🍍The Wellness Culture Rabbit Hole: Orthorexia, Anxiety & Conventional Medicine with Sarah Jane Garcia

In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with Sarah Jane Garcia, a certified intuitive eating counselor and specialty pharmacist, to talk about her journey from bingeing and restriction into obsessive “clean eating,” and ultimately toward a more peaceful relationship with food. Sarah Jane shares how her pursuit of health gradually pulled her deeper into wellness culture, even leading her to become an integrative health practitioner herself.She opens up about how pregnancy and motherhood intensified the pressure she felt to optimize her health, from restrictive protocols and supplements to fears about feeding her children the “right” foods. She shares the experiences that helped her recognize her orthorexia, discover intuitive eating, and begin dismantling the beliefs she’d absorbed about food, health, and personal responsibility.Leah and Sarah Jane also explore the tension between wellness culture and conventional medicine, Sarah Jane’s evolving relationship with her work as a pharmacist, and the importance of making room for nuance rather than trading one rigid framework for another.You'll hear about:How Sarah Jane’s relationship with food evolved from bingeing and restriction into orthorexiaThe ways wellness culture can prey on anxiety, perfectionism, and the pressure to optimize our healthHow pregnancy and motherhood intensified Sarah Jane’s food fearsSarah Jane’s experience navigating wellness culture and conventional medicine as a pharmacistFinding nuance around medication, mental health, food, and wellnessMore From Sarah Jane:Website: https://sarahjanegarcia.comEating Unscripted, a membership for moms healing their relationships with food and body while working to break the cycle for their children👆Use code SHOULDERS19 for the exclusive listener discount of $19/monthMore From Leah:📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe 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 SpeakpipeEmail me: [email protected]

In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with Jackie Liu, a third-year medical student at Harvard Medical School and co-lead of advocacy for Medical Students for Size Inclusivity (MSSI), to explore weight stigma in medicine and what it takes to create more size-inclusive healthcare (HINT: GLP-1s are NOT the answer).Jackie shares their personal journey from struggling with disordered eating and body image to discovering fat studies and weight-inclusive approaches to health. Together, Leah and Jackie unpack how weight bias can become embedded in medical training, the ways fat phobia shows up in healthcare settings, and the incredible work MSSI is doing to advocate for more equitable care.They also discuss the rise of GLP-1 medications and why informed consent and patient autonomy are essential components of size-inclusive medicine. This conversation offers a hopeful look at the medical students and future providers working to challenge weight stigma from within the healthcare system.You'll hear about:Jackie's journey from struggling with body image and disordered eating to discovering fat liberation and weight-inclusive careHow weight bias and fat phobia can become embedded in medical education and healthcare cultureWhy Medical Students for Size Inclusivity exists and how the organization is working to create changeThe barriers to providing truly weight-inclusive healthcareGLP-1 medications, informed consent, and the importance of protecting patient autonomyMentioned in this Episode:📊 The Weight Loss Research Nobody Talks About with Ragen Chastain💛 Lived Experience with Ozempic—Jamie's Story & An Overview of The FactsMedical Students for Size Inclusivity (MSSI)Association for Weight and Size Inclusive MedicineMore From Jackie:MSSI's GLP-1 Informed Consent GuideMore From Leah:📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe 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 SpeakpipeEmail me: [email protected]

Less podcast episode, more PSA. More From Leah:📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe 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 SpeakpipeEmail me: [email protected]

In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with Martha Munroe, author of Attuned Exercise, to explore what it means to build a healthier relationship with movement. Drawing from over two decades in the fitness industry and her background in positive psychology and embodiment, Martha shares a compassionate alternative to the shame, guilt, and perfectionism that so often define exercise routines.Martha shares how her perspective on fitness evolved after recognizing the harm caused by weight-centric messaging and toxic fitness culture. Together, she and Leah unpack the difference between exercising from a place of self-criticism versus self-compassion, why motivation rooted in shame rarely lasts, and how reconnecting with your body can make movement feel supportive rather than punishing.Whether you're recovering from chronic dieting, healing your relationship with exercise, or simply looking for a more sustainable approach to movement, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective rooted in curiosity, body trust, and self-respect.You'll hear about:What attuned exercise is and how it differs from traditional fitness cultureWhy self-compassion is a more sustainable motivator than guilt, shame, or self-criticismHow diet culture and beauty ideals shape our relationship with movementThe role of embodiment and body trust in creating a healthier exercise practicePractical ways to reconnect with movement after burnout, perfectionism, or chronic dietingMentioned in this episode:🏄‍♀️ Finding Pleasure in Movement with Hannah Husband🏃‍♀️ Extractive vs. Regenerative Movement: Reframing Your Relationship with Running with Karly Borden💪 Diet-Culture Free, Weight Neutral Fitness with Kira OnyskoMore From Martha:Website: https://www.attunedexercise.com/Instagram: @attunedexerciseAttuned Exercise BlogAttuned Exercise Book & WorkbookMore From Leah:📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe 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 SpeakpipeEmail me: [email protected]

In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with licensed psychotherapist Paula D. Atkinson to explore the intersection of body image, eating disorders, social justice, and body liberation.Paula shares her personal journey from growing up as a fat child, developing anorexia as a teenager, and eventually becoming a therapist, educator, and advocate for body justice. Together, Leah and Paula discuss the history of fatphobia, the limitations of weight-centric definitions of health, and why healing body image requires more than individual self-acceptance.Their conversation explores the role of systemic oppression in shaping body image, the power of critical thinking in diet culture recovery, and how anger can become a catalyst for liberation rather than something to suppress.You'll hear about:Paula's journey from anorexia recovery to becoming a body liberation therapist and educatorWhat teaching a university course on weight, health, and society revealed about diet culture and the "obesity epidemic"The role of rage in disordered eating and body image healingWhy external validation can never replace genuine self-acceptanceHow body image healing intersects with social justice, oppression, and collective liberationPaula's perspective on anger, psychedelics, and other unexpected pathways to body liberationMore From Paula:Website: https://www.pauladatkinson.comInstagram: @pauladatkinsonMore From Leah:📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe 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 SpeakpipeEmail me: [email protected]

Being in touch with your body’s cues is one of the central pieces of intuitive eating. But what if, when asking your body “what are you craving?” you hear crickets… In this episode, Leah helps you think through how to actually figure out what you’re craving. She covers several practical tips you can implement immediately to help guide you towards what you’re body is asking for.👉 ENROLL IN WHAT TO EAT, a workshop on August 10th, 2026Mentioned In This Episode:https://www.buzzsprout.com/1961653/episodes/19362722More From Leah:📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe 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 SpeakpipeEmail me: [email protected]

In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with Chelsea Levy, MS, RDN, a weight-inclusive dietitian specializing in eating disorders, PCOS, diabetes, and endocrine-related conditions.Chelsea shares her personal journey from chronic dieting and weight cycling to discovering intuitive eating while studying to become a dietitian. Together, Leah and Chelsea explore the realities of living in a weight-centric world, the impact of weight stigma on healthcare and body image, and why body respect can sometimes be a more accessible goal than body love.They also discuss body image grief, the challenges of navigating medical spaces in larger bodies, and how self-compassion can help us move toward a more peaceful relationship with ourselves.You'll hear about:Chelsea's experience with chronic dieting and weight cyclingHow discovering intuitive eating changed her relationship with food and bodyWhat it means to practice weight-inclusive careWhy body image healing often involves griefWhat the medical industry is getting wrong about PCOS and diabetes recommendationsThe difference between body positivity, body neutrality, and body respectMore From Chelsea Levy:Website: https://chelsealevynutrition.comInstagram: @chelsealevynutritionMore From Leah:📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe 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 SpeakpipeEmail me: [email protected]

In this solo episode, Leah talks about why it can feel so hard to figure out what to eat when you’re coming from a history of dieting.She outlines some of the main obstacles she sees clients running into, and then offers a solution for how to transition into intuitive eating without feeling like you’re free falling.She gets into:Why figuring out what to eat is likely a muscle you haven’t strengthenHow loosing the structure of dieting can feel destabilizing and overwhelming.The obstacle of knowing what sounds good but not knowing how to reconcile that with what would feel good in your body.The missing nutrition education necessary to be able to make informed eating decisions.A brand new tool Leah created to give you gentle structure in figuring out what to eat, without rigid diet rules.👉 ENROLL IN WHAT TO EAT, a workshop on August 10th, 2026More From Leah:📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe 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 SpeakpipeEmail me: [email protected]

In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with Ragen Chastain, speaker, researcher, board-certified patient advocate, and leading voice in the fields of weight science, weight stigma, and healthcare.Ragen shares her personal journey from years of chronic dieting and an eating disorder to becoming a weight-inclusive health advocate. She explains what happened when she conducted an extensive review of the weight loss literature and discovered that the evidence did not support many of the claims she had been taught to believe.Together, Leah and Ragen explore the intersection of weight science, healthcare, and stigma, unpacking why weight-inclusive care is an evidence-based approach and how weight-centered healthcare can create harm for patients in larger bodies.You’ll hear about:Ragen's experience with dieting, weight cycling, and eating disorder recoveryCommon misconceptions about weight science and healthcareThe impact of weight stigma on patient careHow Ragen became involved in fat activism and weight-inclusive healthcare advocacyWhat healthcare providers often get wrong about weight and healthThe growing influence of GLP-1 medications and how they are being marketedMore From Ragen:Newsletter: Weight and HealthcareHealth at Every Size® Health SheetsBlog: Dances With FatInstagram: @ragenchastainMore From Leah:📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter PackApply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching programJoin my self-paced course, The ReturnSubscribe to Leah's Youtube ChannelSubscribe to my personal SubstackFollow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rdVisit my website to learn more about my coaching offeringsSubscribe 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 SpeakpipeEmail me: [email protected]

In this episode, I respond to and unpack some of the most common comments I received after the viral Jillian Michaels vs. Body Positivity debate video was published.I’ll be honest: it took me a long time to record this episode. Reading through hostile and misinformed comments is unpleasant. But I ultimately decided this conversation was worth having, because the comments reveal deep misunderstandings about weight, health, and what ethical nutrition care actually looks like.In this episode, I cover:Why I said that I believe its unethical to encourage  weight los ( and how this differs from judging people who choose to pursue weight loss.The flawed assumption that a dietitian’s role is to control someone’s body sizeWhy weight is not a measure of healthThe criticism I received from fellow dietitians and why this hurt the mostMentioned in the episode:Behind the Scenes of the "Jillian Michaels vs Body Positivity" Debate with Edie StarkWe Watched The Jillian Michaels Debate Back... And Had Thoughts with Edie StarkUnpacking the Viral Jubilee Body Positivity Debate with Marcy GuevaraYou're Not Wrong For Desiring Weight Loss 5 Reasons Why Your Weight Doesn't Determine Your Health