in the app made it more real and got my attention. What I also like about this app is that it can predict (with great accuracy!) when my energy will peak (and plummet!) throughout the day, based on my previous night’s sleep. What I used to think was just a post-lunch carb coma turned out to be a natural low point in my daily energy level. This made me feel less like it was “my fault” for being useless and brain fogged most afternoons between 2 and 3 pm. I hope these items help you create a wind-down routine that works for you! And if you’re not sure which things would help you the most, connect with Christine for a Sleep Strategy Session so she can put together your own personalized Restful Roadmap! About Sleep Coach Christine Meyer:  Christine Meyer is an Ace Certified Health Coach, Certified Health Education Specialist, and a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant. She has over 14 years of experience in the health and wellness field and helps mid-life women go from foggy to focused, by helping them restore their restful sleep. Her coaching focuses on lifestyle changes, which includes stress management and time management skills. She is a wife, mom, and new Grandma and resides in Southern California. Connect with Christine: On Facebook: Facebook.com/Christinesleepcoach On Instagram: @Christinesleepcoach Book a consultation: CLICK HERE  Download Christine’s Free gift: The Sleep Tips Ebook Click here to check out more episodes of the Podcast! Episode Transcript: Laurie: Welcome everyone. I’m here with Christine Meyer, who is a sleep health coach, to recap the results of my 30-day sleep challenge. Welcome back, Christine. How are you? I’m doing well, thank you, I am drinking coffee, but this is it for the day and I’m done, I promise. And I never I wouldn’t say never, very, very rarely even especially since, like the last month do I drink coffee in the afternoon, but I just there was some left over and I hate to. I hate to dump it out Like I can’t. I just can’t. So it pains me to throw out coffee. I just love it. So part one is my backstory of how you were on the podcast. I realized I sucked at getting good sleep. I did some of your things. It improved a little bit, and then I got an Apple watch and I realized I really sucked. And then I was like, oh okay, I got to do something about this. And then we connected and then we did our session and then you gave me a plan. That’s part one, and so now this is part two where we’re doing the wrap up. So the recap of the strategy session and the action plan, and then summing up with the challenge week by week. So I don’t want to go day by day because that’s going to be a three day episode, no one will listen to it. We

    24 min

  5. 02/18/2024

    My Sleep Challenge - Part 1: My Sleep Smart Strategy Session with Christine Meyer

    In this episode, I’m letting you listen in on a private sleep strategy session that I did with a sleep coach to prepare for an upcoming 30-day sleep challenge. I was struggling with chronic exhaustion because I had garbage bedtime habits and I needed to do something to turn it around. I decided to embark… Table of Contents5 Key Takeaways of my Sleep Challenge ExperienceNotable Episode Quotes:Resources Mentioned: About Christine Meyer: Connect with Christine:Sleep Challenge Part 1 – Episode TranscriptRELATED: Check out Part 2 of my 30-Day Sleep Challenge Results 5 Key Takeaways of my Sleep Challenge Experience Consistency is key when it comes to establishing a healthy sleep routine. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can help regulate the body’s internal clock and improve sleep quality. Creating a relaxing sleep environment is crucial for promoting restful sleep. This includes decluttering the bedroom, using aromatherapy, and minimizing noise disturbances. Managing stress throughout the day can significantly impact sleep quality. Incorporating relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress and promote better sleep. If you’re unable to fall back asleep after waking up in the middle of the night, get out of bed and engage in a relaxing activity until you’re feeling sleepy again. This can help prevent you from associating the bed with being awake and promote better sleep efficiency. Doing a brain dump before bed can help clear the mind and reduce racing thoughts that may interfere with falling asleep. Writing down tasks and concerns can provide a sense of relief and allow for a more restful sleep. Notable Episode Quotes: “If you’re not sleeping, you can’t do anything else. It just trickles down into everything.” “I need to be more consistent and more intentional about what I’m doing during the day and in the evening to get better sleep.” “Creating a relaxing sleep environment and establishing a consistent sleep routine are key factors in improving sleep quality.” Resources Mentioned: About Christine Meyer:  Christine Meyer is an Ace Certified Health Coach, Certified Health Education Specialist, and a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant. She has over 14 years of experience in the health and wellness field and helps mid-life women go from foggy to focused, by helping them restore their restful sleep. Her coaching focuses on lifestyle changes, which includes stress management and time management skills. She is a wife, mom, and new Grandma and resides in Southern California. Connect with Christine: On Facebook: Facebook.com/Christinesleepcoach On Instagram: @Christinesleepcoach Book a consultation: CLICK HERE  Download Christine’s Free gift: The Sleep Tips Ebook Sleep Challenge Part 1 – Episode Transcript 0:00:00 – I don’t think there are enough people who talk about the importance of sleep. You know, people will do like nutrition or workouts and stuff like that, but it’s like if you’re not sleeping, you can’t do anything else. I mean, it just trickles down into everything. 0:00:13 – (Laurie): I’m Laurie Mallon, and this is the results without Restriction podcast, the show where results have nothing to do with weight and everything to do with setting and reaching health and fitness goals that focus on what we’re achieving and not what we’re doing losing. We’ll talk about deprogramming from diet culture and get expert advice on reclaiming your relationship with food and movement. Join me on this journey to get results without restriction. Welcome, everyone. Today’s episode is a little bit different. It’s part one of a two part episode where I’m sharing my experience participating in a 30 day sleep challenge that I recently completed with the help of sleep sleep health coach Christine Meyer. Now, you may remember that Christine Meyer was previously a guest on the show. If you listen to that episode, you’ll hear me admit to Christine that my personal sleep habits are not that great. They finally caught up with me a few months ago. I found myself chronically exhausted, and it was having a negative impact on pretty much every area of my life. So I reconnected with Christine Meyer and she agreed to help me with my 30 day sleep challenge. The 30 day sleep challenge started with Christine and I meeting virtually for a better sleep strategy session so that she could understand my current sleep situation and struggles. Then she sent me a restful roadmap, which was a summary of our call and printable action plan for me to use during the 30 days of the sleep challenge. This episode is a recording of our sleep strategy session. In the next episode, I’ll be recapping my sleep challenge experience and reviewing my results with Christine, so be sure to check out that episode after you listen to this one. So now have a listen in on my virtual sleep strategy session with health coach Christine Meyer. [Beginning of the Consultation Recording]0:02:02 – (Christine Meyer): Welcome. Basically, what we’re going to do is talk about your sleep habits. You know, what’s going well, what are you struggling with? And at the end of the sleep strategy session, we will decide together four action steps that you can start implementing over the next 30 days to help you with your sleep, and then I’ll be sending you everything we discussed and the goals that you’re going to be working on. Tell me what’s motivated you to seek help with your sleep. 0:02:27 – (Laurie): I’m so tired, Christine. I’m tired all the time. I was at the point where I was just so tired all the time, and I was like, oh, my God, I’m dying. Like, something has to be seriously wrong with me because why do I feel like this all the time? And then I got an apple Watch, and I started wearing it to bed, and my watch was like, oh, by the way, you have a double digit sleep jet. And I was like, well, shoot, I had no idea my sleep was. Was that bad. Like, I know sometimes I stay up a little bit late or sometimes I get up too early and it’s like, we have pets and I have a kid and, like, things interrupt my sleep. So I was like, I didn’t realize it was that bad. So I was like, okay, I need to do something about this. And then we had our podcast, and I was like, I definitely want to do something about this. Did a few things, and I can see when I do these things, it gets better. When I don’t do these things, when I do my own thing, that debt climbs. And I’m like, what I need is a routine, a habit. I need a block of time that I dedicate to establishing really good, like, sleep hygiene or, like, a nighttime habit. Because I’m getting to the point that when that sleep debt is getting high, I’m just useless during the day. I’m just counting the hours until it’s socially acceptable for me to go to bed. 0:03:53 – (Christine Meyer): So when you’re doing the things you need to do, sleep is good. And you notice that when you don’t do the things you need to do, it’s not so good. What keeps you from that consistency of being in a routine?0:04:04 – (Laurie): When I make the choice to go to bed early and I don’t have my phone at night and I get caught up, my sleep jet gets under 5 hours, I feel great. And I’m like, oh, I can stay up and watch tv with my husband or watch a movie after my son goes to bed or something, and it’s like, I can’t keep doing it because then my sleep debt climbs up, then I’m exhausted, and then we do the whole thing over again. So, yeah.0:04:27 – (Christine Meyer): So you tracking your sleep debt kind of contributes to that pattern. It sounds like looking at the numbers and seeing what you’ve accumulated or if it’s going up or down, would that be right?0:04:38 – (Laurie): I’ve made the observation that when that sleep debt goes down, how I feel, I feel a certain way. And when I feel that way, like. If I didn’t, if I saw the number and it said like four and I still felt like shit, I wouldn’t stay up. Like, I would be like, “oh, I really want to go to bed.” But it’s like I’m just having the Awareness of how I feel And when I feel good and I Have a lot of energy, then I start thinking I can stay up and party like I’m 46 again.0:05:06 – (Christine Meyer): So it’s keeping those patterns in place even when you’re feeling good. But a preventive measure in a way, right.0:05:12 – (Laurie): I want it to kind of just be a routine where I’m not, you know, maybe staying up and watching a movie is a once a week thing or it’s like a Friday night thing, but it’s not like a bunch of nights in a row until I feel like I just am exhausted again.0:05:26 – (Christine Meyer): So there’s an inconsistent sleep schedule. Like you mentioned, you go to bed at eleven, but that sounds like that can vary quite a bit.0:05:32 – (Laurie): It can vary. When I’m really tired, I’ll go to bed. Before my son even goes to bed, I’ll just say, “peace out, I’m going to bed. I’ll see you guys later.” My husband’s like, “bye, go to bed.” If I’m really tired, I put myself to bed. But then I’m like, two days later, I can be up at 11:30 doing whatever, watching a movie, doing stuff on the Internet, like scrolling facebook.0:05:52 – (Christine Meyer): How does this affect your day to day life? All of the inconsistency and kind of the back and forth with that.0:05:59 – (Laurie): It affects how I interact with my family. I’m not popular here because it affects my mood and I’m just cranky, snippy. I don’t have the energy for things that I’d like to be doing, which is getting back into running and lifting. The idea of working out when I’m too tired is just, I just can’t because I just want to sit on my

    26 min

  6. 12/29/2023

    Thirst for Clarity: Approaching Dry January with Curiosity with The Sober Nutritionist, Teri Patterson

    In this episode, I’m welcoming Teri Patterson (The Sober Nutritionist) back on the show to talk about Dry January, what it is, and how taking a mindful break from alcohol and approaching it with curiosity can lead to a new awareness about how alcohol is impacting your health and wellness. Key Takeaways: Growing Awareness: The awareness and participation in Dry January have significantly increased in recent years. In 2021, about 13% of Americans considered participating, while in 2022, this number rose to 35%, indicating a growing wellness conversation around mindful breaks from drinking. Non-Alcoholic Beverage Industry: The rise of Dry January has led to an increase in non-alcoholic beverage options, with major companies introducing alcohol-free products to support the movement. Mindful Break from Drinking: Dry January is not about depriving oneself but about taking a mindful break from alcohol. Shifting the mindset from deprivation to gaining new ways to honor the body is a more empowering approach. Potential Benefits of Dry January: Improved energy levels Reduced anxiety Better sleep Less brain fog Enhanced mood Skip the goals, set Intentions: Instead of setting rigid goals, focus on setting intentions. Ask yourself why you want to participate in Dry January and how you want to feel at the end of the month. Curiosity and Mindset: Approach Dry January with curiosity. Pay attention to any challenges, cravings, or shifts in mindset. Curiosity helps suspend judgment and fosters a more positive experience. Common Dry January Misconceptions: Some may see Dry January as a way to prove they don’t have a drinking problem. It’s essential to recognize that willpower alone may not lead to lasting change; tools and support are crucial. That one must complete the full 31 days, or the effort is wasted. Each day offers valuable data points to guide the journey. Benefits Beyond January: February 1st is not the end; it’s an opportunity to ease into the insights gained. Use journaling to reflect on the experience, revisit initial intentions, and design the post-January period intentionally. Rediscovering Fun Sober: Challenge the myth that “sober is boring.” Reconnect with activities and experiences without relying on alcohol. Engage in hobbies, socialize, and find joy in the absence of alcohol. Quotes: “If sober is boring, you’re doing it wrong.” “We have to ask ourselves, is that true? What happened when I was 10 and I was running around in the backyard playing with my friends and we were playing doorbell ditch and laughing and hoping we didn’t get caught or running through the sprinklers. Where is that person? That person is still inside of us.” “February 1st is not the, you know, you don’t put the key in the lock and now I’m out of jail. Imagine February 1st as the time to just ease into the information that you’ve gained and allow yourself to say. Okay. Wow. That was really interesting.” Resources Mentioned: The history of Dry January The Alcohol Experiment Journal (Amazon affiliate link) – https://amzn.to/3TGpNjm The Alcohol Experiment (Amazon affiliate link) https://amzn.to/3vojE0R The Luckiest Club Smart Recovery About Teri:  Teri Patterson is a Functional Nutritionist and a This Naked Mind Senior Coach. Teri blends her knowledge of nutrition with her passion for living an alcohol-free life into a unique business as The Sober Nutritionist. Teri’s mission is to help her clients discover how drinking less can be the key to better health. Teri is also the host of the popular podcast The Sober Edge, Inspiration for Alcohol-Free Living and the creator of the brand-new SELF Experience, a place for women after alcohol who want to build a life by design, not by default. Connect with Teri: On her website: https://thesobernutritionist.com/ On Instagram:  @teri.thesobernutritionist/ Download Teri’s Free gift: Drinking Through the Decades Stock up on New NA Beverages! Recess Zero Proof SamplerCraft Mocktails, Alcohol Free Drinks, With Adaptogens, Non-Alcoholic Beverage Replacement, Mixer, (12 pack sampler has 3 of each flavor: Lime “Margarita,” Grapefruit “Paloma”) BUY ON AMAZON IMPROV Booze-Free Cocktails 12oz Non-Alcoholic Beverage, Mocktail Drink Mixer, Vegan, Gluten Free, Zero Proof (4-Pack) (Cucumber G&T) BUY ON AMAZON FREE AF TASTING PACK with Afterglow™ Non-Alcoholic Cocktails | No Artificial Colors or Sweeteners, Gluten Free, Low in Calories, Low in Sugar, 8.4fl oz Cans, Flavors May Vary (6 pack) BUY ON AMAZON HOP WTRSparkling Hop Water – Variety Flavor Pack (12 Pack) – NA Beer, No Calories or Sugar, Low Carb, With Adaptogens and Nootropics for Added Benefits (12 oz Cans) BUY ON AMAZON Go Brewing 12 Mixed PackNon-Alcoholic Craft Beer, Classic Ingredients, Featuring Multiple Flavors, Assorted Varieties, Low-Calorie Alternative Beverage Choices – 12 Fl Oz Cans BUY ON AMAZON Click here to check out more Episodes on the RWR Podcast! Episode Transcript: Laurie: Welcome, everyone. Today, Teri Patterson, also known as the Sober Nutritionist, is back on the show, and she’s here to chat with us about Dry January, what it is, and how taking a mindful break from alcohol and approaching it with curiosity can lead to a new awareness about how alcohol is showing up in your life and impacting your health and wellness. Welcome, Teri.  Teri: It’s so nice to be here. I’m excited to be back on your podcast and having a conversation around dry January. Laurie: You are like my expert on very compassionately examining our relationship with alcohol and what it means and how it shows up and looking at all the ways that it’s impacting the different areas of our life. So I’m excited to dig in with you as we’re coming up to January. And a lot of people will be participating in the Dry January. So I really want to get some information out there for people to help them participate successfully, however it looks for them. What we’re going to start with is in case anybody doesn’t know what is dry January and why it’s becoming more popular in recent years. Teri: Yes, we see the roots of dry January actually from 2013 when a British organization called Alcohol Concern, they actually started a charitable fundraiser around taking a 30 day break from drinking alcohol. And the reason they picked January was of course, because traditionally people might want to make some healthy changes. But the other interesting part is they did it because the pubs and the bars don’t get as much business during January. So they thought, Oh, this is a good time for people who aren’t necessarily going out to the pub so much. To take a mindful break from drinking. And so that’s really the roots of it. And it was done to help raise money. And, uh, it’s been fascinating because the movement has grown since then. And now it is absolutely huge. And I was looking up some statistics because what we see in the United States, it’s really interesting in these last few years as awareness. around taking a mindful break from drinking has become more popular. We see these dry January numbers just increasing exponentially. So in 2021, we had about 13 percent of the American populations say, yes, I’m considering, or I am going to participate in dry January. And in 2022, 35 percent of Americans said they wanted to participate. So you can see that the awareness, the wellness conversation around taking a break is really growing. And to support that, we’re seeing a lot of companies jumping into the non alcoholic beverage industry, seeing big names now like Heineken Zero, for example. Everyone is coming out with their own version of an alcohol free product to support this movement.  Laurie: I have noticed that, Teri. I’ve seen so many ads just in the last year popping up everywhere for non alcoholic versions of alcoholic drinks for people who want to feel like they’re still social or they still can have that drink, but without the alcohol impact. I was going to say too, that In January, we tend to see a lot of, like, the pendulum swing. So, like, December is a big month for indulgence. People like to eat a lot of special foods and, and they tend to maybe not move as much. They’re out of their regular routine. And by the end of December, people are at a point they’re like, I just want to get back into doing the things that I normally do that make me feel good. Sleeping more, moving more, eating the foods that I’m used to eating on a regular basis that make my insides feel good. We see that pendulum go from like really enjoying to [00:04:00] restriction. I’m going to start a diet. I’m going to start cutting out all these foods starting January 1st. I have a resolution. I’m not going to do X, Y, Z. If you’ve been a big drinker over the holidays, it’s probably one of those things that people are just like, Oh, I really overdid it. Maybe I need to take a break, or maybe I need to kind of look at what this means. Teri: Exactly. And so we often want to be like, it’s like an alcohol timeout, you know, so I’m going to take this time out and alcohol is the enemy and you know, and, and I’m, I’m deprived. I’m sitting over here in the no fun corner, not drinking for the month of January. Right. And so. It, again, when we go back to mindset, it’s really powerful to think about what we’re gaining versus what we’re giving up because we can maybe look at it as deprivation and that’s just not going to serve us in the long term. So it’s so much more powerful to say, Oh my gosh, I found new ways to honor my body.  Laurie: 100 perce

    35 min

  7. 12/14/2023

    The Healing Power of Yoga with Tashya Knight

    In this episode ‘The Healing Power of yoga’ Tashya Knight, certified health educator, health coach, and yoga instructor shares her journey into healing power of yoga, emphasizing its role in her wellness and the surprising benefits she experienced. Table of ContentsKey TakeawaysQuotesResources MentionedJoin Tashya for a free classConnect with TashyaEpisode Transcript: The discussion covers the physical and mental health benefits of a regular yoga practice, busting yoga myths and highlighting its impact on physical, mental and emotional health. Tashya elaborates on the importance of self-acceptance, self-confidence, and spending time with yourself in yoga. We dive into Tashya’s approach to yoga as a healing practice, particularly in addressing trauma and promoting breath awareness and how finding the right yoga style, teacher, and studio are important to create a positive and welcoming experience. Key Takeaways • The power of Yoga as a Holistic Wellness Practice – it’s not just as a physical activity but a holistic practice affecting mental and emotional well-being. • A regular yoga practice has diverse health benefits including stress management, anxiety reduction, improved sleep, lower cortisol levels, enhanced cardiovascular health, and even potential relief from migraines • It’s important to approach yoga with an open mind and curiosity. Each person’s body is unique, and yoga should be personalized to meet individual needs. Modifications and variations are encouraged, promoting a sense of self-acceptance and self-confidence • Restorative yoga is a practice focused on rest and relaxation. The poses involve the use of props and aim to calm the nervous system, providing an opportunity for deep relaxation and self-care Quotes “I can’t imagine my life without yoga. I can’t imagine not sharing this with other people and helping them to calm their anxiety. It’s helped me with my depression. It has helped me with stress.” “Yes, it is slow because it’s asking you to slow down. You’ve lived your life in a form of, you know, whatever goes on in your daily life, taking some time to yourself.” “[Your practice] is all about you, and it’s yours. So finding ways to use breath allows you to find ways to get quiet, to slow down, to take a minute that’s just yours.” “Restorative yoga is it’s just really a time to rest your mind and rest your body, which I think is something we all need in our time right now where we’re constantly on the go.” Resources Mentioned New Study Explores How Yoga Reduces Stress The Effect of Yoga on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Women Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life Effect of Yoga on migraine: A comprehensive study using clinical profile and cardiac autonomic functions  The effectiveness of yoga in modifying risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome Impact of Yoga on Inflammatory Biomarkers Join Tashya for a free class Tashya hosts a virtual Saturday morning restorative yoga class, so no matter where you are, you can join Tashya at 10am Eastern for an hour of self-care as you start your weekend. Want to join Tashya for a virtual yoga class? CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP About Tashya:  Tashya is a former educator with a Bachelor’s in Education and a Master’s in Health Promotion.After finishing her degree, she became a certified health education specialist (CHES). Combining this with her health coaching certification she has created programs, curriculums, lessons, and experiences on the subject matters of mindfulness, yoga, wellness, SEL, self-care, and empowerment. Enrolling in a yoga teacher training allowed Tashya to do the hard work of healing herself by applying yoga philosophy, meditation, and aspects of her wellness coaching. She removed herself from toxic behaviors and relationships. Using her own experiences, she has been able to create programs that empower women to thrive as their best selves. After leaving the classroom, Tashya worked for several different non-profit organizations teaching kids cooking classes, nutrition education, social emotional learning skills, girl’s empowerment, yoga, mindfulness, and self-care practices. She is a professionally trained and certified health coach and yoga instructor. Tashya is a passionate advocate for promoting wellness and empowering young people and adults to know their worth and practice self-care on a daily basis. She currently resides in Brooklyn, NY where she continues to teach yoga, coach clients, and write about various wellness topics. Connect with Tashya On her website: www.wellness13.com On Instagram: @wellness13llc Join Tashya for a virtual yoga class: https://www.wellness13.com/book-a-yoga-class/ Episode Transcript: Laurie: Welcome everyone. Today I am talking to Tasha Knight, who you may recall has been a guest on the show already, but this time she’s back to talk to us about the benefits of a regular yoga practice. Now you might also remember that Tasha is a former teacher turned certified health educator, health coach, and yoga instructor. And she discovered yoga while she was working on her master’s degree in health promotion. And now she’s on a mission to empower individuals who are interested in taking a more holistic approach to their wellness journey. Welcome back, Tasha. Tashya: Thank you, Laurie. Laurie: What I would like to do is start with kind of like your backstory and how you got into yoga and definitely like your journey to becoming a yoga teacher. Can you tell us about that? Tashya: Yes, absolutely. I actually came to yoga through meditation first. People usually come to yoga first and then find their way to meditation. But I was in grad school and my master’s is in health promotion. And I had one semester, we had an entire class on meditation. So we were learning the philosophy. We were learning background and all of that. And we had to practice different types of meditation. So I started practicing the meditations. This is not about meditation, but the usual thoughts, I can’t do meditation. I can’t say it and had a lot of misconceptions about it. really began to understand and dive into it a little bit more. And then from that started a meditation practice and then thought, Hey, maybe I should do a yoga class. So I took a couple of yoga classes and I actually wrote a blog post about this on my website. I didn’t like yoga and I didn’t think that I could do yoga. And I thought like, I can’t slow down. I can’t sit still. I can’t get quiet. I’d rather do a different type of movement, something a little more hardcore. Because I had been practicing the meditation, I found that when I showed up to the yoga class, it, I was able to practice it. I was able to connect to the breath and find that because I had learned how to slow down in the meditation. Did I ever think I was going to be a yoga teacher? No. If you had asked me ten years ago, that wouldn’t even have been on my list of goals or aspirations. For some reason, I just felt like that was the next step for me. I was already a health coach. I had already gotten the degree in health promotion. I was already, you know, helping people and being of service in that way. And then I started getting ads for this yoga program that was specifically for educators. And as you know, Laurie, I used to be a teacher. And so I thought, of course, I’ll go learn how to be a yoga teacher around my people, around other educators. And that’s what I found myself doing. So I ended up taking a yoga teacher training that was specifically for educators, very social, emotional learning based learning, how to incorporate that into your classes. And I loved it. And I started to dive more into the philosophy and more into deepening my yoga practice, deepening my meditation practice, learning how to breathe better and all of that. And now I can’t imagine my life without yoga. I can’t imagine not sharing this. with other people and helping them to calm their anxiety. It’s helped me with my depression. It has helped me with stress. It has helped me to just calm down in a world where I am constantly busy, busy, go, go, go. And this has just given me another tool for self care and to feel better in my life. Laurie: Okay, so you already dipped your toe here into my next question, which is how can a yoga practice contribute to overall better health? And you mentioned some things that have been helpful for you. People may have a like a preconception about yoga, which is you go, you do some stretches, you lay on a mat. How does this help? But some very specific studies have been done on how yoga can help you physically and mentally. I just want to make sure people are aware of that. Yoga has been shown to help lower cortisol levels, which is a stress hormone. So it helps with stress management, which is a huge factor in improving mental health. It’s also been shown to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. It has been shown to help reduce chronic pain, reducing chronic inflammation. It’s also been shown that it can help with your cardiovascular health, and this is amazing that it actually can impact your heart rate, your blood pressure, your cholesterol. It’s also been shown to help you sleep better, and because a lot of yoga practices incorporate breathing, it can actually make your lungs stronger. So it might help if you have any kind of chronic lung conditions. And then the last thing I’ll note is that it has been shown to help with migraines. So if migraines are something that you struggle with, there’s a study that has shown that yoga may help to reduce the number of migraine headaches that you ar

    24 min

  8. 12/07/2023

    Celebrating Her Recovery from Eating Disorders Using Intuitive Eating

    CW: as the title implies, this episode describes a guest’s lifelong struggle with eating disorders   Is Recovery from Eating Disorders Using Intuitive Eating Possible? In this episode I chat with Debbie Lesko, an anti-diet and eating disorder awareness activist, who shares her personal journey of recovery from an eating disorder and how she became an advocate for body positivity and intuitive eating. She emphasizes the importance of rejecting diet culture and the harmful effects of intentional weight loss. Debbie also discusses the benefits of embracing an anti-diet mindset, such as freedom from food restrictions, improved self-esteem, and a healthier relationship with your body. She provides practical tips for transitioning away from dieting, including changing language around food, cleaning up social media feeds, and finding joyful movement. What’s in the episode:Is Recovery from Eating Disorders Using Intuitive Eating Possible?Key Takeaways:Quotes:Resources Mentioned: Need help?Finding Recovery: A Personal JourneyThe Anti-Diet Movement: Rejecting Diet CultureThe Power of Community and SupportThe Benefits of Ditching the Diet MindsetLooking ahead…Frequently Asked Questions About Recovery, Anti-Diet Living & Letting Go of Diet Culture1. Is recovery from an eating disorder possible at any age?2. What does it mean to be “anti-diet”?3. Isn’t weight loss still a valid health goal?4. What are the biggest mindset shifts when leaving diet culture?5. How do I explain my anti-diet stance to others without feeling awkward?6. What’s a good place to start if I’m just beginning to unlearn diet culture?7. Is Debbie a therapist or licensed professional?Episode Transcript Key Takeaways: Reject diet culture and the labeling of food as “good” or “bad.” Clean up your social media by unfollowing accounts that promote dieting or weight loss. Get rid of clothes that don’t fit and buy clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident in your current body. Quotes: “Anti-diet means rejecting the idea that a diet is going to cure your self-esteem, your body image, your health.” “All food has nutritional value, no matter what it is, and your body knows what to do with it.” “Give up the fight for making your body a shape that you think is acceptable.” Resources Mentioned: National Eating Disorder Association Health at Every Size (Amazon Affiiate link) Intuitive Eating (Amazon Affiliate Link) Need help? Looking to speak with someone about eating disorders concerns for yourself or a loved one? ANAD Helpline: 1 (888) 375-7767    Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm CT National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline: 1 (866) 662-1235     Monday-Friday, 9am-7pm ET About Debbie:  Debbie Lesko is a 67-year-old grandmother and an eating disorder awareness and anti-diet fat liberation activist. She has been on a journey of recovery from her own eating disorder since she was eight years old. Debbie is the host of the “Diets Don’t Work” Facebook page, which is a community that supports and educates people looking to ditch the diet mindset and approach health without a harmful focus on weight. Connect with DebbieDiets Don’t Work Facebook pageDiets Don’t Work Facebook groupDebbie’s Website: Diets-dont-work.net In a world obsessed with weight loss and diet culture, it can be challenging to find a path to true health and well-being. But there is hope. Debbie Lesko, an anti-diet activist and eating disorder awareness advocate, is on a mission to help others break free from the harmful cycle of dieting and embrace a new way of approaching health. In our conversation, Debbie shares her personal journey to recovery and offers valuable insights into the benefits of ditching the diet mindset. Finding Recovery: A Personal Journey Debbie’s story is one of resilience and determination. From a young age, she was subjected to the harmful messages of diet culture, constantly being told that she needed to lose weight to be accepted and valued. This led to a lifelong battle with an eating disorder, with multiple hospitalizations and treatment centers along the way. But it wasn’t until 2017, when her job threatened her employment if she didn’t seek treatment, that Debbie realized she needed to make a change. “I can’t leave my granddaughter,” Debbie recalls. “I can’t die. That would just hurt tremendously.” This realization became the turning point in her recovery journey. She sought treatment at Rosewood Eating Disorder Centers and immersed herself in various modalities, including intuitive eating and the Health at Every Size (HAES) approach. Through this process, Debbie discovered a new way of approaching food, movement, and self-acceptance. The Anti-Diet Movement: Rejecting Diet Culture Being anti-diet means rejecting the harmful messages of diet culture and embracing a new approach to health and well-being. It means letting go of the idea that weight loss is the key to happiness and self-worth. As Debbie explains, “Anti-diet does not mean anti-health. It’s pro-health.” It’s about focusing on nourishing your body and finding joy in movement, rather than obsessing over numbers on a scale or restrictive eating patterns. One of the biggest pitfalls people face when trying to leave the diet mindset behind is the language they use around food. Debbie emphasizes the importance of eliminating labels like “good” or “bad” when it comes to food. “All food has nutritional value,” she says. “Your body knows what to do with it.” By reframing our thoughts and language around food, we can begin to develop a healthier relationship with eating and nourishing our bodies. The Power of Community and Support Recovering from an eating disorder and embracing an anti-diet mindset can be challenging, but Debbie emphasizes the importance of finding a supportive community. Through her Facebook page, “Diets Don’t Work,” Debbie curates a collection of posts and resources that promote body positivity, intuitive eating, and eating disorder awareness. The page has grown into a thriving community of over 4,500 members who share their experiences, ask questions, and support one another on their journeys to recovery. Debbie also highlights the importance of cleaning up our social media feeds and surrounding ourselves with accounts that promote body positivity and reject diet culture. By curating our online spaces, we can create a more positive and supportive environment that aligns with our values and goals. The Benefits of Ditching the Diet Mindset So, what are the benefits of embracing an anti-diet mindset and rejecting the harmful messages of diet culture?Debbie shares three key benefits: Freedom: By letting go of restrictive eating patterns and the obsession with weight loss, we can experience a newfound sense of freedom. No longer bound by the numbers on a scale or the rules of a diet, we can eat what we want when we want it, without guilt or shame. Increased Brain Space: When we’re constantly focused on diets and weight loss, our minds become consumed by numbers and restrictions. By embracing an anti-diet mindset, we free up valuable brain space to focus on more important things, like spending time with loved ones, pursuing hobbies, and engaging in activities that bring us joy. Improved Self-Esteem: Diet culture often leads to a negative body image and a constant battle with our own self-worth. By rejecting the idea that our bodies need to conform to a certain standard, we can develop a healthier and more positive relationship with ourselves. Respecting our bodies for what they are and what they can do, rather than how they look, can lead to a significant boost in self-esteem and overall well-being. Looking ahead… Ditching the diet mindset and embracing an anti-diet approach to health and well-being is a journey that requires commitment and self-compassion. But as Debbie’s story demonstrates, it is possible to find recovery and live a life free from the harmful cycle of dieting. By rejecting diet culture, reframing our thoughts and language around food, and surrounding ourselves with a supportive community, we can begin to embrace a new way of approaching health that focuses on nourishment, self-acceptance, and joy. As the anti-diet movement continues to gain momentum, it is important that we challenge the harmful messages of diet culture and promote a more inclusive and compassionate approach to health. By sharing our stories, supporting one another, and advocating for change, we can create a world where everyone can embrace their bodies and live their lives to the fullest, free from the constraints of diet culture. Let’s support Debbie in her mission to spread awareness about eating disorders, promote body positivity, and empower others to embrace an anti-diet mindset. Together, we can create a future where health is not defined by weight, but by the joy, nourishment, and self-acceptance that comes from living a life free from diet culture. Frequently Asked Questions About Recovery, Anti-Diet Living & Letting Go of Diet Culture 1. Is recovery from an eating disorder possible at any age? Yes. As Debbie shares in this episode, she found recovery at 63 years old—after decades of struggle and multiple treatment centers. Recovery is not limited by age. It’s never too late to heal your relationship with food, your body, or yourself. 2. What does it mean to be “anti-diet”? Being anti-diet means rejecting restrictive eating, body shame, and weight-focused health messages. It’s not anti-health—it’s pro-health, pro-body autonomy, and pro-informed choice. It also means refusing to moralize food or tie your worth to your size. 3. Isn’t weight loss still a valid health goal? Weight loss is a persona

    32 min
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