Episode description:

Katie Gantt, MHS, RD, LDN, RYT, is a registered dietitian who has been working in the field of eating disorders and disordered eating for over five years. Katie is passionate about helping moms have a healthy pregnancy and postpartum period by finding health without dieting and challenging disordered eating patterns. She is the owner of Kathryn Gantt Nutrition where she uses her clinical expertise and yoga training to help moms reconnect with their bodies and their relationship to food in a positive, trauma-informed style. Katie focuses on mindful and intuitive eating, Health At Every Size (HAES), and non-diet approaches when counseling clients and helping parents raise intuitive eaters.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS

Tell us about yourself!

Hello! My name is Lacey Fischer, I am a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at the Anna Westin House in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

I’ve been a nurse since 2004 and previously worked in a clinical family practice in a small rural town alongside one of the area’s busiest and most well-known providers until his retirement. (Fun fact: the doctor I worked with delivered me when I was born! I always joked, “Well, somebody had to grow up and be your boss!” He loved telling that story as much as I did. We are still good friends to this day.) 

Episode description:

Kezia Reeder is a former Emily Program client and staff member, as well as a continual advocate for eating disorder recovery. In this episode of Peace Meal, she joins host Dr. Jillian Lampert to describe her holidays with an eating disorder. Kezia’s insight is valuable not only for those currently struggling, but also for parents and others supporting loved ones who are. 

For those who celebrate, the holidays can be a hard time for individuals with eating disorders. Not only do Western holidays often center on food, but they also have the potential to bring stress related to social gatherings, busy schedules, and unrealistic expectations. Reflecting on holidays past with an eating disorder, our guest Kezia says she struggled at first without any outside support. She hid her disorder from family and friends, suffering in silence amid food- and body-related conversations and a lack of routine around meals. During her recovery, Kezia explains that she used trial and error to navigate the holidays successfully. She says the more present she was in treatment, the more present she could be outside of it. With the help of her care team, she learned how to enlist family support—a key element to her recovery—develop a meal plan, and approach holiday food as just food.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS

For people with eating disorders, the holidays—the eating, the socializing, the changes in routine—are often an annual stressor. 

No matter what your holiday plans may be this year, supporting your teenager with an eating disorder can be a meaningful part of them. Consider these suggestions to help your teenager navigate the holidays ahead in recovery.

**Content warning: This is one person’s story; everyone will have unique experiences in recovery and beyond. Some stories may mention eating disorder thoughts, behaviors, and symptoms. Please use your discretion when reading and speak with your support system as needed.

Megan Bazzini is a writer⁠—an aspiring YA novelist, cringe-worthy poet, and mental health essayist. She’s also a business school grad, who has lived in LA, Hong Kong, and Milan. Now she’s returned home to New York, where she is a proud chihuahua rescue mom and corporate strategist at a major financial services institution. Megan’s eating disorder recovery mantra is, “Keep going. Recovery is worth it.” You can follow her on Twitter (@BazziniBooks) or visit her portfolio.

Recovery is non-stop work. I’m not here to sugarcoat that. You can read my other essays celebrating how rewarding it is, but today I’m here to give you a pep talk. You can do this.

To Those Fearing the Thanksgiving Table

You are not alone

You are not alone in wondering why—or how, rather—your friends and family enjoy Thanksgiving with such abandon. You are not the only one who sees this Thursday as another trial of a long holiday series, one of many get-togethers where you feel extra eyes on you and your plate.

You are not the only one just trying to survive.

Others will pull up chairs to Thanksgiving tables with similar worry, self-doubt, and guilt. They’ll feel equally distressed by the platters and bowls and dishes before them, their fears garnished with cranberries and french-fried onions. Others too will feel confused and resentful, maybe even angry, as their company gives thanks for their food, and then, in the same breath, condemns it for sabotaging their diets.

You are not the only one overwhelmed.