I'm thrilled to share with you the latest episode of the Food Freedom Life podcast, where I had the pleasure of hosting the inspiring Stephanie Dodier, a clinical nutritionist and certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor.

In this episode, Stephanie shares her personal journey with food and body image, a 25-year struggle that led her to a health collapse and a life-changing revelation. She discovered the book "Health at Every Size" and it resonated deeply with her experiences, sparking a transformation that led her to close her traditional nutrition clinic and start an online business focused on helping women make peace with food and their bodies.

Time stamps

[00:01:18] Stephanie shares her 25-year experience as a dieter, her health collapse, and how she discovered the book "Health at Every Size" which led her to shift her approach to nutrition and help women make peace with food and their bodies.

[00:10:42] Stephanie explains how the idea of going beyond the food came to her and why it is important to focus on the underlying causes of disordered eating behaviours.

[00:15:21] The role of patriarchy in diet culture - Stephanie discusses how the historical role of women's bodies and the concept of patriarchy contribute to the ideals and pressures of diet culture.

[00:22:07]The importance of mindset work - Explains how disordered eating and diet culture reshape the brain and the need to rewire neural pathways for a healthier mindset.

[00:26:02] Body neutrality vs. body positivity - Explores the concept of body neutrality as a therapeutic perspective and why it is more important than body positivity in shifting beliefs about the purpose of having a body.

[00:34:29] Reclaiming Power in Your Body - Shifting the perspective of why you have a body and embracing it for experiencing life, pleasure, and enjoyment beyond beauty and size.

Stephanie's Personal Journey

Stephanie's journey with food and body image is one that many of us can relate to. She spent 25 years trapped in dieting cycles, starting her first diet at the tender age of 12 with Weight Watchers. As she grew older, losing and maintaining weight became increasingly difficult, leading to a health collapse.

Her turning point came when she received the book "Health at Every Size" three times in three weeks. Initially skeptical, she found the book's message resonating with her own experiences. This led her to close her traditional nutrition clinic and start an online business focused on helping women make peace with food and their bodies.

Going Beyond the Food

Stephanie's brand focuses on going beyond food. She believes that nutrition, food, and even our bodies are just vehicles that show symptoms of underlying issues. Disordered behavior around food is a signal that something deeper needs attention.

Her coaching framework, cognitive behavioral coaching, allows her to delve into the emotional and thought levels to understand the root causes of these behaviors. It's not about focusing on the body or food, but rather understanding why these behaviors exist. This approach has fundamentally changed how her clients live with food and their bodies.

The Role of Mindset Work

Stephanie and I both agree on the importance of mindset work in addition to intuitive eating and body image when it comes to creating the life you want. Years of being immersed in diet culture and wellness culture can reshape the way our brains function, leading to patterns of perfectionism and people-pleasing.

To break free from these patterns and create the life we desire, we need to rewire our neural pathways through mindset work. This involves identifying and challenging negative thoughts and beliefs in order to turn down the volume on our inner critic.

Body Neutrality and Reclaiming Power

Stephanie believes in the concept of body neutrality, which she sees as more important than body love or body positivity. She explains that when we understand that our bodies are simply vehicles for experiencing life, it becomes illogical to focus on loving a body that has caused us pain.

Reclaiming power in the body involves shifting the perspective on why we have a body. It's about recognizing that our bodies are meant to experience life, pleasure, and enjoyment. This includes considering gentle nutrition and finding ways to move our bodies that bring us joy and fulfillment.

Follow Stephanie:

Instagram: @stephdodier
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephanieDodiernutrition

A Special Opportunity: Food Freedom University

I'm excited to share with you the opportunity to join Food Freedom University, a four-month virtual group coaching program designed to help you break free from binge eating, emotional eating, overeating, and poor body image patterns.

The program starts on September 18th or 20th, which is the perfect time to finish off your summer on a positive note. By joining now, you'll also have the support you need during the upcoming holidays, ensuring you're in a better place with food and body image.

To learn more and book a free call with me, head over to brittanyallisonrd.com/group-coaching or book a free consult to see if it’s a good fit and enrol. Don't miss out on this opportunity to transform your life. I look forward to helping you on your journey to food freedom!

Head to to learn more and

Until next time,

Britt