Consilience Podcast

Working on your body image can be such an empowering journey when you're clear on what kind of life you're moving towards.

Here's how to go beyond simply picking some words off a list of values.

CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY

Worried you'll let yourself go? Compassion is NOT about going easy on yourself, it's a more helpful way to hold yourself accountable. This episode discusses different models of compassion and how you can become the most helpful version of yourself.

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You're unhappy in your body and you want to make some changes. Here's how you can support yourself to feel your best and make healthy changes that actually last.

Resistance is a normal part of change. If you're struggling to take steps towards your goals, or working with clients who aren't completing forms/check ins, this episode will help.

Learn what contributes to resistance, how we can reduce unnecessary resistance, and how we can move forward in spite of it.

If you're a coach who has been thinking about joining BIF, now is your chance before our next live workshop on the 13th Feb!

Develop your coaching skills, help clients move through resistance, and make a bigger difference in their lives.

Motivation is not a feeling. So how do we take action when we don't feel like it?

In this episode I share two evidence-based theories of motivation to help you understand what's really going on when you struggle, and the self-regulation skills you need to help you to take action.

What if I want to lose weight because I can't find clothes that fit? What if I genuinely prefer my body to be leaner?

In this episode, I talk about how to find strong sources of motivation and what it really means to embody your values.

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In this episode I discuss why, for most people, macro tracking becomes redundant when you have strong self regulation skills.

I walk you through the 5 step process we use in coaching to help you make intentional food choices, develop confidence in your body and yourself, and manage your thoughts and emotions in ways that move you towards your goals.

This is a much more powerful approach that will give you the skills to show up as the person you want to be in all areas of your life.

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If you want to feel better about yourself, you don't need self-love. You need to continually choose to embody self-respect.

Here's the difference and how to do it.

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You're feeling motivated right now but what about when that initial enthusiasm fades? That's where self-accountability comes in.

It's your ability to take action when you don't feel like it AND your ability to recover from setbacks that will determine whether you reach your goals. It's following through on the things you say to yourself because they're important to you and make your life better.

In this episode I teach you how.

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If you want to make some changes next year but you're not sure where to start, begin with reflecting on this past year.

In this episode, I walk you through the process using my experience as an example.

Skipping the reflection will mean you'll end up repeating the same mistakes and spinning your wheels.

Taking the time to reflect will also help you be more intentional with the goals you do set, so they actually make a difference to how you feel.

Consider:

• What did you accomplish this year?
• What do you want to continue to do more of in the future?
• What do you not want to repeat?
• What are things you want to re-prioritise and put back into your vision for this upcoming year?
• How do you want to feel?
• What areas of growth will you focus on?
• What goals do you want to accomplish?

How often do you compare yourself to others?

Whether it's your body or your business, you probably compare way more than you think.

And how does that make you feel about yourself?

Whilst comparisons can be inspiration, more often than not we use comparative information to judge ourselves and put ourselves down.

This just erodes our self confidence.

You can't just simply stop comparing yourself to others, but you can learn how to manage your mind and stop letting comparisons get you down.

You're tired of being ruled by thoughts of food and you know that your fear of fat gain is keeping you stuck.

Yet it's not something you can just switch off.

This episode will help you understand your fear of fat gain and figure out the next step you can take towards a life where you feel happy in your body, at peace around food and fully engaged experiences with the people you love.

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The productivity talk you didn't know you needed. Notice when you're making comparisons to businesses you see online and take a step back to look at what your business actually requires of you.

How big do your biceps have to be before you can consider yourself a real man? Join Shannon and George as they delve into the association between adherence to masculine values and muscle dysmorphia symptoms.

They discuss:

• George's personal experience with muscle dysmorphia

• What are muscularity-oriented psychosocial issues and how do they impact men?
• What has masculinity got to do with muscularity?
• What role does the fitness industry play in endorsing some of these masculine values?
• Why do men have a hard time talking about these concerns?

Find George here:

I have very high standards of myself and I bet you do too.

In this episode, I chat about:

• My personal experience with perfectionism
• The difference between healthy vs unhealthy perfectionism
• The relationship between unhealthy perfectionism and food/body concerns
• How unhealthy perfectionism holds you back as a coach
• How we can keep our high standards and actually achieve our goals, without the fear of failure getting in the way.

If you put pressure on yourself to be perfect, feel unhappy in your body, self-sabotage over failures and mistakes, often procrastinate, feel overwhelmed, burnt out, or you're tired of playing it safe and not taking any risks...

This one is for you.

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Time to get personal as Shannon shares about her experience with body image concerns, toeing the line between dedication vs disordered fitness practices and why she is passionate about helping people respect themselves, take care of their bodies and make the most of life.

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Listen to Shannon's journey from law school grad to developing a very unique skillset and carving out her own career in coaching and mentoring.

Including lessons learned from:

• Travelling the world for 5 years and building a career along the way
• Running a solo business for 4 years without a single 'business' investment
• Working alongside researchers and psychologists

And the number one most important thing to focus on if you want to grow.

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Clients struggling to stay motivated?

Probably because they are driven by low quality motivation, like a desire to change their appearance.

Our role as coaches it to help our clients develop stronger forms of motivation that can be inclusive of, but are ultimately broader than, a drive to look better.

But how do we do that?

Well, that's what I have Chris Bell on the show to discuss.

Chris is a Doctoral Researcher at Brunel looking at the effects of fitness social media on body image and exercise motivation. In addition, he has a decade of experience working with clients in Personal Training and Nutrition and lifestyle consultancy.

In this episode we draw upon Self Determination Theory and unconditional self acceptance to find better ways to help our clients.

We discussed:

• Why do clients struggle with motivation?
• What distinguishes high quality motivation from low quality motivation?
• How might social media influence our exercise motivations?
• How can we develop internal motivations for change when our appearance concerns are really salient?
• What is unconditional self worth and why is it worth developing?

Find Chris Here:

• https://www.instagram.com/chris_bell_pt/

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'A client wants to lose weight desperately as she thinks this is holding her back from the life she wants. She has poor body image and often overeats. I cant seem to get through to her, that our priority should be working on body image not dieting, at least for now. She feels like she needs quick results. How would you approach this, Shannon? Thank you!'

I walk you through my RENEW process for having difficult conversations and helping clients see things from a different angle.

Many men are under pressure to not only look perfectly muscular and lean, but also to be successful providers and business men. What began as a conversation about masculine norms, and Dan's personal journey with health, fitness and body image, turned into a conversation around pressures in the fitness industry and implications for coaching.

Dan is health and wellbeing coach, and passionate mental health advocate. He has worked in the health and fitness industry for 18 years, with a wealth of experience as a personal trainer, strength coach and performance nutritionist.

We discussed:

• Dan's personal journey with his body image and fitness
• Unique pressures that men face when it comes to adhering to ‘masculine’ norms
• Changes we would like to see to the fitness industry

Find Dan here:

'How do you overcome poor body image, when if feels impossible and ingrained!? Since the age of 15 I have always worn hoodies and baggy pants, 15 years later, I am trying to overcome this, but exposure to take off my jumper is so daunting, makes me feel vulnerable?'

Today I am answering this heartfelt question. Embracing body confidence is a courageous journey, and I hope this episode will inspire you to continue taking steps towards self-acceptance. Although I wish this wasn't the case, you are far from alone in experiencing this.

Often a negative body image feels ingrained because we start to act as if it's true. By hiding our bodies, we reject ourselves. We actively rob ourselves of the opportunity to be comfortable in our bodies.

In order to truly feel better in our bodies, we have to act as if. How would you carry yourself if you were happy in your body? How would you treat yourself if you respected your body?

With that said, you don't have to start right from the top. If taking your jumper off feels too overwhelming at this point, what would be a smaller step that you could take?

Ultimately, I stress the importance of finding social support. Body appreciation and self compassion are optimally developed in the context of supportive relationships.

We're diving into a topic that's frequently debated in the fitness world: tracking food intake and physical activity. Is it always harmful, or can it be a helpful tool?

While tracking can enhance accountability and awareness, it might also lead to obsessive behaviours and a strained relationship with food and exercise. We'll unpack these aspects to help you make an informed decision.

I am joined by Erin O'Loughlin and Maryam Marashi.

Dr. Erin O’Loughlin, a researcher and coach, combines her expertise to foster healthy lives through evidence-based practices. With a holistic approach, she guides individuals in shaping habits that impact physical activity, nutrition, sleep, body image and confidence, relationship with food, and mental health. Currently, she collaborates on the Connect for Exercise study, addressing women beyond breast cancer and physical activity, and the PromeSS study, uncovering health promotion inequalities in schools. She's also a post-doc at the University of Toronto, researching youth physical activity, exergaming and body image. Outside work, she volunteers with Girl Guides, coaches her kids basketball and ringette teams, enjoys weightlifting, running and ringette, and organizes a women's annual Stronglifting competition to encourage everyday women to lift heavy.

Maryam Marashi is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on exercise and health psychology, with a particular interest in understanding the psychosocial factors that influence and are influenced by exercise and other lifestyle behaviors. Her doctoral work revolves around women's body image and strength training. Maryam also works as a fitness and nutrition coach, helping individuals in the general population to enact lasting lifestyle changes that enhance their overall well-being.

We discuss:

• What are the pros and cons of food and activity tracking?
• Is there a difference in outcomes between tracking with social support (e.g. a coach) vs doing it unguided?
• What’s the alternative? (e.g. intuitive eating/compassionate movement)
• Rather than blanket recommendations, what should we be taking into account to determine whether tracking is useful?
• What would you like to see more exploration of in the research?

Find out more about Erin and Maryam:

If you're tired of constantly obsessing over what to eat and feeling frustrated by setbacks, this episode is for you.

Join me as I explore how cultivating self-compassion can help you manage stress, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and reduce the tendency to turn to food for comfort during difficult times.

Although it's often overlooked by the fitness industry, self-compassion enhances your ability to self-regulate, empowering you to control your responses and direct your behaviour toward your health and fitness goals. Rather than dwelling on perceived failures, self-compassion promotes productive self-reflection and growth, allowing you to make more progress.

🔗 Links mentioned in the episode:

Is social media good or bad for our body image?

As you may have guessed, it's not that simple.

Join Shannon and her guest Dr. Darren Elliott, a Kiwi writer and researcher working to unravel the influences behind people’s everyday social media and body image experiences.

• The importance of conceptualising body image as a process, rather than static.
• In what ways does social media affect the way people experience their body image?
• What should listeners know about the political economy and ‘power’ of [social] media production?
• Why are communities an important part of developing a positive body image?
• How can we use social media to promote body image satisfaction?

Find Darren Here:

https://darrenelliottphd.net/

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Today's mentoring question is this:

'You are crazy productive: marketing, research, creating content, creating courses and more. How to be productive without putting pressure on yourself?'

It depends. What kind of pressure are we talking about?

Learn how to set high standards whilst accepting imperfection and adjusting your expectations when needed.

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Think men don't experience body image concerns? You're wrong! With the rising rates of steroid usage and association of muscularity with masculinity, men are subject to body pressures too.

Learn more about the pressures men face, how to spot the signs of poor body image and how to support your health whilst protecting your self esteem in this episode with Dr. Olivardia and Shannon Beer.

Dr. Olivardia is a clinical psychologist and researcher specialising in body image and eating disorders in males. His work focuses on topics such as muscle dysmorphia, steroid use, and the psychosocial impact of body image concerns in men.

They discuss:

• How does body image in men differ from body image concerns in women, and what are some unique challenges that men may face?
• How have male body ideals evolved over time?
• What has masculinity got to do with it?
• Are there specific factors or risk factors that contribute to the development of body image concerns in men?
• Given that not all men who desire a muscular physique develop muscle dsymorphia, what protects the majority of men and how can the chances of developing MD be mitigated among those most at risk?
• In your professional opinion, what are the most pressing research gaps or areas that need further exploration regarding body image in men?

Find Dr. Olivardia here:

Welcome to a new series on the show, where I answer your questions and coach you through your food and body concerns.

Today I'm answering the question:

'How can improved body image help with my fat loss efforts?'

Although I don't advertise fat loss, I do support body autonomy and informed choices.

In this episode, I discuss how working on your body image can help you to settle at a body composition that will support your happiest and healthiest self.

When we don't feel good about how we look, some of us avoid physical activity.

Why might that be the case?

I am joined by Vanessa Coulbeck, a researcher at Body Image and Health Research Lab, a Research group studying the body, self, and (mental) health at Western university in Toronto.

We explore the fascinating intersection of body image, self-compassion, and mental health among female adolescents.

Vanessa's research interests include body image, psycho educational practices and programming focused on female adolescent involvement in sport and physical activity. She is also interested in emotion regulation processes (self-compassion & mindfulness) to promote a positive and uplifting environment with hopes to improve physical activity adherence throughout girls lifespan, and a greater appreciation for being compassionate and mindful towards the self.

We discussed:

• Why might girls be more physically inactive than boys?
• What role does body shame and self-objectification play in young girls' physical inactivity?
• How can self-compassion buffer against the negative effects of body image threats?
• Advice for someone struggling with body shame
• Key areas that need further exploration and research regarding self-conscious emotions, body image and physical activity

Find Vanessa Here:

Email: vcoulbec@uwo.ca

'I'm scared to work on my body image in case I let myself go. I don't want to gain weight. It's hard enough as it is.'

These are some common concerns that might be preventing you from improving your relationship with food and yourself.

Totally understandable if you're coming from a place of control and restriction.

In this episode, I talk about why working on your body image will actually help you to eat better and be more consistent with your movement behaviours.

When we're coming from a place of appreciation and self-respect, we actually want to do these things more because it helps us feel our best.

I also discuss how you can change your appearance and express your personal style in a healthy way.

WORK WITH SHANNON

You know there's more to life than looking good. You want to be a good role model for others and you're angry with yourself for caring too much.

Here's what you need to know.

We all care about our appearance to some extent. It doesn’t make you vain or self-absorbed, it just makes you a normal human being.

In this episode I explain why this is the case and give some advice for when you're next feeling self-critical.

WORK WITH SHANNON

We've all felt fat at some point. And we probably blamed our bodies, and resolved to diet to lose weight.

But it turns out that feeling fat has a whole lot less to do with our physical body size than we might think.

‘So why do I feel fat?’ I hear you ask.

Well, ‘feeling fat’ encompasses a range of factors, including physical sensations, heightened self-consciousness about your body, and negative self-image.

In this podcast, I will delve into the reasons why you may be feeling fat and provide guidance on how to address these experiences effectively.

Learn:

• 3 reasons you may feel fat that have nothing to do with your body size
• How to understand your unique feelings of fatness
• How improving your relationship with food can help reduce these feelings
• How to develop mind-body awareness

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Why do we care so much about how we look? Why is it so hard to regulate our eating behaviours in our modern day environment?

In this episode, we discuss the role of social comparisons, feelings of inferiority, shame & self-criticism in the role of eating pathology. You might be surprised to learn that our perceived need to control our appearance is a strategy to compete for social acceptance.

I am joined by Dr. Cristiana Duarte, a clinical psychologist whose research focuses on measuring and examining psychological correlates and determinants of eating behaviour, weight regulation, body image, and mental health and wellbeing. Her specific research interests include weight stigma, body shame, food insecurity, and psychological approaches for eating regulation and weight management.

We discussed:

• What is social rank mentality and how might it explain eating pathology?
• What is the impact of shame and self-criticism on our eating behaviours and wellbeing?
• What is Compassionate Mind Training and how can it affect our minds and bodies?
• How self-compassion can help us to develop the courage to face our difficult experiences and emotions
• How can we start to develop self-compassion?

Find Dr. Duarte here:

Many of us believe that self-criticism is necessary to hold ourselves to a high standard. In this episode I discuss the problem with self criticism and how it keeps you stuck in the binge - restrict cycle.

Developing self-compassion is a necessary step to break this cycle and achieve your health and fitness goals.

I give you some pointers on where to start.

Are you a high striving perfectionist who is struggling with burnout and the pressure you place on yourself to achieve your goals? This episode is foy uo.

Dr. Josie Perry is a chartered psychologist working with those in sport, on the stage and in business to help them overcome their barriers to success so they can achieve their goals.

We discuss what successful people have in common, including:

• What are the 10 pillars of success?
• How can we build confidence in our abilities?
• Why is it important to develop a sense of self outside of our achievements?
• Why is mental rest so important?

Find Dr. Perry here:

What about clients who don't have body image concerns, but want to lose fat to feel better about themselves?

Why do our clients report feeling better in a smaller body, if it's not about body image?

In this episode I talk about the limitations of pursuing fat loss to boost our self esteem, and what the alternative is.

You can make gradual shifts in the service you offer, and become a better coach in the process.

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Tessa Peters is the founder of charity Been There, a mentoring app for adults struggling with their body image.

Been There harnesses the power of connection, hope and shared experiences by providing individuals with real and relatable Mentors who support, empower and listen to those in need. Tessa’s mission is to encourage self-acceptance and self-worth in everybody.

Hear Tessa's story about how she overcame her body image struggles and is using her experience to help others - and how you can do exactly the same.

We discussed:

• Why do you do the work that you do?
• Tell us about Been There: what is it? What's the mission?
• How are mentors vetted?
• How to know when your food & exercise behaviours are unhealthy.
• What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were struggling?

MORE FROM TESSA:

The fitness industry is largely a body-image focused market, frequently communicating messages about weight and shape.

We may be unwittingly perpetuating harm by promoting narrow appearance ideals.

This podcast episode discusses why this not only causes harm to our clients, but to our businesses as well.

Why is body image important?

Most coaches don't realise that a client's body image plays a large role in their motivations for changing their diet or exercise behaviours. The way we eat and the way we train can be considered the behavioural expression of our body image. If we are dissatisfied with how we look, and it's important for us to look good, we are at a higher risk of developing disordered eating tendencies. Macro tracking won't stop that.

This episode explains why.

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Disordered eating is a complex topic. There is no clear cut definition and the signs are hard to spot.

So how do we know if we are really helping our clients?

To help answer this question, I am joined by Michelle Carroll, an online nutrition coach and body image researcher. Her primary research interest lies in disordered eating and improving body image amongst fitness professionals.

We discussed:

• What is disordered eating?
• Why might coaches/pts be at risk of disordered eating?
• How can we reduce disordered eating in our clients?
• Your body is your business card - discuss!
• Why should we challenge the fit ideal?

MORE ABOUT MICHELLE

Our communication with clients is critical to their success.

Yet we often find ourselves unsure how to respond when clients are struggling, or afraid to say something our clients may disagree with.

I walk through an example of how to approach a client who is picking their body apart, discuss a recent conversation I found challenging, and share my plan for development.

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Dr Kat Schneider is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Appearance Research. Her research interests include body image, disordered eating and eating disorders, weight stigma, and the intersection between body image and movement.

We discuss:

• What is weight stigma and how does it influence one’s physical and psychological wellbeing?
• How is weight stigma associated with binge eating disorder? (Aetiology/maintenance/treatment/recovery)
• How can we address our own weight bias and practice in a way that supports those who experience stigma?
• Why more research is needed

MORE ABOUT DR. SCHNEIDER

How can we help fat loss clients with their body image?

How can we start integrating body image work when we're not really confident in what we're doing?

I outline the approach that I took and offer some suggestions to coaches new to this approach.

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