Nourished & Free: The Podcast

Michelle Yates, MS, RD, LMNT
  • 4.9 (80)
  • Nutrition
  • Updated Biweekly

Nobody likes talking about their relationship with food... so let's talk about it.  Welcome to Nourished & Free®: The Podcast, where mental health meets physical health, food guilt gets ghosted, and toxic wellness advice gets roasted. 🔥 Hosted by Michelle Yates, MS, RD, LMNT, a Registered Dietitian with a master’s in Health Psychology and Certified Health Mindset Coach. Here, science finds self-compassion. Michelle breaks down the why behind food struggles, from binge eating and emotional eating to body image, perfectionism, and “food noise” that won’t quit. Expect honest conversations, expert insights, and mindset shifts that go far beyond meal plans and macros.  Because true food freedom isn’t found in another detox plan, it’s built from the inside out.  ⚠️ Fair warning: logical, realistic, reasonable, and evidence-based methods ahead. 

  1. 14h ago

    Electrolyte Drinks Dietitian Review

    Grandma's chicken soup might do more for your electrolytes than that powder packet. A lot of us are drinking a "fix" our bodies never actually needed just because everyone else seemed to be doing it too. In this episode, I break down the electrolyte drink and powder craze that's taken over grocery store shelves and Instagram feeds. I cover what electrolytes actually do in the body, who genuinely benefits from products like LMNT, Liquid IV, Nuun, and Pique, and why most people reaching for these drinks don't actually need them. I walk through the science of hydration, the specific medical and athletic scenarios where electrolyte supplementation makes sense, and how to evaluate whether a product fits your actual needs instead of just its marketing. If you've ever wondered whether you should be adding electrolyte packets to your water bottle "just in case," or felt confused about which brand is right for your lifestyle, this episode will help you cut through the noise. JUMP TO: 00:00 – Why everyone's chugging electrolytes 02:40 – The science: what electrolytes actually do in your body 6:58 – Who actually needs these drinks (and who's just along for the marketing ride) 12:24 – The sneaky sugar, sodium, and vitamin overload hiding in your bottle 14:44 – When electrolytes go from marketing gimmick to genuine lifeline 28:10 – Signs your body might actually be asking for more electrolytes 28:53 – My brand-by-brand breakdown: LMNT, Liquid IV, Nuun, Gatorade, Peak, and Ultima 31:01 – The bottom line on side effects, water, and choosing what's right for you Want the full brand-by-brand comparison, DIY electrolyte recipes, and all the sources behind this episode? Check out the blog post below! And if this episode helped clear things up, come find more myth-busting, food-guilt-free conversations over at Nourished & Free. RESOURCES MENTIONED: Full blog post Pique: Calming Electrolyte blend (affiliate link saves + supports!) Send an anonymous love note, or suggest a future episode! LEARN MORE 🔥 Work with me in Nourished & Free® 👀 Stalk me on Instagram 💻 Watch my FREE training, "Why Can't I Stop Thinking About Food?" SHOW SOME LOVE ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a rating on Apple podcasts or Spotify (thank you!) 🏷️ Show me you're listening by tagging me on socials! @yatesnutrition

  2. Jul 28

    The Surprising Health Benefits of Social Connection (with Ben Rein, Ph.D.)

    You keep going back to the food. Not because it's convenient, but because it works. It quiets and soothes... until the guilt kicks in. But what if the thing you're actually craving isn't food at all? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ben Rein, award-winning neuroscientist, Stanford lecturer, and author of Why Brains Need Friends.  We talk about:  Why social connection is a hardwired need just like food and sleep, Why our brains have gotten so bad at predicting how good interaction will feel Why isolation is wrecking your body and mind. The neuroscience of dopamineWhy texting will never satisfy you the way in-person connection doesWhy the thing you're  chasing when you reach for food might actually be social connection in disguise.If you've ever wondered why comfort food feels like the only thing that works OR why socializing sounds exhausting even though you know it'll help, this episode will help you understand what your brain is actually asking for. JUMP TO:  00:00 Meet Dr. Ben Rein and why social connection is a basic human need  02:47 The case for why we crave human interaction  05:59 How COVID rewired our predictions about socializing  09:43 The study showing we're wrong about rejection  12:44 What isolation does to your cortisol, inflammation, and mortality risk  15:56 Building a "social diet" (yes, just like a food diet)  18:26 Why dopamine is a learning chemical, not a feel-good one  21:13 Oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine: the connection trifecta  26:03 The staircase of interaction: text vs. call vs. video vs. in person  29:22 Why it's easier to be cruel online (the virtual disengagement hypothesis)  34:33 How screen time may be shaping an entire generation  40:22 Why married couples survive cancer better than some chemo patients  44:03 Conflict, connection, and why avoiding hard conversations costs you  47:39 Ben on fatherhood and the perspective shift he didn't expect RESOURCES MENTIONED: Ben's website Why Brains Need Friends book Follow Ben Rein, Ph.D. on Instagram Send an anonymous love note, or suggest a future episode! LEARN MORE 🔥 Work with me in Nourished & Free® 👀 Stalk me on Instagram 💻 Watch my FREE training, "Why Can't I Stop Thinking About Food?" SHOW SOME LOVE ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a rating on Apple podcasts or Spotify (thank you!) 🏷️ Show me you're listening by tagging me on socials! @yatesnutrition

  3. Mar 3

    Why Binge Eating Can Return After Weight Loss Surgery (Client Confessional with Kim)

    You did the thing that was supposed to fix it. The surgery, the weight watchers, the fresh starts. And for a while, it worked... Until it didn't. The food noise came back. The urges crept in. The sense of being out of control around food returned… and with it, confusion and shame. In this episode, I sit down with Kim, a client who underwent weight loss surgery and later found herself struggling with binge eating again. We talk honestly about why this can happen, what surgery changes (and what it doesn’t), and why binge eating is never just about the size of your stomach. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why didn’t this fix it?” OR "Is that my last resort?", this episode will help you understand what’s really going on and what’s actually required to create lasting peace with food without going under the knife. JUMP TO: 00:00 Why weight loss surgery didn’t fix the binge eating 03:12 Successful on the outside, secretly struggling with binge eating 07:20 The decision to have bariatric surgery 10:47 When binge eating and food noise came back 16:39 The shame and comfort cycle behind binge eating 21:31 Why bariatric surgery can’t heal your relationship with food 26:43 How Kim stopped binge eating after surgery 29:29 What to know if you’re considering Nourished & Free Send an anonymous love note, or suggest a future episode! LEARN MORE 🔥 Work with me in Nourished & Free® 👀 Stalk me on Instagram 💻 Watch my FREE training, "Why Can't I Stop Thinking About Food?" SHOW SOME LOVE ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a rating on Apple podcasts or Spotify (thank you!) 🏷️ Show me you're listening by tagging me on socials! @yatesnutrition

  4. Feb 17

    Afraid to Fail Again? Listen to This Before You Give Up.

    You’re successful in every area of life… except food. You’ve tried the diets. The plans. The rules. The white-knuckling. And now you’re tired. Part of you wants to stop binge eating. Part of you is terrified of failing again. In this episode of Nourished & Free, I explains why what you’ve been calling “failure” is actually the most teachable moment in the entire process, and how to make failure your secret weapon. I'm breaking down: Why mistakes are necessary for learningHow binge episodes provide powerful insightWhy perfection isn’t the goal (and never was)How having support during setbacks changes everythingWhat actually makes clients successful long-termGood news, fam: You are not broken. Your brain is adaptable. Your patterns are retrainable. And, your setbacks can become stepping stones... if you let them. If you’re ready to stop spiraling and start recalibrating, this episode is for you. TOPICS COVERED 👇🏼 00:00 “What if I’m just broken?” (the spiral you don’t say out loud) 02:36 The “I knew this would Happen” spiral 09:26 Why one slip turns into “I’ll start over Monday” 17:17 Learning from a binge instead of letting it define you Send an anonymous love note, or suggest a future episode! LEARN MORE 🔥 Work with me in Nourished & Free® 👀 Stalk me on Instagram 💻 Watch my FREE training, "Why Can't I Stop Thinking About Food?" SHOW SOME LOVE ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a rating on Apple podcasts or Spotify (thank you!) 🏷️ Show me you're listening by tagging me on socials! @yatesnutrition

  5. Jan 20

    An Episode for When the Weight Comes Back... AGAIN.

    If you’ve lost weight before, but it came back... this episode is for you. Let's break down why weight loss often becomes the common denominator behind dieting burnout, binge–restrict cycles, and feeling out of control around food. Not because weight loss is bad, but because making it the main focus quietly changes how your brain and body respond to food. I'll talk through how obsessing over the outcome (the scale) clouds judgment, increases pressure, and actually makes consistency harder. You’ll learn why the scale is delayed, ambiguous feedback, and why using it as a daily pass/fail test often backfires and has the opposite effect you're wanting. This episode walks you through what changes when weight loss stops being the driver, how food decisions get quieter, and why rebuilding trust and safety with food leads to more ease, self-control, and long-term change (with or without weight loss). If you hate that you say, "It worked, I got the weight off... but then it came back", then this episode offers a mindset shift that could change everything. RESOURCES MENTIONED: Nourished & Free® Group Coaching Program - learn more/apply here JUMP TO: 00:00 Why weight loss keeps turning into a losing–regaining cycle 01:39 How the scale quietly starts running your life 04:01 The pressure that makes food feel loud and exhausting 06:24 The credit score analogy that explains why this feels so hard 09:25 Why the scale is terrible daily feedback (and messes with your head) 10:40 When weight starts feeling like a measure of your worth 13:38 What changes when weight loss isn’t the main focus anymore 15:37 “But i still want to lose weight…” let’s talk about that 17:05 The foundation that actually quiets food noise 19:16 What it feels like when food stops being the main character 20:54 The question that changes how you move forwardSend an anonymous love note, or suggest a future episode! LEARN MORE 🔥 Work with me in Nourished & Free® 👀 Stalk me on Instagram 💻 Watch my FREE training, "Why Can't I Stop Thinking About Food?" SHOW SOME LOVE ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a rating on Apple podcasts or Spotify (thank you!) 🏷️ Show me you're listening by tagging me on socials! @yatesnutrition

  6. Jan 6

    "I Stopped a GLP-1 and the Food Noise Came Back. Now What?" (Client Confessional with Heather)

    What happens after you stop a GLP-1? If you're like Heather, you might see 30 of the 45lbs you lost come back, food noise return, and ask yourself repeatedly "Why can't I just eat like a NORMAL person?" This episode is for anyone who: Lost weight on a GLP-1Came off it hoping to “maintain naturally”And then watched the food noise, binge urges, and weight creep back inHeather joins me to share her story of: Life before GLP-1sHow she felt on the medicationAnd the emotional whiplash that happened when she stoppedPlus... what she did to stop food noise without going back on the GLP-1.We talk about the part no one prepares you for:  👉 GLP-1s can change appetite, but they don’t teach you how to eat, trust yourself, or break all-or-nothing patterns. BECOME MY NEXT SUCCESS STORY: Nourished & Free® TOPICS COVERED: Heather’s relationship with food before GLP-1sWhat it felt like when food noise disappeared on the medicationWhy the weight and urges came back after stoppingThe emotional toll of regain (and the shame no one talks about)Perfectionism, all-or-nothing thinking, and binge cyclesWhy “just eat normally” isn’t actually helpful adviceHow alcohol quietly fueled binge eatingWhat finally helped Heather feel calm around food againThe difference between willpower and effortless self-controlWhy this work isn’t about another plan, diet, or rule setJUMP TO: 00:00 She stopped a GLP-1… and the food noise came back 02:50 How dieting, work, and motherhood shaped her relationship with food 05:40 What GLP-1s fixed and what they didn’t 08:29 Off the medication: “why can’t I just eat normally?” 11:45 The moment she realized another diet wouldn’t help 13:55 The real issue wasn’t food 16:00 Weight regain, shame, and the emotional fallout 17:12 Perfectionism, all-or-nothing thinking, and binge cycles 18:30 Facing holidays and trigger foods without spiraling 22:48 Uncovering the beliefs driving food noise 23:19 Alcohol and late-night binges 29:05 What eating like a “normal person” looks like now 30:12 What she’d say to anyone coming off a GLP-1 for fixing food noise naturally and learning how to eat normally Send an anonymous love note, or suggest a future episode! LEARN MORE 🔥 Work with me in Nourished & Free® 👀 Stalk me on Instagram 💻 Watch my FREE training, "Why Can't I Stop Thinking About Food?" SHOW SOME LOVE ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a rating on Apple podcasts or Spotify (thank you!) 🏷️ Show me you're listening by tagging me on socials! @yatesnutrition

  7. 12/23/2025

    PCOS Nutrition Without the All-or-Nothing Spiral (Book Review of "PCOS Is My Power" with Cory Ruth, MS, RD)

    SHE'S BACK!!! Cory Ruth (aka The Women’s Dietitian) is here to talk about her brand new book, PCOS Is My Power, and why she’s determined to make PCOS feel less like a life sentence and more like a gift. You’ll also hear a very real conversation about how restrictive PCOS advice (hello, “just do keto”) can backfire, especially if you already struggle with food noise, binge eating, or an all-or-nothing mindset. Bottom line: PCOS can be managed, your body isn’t broken, and you don’t have to eliminate your favorite foods to start feeling better (yes, you can eat pasta with PCOS… and dessert… and cheese). RESOURCES MENTIONED:  PCOS Is My Power - Order NowFollow Cory on Instagram - @thewomensdietitianCory's website - thewomensdietitian.comCory's 1st visit to the Nourished & Free® podcast - "Help, I have PCOS!"TOPICS COVERED: What PCOS is (and what it isn’t) in plain EnglishThe 3 diagnostic criteria and how diagnosis actually works (need 2 out of 3)Common symptoms: irregular cycles, acne, hair changes, weight gain, and moreWhy “no carbs/no dairy/no gluten” advice can fuel food obsession + binge cyclesThe “your body is your barometer” reframe: symptoms as feedback, not failureHow managing PCOS supports long-term health (blood sugar, heart health, diabetes risk)What Cory hopes readers gain from the bookJUMP TO: 00:00 PCOS can be managed (and might be your superpower) 01:38 Meet Cory Ruth + PCOS Is My Power 10:54 PCOS explained: symptoms, diagnosis, and what’s actually going on 16:14 Why restrictive PCOS diet advice backfires 23:51 Your body is your barometer (listening to symptoms) 29:24 What Cory hopes every reader takes away Send an anonymous love note, or suggest a future episode! LEARN MORE 🔥 Work with me in Nourished & Free® 👀 Stalk me on Instagram 💻 Watch my FREE training, "Why Can't I Stop Thinking About Food?" SHOW SOME LOVE ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a rating on Apple podcasts or Spotify (thank you!) 🏷️ Show me you're listening by tagging me on socials! @yatesnutrition

  8. 12/09/2025

    How to Quiet Food Noise Naturally (Without Ozempic)

    If food feels like the background noise of your entire life, this episode is for you.  GLP-1 meds like Ozempic and Wegovy can quiet food noise dramatically. Unfortunately, this only lasts while you're actively taking the medication. For many, they can't stay on them forever or don't want to start them at all. Even still, there are some currently on a GLP-1 but the food noise has come back. What then? If you need a plan to reduce food noise more with or without being on a GLP-1, this episode is for you. TOPICS COVERED: 00:00 What “food noise” really means01:11 Understanding Food Noise: Definition and Experience06:24 The Biological Basis of Food Noise09:34 Why GLP-1s seem to “turn off” food thoughts16:08 How to quiet food noise without medication (this can also help if you ARE on a GLP-1 but the food noise has come back)25:31 Next stepsThe one truth most people miss? You’re not supposed to eliminate food thoughts entirely. The goal isn’t silence. The goal is peace. Food should take up 5% of your brain, not 95%. Start listening to learn how to make that happen. SUPPORTING LITERATURE: My blog article on this topic Related research articles can be found at PMID: 38004203, 32846152, 19336238, 35482137, 40507553 Send an anonymous love note, or suggest a future episode! LEARN MORE 🔥 Work with me in Nourished & Free® 👀 Stalk me on Instagram 💻 Watch my FREE training, "Why Can't I Stop Thinking About Food?" SHOW SOME LOVE ⭐️ Loved this episode? Leave a rating on Apple podcasts or Spotify (thank you!) 🏷️ Show me you're listening by tagging me on socials! @yatesnutrition

See All (102)

4.9
out of 5
80 Ratings

About

Nobody likes talking about their relationship with food... so let's talk about it.  Welcome to Nourished & Free®: The Podcast, where mental health meets physical health, food guilt gets ghosted, and toxic wellness advice gets roasted. 🔥 Hosted by Michelle Yates, MS, RD, LMNT, a Registered Dietitian with a master’s in Health Psychology and Certified Health Mindset Coach. Here, science finds self-compassion. Michelle breaks down the why behind food struggles, from binge eating and emotional eating to body image, perfectionism, and “food noise” that won’t quit. Expect honest conversations, expert insights, and mindset shifts that go far beyond meal plans and macros.  Because true food freedom isn’t found in another detox plan, it’s built from the inside out.  ⚠️ Fair warning: logical, realistic, reasonable, and evidence-based methods ahead. 

Information

  • Creator
    Michelle Yates, MS, RD, LMNT
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    102
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Yates Nutrition
  • Show Website
    Nourished & Free: The Podcast

You Might Also Like