Podcast Ep 84: Registered Dietitian Heidi Schauster on Eating Disorders and Nutrition

It’s one thing to know the importance of self-love — and it’s another to truly feel that love for yourself, no matter what condition your body is currently in. In this episode, we talk with Heidi Schauster, MS, RDN, CEDRD-S of the Boston-based Nourish Words Nutrition Therapy. A certified eating disorders nutrition registered dietitian with more than 20 years of experience, Heidi has some incredible ideas on weight-inclusive wellness and diet culture liberation, and she wants y’all to know that you are already worthy of self-acceptance right now, at this moment — and you’re absolutely capable of overcoming just about any kind of disordered eating.

Heidi features a multi-step program for overcoming emotional and disordered eating in her book, Nourish: How to Heal Your Relationship with Food, Body and Self. One of the most important steps she includes is that you need to learn to love your body in the state it is in. Too often she hears her patients badmouthing their own appearance — which ultimately sabotages their chances for success. Instead, Heidi ditches the focus on diet altogether, encouraging people to incorporate more “joyful, conscious movement” rather than focusing on exercise.

Seriously, this interview will really make you rethink old paradigms about food, health, and self-acceptance. As we like to say at FBG, “You can’t hate yourself healthy,” and Heidi’s message is ever so in sync!

Our favorite quotes from this interview:

Podcast Ep 84 Highlights With Heidi Schauster

• Heidi’s advice for helping someone struggling with emotional disordered eating
• What exactly she means by the term “conscious, joyful movement” 
• Why she refuses to do any kind of weight loss counseling
• Best practices for helping friends or family members you suspect might have an eating disorder
• Tips for increasing the connection between body and self
• How social media can be a blessing — with a shout out to writer Roxane Gay
• The parent/child power struggle of encouraging healthy eating, and acknowledging the work of Ellyn Satter
• The stigmatization of overweight people that runs rampant in our culture
• How to be more “soul-focused” 
• How to become more aware of your food and self-care habits
• Being more vocal about being happy with yourself and your body in front of your children
• Plus, the FBGs discuss Heidi’s philosophy and not solely complimenting a person’s appearance — and what to focus on instead

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Get the episode with Heidi Schauster here or below!

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