Bod Almighty

Life is a road trip… with a LOT of bumps and detours. How do you navigate life’s misadventures with strength and style? Friend, cancer-warrior and stylist, Emma John, provides a road map. In this episode, Emma shares her personal experiences with trauma and the surprising ways clothes helped her through massive life upheavals. Don't miss: The way Emma created her own “style superhero” and how she guides her clients to do the same How Emma’s style evolved over time and yes, The Cure, rainbow knee-high socks, a red silk suit and skirts over jeans ALL feature! How Emma wants to help us get out of the “choke-hold” of clothing sizes and how “radical acceptance” totally rocked her world What happened in November 2021 that would change Emma’s life (and hair) forever How style brought control back in to Emma’s life and why she believes “Through trauma there is a deeper discovery of self” The surprising style tricks you might not have considered including: great pyjamas, the importance of skin-feel and how to arrange your wardrobe for immediate revelations. Why Emma preaches: “Don’t believe the hype about jeans!!” We are thrilled to share Emma John with you in this heartfelt, practical and lol-filled episode. As the stylist at the helm of “Sisterhood of Style” you can find Emma on Instagram – @sisterhoodofstylenz – or on her website - sisterhoodofstyle.com

What's all the fuss about Gwyneth Paltrow's diet? Why is everyone talking about bone broth, intravenous vitamins and whacking ozone up your butt? In March this year, Gwyneth was interviewed by author Will Cole, on his podcast "The Art of Wellness". In amongst a shedload of ads, GP and WillC talk about goop, methylation, binders, sweet potato noodles and other baffling things. Don't run off to listen to the interview! In this Please Explain Special Ep we break it allllllll down with our expert: Kate Spina. Kate is a qualified nutritionist, professional member of the ATMS, trusted media expert, eating disorder survivor and ex-hatted chef. We cover it all in this loose and live ep. Shitting out too much vitamin C, bad heavy metal jokes and why we all want a "pretend IV drip". Want to gamify your listening experience? Drink every time Kate says "disturbing"! (Make it a non-alcoholic beverage if you have to drive anytime soon) What next? Check out our interview with Kate Spina in episode 5 of Bod Almighty in an episode titled "How to Eat Carbs".

So f-ing tired of the critical voice running through your head? The negative, self-loathing ticker tape? Endlessly telling you that you look like crap and therefore ARE crap? We get it! Sometimes your inner critic can be loud and relentless. Perhaps part of the answer to the internal bully is something you’ve never considered before… Award-winning writer, creator and marketer, Angela Barnett, recently discovered a new tool in her eating disorder recovery toolbox when she embarked on a project to write about the experiences of seven different people in: “Like Bodies, Like Minds” which connects body image, bodily experiences, stigma and mental health. It impacted Angela, an eating disorder survivor herself, and she wants to share it with you too. Listen up for these pearls of wisdom: - What's better than “Ten Top Tips”? (2:00) - Angela’s unique and surprising “kaupapa” (guiding principle / paradigm) for her project - Like Bodies, Like Minds - and how it might revolutionise the way you think about body image (4:00) - Sophia’s story - “My body doesn’t look out for me anymore; I have to look out for it.” (7:00) - “The beauty ideals are based on this idea that we can always change our bodies.” (10:50) - A sheepskin rug changes Ange’s mind! (13:00) - June’s story – “Being forcibly yoked to a body that isn’t yours” - Michelle’s joyous experience being fitted for clothes in India (23:30) - Glennon Doyle’s advice to Angela (27:30) - Can you like your belly? (28:30) - Can you like your chin? (30:00) If you likes this episode make sure to check out Season One of Bod Almighty including these guests: How to Care Less What Others Think of You with Kristina Bruce How to Bare Your Arms with Evie Kemp Links: Like Bodies, Like Minds: @likebodieslikeminds https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/wellbeing/300419396/like-bodies-like-minds-i-was-out-to-almost-everyone-i-knew-before-i-told-my-parents Angela’s website: https://angelabarnett.me Belly love podcast: Belly Love Podcast — Rachel W. Cole

Have you ever questioned why we think thin bodies are best? Where did this idea come from? And why are we so attached to it? In this episode of Bod Almighty we ask Sarah Wirth, an activist who works in the area of body studies and founded the Body Studies Project, an organisation dedicated to disrupting appearance and body-based oppression, how we got here. We get historical, philosophical and even mathematical (!) in our quest to understand why we prefer certain bods over others. Get ready for a juicy deep dive and prepare your mind to be blown! In this episode of Bod Almighty don’t miss these enlightening gems: - What maths has to do with which bodies we prefer (3:00) - How BMI was invented and why (6:00) - When BMI categories shifted overnight (8:00) - Where standardised clothing sizes came from (9:47) - Religion and weight (13:00) - Find out what Hannah means by “slutty food”! (18:00) - Where the word “diet” came from (21:00) - Sex only for procreation?! (26:00) - Exercise: creating a broader definition of health (27:30) Resources mentioned on the show: Maintenance Phase podcast episode discussing BMI (body mass index) https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/maintenance-phase-1490970/episodes/the-body-mass-index-96180461 Dr Sabrina Strings’ book, “Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia” https://www.amazon.com/Fearing-Black-Body-Racial-Origins/dp/1479886750 Virgie Tovar pod on origins of weight loss and morality https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018657877/virgie-tovar-you-have-the-right-to-remain-fat If you liked this episode don’t forget to check out Season One of Bod Almighty including these guests: Dr Lindo Bacon – How to Put Nutrition in its Place Kate Spina – How to Eat Carbs

Find yourself “bingeing” or “emotional eating”? Do you binge on things other than food? Want to know what is going on? Dr Jenn Hardy can help! Dr Jenn Hardy is a licensed psychologist with a PhD in Counselling Psychology from Penn State University. She has a private practice in Maryville Tennessee but she is like YODA with post-it notes (no joke!) on Instagram, generously sharing her wisdom about relationships, career issues, resilience, self-compassion, and whatever else is on her mind. Get ready for aha moment after aha moment with Dr Jenn! In today’s episode of Bod Almighty don’t miss these pearls of wisdom: Dr Jenn dives in to the “binge restriction cycle” (01:30) Let’s get real about New Year’s resolutions and talk about barbecue! (09:00) Is there such a thing as a “financial diet”? (14:00) What about limiting social media? (19:00) Hannah’s favourite tip! How fatigue might be impacting your binging (22:30) What is behind wanting control? (32:00) If you liked this episode don’t forget to check out Season One of Bod Almighty including these guests: Kristina Bruce – How To Care Less About What Others Think of You Emma Wright – How to Respond your Child says “I’m Fat”

Do you shy away from the camera? Are you always behind the lens but not in front of it? In this episode of Bod Almighty we talk to the incredible Meagan Kerr. Meagan (Ngāi Tahu / Kāti Māmoe / Ngāti Kahungunu) has been featured in Sunday Magazine, Stuff.co.nz and Woman Magazine and appeared on The AM Show, Newshub Live and Seven Sharp talking about body liberation and plus size fashion. By day, Meagan is a social media community manager. By night, she writes about plus size style and her life as a fat woman. Meagan comes from a long line of photographers and used to retouch / digitally alter photos of other people in her day job. She always avoided being in front of the camera until something changed her mind… If you wish you had more confidence to be in the photo do NOT miss these bits: • No longer with us – who do you wish you’d taken a snap with? (09:35) • Why Meagan ditched “thinspiration” and what happened next (15:40) • How to “break up” with someone on social media (19:30) • Meagan chats “thirst traps”! Raaaaow! (21:00) • Dog ears and babies with moustaches: love ’em or hate ‘em? (23:40) • Join the challenge! Post using the hashtag #bodalmightyphotochallenge (28:00) If you loved this episode make sure to check out Season One of Bod Almighty including these guests: • Monique Doy - How to Break out of your Safe Clothes Uniform • Evie Kemp – How to Bare Your Arms

Who are we and why did we create this podcast? If you’re a nosy parker like us you are going to love this episode! The Bod Almighty podcast is about confidence, freedom, compassion and community. Each episode is a clear and concise "How to" covering topics such as: nutrition, style, exercise, mental health, parenting and confidence. We make sure there are practical exercises, action steps and advice packed into every episode. But why did we make it and who the hell are we?? Introducing, your hosts, Michelle Sokolich and Hannah Tunnicliffe! As creators, we have our own experiences with dieting, disordered eating and negative body image. As soon as we met - listen to find out how! - we knew we wanted to work together. Between us we have six daughters and want to leave a legacy of positive body image, confidence, courage and joy. Join us in this special, one-off episode to learn about us and our journey with food, freedom and our bodies. There are some tears and lots of lols! In this bare-all episode on Bod Almighty we cover: - What we loved about our bodies when we were kids (around 1:00) - When we learned that some bodies were more valuable in our society than others (around 2:40) - How we learned those concepts (around 3:45) - Hannah’s first diet (around 6:15) - Michelle’s memory of getting praise after losing weight: “That was it: I was hooked!” (around 7:45) - “The one thing in life I couldn’t conquer.” (around 8:45) - The last diet Michelle ever went on (around 10:00) - Cathartic tears! (around 10:30) - “It was pretty dark…the constant obsession with food” (around 11:30) - Hannah’s journey with disordered eating (around 12:50) - The final straw (around 15:00) - What a chump! When Hannah figured out all humans die (around 16:30) - Michelle’s “aha moment” (around 18:00) - Hot tip: For people who want to understand “Health at every size”: Check out “The Lindo episode” (around 18:30) - When we find it hard to accept our bodies (around 19:30) - Anxiety and dieting (around 20:00) - “Can’t go under it, can’t go over it, just got to go through it” (around 21:30) - We still struggle with our body image (around 22:40) - Michelle loves being naked in the ocean! (around 23:30) - Hannah’s favourite folk – um, you people! (around 25:00) - What we wish we could tell our younger selves (around 25:30) - The impact of The Karen Carpenter Story (around 26:00) - Becoming thinner is not magic (around 26:30) - Hot tip: Write down your magical life “When I am thinner…” - What motivates us to continue working to accept our bodies (around 28:45) - “They’re the reason I put on my togs and walk down to the water like it’s nothing” (around 30:00) - Eek! Why Michelle doesn’t want anyone to listen to this episode! (around 32:00) - The one thing Michelle really wants people to know about her (around 33:00) - The one thing Hannah really wants people to know about her (around 34:30) - When your husband calls you “righteous” (around 35:00) - “We are here for the nuance” (around 36:15) - We don’t think you are a bad person or wrong if you are trying to lose weight! (around 36:45) - Final, very important questions: What’s your star sign and can you bear pineapple on pizza? (around 37:30) Resources: Join our Bod Almighty Pod Squad: www.bodalmighty.com Bod Almighty IG: @bodalmightypodcast Isabel Foxen Duke: https://isabelfoxenduke.com/

Do you wear the same clothes day-in, day-out? Do you feel like you are wearing a uniform every day? Do you wish you could break out of wearing all black or jeggings or the same-old, same-old but you just don’t know how? Monique Doy is here to show you how! Monique is a stylist who specializes in women sized 14+. She runs a styling support group – “Own Your Style” - on Facebook and a plus-sized buy and sell group with over 18,000 members, is a Facebook Community trainer, writes about fashion for Stuff.co.nz, has been featured on Radio New Zealand and Breakfast on Television New Zealand and provides personalized styling services. She is vibrant, wise and funny and we are so excited to share her with you! In this episode you’ll get practical, step-by-gentle-step advice on how to break out of your uniform to find and wear clothes that feel really good and express your personality. In this jam-packed episode on Bod Almighty we cover: - How many striped t-shirts Monique had in her wardrobe after having her children and how she really gets “the safe clothes uniform” (around 01:45) - When Monique started thinking about herself again (around 03:35) - Why Monique particularly enjoys working with women sized 14+ - Why Monique said: “I’ve had three hours sleep, I just need to not be naked!” - What we really mean when we say “that looks flattering” - Hot tip: how to simply change one thing and the power of Monique’s green cardigan (around 10:00) - Where to find style inspiration and support - When comfort clothes and a pair of jeggings are totally okay - How to have fun with fashion and dopamine dressing - Hot tip: Where to find incredible secondhand clothes (around 17:10) - Why we don’t return clothes we’ve bought and how to - Why shop assistants can be scary or amazing - When Monique totally nails Michelle’s style (around 23:00) - How Monique feels about “the capsule wardrobe” - When Monique says “Your body is going to change every day, every single day for the rest of your life.” (around 25:20) - Hot tip: How to figure out what the heck you like (around 27:00) - What Michelle’s Pinterest board is chock full of (around 27:00) - Who not to shop with (around 28:00) - Hot tip: Where to find buddies! (around 31:00) Resources: Monique’s website: https://www.dressingup.co.nz/about Joining Monique’s styling group: https://www.dressingup.co.nz/buy Monique’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/monique_doy_/ Plus-sized buy and sell page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1508904566089154/ Jo from iCurvy (plus size woman in chambray shirt and giant tutu!) : https://www.instagram.com/icurvy/?hl=en

If you’re confused about which carbs to eat, when to eat them and how much then join the club! It’s baffling out there! Nutritionist Kate Spina is here to help us understand our sweet potatoes from our white potatoes and sort fact from sales pitch. You might be surprised at what she has to say! Kate Spina is a qualified nutritionist, chef and eating disorder survivor/thriver and there is no-one better equipped to help us understand the world of carbohydrates. Kate is also a trusted media expert and creator of the Diet Jailbreak program. She is currently based in Sydney, Australia and serves as a diet and super food debunker, striving to empower people overwhelmed by food to ditch the confusion and take charge of their physical and mental health. In this episode you're going to learn what a carb is, how to eat carbs and why you should eat carbs. In this fact-packed episode on Bod Almighty we cover: - What are carbohydrates? (around 1:30) - Did you know that dairy products are carbohydrates? (around 2:15) - The difference between white potato and sweet potato and what the heck is sweet potato toast? (around 2:40) - Why GI is not as important as we think (around 3:30) - The link with a “plant-based” diet (around 4:30) - How carbs have gotten bad press (around 5:00) - Macro and micro nutrients (around 5:30) - Why green vegetables are great but not everything (around 7:15) - Hot tip: Try this exercise: which foods are you afraid of? Which foods do you avoid these days? Which foods do you feed others (e.g. your family) but not yourself? Think about your favourite foods from childhood (around 9:15) - How to consider wholegrains and why (around 11:30) - Kate’s secret, favourite carbohydrate! (around 12:30) - What are the only foods with fibre in them? Do you know? (around 14:00) - An unexpected reason why variety is critical (around 14:30) - What Kate eats with her election day sausage. Hint: it’s not pumpernickel (around 15:30) - If food is fuel then what is the air in your tyres? (around 16:30) - How to find fibre if you are eating gluten-free (around 18:00) - What lockdown taught us about the value of refined carbohydrates (around 19:00) - Advice if you have dieted or restricted your food a lot in your past (around 20:00) - Michelle and Hannah’s personal experiences with unpicking old dieting behaviours and beliefs (around 22:00) - Hot tip: Kate shares an exercise to consider how our mood is impacted by how we are eating carbs (around 25:00) - What led Kate to feel “murdery” (around 25:15) - The links between stress, serotonin and carbs - this might surprise you! (around 26:30) - How women react to some of the current fad diets compared to men (around 28:30) - Hot tip: Kate’s super-yummy advice and exercise for where to start with exploring carbs - How you know you are eating enough (around 32:00) - Where to book a free chat with The Amazing Kate Spina (around 33:00) Resources: Kate’s website: www.katespinanutrition.com Kate’s instagram: @katespinasnutrition

Do you hate your arms? Do you wear long sleeves and cardigans even when it is boiling hot? Do you wish you could free your arms and wear all sleeveless things? Evie Kemp is the inspiration for you! Evie is a multi-hyphenate Creative and Creative Cheerleader in all things colour, design and home. She is an illustrator, artist and designer who design homes and things to go in homes including prints, textiles and interiors. She has supported various charities with her interior design skills and artwork including Pet Refuge NZ, Woven Earth and Te Whānau Rangimarie. Evie is also the author of the interior design e-book and enthusiasts guide to maximalist décor entitled “Much”. In this joy-filled episode you’ll get practical, personal advice on how to be more confident and free in baring and sharing your arms with the world. Lots of belly laughs and personal stories plus three challenges you can try at home! In this special, personal episode on Bod Almighty we cover: - When Evie became “hung up on arms” (around 1:00) - The family member whose arms Evie has never seen (around 1:30) - Evie’s confession about a judgement she made as a child (around 3:15) - A vulnerable story from Evie (around 5:30) - Hot Tip: An activity to consider the people in your life who use their arms to show their life #hugspo (around 6:50) - What the pashmina scene from Shrill and Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak have to do with it (around 9:30) - Psychological discomfort versus physical discomfort – shame versus sweat (around 10:40) - What finally lead Evie to think “I’ve got to get over this!” (around 11:30) - Who on instagram inspired Evie and how she changed her brain (around 13:00) - Why Michelle feels like she has taken the red pill in the Matrix (around 14:30) - How Evie feels about her arms now (around 15:30) - Evie’s clever bribe and “sweetener” to help her love her arms (around 16:15) - Hot tip: Something fun to incentivize you to show your arms! (around 17:40) - How showing her arms has made a difference to Evie’s life (around 19:00) - Hurrah! Confidence and weather-appropriate clothing! (around 20:20) - Michelle asks “Do you think other even people care about your arms?” (around 21:50) - Are you judging others as well as yourself? (around 22:50) - Evie comes up with THE BEST quote that we want to put on a (sleeveless) t -shirt! (around 23:45) - The beautiful thing that happens when you drop the self-loathing (around 24:00) - Hot tip: Evie’s very cool (literally!) exercise: The Seven Day Sleeveless Challenge (around 27:00) Resources: Evie’s website: https://www.eviekemp.com/ Evie’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eviekemp/?hl=en Evie’s delicious artwork for sale: https://www.eviekemp.com/shop

Do you worry about what you eat, your partner eats or your kids eat? Do you wish for a personal chef so you could “eat perfectly” and be radiantly healthy? Food is medicine…right? “You Are What You Eat” – is that true? Paleo or Vegan? Mediterranean or Keto? What about intermittent fasting? How to eat to live a long life in a perfect body? HELP! Dr Lindo Bacon is the expertiest of experts, helping us mere mortals to understand the role and value of nutrition. With an MA in psychotherapy, an MA in Exercise Science and a Ph.D in Physiology from the University of California, Davis, Dr Bacon has held various academic and research positions and written three groundbreaking and bestselling books - Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight, Body Respect: What Conventional Health Books Get Wrong, Leave Out, or Just Plain Fail to Understand about Weight (co-authored with Dr Lucy Aphramor)and Radical Belonging: How to Survive and Thrive in an Unjust World (While Transforming It for the Better. Dr Lindo Bacon is recognised by the body liberation movement as not just an expert but a pioneer and inspiration and we are so honoured to enjoy this jam-packed discussion with them! In this episode you are going to get The Real Deal on nutrition and how it impacts health, backed up by solid research. You might be surprised! We certainly were. Buckle up! In this mind-blowing, myth-busting episode on Bod Almighty we cover: - What Dr Bacon believed to be true about nutrition - you might recognize yourself here! We did! (around 3:10) - The biggest contributor to our health (around 4:00) - Why you might want to be thinner (around 5:10) - Truth bomb and mic drop moment (around 7:00) - Why you might binge eat (around 7:30) - What the contestants of The Biggest Loser can teach us (around 9:00) - Shocking research about people who don’t focus on nutrition and how they eat (around 11:00) - When you know exercise is good for you does that help you to exercise? (around 13:00) - Hot tip: A first step for plugging in to what your body needs or wants (around 14:30) - What on earth is a nutrition myth? (around 18:30) - What bald men and heart attacks have to do with it! (around 22:30) - An example of how researcher bias effects what you see in the news (around 27:00) - “Weight loss improves health” or does it? (around 28:00) - Stigma and trauma and how they are related (around 32:00) - Very Important Point (VIP) about the word “fat” (around 32:30) - Lindo’s view on why certain diseases may be more prevalent in people with fat bodies (around 34:30) - What we need to be working on as a society! (around 36:30) Resources: Lindo’s website: https://lindobacon.com/ Lindo’s books: https://lindobacon.com/health-at-every-size-book/ https://lindobacon.com/body-respect-book/ https://lindobacon.com/radical-belonging-book/ Lindo’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindobacon/ Lindo Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindoBaconX Lindo’s Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/LindoBaconX/