Behind the Plate with Heather Soman, RD

Heather Soman, RD
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  • NUTRITION

Behind the Plate is for individuals who are tired of diet culture, food guilt, and nutrition advice that doesn’t work for real life. Hosted by registered dietitian Heather Bray, this podcast helps you cut through the food noise and rebuild trust with your body — especially if you’re navigating ADHD, binge eating, or burnout. If you're looking for no-BS, compassionate, science-backed guidance, you're in the right place.

Episodes

  1. 11/27/2025

    Cravings, Explained

    Cravings can feel like a tidal wave—loud, urgent, and impossible to ignore—yet they’re far from random. We dig into what a craving actually is, how it differs from hunger, and why your brain can fixate on sweetness or crunch even when you “should” be fine. As a registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor, I break down the science in plain language and show how biology, mindset, and environment combine to create that intense pull toward specific foods. We start with the body’s signals: how undereating lowers blood sugar and flips on a survival response, why cutting carbs makes your reward circuits hypersensitive to sugar, and how hormones like ghrelin and leptin change with dieting, stress, and poor sleep. Then we look at psychology—the scarcity effect that turns “off-limits” into irresistible, the hidden power of mental restriction and food labels, and the all-or-nothing patterns that fuel the binge–restrict cycle. You’ll also hear how environmental cues, social media, and habitual routines (Netflix snacks, anyone?) train cravings even when you’re not hungry. Most importantly, we lay out practical, sustainable steps. You’ll learn how regular meals and snacks stabilize energy and mood, why adding carbohydrates back into meals often quiets the sweet tooth, and how to loosen rigid rules without abandoning nutrition. We’ll practice mindful pauses to identify whether you’re hungry, seeking comfort, or responding to a cue—and how to honor each scenario with care. The goal isn’t perfect control; it’s trust. When you treat cravings as information, not evidence of failure, they lose their edge and you gain freedom with food. If this resonates, hit follow, share with a friend who’s stuck in the craving–restriction loop, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Your stories and questions shape future episodes—what cue triggers your cravings most? Learn more at behindtheplate.ca Grab the free Hunger & Fullness Cues Guide: behindtheplate.ca/hunger-fullness-cues Explore The Empowered Eating Journey: behindtheplate.ca/empowered-eating-journey

    24 min

  2. 11/20/2025

    Emotional Eating Isn’t the Problem — Here’s What Is

    Shame says emotional eating is a flaw; we say it’s a signal. Heather Soman, registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor, explores why turning to food during big feelings is both human and understandable—and how to respond with compassion while adding better tools.  We unpack how childhood patterns, cultural scripts, and media moments shape comfort eating, from cookies after hard days to the classic breakup-and-ice-cream trope.  Along the way, Heather shares reflective prompts to build an emotional vocabulary, spot body cues like tight chests or restless energy, and identify the unmet needs beneath cravings. We dig into common scenarios where food becomes the go-to: long days that end with snacks and streaming, or ADHD brains chasing stimulation with screen-stacking and grazing.  Instead of moralizing food, we explore what those moments are asking for—rest, boundaries, connection, novelty, or creative engagement—and how to meet those needs with a broader toolkit.  If emotional eating feels like your only coping strategy, Heather offers gentle next steps, including therapy support, reflection questions, and resources to reconnect with hunger, fullness, and satisfaction cues. If this resonated, subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so others can find the show. Want more tools? Check the show notes for the Empowered Eating Journey, our free hunger and fullness guide, and the weekly newsletter. Learn more at behindtheplate.ca Grab the free Hunger & Fullness Cues Guide: behindtheplate.ca/hunger-fullness-cues Explore The Empowered Eating Journey: behindtheplate.ca/empowered-eating-journey

    17 min

  3. 11/11/2025

    What If I Never Feel Full? Understanding Fullness and Satiety Cues

    Ever wonder why you can feel “full” and yet still think about food? We take you inside the biology and behavior of appetite and show how to move from stuffed to truly satisfied. As a registered dietitian and intuitive eating counselor, I connect the dots between hormones, the gut-brain axis, and everyday choices so your meals start working for you instead of against you. We break down fullness versus satiety in clear terms, then explore the hormone lineup—leptin, CCK, PYY, and GLP‑1—that helps your brain say enough. You’ll hear how the vagus nerve relays signals from the gut, why fiber variety feeds the microbiome and boosts short-chain fatty acids, and how those molecules support steadier appetite. I also share a personal story about dieting, big hunger, and the turning points that rebuilt trust with my body, especially after long stretches of restriction and food scarcity. From there, we get practical. Learn how to time meals every three to four hours, compose balanced plates with carbs, protein, fat, and fiber, and layer flavor so satisfaction lands. We dig into sensory-specific satiety, why the first bites hit hardest, and how to use that cue to stop earlier without feeling deprived. If you’ve been choosing the “right” foods and still end up rummaging for snacks, this conversation reframes choice, pleasure, and permission so cravings calm down naturally. If the science of fullness, the role of GLP‑1, leptin resistance, and gut health intrigue you, or you’re ready for straightforward steps to feel truly satisfied, you’ll walk away with tools you can use at your next meal. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s tired of white-knuckle eating, and leave a review with the one habit you’ll try this week—slowing down, adding flavor, or building more variety. Your body isn’t broken; it’s communicating. Let’s help it be heard. Learn more at behindtheplate.ca Grab the free Hunger & Fullness Cues Guide: behindtheplate.ca/hunger-fullness-cues Explore The Empowered Eating Journey: behindtheplate.ca/empowered-eating-journey

    20 min

  4. 11/07/2025

    Tired of Hating Your Body? 3 Ways to Start Feeling at Home in It

    In this episode, Heather unpacks why body image pain runs deep and how neutrality and respect offer a steadier path than chasing an ideal. We share research, personal stories, and three daily practices to help you feel at home in your body without making love the goal. Heather Discusses: • Defining body image as thoughts and feelings • How media and diet culture shape beliefs • Social media’s impact and key statistics • Weight bias at work and links to worth • Why changing the body rarely fixes the feeling • Body neutrality versus body positivity • Body respect as daily, practical care • Three tools: name thoughts, value function, act with respect • Diversifying feeds and disrupting comparison • Nonlinear progress and sustainable support Join my Empowered Eating Journey for tools and guidance to build a healthier relationship with food and your body. Find me on Instagram at @behindtheplatenutrition Learn more at behindtheplate.ca Grab the free Hunger & Fullness Cues Guide: behindtheplate.ca/hunger-fullness-cues Explore The Empowered Eating Journey: behindtheplate.ca/empowered-eating-journey

    22 min

  5. 10/27/2025

    The Truth About Halloween Candy (and Why Restricting Backfires)

    Halloween candy isn’t the villain; fear is. We take a fresh, evidence-based look at sweets through an intuitive eating lens and show how trust—not tight control—leads to calmer kids, steadier routines, and fewer binges for everyone at home. Drawing on research and real client stories, we unpack scarcity mindset, explain why strict sugar rules often backfire, and outline how habituation helps candy lose its charge over time. We break down Ellen Satter’s Division of Responsibility so parents have a simple, reliable framework: you handle the what, when, and environment; your kids handle whether and how much. From letting children explore their haul and pick favorites to folding a fun-size bar into after‑school snacks and dinners, you’ll hear practical, low‑drama ways to reduce novelty and keep food neutral. We also talk about language that sticks—why swapping “Have you had enough?” for “Which one did you like most?” can shift the whole evening. Adults get tools too. If you grew up with dessert rules or a clean‑plate culture, Halloween can trigger old scarcity patterns. We share steps to practice unconditional permission to eat, keep meals regular with carbs, protein, and fat, and experiment with keeping candy visible as urges fade. The result is less white‑knuckle control and more body trust, plus a clearer path to stable eating patterns, better emotional well‑being, and a more peaceful home during the sweetest week of the year. If this conversation helped, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find us. What’s the one candy you’ll put on the plate this week? Ellyn Satter: https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/ References Say A, de la Piedad Garcia X, Mallan KM. The correlation between different operationalisations of parental restrictive feeding practices and children's eating behaviours: Systematic review and meta-analyses. Appetite. 2023 Jan 1;180:106320. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106320. Epub 2022 Oct 7. PMID: 36210017. Hübner, H. L., & Bartelmeß, T. (2024). Associations of sugar-related food parenting practices and parental feeding styles with prospective dietary behavior of children and adolescents: A systematic review of the literature from 2017 to 2023. Frontiers in Public Health, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1382437 Costa A, Oliveira A. Parental Feeding Practices and Children's Eating Behaviours: An Overview of Their Complex Relationship. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Jan 31;11(3):400. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11030400. PMID: 36766975; PMCID: PMC9914567. Learn more at behindtheplate.ca Grab the free Hunger & Fullness Cues Guide: behindtheplate.ca/hunger-fullness-cues Explore The Empowered Eating Journey: behindtheplate.ca/empowered-eating-journey

    17 min

  6. 10/24/2025

    From Dread to Delight: Finding Joy (and Sanity) in the Kitchen Again with Olivia Cupido RD

    Dinner doesn’t have to feel like a test you can fail. We sit down with registered dietitian, cooking instructor, and mom of two, Olivia Cupido, to get real about kitchen overwhelm and how to find an easier rhythm that actually fits your life. From navigating disordered eating and perfectionism to cooking with a baby on your lap, Olivia shares mindset shifts and practical systems that turn “what’s for dinner” into a lighter lift. We dig into the real reasons the kitchen can feel heavy—anxiety, all-or-nothing thinking, and skill gaps—and walk through gentle fixes that build momentum fast. Think freezer stashes of soup and meatballs, cooked rice ready for fried rice, and go-to staples like eggs on toast, tuna or sardines with avocado, and pasta that brings comfort without the guilt. Olivia’s all-foods-fit approach invites convenience back to the table: pre-packaged salads, jarred sauces, and planned takeout nights that remove decision fatigue while keeping nourishment front and centre. You’ll also hear a realistic take on meal planning that prioritizes cravings, store flyers, and your actual schedule. We cover ADHD-friendly tweaks like printing recipes in big font, planning only two days at a time, and pre-choosing a midweek break. Along the way, Olivia shows how to model a positive food culture for kids, embrace “good enough” dinners, and use small wins to rebuild confidence in the kitchen. It’s permission to make cooking simpler, not perfect. If this conversation helps you breathe easier about dinner, follow and subscribe for more practical, judgment-free nutrition talk. Share the episode with a friend who needs a freezer win, and leave a review to tell us your favorite five-minute meal. Learn more at behindtheplate.ca Grab the free Hunger & Fullness Cues Guide: behindtheplate.ca/hunger-fullness-cues Explore The Empowered Eating Journey: behindtheplate.ca/empowered-eating-journey

    27 min

  7. 10/10/2025

    Intuitive Eating with ADHD: Why It’s Different (and How to Make It Work)

    Intuitive Eating with ADHD: What Makes It Different (and How to Make It Work) If you’ve ever forgotten to eat all day, struggled to meal plan, or felt like intuitive eating just doesn’t “click” with your ADHD brain — this episode is for you. Registered Dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor, Heather Bray, breaks down how ADHD impacts your relationship with food — from dulled hunger cues and impulsive eating to medication-related appetite changes — and what you can do about it. You’ll learn:  Why intuitive eating can feel harder with ADHD (and why that’s not your fault) How ADHD medications affect hunger and fullness Practical RD tips for meal planning and consistent eating Habit-pairing strategies to make eating easier and more intuitive How to adapt intuitive eating to your brain — not the other way aroundWhether you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD or just relate to the chaos of remembering to eat, this episode will help you find your rhythm, build body trust, and take the next step in your empowered eating journey. Listen now and hit follow so you don’t miss next week’s episode: Why We Struggle with Body Image (And 3 Ways to Start Healing) Learn more at behindtheplate.ca Grab the free Hunger & Fullness Cues Guide: behindtheplate.ca/hunger-fullness-cues Explore The Empowered Eating Journey: behindtheplate.ca/empowered-eating-journey

    24 min

  8. 10/03/2025

    Will Intuitive Eating Help Me Lose Weight?

    One of the most common questions I get is: “But will I lose weight with intuitive eating?” This is such an important conversation because intuitive eating is often misunderstood. Many people approach it like another diet, and then feel frustrated when it doesn’t “work” the way they expected. In this episode, I’m breaking down what the research actually says, what you can realistically expect, and why focusing solely on weight might actually be holding you back. We’ll cover: What intuitive eating was really designed forWhy some people lose, maintain, or even gain weightThe psychological and physical benefits that matter more than the number on the scaleWhy turning intuitive eating into another “diet” backfiresWhat you can expect if you’re just starting this journeyReferences & Resources Mentioned: Harvard Nutrition Source – Intuitive Eating Cleveland Clinic: What Is Intuitive Eating? NCBI – Intuitive Eating and Longitudinal Health Outcomes ScienceDirect: Intuitive Eating Studies SpringerLink: Intuitive Eating Review CV Wellbeing: Intuitive Eating & Weight Loss ZOE: Intuitive Eating Explained Alissa Rumsey – Intuitive Eating & Weight Learn more at behindtheplate.ca Grab the free Hunger & Fullness Cues Guide: behindtheplate.ca/hunger-fullness-cues Explore The Empowered Eating Journey: behindtheplate.ca/empowered-eating-journey

    22 min

  9. 09/26/2025

    Why Diets Don’t Work (and What to Do Instead)

    If you’ve ever started a diet full of motivation only to “fall off” a few weeks later, you’re not alone. And here’s the truth: it’s not because you’re lazy or lack willpower. It’s because diets are designed to fail. In this episode of Behind the Plate, Heather Bray, Registered Dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor, breaks down why diets don’t work — and why the cycle of restriction, cravings, and guilt is built into the system. We’ll cover: What counts as a diet (spoiler: it’s more than just “keto” or “Weight Watchers”)How diet culture shapes the way we think about food, bodies, and healthThe hidden consequences of dieting: slowed metabolism, stronger cravings, increased health risks, and higher fat storage over timeThe link between dieting, weight cycling, and eating disordersWhy feeling like you “failed” is actually proof the diet failed youYou’ll also hear about “The Dieter’s Dilemma” — the frustrating cycle so many of us know all too well — and how to start redefining what health really means for you. This episode is your invitation to begin an empowered eating journey, where food feels less like a battle and more like a source of trust, peace, and confidence. If you’re ready to step off the diet rollercoaster and finally understand why the old approach hasn’t worked, this episode will give you clarity and hope. 👉 Next up: Will I Lose Weight with Intuitive Eating? — where we’ll dig deeper into what the research has shown about intuitive eating. Hit follow so you don’t miss it, and if today’s episode resonated with you, share it with a friend who’s ready to ditch dieting for good. References & Further Reading: Fothergill, E. et al. (2016). Persistent metabolic adaptation 6 years after “The Biggest Loser” competition. Obesity, 24(8), 1612-1619.Redman, L. M. et al. (2006). Effect of calorie restriction on biomarkers of aging in nonobese humans. JAMA, 295(13), 1539-1548.Stice, E. et al. (2013). Caloric deprivation increases responsivity of brain regions to intake and images of palatable foods. NeuroImage, 67, 322-330.Lowe, M. R. et al. (2013). Differential reward response to palatable food cues in past and current dieters. Appetite, 71, 464-471.Cummings, D. E. et al. (2002). Plasma ghrelin levels after diet-induced weight loss or gastric bypass surgery. NEJM, 346(21), 1623-1630.Crujeiras, A. B. et al. (2008). Changes of ghrelin and leptin in response to hypocaloric diet in obese patients. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 53(3-4), 234-240.Learn more at behindtheplate.ca Grab the free Hunger & Fullness Cues Guide: behindtheplate.ca/hunger-fullness-cues Explore The Empowered Eating Journey: behindtheplate.ca/empowered-eating-journey

    20 min

  10. 09/19/2025

    What is Intuitive Eating? (And Why it Doesn't Feel so Intuitive At First)

    If you’ve ever tried to “just eat when you’re hungry” or “listen to your body” and thought, Uhh… how?! — you’re not alone. Intuitive eating might sound simple, but for many of us, it feels confusing, overwhelming, or even impossible at first. In this very first episode of Behind the Plate, I’m breaking down what intuitive eating actually is — and what it isn’t. Developed by dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, intuitive eating is an evidence-based framework designed to help you reconnect with your body’s cues and make peace with food. But if you’ve spent years dieting, battling binge eating, living with ADHD, or navigating burnout, tuning into those cues can feel like trying to learn a language you were never taught. We’ll talk about why intuitive eating can feel so hard at the start (spoiler: it’s not your fault), the common barriers that get in the way, and the shifts that start to happen once you begin practicing. From quieting the mental food noise to building trust with your body, intuitive eating isn’t about rules, guilt, or restriction — it’s about freedom, flexibility, and coming home to yourself. You’ll also get a sneak peek into future episodes, where we’ll dive deeper into topics like: Why diets don’t work (and what to do instead)How to handle fullness when you never seem to feel itThe connection between ADHD and intuitive eatingThis show will be a mix of solo episodes, occasional guests, and real talk rooted in both science and compassion. So, if you’re ready to ditch the diet drama and find clarity in the chaos of food rules, hit follow, share this episode with a friend, and join me as we go Behind the Plate. Learn more at behindtheplate.ca Grab the free Hunger & Fullness Cues Guide: behindtheplate.ca/hunger-fullness-cues Explore The Empowered Eating Journey: behindtheplate.ca/empowered-eating-journey

    16 min
  • 10 Episodes

About

Behind the Plate is for individuals who are tired of diet culture, food guilt, and nutrition advice that doesn’t work for real life. Hosted by registered dietitian Heather Bray, this podcast helps you cut through the food noise and rebuild trust with your body — especially if you’re navigating ADHD, binge eating, or burnout. If you're looking for no-BS, compassionate, science-backed guidance, you're in the right place.

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