Welcome, my friend. This little corner of this internet is where we talk about what it means to have a body in this world — through the lens of autonomy, compassion, and liberation.

My newsletter and the Full Plate Podcast are made possible by paid subscribers on Patreon. To comment on newsletters, listen to bonus episodes, or to submit a question for the newsletter, upgrade to Patreon right here.

As 2024 comes to an end, we’re revisiting your most listened to bonus episodes — from the side effects of GLP-1s (drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound), to whether or not it’s a good idea to do intermittent fasting for perimenopause symptoms, to avoiding the body shame spiral of seeing a photo of yourself that makes you cringe.

We talked about so much this past year, and it’s all because of you, your incredible questions, and your compassionate curiosity about the issues that impact how each of us moves through this world in a human body.

These are all bonus episodes, which means they’re available exclusively on Patreon. If you haven’t subscribed yet, it’s a wonderful gift to get for yourself for the year ahead.

So, with that, let’s get into it. 🫶🏼

Is Intermittent Fasting Helpful During Perimenopause?

The nutrition misinformation about body changes around menopause is pervasive and loud. In this episode, we get into why intermittent fasting has been touted as a “solution” to everything from weight gain to hot flashes to muscle and bone health, and what the science actually says about the health and weight impacts of this eating approach.

Things We’re Not Hearing About GLP-1s (Side Effects and Other Questions) with Ragen Chastain

Ragen Chastain joins us as we continue our "is being fat bad for your health?" conversation by answering your questions about GLP-1s, the current hype about weight-loss drugs, and the truth about their risks and side effects.

What If I Feel Addicted to Food, and Can You Manage IBS Without Restricting Food?

We discuss whether food addiction is real, how to navigate that feeling through the lens of body autonomy and self-compassion, and the role that diet culture and anti-fat bias play in cultural assumptions about eating behaviors.

We also go deep on IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), celiac disease, and the body grief so many of us experience when seeing ourselves in pictures.

How Much Water Do We Actually Need, How Unhealthy Is Fast Food for Us, and Is Body Checking Always Bad?

Tune in for a conversation about the research on hydration (and yes, I did get into #watertok), how eating fast food impacts our health, and whether we can engage in body checking without it being harmful to our body image.

What Can I Do to Avoid a Body Image Spiral When I See a Photo of Myself I Hate?

A listener wrote in about hating a photo and feeling the strong desire to lose weight (despite knowing intellectually that all bodies are worthy bodies, and believing in the anti-diet culture movement).

If you’ve ever seen a photo of yourself—especially in group settings—and been flooded with feelings of body shame and comparison, this one is for you.

Did someone forward you this email? You can subscribe here to receive future newsletters.

It’s been quite the year, and I’m beyond grateful for your presence in this community.

Thank you — yes, you — for being a part of this. I appreciate you more than I can ever express.

And I want to take a moment to send a very special thank you to those supporting this newsletter and the podcast on Patreon. You make all of this possible, and you’re helping to keep my writing, social media content, and podcasts free for others.

There is so much more to come from this newsletter and Full Plate over the next few months. Exciting things are in the works, and I can’t wait to keep these conversations going.

Whatever you’re going through today, be kind to yourself. Be kind to your body.

With hope and compassion,

Abbie