In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with certified eating disorder specialist Sydney Greene, to explore the overlap between disordered eating and substance use.

Sydney shares her personal story of growing up around addiction, developing orthorexia, and later navigating sobriety — only to find her compulsive behaviors shifting toward exercise, clean eating, and wellness. Leah and Sydney unpack how addiction and disordered eating often co-occur, why recovery isn’t always linear, and how socially praised behaviors can mask deeper struggles.

Together, they discuss the concept of transfer addiction, how one compulsive behavior can replace another, and why healing requires addressing the underlying unmet needs — not just the behavior itself.

⚠️ Content Warning ⚠️

This episode includes discussion of substance use, addiction, suicidal thoughts, and grief. Listener discretion is advised.

You’ll hear about:

• Sydney’s personal story with substance use and disordered eating
• What “transfer addiction” means and how it shows up in recovery
• Why sobriety can sometimes intensify disordered eating behaviors
• Why intuitive eating may not be appropriate early in addiction recovery
• The overlap between orthorexia, compulsive exercise, and addiction

Mentioned in this episode:

• 🥗 Orthorexia: When “Healthy" Eating Becomes Dangerous
• 🧗‍♀️Wellness Culture in Mountain Towns with Katie Campbell
• 🥛 Proteinification, Pilates, Glucose Monitors & The Wellness Trends That Shaped 2025

More From Sydney

• Website: sydneygreenehealth.com
• Instagram: @greenehealth

More From Leah:

• 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
• Apply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching program
• Join my self-paced course, The Return
• Subscribe to Leah's Youtube Channel
• Subscribe to my personal Substack
• Follow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rd
• Visit my website to learn more about my coaching offerings
• Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.
• Send me a voice message on Speakpipe
• Email me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with plus-size style expert and reality TV producer Marcy Guevara-Prete to reflect on their experience participating in a viral Jubilee debate with fitness personality Jillian Michaels.

Leah and Marcy unpack what it was like to engage in a highly charged, public conversation about body positivity, health, and weight — and how lived experience, media framing, and personal values shaped their perspectives in the moment and afterward.

Marcy shares her journey from lifelong dieting to body acceptance and fat liberation, her nuanced perspective on health and movement, and the unexpected ways the debate impacted her own relationship with her body.

⚠️ Content Warning ⚠️

This episode includes discussion of weight stigma, diet culture, disordered eating, trauma, and intentional weight loss. It also includes nuanced and potentially conflicting perspectives on body positivity and health that may feel activating for some listeners. Please listen with care and take what serves you.

You’ll hear about:

• What it was like to participate in the Jubilee debate with Jillian Michaels
• How reality-style media formats shape conversations about body and health
• The role of lived experience vs. scientific “evidence” in discussions of weight
• Why shame, fear, and guilt are not sustainable motivators for change
• The tension between diet culture and finding a personal middle ground

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Surrounded Debate with Jillian Michaels (watch with caution)
• Is Body Positivity Disempowering? Follow-up ft Jillian Michaels and Marcy (watch with caution)
• 🍫 Can You Be Addicted To Food?
• 🌙 Fat & Beautiful: Unpacking Thin Privilege & Anti-Fat Bias with Debbie Saroufim
• National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA)

More From Marcy:

• Instagram: @themarcyminute
• Website: http://www.marcyguevara.com/
• Boutique: Perfect 10 Plus (Los Angeles)
• Mobile Boutique: The Plus Bus

More From Leah:

• 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
• Apply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching program
• Join my self-paced course, The Return
• Subscribe to Leah's Youtube Channel
• Subscribe to my personal Substack
• Follow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rd
• Visit my website to learn more about my coaching offerings
• Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.
• Send me a voice message on Speakpipe
• Email me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with therapist Edie Stark, LCSW, to discuss their thoughts on the final edit of the Jillian Michaels x Body Positivity debate.

Leah and Edie reflect on what they thought of the edit, how it felt to watch the video back (after experiencing it in real time a few months ago), and what frustrated them about the final video.

Mentioned in this episode:

• First episode reflecting with Edie (before we saw the final edit)
• Watch the Debate Here!

More From Edie Stark:

• Instagram: @ediestarktherapy
• Therapy Practice: Stark Therapy Group
• Consulting & Media: ediestark.com

More From Leah:

• 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
• Apply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching program
• Join my self-paced course, The Return
• Subscribe to Leah's Youtube Channel
• Subscribe to my personal Substack
• Follow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rd
• Visit my website to learn more about my coaching offerings
• Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.
• Send me a voice message on Speakpipe
• Email me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with therapist Edie Stark, LCSW, to unpack their experience participating in a debate with fitness personality Jillian Michaels on the popular YouTube channel Jubilee.

Leah and Edie reflect on what it was like to step into a highly produced debate environment discussing body positivity, weight stigma, and health claims — and how the format of viral media can shape the conversation in ways that prioritize spectacle over nuance.

Together, they discuss the challenges of debating weight stigma in a reality-TV style setting, the misconceptions about body positivity and Health at Every Size®, and why conversations about weight and health must account for systemic factors like stigma, access to care, and social determinants of health.

You’ll hear about:

• What it was like to participate in a debate with Jillian Michaels
• Why debating weight and health in a reality-TV format creates major limitations
• Common misconceptions about the body positivity movement
• How weight stigma and systemic factors impact health outcomes
• Why shame and blame are ineffective tools for supporting behavior change
• What Leah and Edie hope viewers take away from the debate

Mentioned in this episode:

• Watch the Debate Here!
• National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA)
• The Plus Bus

More From Edie Stark:

• Instagram: @ediestarktherapy
• Therapy Practice: Stark Therapy Group
• Consulting & Media: ediestark.com

More From Leah:

• 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
• Apply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching program
• Join my self-paced course, The Return
• Subscribe to Leah's Youtube Channel
• Subscribe to my personal Substack
• Follow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rd
• Visit my website to learn more about my coaching offerings
• Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.
• Send me a voice message on Speakpipe
• Email me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

🍽️ Do you wish you could eat ice cream without feeling out of control? Do you want to care for your health without becoming obsessive? If so, you’ll want to grab our FREE Intuitive Eating Starter Kit here.

Is the backlash against ultra-processed foods really about health… or is it about control? In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah and Laura Thomas, PhD, explore the growing moral panic around ultra-processed foods — and what’s really driving the conversation.

Laura explains why much of the research linking ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to poor health outcomes is observational, and how these headlines often oversimplify complex public health data. The conversation goes beyond nutrition science to examine how food narratives are shaped by gender roles, class privilege, and today’s political climate.

Together, Leah and Laura explore the connection between trad wife culture, GLP-1 use, beauty standards, and what Laura calls “body fascism” — unpacking the bigger cultural forces driving today’s conversations about food and bodies.

You’ll hear about:

• What ultra-processed foods (UPFs) actually are — and why the definition is murky
• Social determinants of health and the invisible labor of “food work”
• How the push to “cook from scratch” can reinforce gender roles and class privilege
• Trad wife culture, the rise of GLP-1s, and the body politics of it all
• Why this cultural moment is bigger than diet culture

Mentioned in this episode:

• Lessons from the Fatosphere by Kate Harding & Marianne Kirby
• Fearing the Black Body by Sabrina Strings

More From Laura Thomas:

• Newsletter: https://canihaveanothersnack.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurathomasphd
• Laura Thomas’ books:
  • Just Eat It
  • How to Just Eat It

More From Leah:

• 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
• Apply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching program
• Join my self-paced course, The Return
• Subscribe to Leah's Youtube Channel
• Subscribe to my personal Substack
• Follow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rd
• Visit my website to learn more about my coaching offerings
• Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.
• Send me a voice message on Speakpipe

🍽️ Do you wish you could eat ice cream without feeling out of control? Do you want to care for your health without becoming obsessive? If so, you’ll want to grab our FREE Intuitive Eating Starter Kit here.

In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah talks with Jamie (returning guest and close friend) about navigating wedding planning as a plus-size bride — without pursuing weight loss.

Rather than changing her body for her wedding day, Jamie shares how she made intentional accommodations to support comfort, confidence, and presence. Together, Leah and Jamie explore wedding culture pressures, how to prioritize feeling like yourself, and practical advice for planning a wedding in a larger body.

You’ll hear about:

• Why major life events often trigger body image anxiety
• Choosing accommodations instead of trying to change your body
• Navigating photos, expectations, and “picture shock”
• Letting go of appearance perfection and focusing on meaning
• Helpful strategies for feeling more comfortable and present in your body

Mentioned in Episode:

• 💛 Lived Experience with Ozempic—Jamie's Story & An Overview of The Facts
• Emma Arletta (YouTube Creator referenced)

More From Leah:

• 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
• Apply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching program
• Join my self-paced course, The Return
• Subscribe to Leah's Youtube Channel
• Subscribe to my personal Substack
• Follow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rd
• Visit my website to learn more about my coaching offerings
• Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.
• Send me a voice message on Speakpipe
• Email me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

🍽️ Do you wish you could eat ice cream without feeling out of control? Do you want to care for your health without becoming obsessive? If so, you’ll want to grab our FREE Intuitive Eating Starter Kit here.

In this episode of Shoulders Down Podcast, Leah takes a deep dive into Orthorexia Nervosa — a form of disordered eating that often hides behind “clean eating,” wellness, and the pursuit of health.

Leah shares her personal experience with Orthorexia, explains how healthy eating can cross the line into rigidity and anxiety, and breaks down the symptoms, risk factors, and potential health consequences of an having an obsession with nutrition. She also explores how intuitive eating can support healing and food freedom.

You’ll hear about:

• What orthorexia is and how it differs from general “healthy eating”
• Common signs and symptoms of orthorexia
• How “clean eating” and wellness culture reinforce restriction
• The physical, mental, and social consequences of orthorexia
• How intuitive eating supports healing from food fear and rigidity
• Next steps if you resonate with Orthorexia symptoms

Mentioned in this episode:

• Webinar / Presentation from Leah’s Dietetic Internship
• Podcast Episode: “Did Diet Culture Hijack Your Values?”
• Podcast Episode: “Five Studies That Will Change the Way You Think About Food”
• Podcast Episode Featuring Christy Harrison
• Christy Harrison’s Book: The Wellness Trap
• Podcast Episode: “10 Principles of Intuitive Eating in 10 Minutes”
• Podcast Episode: “Intuitive Eating for Beginners”
• Podcast Episode about Food, Digestion & Metabolism

More From Leah:

• 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
• Apply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching program
• Join my self-paced course, The Return
• Subscribe to Leah's Youtube Channel
• Subscribe to my personal Substack
• Follow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rd
• Visit my website to learn more about my coaching offerings
• Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.
• Send me a voice message on Speakpipe
• Email me: Leah@leahkernrd.com

🍽️ Do you wish you could eat ice cream without feeling out of control? Do you want to care for your health without becoming obsessive? If so, you’ll want to grab our FREE Intuitive Eating Starter Kit here.

In this episode of Shoulders Down Podcast, Leah talks with Dr. Lauren Hartman, a double board-certified pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, about why dieting and weight-focused care can be especially harmful for children and teens — and what she’s seeing on the front lines of adolescent eating disorder treatment.

Drawing from nearly 20 years of experience across hospital systems, outpatient care, and national leadership roles, Dr. Hartman explains why weight loss is rarely sustainable, how dieting increases eating disorder risk, and why a medicalized focus on weight often misses what young people actually need to thrive.

Leah and Dr. Hartman also discuss the rise in eating disorders among adolescents, the role of social media and diet culture, and growing concerns around GLP-1 medications.

You’ll hear about:

• A doctor’s perspective on why dieting and weight loss often backfire
• Whether eating disorders are on the rise among adolescents — and what’s driving the increase
• How social media and diet culture impact teens’ relationships with food and body
• GLP-1 medications and the risks of prescribing them to young people
• What informed consent should include when it comes to weight-loss interventions
• How parents can help protect children from diet culture and weight stigma

More From Dr. Lauren Hartman: https://www.aspengroveayam.com/

More From Leah:

• 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
• Apply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching program
• Join my self-paced course, The Return
• Subscribe to Leah's Youtube Channel
• Subscribe to my personal Substack
• Follow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rd
• Visit my website to learn more about my coaching offerings
• Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.
• Send me a voice message on Speakpipe
• Email me: Leah@leahkernrd.com