What if your relationship with food isn't just about food, but how society makes you feel about your body? Could weight stigma, social expectations and fear of judgement be keeping you stuck in binge eating patterns?
In this episode of The Food & Body Podcast, psychotherapist Becca is joined by dietitian and researcher Dr Jo Moscalu to explore her groundbreaking research into women's lived experiences of binge eating. We discuss how societal pressure, childhood experiences, weight discrimination and healthcare attitudes shape our relationship with food, and why finding food freedom is about so much more than changing what we eat.
In this episode, we discuss:
[00:25] – The Reality of Earning a Doctorate: The grueling 6-year rollercoaster, dealing with imposter syndrome, and the anti-climactic feeling of finally becoming a "Doctor".
[04:16] – Food Police & Power Dynamics: How dietitians and patients alike are entrenched under the institutional power structures of healthcare.
[05:09] – Deconstructing the BMI & The Stigma of "Binge": Why medical categories alienate bodies and how diagnostic language shifts blame onto the individual.
[08:58] – Public Persona vs. Private Reality: Unpacking Dr Jo's unexpected interview findings where participants focused entirely on how the world views their eating habits.
[12:25] – Healthcare Stigma from Childhood: The lifelong trauma of childhood weight-shaming and navigating weight discrimination from GPs and medical professionals.
[15:53] – Red Flags When Choosing a Dietitian: How to identify a truly weight-neutral, eating disorder-trained practitioner who won't gaslight your symptoms.
[22:12] – Binge Eating as a Form of Resistance: Exploring the psychological swing between conforming to rules and using food to "rebel" against societal expectations.
[25:35] – Why Binge Eating Recovery is a Radical Feminist Act: Moving away from the male gaze, body policing, and reclaiming autonomy over your physical self.
[41:55] – The Trap of Anti-Diet Rules: Why the "anti-diet" movement can sometimes feel just as rigid as diet culture, and the vital need for individual curiosity over black-and-white thinking.
[46:35] – The Hill to Die On: A collective call to action for weight-neutral healthcare and dismantling the culture of shame.
Connect with us:
💜 Jo: @binge.eating.dietician / https://bingeeatingdietitian.com/
💜 Find out more about Becca's therapy services: https://www.beccarobinsonchinntherapy.com
💜 Becca: @becomingwithbecca_therapist / @thefoodandbody_podcast
How has society shaped your relationship with food and your body? Do you think recovery is a radical feminist act? Let me know in the comments below!
If you've got a moment please like, subscribe and share this episode to help more people discover a different way of thinking about food, health and body image.
#FoodFreedom #FoodNoise #IntuitiveEating #BodyImage #DietCulture #BingeEatingRecover
