The Full Plate Podcast with Abbie Attwood, MS

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com

Abbie answers a listener question about one of the most complicated intersections: dating (relationships) and diet culture — especially when you're carrying a history of body shame, disordered eating, and the ongoing, nonlinear work of recovery.
Elizabeth, a listener in her early 30s, writes in about the men she keeps encountering on the apps — the gym-obsessed ones, the salad-only ones — and asks a question that cuts to the heart of it: is this my gut, or is this fear?
What you'll hear:
*Why "too sensitive" isn't a useful frame — and what to ask instead
*Safety and self-worth as the foundation of dating in recovery
*Learning to trust your intuition when diet culture has distorted it
*When to share your mental health history (and when you don't have to)
*The difference between a trigger and something to work through
*Revisiting your dating app parameters — and the biases built into them
*Abbie's own experience navigating ED recovery while dating
Then Jeb, Abbie's husband, joins for an unplanned conversation about what it was actually like when they met — both carrying things they weren't sure how to share.
*What happened when Jeb disclosed his sobriety on a rooftop, early on
*Why vulnerability can work as a filter, not just a risk
*What Jeb was looking for in a partner when he was newly out of treatment
*The moment Abbie knew he was someone she could be with through hard things
This episode is ultimately about openness — what it costs, what it protects, and what becomes possible when you find someone willing to meet you there.
This is a BONUS episode for paid subscribers on Substack. To hear it, upgrade here: https://abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

There’s a lot of noise right now around GLP-1 medications—conflicting advice, emotional stories, and a cultural shift that feels hard to name.
Abbie sits down with Virgie Tovar—author, activist, and leading voice on weight stigma—to slow things down and ask a deeper question: what is actually happening here?
They talk about how GLP-1s work, how they’re being marketed, what ethics have to do with this, and why so many people are feeling confused, overwhelmed, and even destabilized—especially those with a history of dieting or eating disorders.
As you listen, please remember: this episode zooms out and looks at the big picture and the culture around these medications. Body autonomy is not up for debate.
Tune in for more on:
What GLP-1s are—and how they drive appetite suppression and restriction
Is this really “new”? (dieting, weight loss, and long-term outcomes)
The marketing machine: confusion and co-opting body positivity
The concept of “food noise”
Virgie’s brilliant perspective on the big picture and why this feels so intense right now
Weight stigma vs. the promise of empowerment
Hunger explained: objective vs. subjective
Is there true “peace with food” through this medication?
The cultural shift: weight loss as expectation, not choice
The business behind it all: profit, scalability, and the GLP-1 “gold rush”
The core ethical question: is intentional starvation, at an industry and cultural level, ever justified?
Staying grounded: navigating conversations, protecting recovery, and finding support
This episode is available for free for everyone.
To support the show, please consider upgrading to paid on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe
​Virgie Tovar is a plus-size Latina author, lecturer, and leading expert on weight-based discrimination and body image with over a decade of experience. She is the founder of Body Image Reset, an AI app for people struggling with GLP-1 ad overwhelm. Tovar is a contributor for Forbes.com where she covers the plus-size market and how to end weight discrimination at work, and she's the host of GLP-1 Truth Serum, a podcast dedicated to asking critical health questions about the current explosion in injectable weight-loss medications.
Resources mentioned:
Virgie's Substack - https://virgietovar.substack.com/
Abbie’s episode on the Minnesota Starvation Study
GLP-1 Overwhelm App - http://www.glp1overwhelm.com
The Body Positive Journal by Virgie Tovar
You Have the Right to Remain Fat by Virgie Tovar
GLP-1 Truth Serum Podcast: https://virgietovar.substack.com/podcast


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com

Today's episode is available in full for paid subscribers. You can upgrade right here. Thank you so much for your support!
This is Part 2 of my conversation with Leslie Schilling, and we get into the harder, thornier stuff—the cultural forces that make all of this so difficult to navigate, and the clinical tools Leslie uses to help people find their way through.
We cover:
— What weight suppression actually means, and why it has nothing to do with body size
— The physical toll of even "light" under-eating, and why it can feel like it's working until it suddenly isn't
— GLP-1 medications, informed consent, and what most prescribers aren't telling their patients
— The way exercise intersects with GLP-1s and why being told to work out more while your hunger cues are suppressed is a problem
— Muscle loss, sarcopenia, and why fueling your body matters more as you age
— RED-S and why it's not just for elite athletes
— "Weaponized compassion" and the way diet culture and the medical system dress up restriction as care
— How belonging and community drive so many of our behaviors around food, movement, and medication
— Body grief and the real, valid loss that comes with a changing body
— Why lowering the bar is not giving up
This episode is available in full for paid subscribers. Upgrade here to listen to the whole thing.
Part 1 is free and available wherever you listen to podcasts.
Find Leslie: Instagram: @LeslieSchilling Website: leslieschilling.com
Find Full Plate: Instagram: @fullplate.podcast Substack: abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com
About Leslie: Leslie Schilling, MA, RDN, CSCS, CEDS-C, owns a Las Vegas-based private practice specializing in nutrition counseling for disordered eating and performance nutrition for professional athletes, performers, and military personnel. In her more than 20 years in the fields of sport nutrition, eating disorders, and strength and conditioning, Leslie has served in many settings, including as a performance nutrition consultant for Cirque du Soleil and the NBA, and as an expert contributor to U.S. News & World Report. One of her favorite things to do is support registered dietitians, coaches, and other professionals working at the intersection of eating disorders and sport through professional supervision and mentorship in the Dietitian Development Hub Mighty Network Community. Check out Leslie’s latest book, Feed Yourself, about how diet culture shows up in our safest places, which is available anywhere books are sold.
Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:
Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group

In today’s episode, I chat with Leslie Schilling, a registered dietitian who specializes in working with athletes and disordered eating, about what it looks like when our relationship with exercise is no longer healthy.
We get into so much, including:
- what exercise dependence actually means (and why it’s often missed)
- why it’s not about quantity—but compulsion, rigidity, and fear
- the overlap between exercise dependence and eating disorders
- signs your relationship with exercise might need support
- why rest days can feel so distressing
- exercise as a coping mechanism for anxiety, stress, and discomfort
- the subtle difference between: “I want to move” vs. “I have to move”
- how body image, food rules, and weight concerns drive compulsive movement
- why most people are under-fueling (even when they don’t realize it)
- “if you fuel it, you can do it”—and what happens when you don’t
About Leslie: Leslie Schilling, MA, RDN, CSCS, CEDS-C, owns a Las Vegas-based private practice specializing in nutrition counseling for disordered eating and performance nutrition for professional athletes, performers, and military personnel. In her more than 20 years in the fields of sport nutrition, eating disorders, and strength and conditioning, Leslie has served in many settings, including as a performance nutrition consultant for Cirque du Soleil and the NBA, and as an expert contributor to U.S. News & World Report. One of her favorite things to do is support registered dietitians, coaches, and other professionals working at the intersection of eating disorders and sport through professional supervision and mentorship in the Dietitian Development Hub Mighty Network Community. Check out Leslie’s latest book, Feed Yourself, about how diet culture shows up in our safest places, which is available anywhere books are sold.
Find more on Leslie: https://www.instagram.com/leslieschillinghttps://schillingnutrition.com/https://a.co/d/0blRJV9z
Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:
Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group
Social media:
Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast
Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness
Support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.


This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com

Abbie is joined by Shannon Kopp, founder of SoulPaws Recovery Project, to explore the role of the human-animal connection in recovery from eating disorders, substance use, trauma, and mental health challenges.
Shannon shares her personal experience with bulimia, depression, and loss—and how her relationships with animals became a turning point in her healing. They also talk about the science behind why animals can help regulate the nervous system and support emotional healing in ways that traditional approaches sometimes can’t.
This conversation is a deeper look at connection, safety, and what it actually takes to access healing.
Tune in for more on:
- Shannon’s recovery from bulimia and depression—and how animals became a turning point- Why shame keeps people stuck (even when they’re in therapy)- The frustrating gap between knowing what to do and being able to do it- How animals help regulate the nervous system and create a sense of safety- Why healing requires connection—not just behavior change or control- Powerful moments with Buster and Bella, and what they reveal about healing- How animals interrupt panic, dissociation, and harmful coping patterns- The neuroscience behind calm → connect → heal and why it matters- What SoulPaws Healing Circles are and how they support recovery- How the human-animal bond can build trust, connection, and access to healing- Simple ways to incorporate your own animal into grounding and recovery
About Shannon: Shannon Kopp (she/her) is the founder and Executive Director of SoulPaws® Recovery Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that unleashes the healing power of the human-animal connection to support individuals recovering from eating disorders, substance use disorders, and other regulatory challenges.
She is also the best-selling author of Pound for Pound: A Story of One Woman’s Recovery and the Shelter Dogs Who Loved Her Back to Life and a national speaker on mental health, eating disorders, and animal-assisted healing. Her work has been featured in PEOPLE, NPR, CNN, Women’s Health, and Psychology Today.
Support the show: Enjoying this podcast? Please support the show on Substack for bonus episodes, community engagement, and access to "Ask Abbie" at abbieattwoodwellness.substack.com/subscribe
Apply for Abbie’s Group Membership:
Already been at this anti-diet culture thing for a while, but want community and continued learning? Apply for Abbie's monthly membership: https://www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/circle-monthly-group
Find the show on Instagram: @fullplate.podcast
Find Abbie on Instagram: @abbieattwoodwellness
This podcast is ad-free and support comes from your support on Substack. Subscribe HERE.