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Beyond the Food Blog

A catalog of evidence-based articles written by Stephanie Dodier Clinical Nutritionist on all topics supporting the non-diet approach to health. 

Welcome to

Beyond the Food Blog

A catalog of evidence-based articles written by Stephanie Dodier Clinical Nutritionist on all topics supporting the non-diet approach to health. 

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Our Most Recent Articles

Which diet is best for your health?

Which diet is best for your health?

Feb 15, 2021 | , | 0 Comments

I was inspired to write this article based on a community member question, “Which diet is best for my health? I need to lose weight to be healthy… right?”

I hope this article helps you determine what is the best diet for you! (Hint: It may not be what you think.) Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:

What does it mean to be healthy?

Does “obesity” cause one to be unhealthy?

Is health beyond dieting and weight loss possible?

What is a weight-neutral approach to health? 

Sustainability and health beyond dieting

Who is an ideal candidate for weight-neutral approach to health? 

Why It’s Hard to Change Your Beliefs About Weight and Health

The prevalent diet culture conditioned us to believe that thinner is better in all aspects of life including our health. Therefore, dieting is the answer to health so there has to be a “best diet” … right?

We’ve always heard that thin equals healthy, and that dieting is the way to a thinner body. It’s the same indoctrination that leads us into thinking that a thinner body is more attractive because it is associated with health.

What does it mean to be healthy? 

We all grew up with the idea that health is the absence of illness. But the World Health Organization has a definition of health that’s different from what we’re all used to. WHO defines health as “a complete state of physical, emotional, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Good health is essential to being able to handle stress and live a long and active life. It doesn’t just refer to the absence of disease, but also to the ability to recover from illness, to adapt to life challenges in general.

Does “obesity” cause one to be unhealthy?

The keyword here is CAUSE. Before we can answer the question, we must first understand the difference between correlation and causation.  For example, smoking is correlated with alcoholism, but it doesn’t cause alcoholism. However, smoking causes an increased risk of developing lung cancer.

For example, a research  found that obesity does not affect the risk of having coronary heart disease and stroke “Metabolic status is relatively stable despite rising BMI”. (However, it does increase the risk of developing diabetes)

But if the question is, “Is obesity associated or correlated with health risks?” the answer would be yes.  If the question is “Is obesity causing disease?”  the answer would be no. That’s where the big difference lies.

Here’s where it gets interesting – one-third to three-quarters of people classified as obese are actually metabolically healthy. Being metabolically healthy means having your blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels, and other metabolic markers within the normal range. That’s me and millions of “overweight” women.

Is health beyond dieting and weight loss possible?

Yes, and scientific research proves it!

A  2016 study by researchers at UCLA studied 40,420 adult participants in the most recent U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Researchers looked at the participants’ health as measured by six accepted metrics (not including BMI). These metrics are blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, insulin resistance, and C-reactive protein.

The study found that 47% of people classified as overweight by BMI and 29% of those qualified as obese were healthy based on at least five of those other metrics.

Meanwhile, 31% of normal-weight people were unhealthy by two or more of the same measures.

What is a weight-neutral approach to health?

A weight-neutral approach to health is based on the idea that your health status or risk level can’t be determined solely by your weight.

It acknowledges that your weight is determined by a complex set of genetic, metabolic, physiological, cultural, social, and behavioral determinants. Many of these factors are either difficult or impossible to change.

Instead of focusing on a weight-oriented outcome, weight-neutral programs teach you to take charge of the factors within your control. These factors include your thoughts and behaviors. Taking charge of these factors will help you improve your well-being, regardless of your weight.

Research have demonstrated the weight-neutral approach to health have significantly decreased body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and depression. They’ve also increased sustainable, enjoyable self-care behaviors such as eating and moving well in the long term.

The Going Beyond The Food Method️ is a weight-neutral and non-diet health framework composed of eight core elements. Our health framework is grounded in holistic principles and functional medicine approach to health. It’s a five-step process that includes mindset, emotional regulation, mindfulness, body neutrality, and intuitive eating.

The method️ is based on four core pillars: Body Wisdom, Body Trust, Body Respect, and Body Neutrality.

best diet for health

Sustainability and health beyond dieting

The single most powerful advantage of a weight-neutral and non-diet approach like the Going Beyond The Food Method️ is sustainability. It helps you develop the ability to sustain health-promoting behaviors throughout your life.

Certainly, when it comes to health, consistency is significantly more powerful than short-term results.

A 2015 study systematically reviewed a weight-neutral and no-diet approach to health. It determined the overall effects on factors including weight, biochemical measures, food, activity, behavior, body image, and mental health.

  • Weight stability (in 5 yrs)
    • Improved biochemical markers
    • Cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, CRP
    • Sustained healthy behaviors & Improvement in:
      • Dietary quality
      • Psychological states
      • Disordered eating patterns
      • Self-esteem
      • Depression

Who is an ideal candidate for a weight-neutral approach to health? 

Truly anyone! Individuals who’ll benefit most from this approach are:

  • Chronic dieters
  • Women who are overly concerned with weight and shape (a.k.a. body image issues)
  • Those who are repeatedly trying to lose weight and restricting food for two years or more
  • Women who have had enough of dieting and regaining the weight that they lost
  • Women who are intuitive eaters

Why it’s hard to change your beliefs about weight and health

Your reptilian brain is the reason why it’s not easy to let go of beliefs. It’s the most primal part of your brain that has the survival instinct. It seeks to protect you from danger. Because the diet culture has programmed your reptilian brain into believing that fat people aren’t healthy, you’ve since associated health with thinness.

That’s why your approach to health must also include mindset and thought reprogramming tools to help you change your core beliefs and negative self-talk. That’s what we do first inside our Conquer & Thrive community… been there done that as they say.

You can view the methodology in more details here.

Get started with the weight-neutral approach to health

To help you get started with the weight-neutral approach to health and make peace with food and your body, I have created a free audio guide for you to know exactly what to do when you stop dieting, emotional eating, binge eating and body image issues. Claim your way to freedom now!

Download Your Audio Guide Roadmap

What does it mean to be healthy?

Good health is essential to being able to handle stress and live a long and active life. It doesn’t just refer to the absence of disease, but also to the ability to recover from illness, to adapt to life challenges in general.

Does “obesity” cause one to be unhealthy?

The keyword here is CAUSE. Before we can answer the question, we must first understand the difference between correlation and causation.  For example, smoking is correlated with alcoholism, but it doesn’t cause alcoholism. However, smoking causes an increased risk of developing lung cancer.

Is health beyond dieting and weight loss possible?

Yes, and scientific research proves it!

A study found that 47% of people classified as overweight by BMI and 29% of those qualified as obese were healthy based on at least five of those other metrics. Meanwhile, 31% of normal-weight people were unhealthy by two or more of the same measures.

What is a weight-neutral approach to health?

A weight-neutral approach to health is based on the idea that your health status or risk level can’t be determined solely by your weight.

It acknowledges that your weight is determined by a complex set of genetic, metabolic, physiological, cultural, social, and behavioral determinants. Many of these factors are either difficult or impossible to change.

Who is an ideal candidate for a weight-neutral approach to health?

Truly anyone! Individuals who’ll benefit most from this approach are:

>> Chronic dieters
>> Women who are overly concerned with weight and shape (a.k.a. body image issues)
>> Women who are repeatedly trying to lose weight and restricting food for two years or more
>> Women who have had enough of dieting and regaining the weight that they lost
>> Women who are intuitive eaters

Why it’s hard to change your beliefs about weight and health

Your reptilian brain is the reason why it’s not easy to let go of beliefs. It’s the most primal part of your brain that has the survival instinct. It seeks to protect you from danger. Because the diet culture has programmed your reptilian brain into believing that fat people aren’t healthy, you’ve since associated health with thinness.

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Overcoming Negative Body Thoughts

Overcoming Negative Body Thoughts

Jan 26, 2021 | | 0 Comments

When I first set out in search of non-diet interventions that could change the course of my relationship to food and overcoming negative body thoughts, I came across a study about the impact of body satisfaction on healthy behaviors, including food & exercise. That blew my mind.

I will share that with you in this blog post that focuses on body image and how it impacts your relationship to food. I will also tackle the concept called body neutrality and how it is different from body positivity; as well as intuitive eating. I’ll also share with you a free tool that I created to get you started with body neutrality and intuitive eating so you can enjoy your full life now… regardless of your body size. Here’s what you’re going to learn from this article:

Overcoming negative body thoughts

What is body neutrality?

Body neutrality versus body positivity

Body neutrality and intuitive eating

Overcoming negative body thoughts

A 2013 study published by the Journal of Obesity study found no link between body weight and the way women feel about themselves.

Yet, the findings show a link between how women feel about themselves and the healthy activities they engage in. Meaning, the better they felt about their bodies, the more likely they were to take care of themselves by eating well and being active. This allows them to create a positive cycle.  

Likewise, dissatisfaction with their bodies discouraged the women from taking part in certain activities, eating properly to fuel their bodies, and could eventually lead to weight gain.

“Body satisfaction or dissatisfaction isn’t correlated with body weight,” the research concluded.

That blew my mind. That meant overcoming negative body thoughts and making peace with my body size could actually improve my health behaviors, eat better and ultimately be healthier now… unconditional of my body size.

That’s how body neutrality was born.

Overcoming negative body thoughts

What is Body Neutrality and how it helps in overcoming negative body thoughts

Body Neutrality empowers you to embrace yourself as you are, including the parts you don’t like about yourself.

Its focus is to avoid self-hate while simultaneously relieving you from the pressure of having to love your body.

The goal is to respect and accept your body for what it is – and that’s it.

Body Neutrality recognizes that not everyone is going to love every part of themselves all the time because that’s an unrealistic expectation, to say the least.

The reality is that some days you’re going to look in the mirror like, “Damn it, yeah, thank you, legs for letting me travel. Thank you, arms, for allowing me to type this inspirational post and thank you, belly, for creating life!”

And then, there’ll be those days where you stand in front of the very same mirror, focusing on that cellulite you hate or the wrinkle that suddenly seems so obvious.

Body neutrality versus body positivity

Embracing Body Neutrality over Body Positivity allows you to experience negative feelings about yourself, but without the pressure that comes with having to be positive all the time.

In other words, it’s a middle ground between positivity and negativity (shaming) – that’s neutrality.

Body Neutrality is the safe bridge between body shaming and body positivity. It’s about being grateful for your body and everything it does for you because it does a lot. You are alive right now.

So, Body Neutrality is centric on the process of accepting your body.

Body Neutrality & Intuitive Eating

Overcoming negative body thoughts-1

For many of us, we’ve had years of suffering through body shaming. Along the way, we’ve picked up coping behaviors to neutralize the pain associated with body image struggles.

Being the victim of body shaming, most of it from our own mind, is difficult, to say the least. So, no wonder that many of us have become, along the way, emotional eaters or binge eaters. 

Combine the suffering that comes along with body shaming with the notion that food is the gateway to “loving our life and body,” food has become this enemy that we need to control in order to end the suffering. 

Healing our relationship to food is necessary in order to make peace with our body. Intuitive eating is the way in which you can achieve both: body neutrality and peace with food.

Moreover, intuitive eating teaches you to respect your body.

Intuitive eating teaches you to respect your innate body messages. This includes hunger and fullness to have a healthy and respectful relationship with your body. This is what we teach the women inside our Conquer & Thrive community so they can live and enjoy their full life right now… unconditionally!

The bottom line

You can’t hate yourself to health or peace. Love always wins. Always. 

Acceptance doesn’t mean giving up. It means seeing what is and adopting a non-judgmental perspective. Accepting allows you to improve and grow instead of obsessing about why it’s wrong and stress over the results.

Need help to get started with Body Neutrality and Intuitive Eating?

I have created a free audio guide for you to get started with body neutrality and intuitive eating and finally overcome negative body thoughts so you too can be on your way to freedom!

Download Your Free Guide

How to overcome negative body thoughts?

A 2013 study published by the Journal of Obesity study found no link between body weight and the way women feel about themselves. Yet, the findings show a link between how women feel about themselves and the healthy activities they engage in. Meaning, the better they felt about their bodies, the more likely they were to take care of themselves by eating well and being active, allowing them to create a positive cycle. 

That meant overcoming negative body thoughts and making peace with my body size could actually improve my health behaviors, eat better and ultimately be healthier now… unconditional of my body size.

What is Body Neutrality?

Body Neutrality empowers you to embrace yourself as you are, including the parts you don’t like about yourself. Its focus is to avoid self-hate while simultaneously relieving you from the pressure of having to love your body. The goal is to respect and accept your body for what it is – and that’s it.

Body neutrality versus body positivity

Embracing Body Neutrality over Body Positivity allows you to experience negative feelings about yourself, but without the pressure that comes with having to be positive all the time. Body Neutrality is the safe bridge between body shaming and body positivity. It’s about being grateful for your body and everything it does for you because it does a lot. You are alive right now.

Body Neutrality & Intuitive Eating

Healing our relationship to food is necessary in order to make peace with our body. Intuitive eating is the way in which you can achieve both: body neutrality and peace with food. Intuitive eating teaches you to respect your innate body messages such as hunger and fullness to have a healthy and respectful relationship with your body.


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Where do you start to make peace with food?

Where do you start to make peace with food?

Jan 21, 2021 | , | 0 Comments

Throughout my research, I’ve discovered that there is more to overeating, emotional eating and even binge eating than just food.

Most patients & students with food struggle will have body image struggle, negative mindset, overthinking behaviors. They are overwhelmed with an emotional roller coaster, lack confidence with food choices, low self-esteem. Moreover, they put their life on hold until they “lose the weight once and for all”.

This article talks about how to start to make peace with food and your body. In addition, I share how you can end the diet cycle to empower you to be your own expert. Here’s what you’re going to learn from this blog post:

How I started to make peace with food

What is diet culture?

How to break the diet cycle

Free resource to get started to make peace with food

How I started to make peace with food

Eight years ago, that was me. I consulted with a variety of specialists and experts hoping they would find what was “wrong” with me and that I could finally find the solution. Each appointment or purchase resulted in a few hundred $ and a new diet or protocol. 

I would follow the guidelines, and yet I was always back to the starting point within weeks and months. This went on for years…

You see… There’s nothing wrong with me that could be fixed with a diet or protocol. The approach made everything worse. It compounded the side effects, made me gain more weight and have a deeper emotional relationship to food.

There’s nothing wrong with you. In fact, emotional eating, overeating eating and weight gain are part of the diet model. The diet and weight loss industry wants you to believe there’s something wrong with you because that belief keeps you coming back. Likewise, it keeps you feeling broken… keeps you feeling unworthy. That’s what we call the diet culture.

What is Diet Culture?

Diet Culture is defined as the worship of thinness and equating it to health and moral virtue. If you’ve been part of this culture, you might have spent your whole life thinking that you’re broken just because you don’t look like the “thin ideal.”

Diet Culture promotes weight loss as a means of attaining what it perceived to be a higher status—the thin ideal. Certainly, it oppresses people who don’t match up with its supposed pictures of health and attractiveness. 

It compels you to spend a massive amount of time, energy, and money trying to shrink your body, even though intuitive eating research clearly shows that almost no one can sustain intentional weight loss for more than a few years.

The good news is, it’s just a cultural movement. Belonging to a cultural movement is completely optional and something that you can say “no” to. Most importantly, you have the power to make the choice to be free from this oppressive culture.

How to break the diet cycle to make peace with food?

Breaking the Diet Cycle is possible and will come as a result of healing our relationship to food with acceptance and compassion. Moreover, it can be achieved by seeking to heal our relationship to food, respecting our natural hunger and fullness cue and accepting our bodies.

Intuitive Eating is a proven and well-researched self-care eating framework that teaches us to have a healthy relationship to food, therefore, empowering you to trust your ability to meet your needs, distinguish between physical and emotional hungers, and ultimately, develop body wisdom.

Intuitive Eating is the most effective approach to recover from years of dieting. In fact, that’s what changed my relationship to food and body and allowed me to start living my full life right away without having to lose weight.

This is what I teach women inside our Conquer & Thrive community so they, too can make peace with food and their body, and start living their full life now. Yes, it’s possible!

make peace with food

Free resource to get started to make peace with food

To help you get started to make peace with food and your body, I have created a free audio guide for you to know exactly what to do when you stop dieting, emotional eating, binge eating and body image issues. Claim your way to freedom now!

Download Your Free Roadmap Here

How I started to make peace with food

Eight years ago, that was me. I consulted with a variety of specialists and experts hoping they would find what was “wrong” with me and that I could finally find the solution. Each appointment or purchase resulted in a few hundred $ and a new diet or protocol.

The approach made everything worse. It compounded the side effects, made me gain more weight and have a deeper emotional relationship to food.

What is Diet Culture?

Diet Culture is defined as the worship of thinness and equating it to health and moral virtue. If you’ve been part of this culture, you might have spent your whole life thinking that you’re broken just because you don’t look like the “thin ideal.”

How to break the diet cycle to make peace with food?

Breaking the Diet Cycle is possible and will come as a result of healing our relationship to food with acceptance and compassion. It can be achieved by seeking to heal our relationship to food, respecting our natural hunger and fullness cue and accepting our bodies.

Free resource to get started to make peace with food

To help you get started to make peace with food and your body, I have created a free audio guide for you to know exactly what to do when you stop dieting, emotional eating, binge eating and body image issues. Claim your way to freedom now!

read more
Does my weight loss journey sound like yours?

Does my weight loss journey sound like yours?

Jan 18, 2021 | | 0 Comments

I suspect that my journey with food and weight, like for many of you, began many years ago. My sincere hope is that you might see yourself somewhere in this story and can find some glimmer of hope that having a normal relationship with food and being at peace with your body is possible.

This article tackles my personal weight loss journey and how I became successful in healing my relationship with food and body. I also shared how I am helping other women like me find peace with food and their body and live their full life now… unconditionally.

Here’s what you’ll learn from this blog post:

The beginning of my weight loss journey

Breaking the glass ceiling

The big shift in my weight loss journey

How old were you when you started your weight loss journey?

The first of the crucial defining moment for me was my first diet. I still remember the day my mother took me to Weight Watchers when I was 12. I still remember the “older women” shaking her finger at me telling me that I should chew gum when I feel hungry instead of eating. 

That day, I began a 25-year dieting career. An ongoing journey of yo-yo dieting. 

I was raised in a loving middle-class home with two very normal parents and a brother who wanted nothing but the best for me. In their heart, the best meant a “normal” body that would not be noticed and fit the society standards. For that, back in 1987 = Weight Watchers and weight loss.

The first diet at 12 didn’t “work” but the second one at 15 did. I lost 40 lbs… and with that came the compliment and praise “you look so pretty,” “wow, you lost so much weight, how did you do it?,” “You’re so strong I admire you.”….. For the first time, I felt worthy. I felt beautiful.

At 16, I had learned that to be acceptable, to be beautiful, a woman needed to be thin.

I managed my weight by calorie counting, eating low fat and going to the gym until my late 20’s when I had my first serious heartbreak. I went to food to feel better. As a result, I gained weight.

weight loss journey-2

Breaking the glass ceiling

I gained a lot of weight, and at one point, I decided it was enough. I went back on a big diet. It was harder than the last time. I had to go to the gym 6 days a week. Eat very little food. I isolate myself to not have to be tempted by “bad food” and to not break my routine.

As I lost the weight, my career took off. I didn’t have food anymore to deal with the discomfort of my emotions, so I jumped head first into work. That kept my mind busy. I broke “the glass ceiling” and at 36 years running a $900 million business. To society standards, I had made it.

Inside, I was a solid mess… a few months after having reached the pinnacle of my career, I collapsed on stage speaking to my employees. My body couldn’t take it anymore. I was rushed to the hospital and was diagnosed with anxiety, panic attack syndrome, depression, and high cholesterol & blood pressure. 

The big shift in my weight loss journey

That day when I left the doctor’s office looking at my long list of prescription medications, I made a choice. I chose me. I chose to stop worrying about what others thought I should do, look or be. And I committed myself to me. To do what was best for ME.

That’s when everything changed. Over the next 3 years, I spent an enormous amount of time and money to heal myself. I read every book on the psychology of eating, nutrition, and holistic health I could find, and spent countless hours researching medical journals, health blogs, and making myself a human guinea pig. Moreover, I quit my career and went back to school, graduating valedictorian with a degree in holistic nutrition.

I became obsessed with finding the answer.

I thought to myself, if I could understand WHY I ate, then maybe I could find and treat the root cause, and hopefully, my story would inspire others to do the same.

weight loss journey-3

That’s how I created Conquer & Thrive, a feminist approach to food & body; a program where smart, resilient women go to unlearn diet culture.  Relearn to eat normally, respect for your body and confident mindset.

I have had many setbacks before I found something that worked for me. But I never forgot how great it was to finally feel normal, eat normally and be at peace with my body.

After much perseverance, time, and trial and error, I can finally say that I was successful in healing my relationship to food and body.

Through our programs, I share my rationale for the need to Go Beyond The Food based on what finally worked for me, with the hope that it perhaps will also work for you. 

Your roadmap to diet-free living

I created a free audio guide for you to know exactly what to do when you stop dieting, emotional eating, binge eating and body image issues. So you’ll be on your way to freedom!

Download Your Roadmap

How old were you when you started your weight loss journey?

The first diet at 12 didn’t “work” but the second one at 15 did. I lost 40 lbs… and with that came the compliment and praise “you look so pretty,” “wow, you lost so much weight, how did you do it?,” “You’re so strong I admire you.”….. For the first time, I felt worthy. I felt beautiful.

The big shift in my weight loss journey

That day when I left the doctor’s office looking at my long list of prescription medications, I made a choice. I chose me. I chose to stop worrying about what others thought I should do, look or be. I committed myself to me. To do what was best for ME. That’s when everything changed.

How I help women find peace with food and their body

I created Conquer and Thrive, a feminist approach to food & body; a program where smart, resilient women go to unlearn diet culture.  Relearn to eat normally, respect for your body and confident mindset.
That you just stopped dieting yesterday or years ago, Conquer and Thrive is for you


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This Is Why You Struggle With Food

This Is Why You Struggle With Food

Jan 15, 2021 | , | 0 Comments

Whenever I meet new women and tell them about my mission of spreading awareness about how women can end their struggle with food and be at peace with food and their body without being on a diet. That we can be healthy without being thin and we can access optimal health and happiness unconditionally, women always say, “Wow, is that possible?” to which my response is…

“Yes. It’s actually our birth right, sister. You and I weren’t born to be on diet and hate our bodies.”

And then the conversation always turns to…. “Well, it’s different for me, Stephanie” or “I’m so “screwed” up when it comes to food not sure it can ever change” or “I’ve tried before”.

My answer: “First sister, there’s nothing wrong with you. The problem is not you, it’s what we’ve been taught about food and our bodies. The problem is the diet model, not you.” 

This article tackles why you struggle with food and teaches you how you can make peace with food and your body. Also, I share how you can end the cycles of yo-yo dieting and empower you to be your own expert. Here’s what you’re going to learn from this blog post:

Innate body wisdom

Why do we struggle with food

Diets don’t work

What’s the antidote to the eating pendulum swing

Innate body wisdom

You see humans were born with this innate wisdom that allows us to know what, when and how we should eat. If you have children, you know that… babies cry when they’re hungry and refuse to eat when they are full. They naturally know how to regulate their eating and accepting of their body. All of us women were once like that too, that is until we went on our first diet.

We were intuitive eaters and neutral with our bodies. Diet and diet culture did a “number” on our relationship to food and our body.

Research is clear that dieting has three main side effects:

  1. Short term weight loss and long term weight gain
  2. Major stressor to our mind and body
  3. Distort our relationship to food and body image

Why do we struggle with food?

I hope you’re ready for this because once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

You see, most women have been hypnotized by the societal narrative that says it’s NORMAL for women and even HEALTHY to be on a diet. (I was too for 25 years more.)

If you read that sentence and right away your brain says  “Well, some diets are healthy”,  if that’s you that’s a good sign that you are hypnotized, too.

I really, really, really want to get you to understand that diets do not work. But in order for me to do that, I need to show you something:

struggle-with-food

That was my life for 25 years…. dieting and then overeating. Cravings all the food I restricted to lose weight to regain the weight lost.

Diets don’t work

Studies after studies the results are clear:  95-98% of dieters regain all of their weight within 1-5 years Just like I did. Maybe just like you?

Diets don’t work because of how reptilian brain reacts to food restriction and deprivation. Our brain perceives dieting as a threat to our well-being and engage in a protective reaction. Cravings, emotional eating, overeating aren’t due to a lack of willpower or discipline rather a biological reaction.

Why does our eating swing like this? Simply our body is responding to the period of starvation (dieting) with a period of feasting. And no, we can’t get away from this primal survival behaviors hence why 95%of dieter experience it.

What’s the antidote to the pendulum swing?

Love. Respect and Trust.

Just as a pendulum won’t abruptly stop at center, you won’t either. You will probably swing back and forth between restriction and chaos a few times before your pendulum (mindset, feelings, thoughts, behaviors) gently settles into the middle. Is it uncomfortable? Yes, it can be. But not as uncomfortable as spending the rest of your life swinging wildly.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Honour your hunger even when you’re afraid of what that means. Strive for satisfying meals even when your brain is shouting “don’t eat those carbs!” Learn to listen to your body’s natural hunger and fullness cues. Remember no food is off-limits, so there’s never an emergency to finish eating what’s on your plate.⠀⠀⠀⠀

That’s what I call Going Beyond The Food. Helping women make peace with food and body. Ending the cycles of yo-yo dieting and empowering women to be their own expert. You being the boss of YOU. Learn how we do this by joining our Conquer & Thrive community.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And know this calm and collected approach to eating is all possible for you, when you’re ready to stop restricting. 💗

Why do we struggle with food?

Most women have been hypnotized by the societal narrative that says it’s NORMAL for women and even HEALTHY to be on a diet. In short, we were socialized to be on a diet.

Why diets don't work

Diets don’t work because of how reptilian brain reacts to food restriction and deprivation. Our brain perceives dieting as a threat to our well-being and engages in a protective reaction. Cravings, emotional eating, overeating aren’t due to a lack of willpower or discipline rather a biological reaction.

The antidote to the pendulum swing

Love. Respect and Trust.
Just as a pendulum won’t abruptly stop at center, you won’t either. You will probably swing back and forth between restriction and chaos a few times before your pendulum (mindset, feelings, thoughts, behaviors) gently settles into the middle. Is it uncomfortable? Yes, it can be. But not as uncomfortable as spending the rest of your life swinging wildly.

Innate body wisdom

Humans were born with this innate wisdom that allows us to know what, when and how we should eat. If you have children, you know that… babies cries when they’re hungry and refuse to eat when they are full. They naturally know how to regulate their eating and accepting of our bodies. All of us women were once like that too that is until we went on your first diet.


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PRO Series: Listeners Q & A – S2 EP8

PRO Series: Listeners Q & A – S2 EP8

Dec 8, 2020 | , | 0 Comments

Non-diet Q&A

This is going to be a fun episode…

I’m answering 25 questions our listeners have submitted. Short to the point answer on all subjects related to the non-diet approach…  

You’ll get an answer for each of these 25 non-diet approach & business questions.   

  1. You keep referring to PROs... I’m a health coach so I’m not a professional right?
  2. How do I make money as a non-diet coach? How do I  create a stable income so I have no doubt in my income?
  3. I can’t launch my BIZ until I’m perfect in my IE and BI?
  4. How to convince my clients this is the right approach?
  5. How do I reassure my clients that it’s ok not to diet?
  6. How do I figure out my ideal client and how do I speak to them?
  7. Simple marketing process, please…
  8. How to answer body image questions?
  9. Because of COVID, people aren’t willing to buy anything, should I wait to launch my BIZ?
  10. Scope of practice?
  11. I’ve never been on a diet but I eat whole food and organic food. Or I make healthy choices normally? Can I teach intuitive eating?
  12. How do I find a scientific way to promote IE?
  13. How do I incorporate nutrition science in IE?
  14. Outline a 1-1 session with a client?
  15. How do you present a problem to a client without being insensitive?
  16. I’m afraid they are going to think I think it’s all in their head?
  17. How much free stuff do I need to give?
  18. How do I use my communication to get more clients?
  19. Quality versus quantity marketing?
  20. How do I get myself out there?
  21. How do I get my clients to see value in me as a coach?
  22. Covid is making things challenging? Nothing I can do…
  23. I have a tendency to make things complicated… how do I resist it?
  24. I’m on social media and nothing is happening… Why?
  25. If a client doesn’t reach her goals, what does it mean about me as a coach? 

Ready? Let’s do this Non-Diet Q&A!

Mentioned in the show:

PRO Mentorship Program

PRO Series – Free Training & Resources

PRO Podcast Series – Full Listing

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PRO Series: Body Image Healing for Health Professional – S2 EP6

PRO Series: Body Image Healing for Health Professional – S2 EP6

Nov 24, 2020 | , | 0 Comments

body image health coaching

78% of professionals have said they are struggling with their own body image.

8% of you have said you were at peace with your body.

That’s the result of our yearly survey within our professional community.

That’s how this new podcast episode was born.

From a need for our community to do their personal work with body image because the only way you can effectively coach other women into healing their body image is for you to heal your own first.

Just like we see on our client population struggling with poor body image has a wide range of effects in all aspects of our life including our business:

  • Lack of confidence to show up to market your business
  • Questioning yourself all the time
  • Think something is wrong and or your business
  • No big ambitious plan for your business
  • Playing small
  • Perfectionism trying to make for your own perceived flaws
  • Fixated on the appearance of your business instead of bodywork
  • Difficult time doing hard things
  • …

Ready to learn what you need to do to heal your body image as a health professional so that you can lead thousands of women?

PS: I think this one of my best podcasts! 😀

What you’ll learn listening to this episode on body image health coaching for women:

  • Why we struggle with body image
  • The impact of not being liberated from body image to you personally and on your business
  • Why helping and coaching women through body image healing isn’t about the how…
  • The stages of healing body image

Mentioned in the show:

PRO Mentorship Program

PRO Series – Free Training & Resources

PRO Podcast Series – Full Listing

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PRO Series: How to Get Started in Your Non-Diet Business S2 EP5

PRO Series: How to Get Started in Your Non-Diet Business S2 EP5

Nov 17, 2020 | , | 0 Comments

How to get started in your non-diet business

You have a degree or certification in hands and you are ready to get started.

Or perhaps you’ve spent the last few years recovering your own relationship to food and body and you have a burning desire to share your journey with others.

This podcast is for you!

Our guest today is Stephanie Long, a Business Coach for Nutritionists and has helped hundreds of nutritionists start their own successful businesses. Stephanie is also the host of Next Level Nutrition Biz podcast. Her program, Launch Your Nutrition Biz, helps Nutritionists to launch their business and start bringing on clients!

What you’ll learn listening to this episode on how to get started with your non-diet business

  • Top 3 mistakes new practitioners make when starting their business
  • The 5 things to consider when starting a new business
  • The roadmap to starting your new practice

Mentioned in the show:

Stephanie’s roadmap to get started

PRO Mentorship Program

PRO Series – Free Training & Resources

PRO Podcast Series – Full Listing

Connect with our Guest:

Website

Instagram 

Facebook

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PRO Series: Success Stories from Non-Diet Practitioners-S2 EP4

PRO Series: Success Stories from Non-Diet Practitioners-S2 EP4

Nov 10, 2020 | , | 0 Comments

Pros Business Success Stories

In the Non-Diet Mentorship, we change lives. Your life as a coach and the life of your future clients. We do it with ease, less time, and greater impact.

We get success for our students and their clients.

Let’s go behind the scenes of that success.

Let’s hear from the current students of the Non-Diet Mentorship Program.

We recorded a live session for this podcast just for you based on your questions:

  • Did you feel scared before investing in your business?
  • How did you overcome your fears of joining the program?
  • Can you share your wins doing this program?
  • Will the mentorship program help me structure my method of working with clients?
  • I feel like a fraud…I can’t launch my BIZ until I’m perfect in my intuitive eating and body image?
  • How do I figure my ideal client and how do I speak to them
  • How do I use my communication to get more clients?
  • I have a tendency to make things complicated… how do I resist it?
  • If the clients don’t reach their goals, what does it mean about me as a coach?
  • How do I make money as a non-diet coach?
  • How to dismantle DC in wellness coaching?

Get in touch with our guests

Unyime

Kim

Lindsay

Chanelle

Amber

Mentioned in the show

PRO Mentorship Program

Webinar & Steps to Build A Profitable Non-Diet Business

Free Intuitive eating guide

PRO Series – Free Training & Resources

PRO Podcast Series – Full Listing

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PRO Series: Being A Confident Non-Diet Coach – S2 EP3

PRO Series: Being A Confident Non-Diet Coach – S2 EP3

Nov 3, 2020 | , | 0 Comments

Being a confident non-diet coach

“I’m doubting my ability as a coach…How can I increase my confidence as a coach?” 

A very frequent error health coaches make is to get more certification in order to be more confident in their coaching skills. 

A new certification will not give you confidence.  

Being A Confident Non-Diet Coach

Confidence is an emotion. Confidence is a feeling. 

Coaching confidence is a feeling of trust in your ability to coach your client. 

When you feel confident about your coaching abilities, you typically are more successful. Successful in your client results and successful in making money in your business. 

How does a coach increase the feeling of confidence in her coaching skills? 

That is what we will answer in this podcast episode. 

What you’ll learn listening to this episode on being a confident non-diet coach: 

  • The big mistake I made in feeling confident as a coach when I first started
  • How to increase your confidence level in your practice
  • The framework that will help you nurture your confidence
  • 6 rapid-fire coaching tips to increase your confidence as a non-diet coach.

Mentioned in the show:

Beyond The Food PRO Mentorship Program

Webinar Registration

Free Intuitive Eating Guide

PRO Series – Free Training & resources

PRO Podcast Series – Full Listing

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Anti-Diet Training for Health Coaches

Anti-Diet Training for Health Coaches

Oct 28, 2020 | | 0 Comments

One of the frequent questions from health coaches who encounter my work in the non-diet approach for the first time is this:

How do I make money as a non-diet coach?

I get it. I had the same question 6 years ago when I first came to the world of anti-diet health coaching. If we don’t tell people what to eat, when to eat, and how to eat, what will they pay us for? Right?

Clients seeking services from a non-diet health coach have a lot they are willing to pay for: primarily ending their struggle with food and body. Helping them relearning to eat following their own eating cues instead of a “health coach” looking over their shoulder lol! Undoing all the body-shaming that “weight loss coaches” have created within them, being able to trust their own choices when it comes to health, undoing the critical mean girl voices in their head, etc…

The list could go on, but simply: undoing the work of diet culture. That’s how you make money as a non-diet health coach. If you have been through the process of unlearning diet culture yourself, you’ll know exactly what I mean. If you haven’t yet, it’s normal you don’t get it and this is the first place you need to start: doing the work of unlearning diet culture yourself.

anti diet training for health coaches

Anti-diet training for health coaches

Starting an anti-diet coaching business

My anti-diet business journey

What I wish I knew before starting my non-diet health coaching business

The anti-diet approach mentorship program

Anti-diet training for health coaches

The process of becoming an anti-diet health coach starts with your own healing from years of restrictions, cleanses, detoxing, overthinking, shame and guilt.  We have plenty of resources on anti-diet training for health coaches to help you take this first step along with professional training.

We have created a number of free non-diet approach training resources to help you begin learning more about this revolutionary health approach. Join my non-diet professional community by requesting our non-diet professional starter pack.

I would suggest you also subscribe to anti-diet podcast and start with episode 199 and follow through up to the latest one.

Starting an anti-diet coaching business

Starting an anti-diet coaching business (also referred to by some as an intuitive eating business) is simple. It is the same as starting any other business: You create a product, in the anti-diet health coaching business this would be a coaching package, and you go out into the world and sell this product.

As soon as you start working with clients, you will know just how powerful your product truly is. Research is clear about the benefits of health coaching: Significant improvements in one or more of the health-promoting behaviors when interacting with a health coach. You will see the changes in your clients quickly and your confidence in your business will grow rapidly.

anti diet training for health coaches

My anti-diet business journey

My first business in the world of health coaching was actually a nutrition clinic in Toronto Canada. Five years ago, I transitioned my health coaching business to the non-diet model and I shared the details of my business transition to the anti-diet model in season 1 of the Pro’s podcast series.

I’d like to give you an inside view into my anti-diet health coaching business more precisely what I wish I knew before starting my anti-diet health coaching business.

As I say in every episode of the Going Beyond The Food podcast: Ready? Let’s do this!  

By the way, if you would like to access more details, hear my personal story that created each one of these learning head over to our podcast and listen to Season 2 Episode 2 – My Non-diet business journey episode or listen directly below:

What I wish I knew before starting my non-diet health coaching business

  1. It’s about helping others, not turning a profit. Profit will come naturally as you help others and live your life in your zone of genius.
  2. You can make a great living as an anti-diet health coach in a career helping others deeply despite what anyone says.
  3. 6 P’s: Proper Planning Prevent Piss Poor Performance. You need to be strategic about your business and organize yourself. What you should do is not always what you wish you could do.
  4. Learn how to coach people. Coaching is not – this is how I did it so that’s the way. What worked for me is not what will work for my client. Coaching is a skill.            
  5. Create goals and apply consistent action. Show up consistently day in and day out in your business. Take one action at bare minimum daily.
  6. Asking for help is ok. Your client asked for you, so should you.
  7. Use technology so you can maximize your time being a coach. Technology can help, but don’t forget that health coaching is about the people.
  8. Trying to be everything to everyone is a straight road to failure. Pick a niche and become the world expert at it.
  9. Growing a business is not linear. There will be more downs than ups. Successful businesses don’t happen overnight. It takes time.
  10. Be unapologetically YOU. Don’t copy what other non-diet coaches are doing. Your clients want to work with you.

The anti-diet approach mentorship program

The Going Beyond The Food non-diet approach mentorship program is a space where you can receive support guidance to become the best non-diet professional. It’s a program geared to refine your non-diet professional skills set and teach you the skills you need to build a successful business that can impact thousands of women. It will help you develop as a powerful leader and help other women come back to their power. You will learn how to harness your ability to support and help other women. As a result, you can impact thousands of other women and dismantle diet culture.

Anti-diet training for health coach

Anti-diet training for health coaches

We have created a number of free non-diet approach training resources to help you begin learning more about this revolutionary health approach. Join my non-diet professional community by requesting our non-diet professional starter pack.

I would suggest you also subscribe to anti-diet podcast and start with episode 199 and follow through up to the latest one.

Starting an anti-diet coaching business

Starting an anti-diet coaching business (also referred to by some as an intuitive eating business) is simple. It is the same as starting any other business: You create a product, in the anti-diet health coaching business this would be a coaching package, and you go out into the world and sell this product.

My anti-diet business journey

My first business in the world of health coaching was actually a nutrition clinic in Toronto Canada. Five years ago, I transitioned my health coaching business to the non-diet model and I shared the details of my business transition to the anti-diet model in season 1 of the Pro’s podcast series.

What I wish I knew before starting my non-diet health coaching business

1. It’s about helping others, not turning a profit.

2. You can make a great living as an anti-diet health coach.

3. 6 P’s: Proper Planning Prevent Piss Poor Performance. 

4. Learn how to coach people. 

5. Create goals and apply consistent action. 

6. Asking for help is ok.

7. Use technology so you can maximize your time being a coach. 

8. Trying to be everything to everyone is a straight road to failure. 

9. Growing a business is not linear. 

10. Be unapologetically YOU. 

The anti-diet approach mentorship program

The Going Beyond The Food non-diet approach mentorship program is a space where you can receive support guidance to become the best non-diet professional. It’s a program geared to refine your non-diet professional skills set and teach you the skills you need to build a successful business that can impact thousands of women. It will help you develop as a powerful leader and help other women come back to their power. You will learn how to harness your ability to support and help other women. As a result, you can impact thousands of other women and dismantle diet culture.


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PRO Series: My Anti-diet Business Journey – S2 EP2

PRO Series: My Anti-diet Business Journey – S2 EP2

Oct 27, 2020 | , | 0 Comments

My Anti-diet Business Journey

One of the frequent questions from health coaches who encounter my work in the non-diet approach for the first time is this:

How do I make money as a non-diet coach?

I get it. I had the same question 6 years ago when I first came to the world of anti-diet health coaching. If we don’t tell people what to eat when to eat and how to eat, what will they pay us for? Right?

To help answer this question, I’d like to give you an inside view into my anti-diet health coaching business more precisely what I wish I knew before starting my anti-diet health coaching business.

In today’s episode, I’m going to share with you what I wish I knew before starting my anti-diet health coaching business.

What you’ll learn listening to this episode about my anti-diet business journey:

  • How I started my non-diet business
  • What I wished I knew before starting my non-diet business
  • My top 10 lessons over the last 6 years
  • My biggest learning in this non-diet health coaching business

Mentioned in the show:

Beyond The Food PRO Mentorship Program

Free Intuitive Eating Guide

PRO Series – Free Training & resources

PRO Podcast Series – Full Listing

read more

Welcome!

 

I’m Stephanie Dodier - Clinical Nutritionist, Intuitive Eating expert, Podcast host, and Creator of the Going Beyond The Food Method™️, which was born from my own journey with chronic dieting & body image and has since grown into a global movement.

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