Eat the Rules with Summer Innanen

I’m joined by Pam Luk, the founder of Ember & Ace, an athletic wear brand for plus size kids. She’s talking about what it was like growing up as a fat athlete, the ways that she’s teaching her kids to be body positive, how to teach your kids media literacy, what to do if someone calls your child fat, and how to help your child build resiliency if they are in a larger body.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/250
In this episode, we talk about:
- Pam’s relationship with her body growing up, and her relationship with her body now,

- How she overcame the fatphobic messages she internalized growing up,
- The importance of talking to your kids about what they see in the media and why,
- Some tv shows and resources that highlight body diversity,
- Questions to ask your kids to help them develop positive feelings about their body,
- That you can’t force your child to be ok with their body,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/250

Get the free 10-Day Body Confidence Makeover with 10 steps to feel better in your body at summerinnanen.com/freebies
If you're a professional who has clients or students that struggle with body image, get the Body Image Coaching Roadmap for professionals at summerinnanen.com/roadmap
Direct download: 250_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m joined by Jessie Diaz-Herrera, the body-positive dance instructor otherwise known as Curves with Moves. We are talking about what her experiences were like growing up as a dancer, how she was able to use dance to embrace her body, the “science” behind jiggling our bodies, and her advice to others who struggle with their belly.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/249
In this episode, we talk about:
- Jessie’s relationship with her body growing up,
- How she found joy in movement again, after the shame and criticism she faced as a teen,
- The importance of finding activities that bring you joy and confidence,
- Why jiggling your body is an act of resistance,
- How jiggling stemmed from a need for connection and movement during the pandemic,
- How Jessie reframed jiggling as a positive thing,
- That your body is equal and deserving of everything in this world,
- How she deals with trolls and criticism,
- How her experience having a stroke changed how she feels about her body,
- That learning to love your body comes from your thought processes first,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/249

Get the free 10-Day Body Confidence Makeover with 10 steps to feel better in your body at summerinnanen.com/freebies
If you're a professional who has clients or students that struggle with body image, get the Body Image Coaching Roadmap for professionals at summerinnanen.com/roadmap

Use coupon code EATTHERULES for a free class. Check out the live and online classes here: https://app.arketa.co/curveswithmoves/on-demand

Direct download: 249_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m revisiting a classic episode where I talk about how to manage holiday “overeating” and concerns about your weight. I give you specific ways to manage “overeating,” guilt around eating certain foods, holiday weight gain, and general feelings of stress.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/248
In this episode, I talk about:
- The diet cycle and how mental and physical restriction lead to our concerns about “overeating,”

- Why I hate the term “overeating” because it’s the language of diet culture,
- How to give yourself FULL permission to eat so that guilt doesn’t get invited to the table,
- What to do if you feel you eat without “savouring,”
- How to work through stress about holiday weight gain,
- How to handle feelings of holiday stress and feeling overwhelmed with social events,
- What to do if you’re worried about photos,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/248
 
Get the free 10-Day Body Confidence Makeover with 10 steps to feel better in your body at summerinnanen.com/freebies
If you're a professional who has clients or students that struggle with body image, get the Body Image Coaching Roadmap for professionals at summerinnanen.com/roadmap
Direct download: 248_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m joined by Amy Green Smith, certified and credentialed life coach and hypnotherapist, masterful speaker, and personal empowerment expert. We are talking all about how to speak up, set boundaries, and deal with diet and body talk from your friends, family, and other people in your life. She’s giving us scripts to use, and how to work through the fight or flight response when someone says something that you don’t know how to respond to.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/247

In this episode, we talk about:
- Some overall things to keep in mind when considering setting a boundary or speaking up,

- That you will have to rehearse and practice boundary setting,
- How just because someone asks you a question, that does not mean you have to answer,
- That people will not make change unless they feel understood,
- What message you send to your own mind when you sweep things under the rug,
- Advice for being around family with a history of commenting on your body,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/247

Get the free 10-Day Body Confidence Makeover with 10 steps to feel better in your body at summerinnanen.com/freebies
If you're a professional who has clients or students that struggle with body image, get the Body Image Coaching Roadmap for professionals at summerinnanen.com/roadmap
Direct download: 247_episode.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

In this special 2-part episode I’m speaking to two incredible women who I've had the pleasure of working with in You, On Fire.
 
In this episode, we meet April...

April says she started hating her body when she was 8 years old when traumatizing events led her to have a “punishing relationship with her body.”

She had been in therapy for years, but had never addressed her relationship with food and exercise. She was in a “constant battle with her body” and was afraid of what would happen if she stopped her restrictive ways.

She felt like her body was wearing out from all the over-exercising she was doing and knew she couldn’t continue.

One day, she had a realization when she was talking to a friend and said, “if I just liked myself, all of this could stop.”

Since doing YOF, she’s learned to trust herself and her body. She says she’s been “feeling really neutral in her body and that’s amazing.”

She also says she has “a neutral relationship with movement now.” She doesn’t freak out if she misses days of movement and she chooses movement that feels good for her body.

One particular highlight was when she wore a bathing suit (for the first time since her body changed) on a family boating trip and she wasn’t concerned with how she looked, rather she was in the moment.

Standing in front of the mirror, she’s had moments where she thinks, “this is me and I might even think she’s beautiful.”

Lastly, she says, “Most of the time I’m not thinking about it, which is a relief. There are moments where I even feel good and accepting. There are hard days too, but I have mantras that will get me through and I know they will pass. I’m in a much more comfortable place than I was a year ago.”
 
You, On Fire is the online group coaching program that gives you a step-by-step way of building up self-worth beyond your jean size with personalized coaching from me and lifetime access to the program—so you can break out of the diet culture cage, get free from body shame and live your fiery, free, untamed life.
Go here to get all the details and get on the waitlist for the upcoming cycle: summerinnanen.com/youonfirewaitlist

Get the shownotes: summerinnanen.com/246
 
Get the free 10-Day Body Confidence Makeover with 10 steps to feel better in your body at summerinnanen.com/freebies
If you're a professional who has clients or students that struggle with body image, get the Body Image Coaching Roadmap for professionals at summerinnanen.com/roadmap

Direct download: 246_part_2_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

In this special 2-part episode I’m speaking to two incredible women who I've had the pleasure of working with in You, On Fire. 
 
In this episode, we meet Starlett...

After Starlett had her daughter, she gained a lot of weight and was having trouble accepting the changes. It was a new body and she says it felt like, “she was dropped into a foreign country where she didn’t know how to speak the language.” 

She says she was constantly told she needed to look a certain way and felt like if she accepted this body, she would be rejected by society and opening herself up to ridicule. 

I feel like so many of us can all relate to this. 

She asked herself, “do I want to stay on this cycle or do I want a real change?” 

Since working together, Starlett came to the realization that she is worthy and valuable just as she is - without any external validation.

She also respects that this is a journey and is still using the tools to be more compassionate and accepting of her whole self.

One breakthrough moment she had was when she looked in the mirror and she says, “I looked at myself and said I’m worthy and valuable just as I am. The best part is that I believed it. I can feel the change inside of me and I genuinely believe it…It feels amazing”

She says, “I’m worthy of the same grace I give my daughter. Yes, my body has changed but my worth and value haven’t. I just needed to see that. Now, I can see me for me without all these other things that used to define me.”
 
You, On Fire is the online group coaching program that gives you a step-by-step way of building up self-worth beyond your jean size with personalized coaching from me and lifetime access to the program—so you can break out of the diet culture cage, get free from body shame and live your fiery, free, untamed life.
Go here to get all the details and get on the waitlist for the upcoming cycle: summerinnanen.com/youonfirewaitlist

Get the shownotes: summerinnanen.com/246
 
Get the free 10-Day Body Confidence Makeover with 10 steps to feel better in your body at summerinnanen.com/freebies
If you're a professional who has clients or students that struggle with body image, get the Body Image Coaching Roadmap for professionals at summerinnanen.com/roadmap
Direct download: 246_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m joined by Ingrid R. Pipes, National Certified Counselor, who is fat, queer, gender non-conforming, and neuro-divergent. We talk about how being neuro-divergent informed Ingrid’s relationship with her body, the difference between body positivity and fat liberation (and why we need more fat liberation), and why “trauma healing” as a form of weight loss is fake news.

Show notes: summerinnanen.com/245

If you leave a review during the month of October 2022, then I’ll send you a free audio and e-book copy of my best-selling book Body Image Remix. Email or DM me telling me that you left a review and I’ll send you the link.

In this episode, I talk about:
- Ingrid’s relationship with her body growing up,
- How being neuro-divergent helped protect them as a child,
- That body positivity has become digestible and dominated by straight-size people,
- That fat liberation is an intersectional movement that supports dismantling social stigma,
- That influencers who promote trauma healing as a form of weight loss are preying on people’s insecurities,
- Why weight loss is not a therapy goal,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/245

Get the free 10-Day Body Confidence Makeover with 10 steps to feel better in your body at summerinnanen.com/freebies
If you're a professional who has clients or students that struggle with body image, get the Body Image Coaching Roadmap for professionals at summerinnanen.com/roadmap
Direct download: 245_episode.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m joined by Hilary Kinavey and Dana Sturtevant, authors of Reclaiming Body Trust and founders of the Center for Body Trust. We talk about how to overcome the challenges around trusting your body and how to navigate body grief that may arise as you step away from dieting.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/244

If you leave a review during the month of October 2022, then I’ll send you a free audio and e-book copy of my best-selling book Body Image Remix. Email or DM me telling me that you left a review and I’ll send you the link.

In this episode, I talk about:
- The importance of trusting your discernment and how it’s a place of experimentation,

- Why people feel like they’re flailing while doing body trust work and their response to people who think they’re doing it wrong,
- That body trust is a birthright and it was taken from you, but you can get it back,
- Advice for navigating the loss of privilege associated with living in a fat body,
- How grief gives permission to acknowledge that something is hard,
- Why they prefer the phrase “attuned self-care,” and what it means,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/244
 
Get the free 10-Day Body Confidence Makeover with 10 steps to feel better in your body at summerinnanen.com/freebies
If you're a professional who has clients or students that struggle with body image, get the Body Image Coaching Roadmap for professionals at summerinnanen.com/roadmap
Direct download: 244_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m talking about overcoming mirror-checking and mirror avoidance. I also talk about why mirror-checking is often a hidden substitute for the scale, whether you should take a break from mirrors, and when it’s appropriate to use mirrors to heal body image, as part of the Body Image Series.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/243

 

Thanks to our sponsor Magic Mind. To get 20% off, go to magicmind.co/rules and enter the code RULES20 at checkout. The best part is that they have a money back guarantee. If you get the subscription, it’s a 40% off. My 40% off code only lasts 10 days, so hurry up.

If you leave a review during the month of October 2022, then I’ll send you a free audio and e-book copy of my best-selling book Body Image Remix. Email or DM me telling me that you left a review and I’ll send you the link.

 
In this episode, I talk about:
- How mirror-checking is a hidden form of checking body size,
- That it is often done unconsciously, without understanding its impact,
- Four questions to ask yourself to assess if mirror-checking is problematic for you,
- Why completely avoiding mirrors can also be problematic,
- That we want to drop the expectation of loving our bodies and aim for neutrality,
- How we’ve been conditioned to value our worth based on how we look,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/243
Direct download: 243_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m talking about why you need to stop weighing yourself or any form of tracking your body size or food/movement. I also talk about five reasons why scales and tracking devices make our body image worse, and why it’s important to ditch them, as part of the Body Image Series.

Thanks to our sponsor Magic Mind. To get 20% off, go to magicmind.co/rules and enter the code RULES20 at checkout. The best part is that they have a money back guarantee. If you get the subscription, it’s a 40% off. My 40% off code only lasts 10 days, so hurry up.


Show notes: summerinnanen.com/242
In this episode, I talk about:
- What my Instagram audience said about their relationship to scales and tracking devices,
- How this kind of tracking becomes an addiction,
- My story with the scale and tracking devices,
- That it is nearly impossible to have a good relationship with food or movement when our weight is involved in those decisions,
- Why calorie counting is useless information,
- Six reasons it’s important to ditch scales and tracking devices,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/242
Direct download: 242_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m taking a deep dive into Superwoman syndrome - if you struggle with trying to do it all and be it all, then you won’t want to miss this. I talk about what it is, 6 ways to identify whether you have it, how this impacts your body image, and 10 ways to break free, as part of the Body Image Series.
 
Thanks to our sponsor Magic Mind. To get 20% off, go to magicmind.co/rules and enter the code RULES20 at checkout. The best part is that they have a money back guarantee. If you get the subscription, it’s a 40% off. My 40% off code only lasts 10 days, so hurry up.

Show notes: summerinnanen.com/241
In this episode, I talk about:
- That attempting to do too much is putting others’ needs ahead of our own,
- Why this is not an individual defect, it’s rooted in our culture and is a social justice issue,
- That most often our purpose and values are not aligned with the expectations we are putting on ourselves,
- How having the perfect body and/or loving your body is a big part of Superwoman syndrome,
- That when we’re burnt out, we’re going to be much more critical on our bodies,
- Your free worksheet – 10 ways to reject Superwoman syndrome,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/241
Direct download: 241_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

This is the season 8 premiere of Eat the Rules, and I’m talking about how I feel after my hysterectomy and how my recovery from surgery + a social media break reminded me of what it was like when I first quit dieting. I also talk about the challenges of being on social media these days and give you a rundown of my fav episodes of this podcast to go back to listen to.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/240
In this episode, I talk about:
- An update of how my hysterectomy for adenomyosis went and what helped me heal,
- How you don’t realize how hard something is on your body until it’s gone,
- The parallels between my recovery and recovering from dieting,
- How incredible it felt to take a social media break and the challenges of being a creator on social media these days,
- What to expect from this season of the show,
- My most popular episodes that you can check-out if you’re newer to this podcast,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/240

Direct download: 240_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

In this best of episode, I’m talking about how to stop caring so much about what other people think (overcoming fear of judgment). Specifically, why we are so afraid of judgment, what this can teach us about ourselves and 7 ways to work through the fear of what other people are thinking, as part of the Body Image Series.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/239
In this episode, I talk about:
- Why we fear judgment and how this is ingrained in us,

- What these fears can teach us about ourselves,
- Why understanding the source of our fear of what others think is integral to healing self-worth,
- 7 ways to overcome fear of judgment,
- Your free worksheet - 5 Ways to Navigate Social Situations When Feeling Self-Conscious,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/239
Direct download: 239_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

In this best of episode, I’m talking about how to overcome comparisons. Specifically, why we compare, why comparisons are one of the hardest things to overcome, and 8 actions to take to help you stop comparing, as part of the Body Image Series.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/238
In this episode, I talk about:
- Why we compare and why it’s not our fault,

- The main belief that drives us to compare,
- Why comparisons are one of the hardest things to overcome,
- 8 actions to take to stop comparing,
- Your free worksheet - 6 Ways We’ve Been Conditioned to Compare,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/238
Direct download: 238_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Danni “Amapoundcake” Adams and I are together reflecting on our first time teaching the Body Image Coach Certification program. We share what we enjoyed most about teaching professionals, our favourite aspects of the program, and catch up with some of our students to share their experience.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/237
In this episode, we talk about:
- Danni “Amapoundcake” Adams is back and we’re doing a brief recap on what it was like teaching our first cohort of the Body Image Coach Certification program,
- What it’s like training professionals now that we’ve completed our first cohort,
- What we enjoyed most about the training,
- The key components of our program that we feel make a huge difference to a professional’s skillset,
- Interviews with 3 participants to talk about what they learned and how this benefitted how they support clients.
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/237

Direct download: 237_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

In this best of episode, I’m talking about breaking the attachment to the thin ideal. Specifically, why it’s so hard to break the attachment to the thin ideal and how to identify and work through the fears that keep us hooked on the pursuit of thinness, as part of the Body Image Series.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/236
In this episode, I talk about:
- Why it’s so hard to break the attachment to the thin ideal,
- Why no one should feel ashamed for wanting to lose weight,
- Why breaking the attachment to the thin ideal is a crucial part of body acceptance work,
- How to identify and work through the fears that keep us hooked on the thin ideal,
- The 5 main fears that keep us hooked on the thin ideal and diet mentality,
- Your free worksheet - Goodbye Diet Culture - 5 prompts to help you break up with diet culture for good,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/236

Direct download: 236_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

In this best of episode, I’m talking about what gets in the way of believing that we’re good enough, how to build self-worth, and why it’s so damn important towards knowing you’re good enough as you are, as part of the Body Image Series.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/235
In this episode, I talk about:
- What gets in the way of feeling good enough,

- How our “shoulds” feed the belief that we’re not good enough,
- What is self-worth and why it’s so damn important for you to feel good enough,
- The difference between confidence and self-worth,
- How perfectionism influences our self-worth,
- 8 components to build self-worth, 
- Your free worksheet - 10 Powerful Ways To Reinforce That You’re Good Enough.
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/235
Direct download: 235_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

In this best of episode, I’m talking about the relationship between our body image and our ability to eat intuitively, as part of the Body Image Series.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/234
In this episode, I talk about:
- Why body dissatisfaction drives the diet mentality,
- Why accepting our bodies doesn’t mean giving up,
- 5 ways that body image work will facilitate healing your relationship with food,
- What it means to “trust yourself” around food and how to overcome that hurdle if you feel like you just can’t,
- Your free worksheet - Eat Like A Grown-Ass Adult - 4 prompts to inspire you to live your life without diets,
- Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/234

Direct download: 234_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

In this best of episode, I’m talking about the biggest mistake we make when trying to feel better in our body and how to feel better in your body both mentally and physically, as part of the Body Image Series.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/233
In this episode, I talk about:
- The body image series of podcast episodes I’m going to be doing,
- Why I intertwine the words self-worth and body image,
- The biggest mistake we make when trying to feel better in our body,
- The one question to ask yourself when working on feeling better in your body,
- 7 ways to feel better in your body mentally,
- How to feel better in your body physically,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/233
Direct download: 233_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m running solo giving you a bit of a personal update as to what’s been going on in my life over the past few months, including a diagnosis with Adenomyosis and the horrible anxiety I experienced as a result of my IUD.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/232
In this episode, I talk about:
- How I was diagnosed with Adenomyosis this year,
- The ways that I manage the pain,
- Why I got a IUD to help and the side effects I experienced,
- How I experienced horrible anxiety as a result of the IUD,
- What I’ve done to treat it and heal moving forward,
- What to expect from this podcast through the summertime,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/232

Direct download: 232_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m running solo talking about how to navigate alcohol and intuitive eating. I talk about the two differences between alcohol and food when it comes to intuitive eating, how to assess what you want your relationship with alcohol to look like, and what to do if you feel guilty when you drink.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/231
In this episode, I talk about:
- A different way to think of what it means to have a drinking problem,

- That there is a high correlation between eating disorders and substance abuse,
- How alcohol is not the same as food,
- Questions to ask yourself to define your relationship with alcohol,
- How many of our internal compasses or value systems actually stem from diet culture,
- The different ways you can interpret feelings of guilt,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/231
Direct download: 231_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m running solo ranting about the 5 reasons why eating in moderation is useless advice. I also explore what moderation means, how this phrase is actually just dieting disguised, and questions to ask yourself when you’re about to eat.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/230
In this episode, I talk about:
- How this is framed as not a diet, but is actually code for dieting,
- That moderation is up for interpretation, but usually lines up to rules and limitations,
- How fitness and health professionals use this language to avoid talking about dieting,
- That not honouring our needs ignores our satiety,
- How anti-fat bias and fatphobia mess up the way we think about food,
- How this advice often backfires,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/230
Direct download: 230_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m joined by Marie-Pier Pitre-D’Iorio, RD, answering lots of your questions on how to find food freedom. You don’t want to miss this one as we talk about why giving yourself permission with food isn’t always enough, how to get past that place where you feel like you’re eating things that don’t make you feel good, how to overcome the diet mentality and scarcity mindset, the importance of satiety, and so much more.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/229
In this episode, we talk about:
- Why giving yourself permission to eat all the foods isn’t enough to have a good relationship with food,

- The difference between eating without restrictions and actual food freedom,
- The importance of curiosity over judgement,
- How to create body safeness with food,
- How body image and food freedom go hand in hand,
- Tips for checking-in on your hunger and satiety,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/229
Direct download: 229_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m joined by Emma Wright talking about how to end the struggles and mealtime battles that happen with kids. She talks about how the pressure to have kids eat and look a certain way sets parents up for feelings of frustration at mealtimes and kids not knowing how to trust their bodies. She also explores how to teach kids body autonomy so they learn to eat intuitively and create an environment where eating feels easier.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/228
In this episode, we talk about:
- What changed Emma’s thinking in relation to food and diets, and how this shift opened up space in her mind for other things,
- How good intentions are no match for diet culture,
- The deep sense of failure that parents internalize and how it steals the joy from their family life,
- How this parental pressure leaves kids confused and mistrusting their own bodies and hunger cues,
- The importance of getting out of the way and allowing our children to make mistakes and figure things out on their own,
- How all of this applies to adults, as well as kids,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/228
Direct download: 228_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

We know diets don’t work, but what if you need to lose weight for health/mobility? What about conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea? Vinny Welsby and I talk about that today in our last Death to Diets episode and also share the two reasons why you may choose to go on a diet or intentionally lose weight.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/227
In this episode, we talk about:
- Some of the reasons people feel they need to lose weight,
- The importance of creating your own personal definition of health,
- That we don’t have as much control over our health as diet and wellness culture would like us to believe,
- How to look at health in terms of what you can add, instead of what you should take away,
- The huge problem in the medical industry that makes some people need to lose weight in order to receive care,
- The lies told to us about infertility, joint issues, diabetes, and many other medical concerns,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/227
Direct download: 227_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

The Biggest Loser, Friends, and Bridget Jones have a LOT to answer to when it comes to body image! In the fifth episode of Death to Diets, Vinny Welsby and I are talking about the tv shows and movies that did a number on our self-esteem. Have things gotten better recently or is it the same old BS, and were there ANY good shows from the ’00s that helped with body image?
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/226
In this episode, we talk about:
- How representations in pop culture fed into the belief that you have to be thin to be worthy,

- That these shows often included other problematic things, including transphobia and racism,
- How these shows fed into the idea that fat people need to be saved,
- The shows that have had a good impact on body image,
- That even on shows with better body diversity, they’re always still model-types,
- That the standards have continued to morph and now these shows and movies make things like lip fillers and Botox feel like the norm,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/226
Direct download: 226_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

We are exploring whether food is toxic and challenging the notion of food addiction in this rebroadcast of the Death To Diets mini-series. We also look at the new Jonathan Van Ness show called Getting Curious where they answered the question “Why Do I Love Snacks So Much?” Instead of a delightful foray into the wonderful world of snacks, this episode took a dark turn into debunked science from 1996, fatphobia, and food shaming. Fun! Vinny Welsby and I break down the BS around it and other “toxic” food myths.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/225
In this episode, we talk about:
- How food shaming and fatphobia is disguised as health in popular culture,

- That chemicals in food does not mean it’s toxic or bad for you,
- That sugar and food addiction doesn’t exist and how restriction makes people think they are addicted,
- That there are no morally superior foods, but our culture’s obsession with losing weight makes us think there are,
- How altering the BMI was used to support fatphobic statistics,
- That there’s still a lot of fear and misinformation around food and eating,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/225
Direct download: 225_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I am back with Vinny with episode 3 of Death to Diets and we are talking about before and after pictures. We talk about what we think about weight loss before and after pictures and our own experiences with them. And what about “body positive” before and afters, showing people who used to be thin and in diet hell and now heavier but at peace, are they good, bad, or something else? Join us for another incredible episode of Death to Diets!
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/224
In this episode, we talk about:
- Our past experiences and perspectives on before and after pictures and how our thinking has evolved,

- That an “after” picture is just a moment in someone’s life,
- The shame that comes with not being able to maintain the image of an “after” picture,
- Our thoughts on reverse before and after pictures,
- That you can show yourself having joy in your body without posting a comparison picture,
- The ways in which straight-sized bodies are often centered in the conversation about body positivity,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/224
Direct download: 224_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I am back with Vinny with episode 2 of Death to Diets and we are talking all about extreme diets. Vinny and I have picked our most "favourite" new diets on the market and we talk about why they are fucked up and won't work and are just ridiculous to the max. One diet even says you MUST read a non-fiction book every day, no other genre...say what?! Join us as we ridicule how anyone can pull something out of their ass and call it a diet.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/223
In this episode, we talk about:
- How many diets mimic eating disorders,

- That diabetes monitoring tools have been co-opted by diet culture, without evidence that it helps with weight loss,
- That there is not a single scientific study that proves dieting works,
- That the diet business doesn’t tackle the actual things that impact health,
- How diet companies manipulate their data to show success,
- Some of the ridiculous diets we’ve tried in the past,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/223
Direct download: 223_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

We’ve got something a little different for you this week…Death To Diets is a candid, honest chat led by professional body image coach Summer Innanen and world-leading expert on dismantling fatphobia and diet culture, Vinny Welsby. Together, they invite listeners to join them in conversation as they share their topical takes and empowering insights on body image. This week, they're sharing tips on setting boundaries and how to respond to diet talk during the holiday season.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/222
In this episode, we talk about:
- An overview of our stance on diets and fatphobia,
- That we sometimes have to let go of the idea that we can change people’s minds,
- The importance of having empathy for your past self and people still caught up in diet culture,
- Vinny’s formula for dealing with fatphobia,
- The Fierce Fatty JABB technique for setting boundaries,
- How boundaries can be a gift to the other person,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/222
Direct download: 222_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m joined by Amapoundcake, and we are announcing our Body Image Coach Certification Program. We talk about what body image coaching is, how we help people and practitioners, the issues with the current state of coaching, and what the BICC program entails.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/221
In this episode, we talk about:
- Our vision for body image coaching,

- Who this certification program is for,
- That body image coaching is not therapy,
- That this is a cultural issue and it’s not the individual’s fault for having body image issues,
- Some of the topics covered in our program, including the history of Fatphobia, bias in coaching, and working with the client’s inner-critic,
- How self-care has been commodified and how to find what it really means for you,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/221
Direct download: 221_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m joined by registered dieticians Glenys Oyston and Rebecca Scritchfield, talking all about diabetes and how to manage everything from pre-diabetes to diabetes from a health at every size perspective. We’re unpacking all the myths about diabetes, whether you need to be concerned if you are genetically predisposed, whether you need to cut carbs, and changes you can make to manage blood sugars without triggering the diet mentality.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/219
In this episode, we talk about:
- What inspired them to create the Self Care for Diabetes Program,

- That diabetes has an unknown etiology,
- Advice for someone whose doctor has recommended weight loss because of a diabetes diagnosis,
- How dieting doesn’t make diabetes go away,
- How they encourage self-discovery and experimentation, instead of the typical limitations or restrictions,
- The importance of decreasing the shame of diagnosis,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/219
Direct download: 219_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m interviewing Alexis Conason, clinical psychologist, eating disorder specialist, and author of The Diet-Free Revolution, unpacking everything that the research says about weight loss. Is it possible to lose weight in the long-term? What do you need to do to achieve that? Plus, how learning to eat more mindfully (in a non-diet way) can help you to become a more intuitive eater.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/218
In this episode, we talk about:
- That long term weight loss and maintenance is extremely rare, and the industry knows it,
- How researchers have used examples of people with eating disorders as lessons for weight loss,
- That in the rare instances when people sustain weight loss long term, it’s often not in a healthy way,
- A study on contestants from The Biggest Loser, and why we never see a follow-up episode of this show,
- That health is not determined by weight and that most of what impacts health is out of our control,
- How mindfulness can shift the way we see ourselves and how we interact with the world,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/218
Direct download: 218_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m revisiting a classic episode which is an epic guide to how diets work and fail us, what dieting does to our body, how to recognize the diet mentality and heal from it, and so much more.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/217
In this episode, we talk about:
- What the diet cycle looks like and why it leads to binging, emotional eating, and "cheating,"
- How it contributes to worsening self-worth and body image,
- The side effects and negative ramifications of dieting,
- Myths about health and weight,
- How to end the restrict-binge cycle,
- The most important pieces of the puzzle that need to be addressed when learning to eat normally,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/217
Direct download: 217_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m responding to the question “Will accepting my body make me unhealthy?” I also explore how our culture has made us believe that being thinner is the only way to be healthy, and why health is multi-faceted, as part of the Body Image Series.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/216
In this episode, I talk about:
- How we’ve lost touch of what is good for us in the pursuit of weight loss by blending weight and health together,
- How the anti-diet message often gets interpreted as being anti-health, when it’s about finding what’s best for your body and doing things from a place of self-care,
- Why this message actually makes us more stressed and results in a poorer body image,
- What the research says about body image and health,
- How health is improved by behaviours, not outcomes,
- How having a positive body image leads to a higher likelihood of engaging in health promoting behaviours,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/216
Direct download: 216_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m talking all about confidence - what it is, how to get it and 5 tips to help you gain more confidence, as part of the Body Image Series.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/215
In this episode, we talk about:
- What it does and doesn’t mean to be confident,

- The relationship between body image, confidence, and compassion,
- That compassion is the engine that fuels our confidence,
- What it takes to gain more confidence,
- 5 things that get in the way of us being confident and what to do differently,
- How experiencing failure and rejection builds confidence,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/215
Direct download: 215_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m talking all about body neutrality - what it is and isn’t, what it looks like in real life, the stages people go through to get there, and the key elements to getting body neutral, as part of the Body Image Series.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/214
In this episode, we talk about:
- How I like to reframe body neutrality as a way to get more joy out of life,

- How it allows you to make decisions based on what’s best for you, instead of the best way to lose weight,
- That everyone’s journey is different and that we have to meet ourselves where we’re at,
- That the core of this work is knowing who you are and your value outside of how you look,
- The importance of challenging the beliefs you have and developing beliefs that support unconditional support and love for yourself,
- How embodiment and body neutrality go together,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/214
Direct download: 214_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

I’m going on a bit of a rant about the mainstream messages about “love your body” and “body positivity,” and then I take a deep dive into what we might really want and mean when we talk about loving our body, as part of the Body Image Series.
Show notes: summerinnanen.com/213
In this episode, we talk about:
- How my clients often react negatively to this language and why the pressure for body positivity can result in doubling down on shame,

- What I found when looking up these phrases' hashtags, how they’ve been co-opted, and some of the better hashtags to follow that haven’t been co-opted in the same way,
- Why we need more representation without explanation or justification,
- How body neutrality takes the focus away from the need to feel a certain way about your body,
- That we often imagine looking at ourselves and judging ourselves through the male-gaze and society’s beauty standards,
- The freedom of not caring how you look and the impact it can have on your life,
Plus so much more!
Get the shownotes:  summerinnanen.com/213
Direct download: 213_episode.mp3
Category:Health -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

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