#218: Dating in Recovery: On Vulnerability, Diet Culture in Relationships, and Finding Someone Who Can Handle the Hard Stuff (Bonus Episode)
Abbie answers a listener question about one of the most complicated intersections: dating (relationships) and diet culture — especially when you're carrying a history of body shame, disordered eating, and the ongoing, nonlinear work of recovery.
Elizabeth, a listener in her early 30s, writes in about the men she keeps encountering on the apps — the gym-obsessed ones, the salad-only ones — and asks a question that cuts to the heart of it: is this my gut, or is this fear?
What you'll hear:
Why "too sensitive" isn't a useful frame — and what to ask instead
Safety and self-worth as the foundation of dating in recovery
Learning to trust your intuition when diet culture has distorted it
When to share your mental health history (and when you don't have to)
The difference between a trigger and something to work through
Revisiting your dating app parameters — and the biases built into them
Abbie's own experience navigating ED recovery while dating
Then Jeb, Abbie's husband, joins for an unplanned conversation about what it was actually like when they met — both carrying things they weren't sure how to share.
What happened when Jeb disclosed his sobriety on a rooftop, early on
Why vulnerability can work as a filter, not just a risk
What Jeb was looking for in a partner when he was newly out of treatment
The moment Abbie knew he was someone she could be with through hard things
This episode is ultimately about openness — what it costs, what it protects, and what becomes possible when you find someone willing to meet you there.
This is a BONUS episode for paid subscribers on Substack. To hear it, upgrade here: https://abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Support the Show:
Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Group program:
Looking for more support and concrete steps to take to heal your relationship with food and your body? Apply for Abbie's next 10-week group program: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/group-coaching
Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership, which meets every other week: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group
Social media:
Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast
Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness
Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy
Podcast Administrative Support by Alexis Glaubach
Podcast Editing by Brian Walters