My Favorites from 2023

I know we’re already 3 days into 2024 (truly, I can’t believe it…) but I still wanted to take time & share a few of my favorite podcast and book recommendations from the last 12 months. If you’re needing some inspiration, this list will definitely assist in continuing your mental health or disordered eating recovery in the New Year.

PODCASTS:

Maintenance Phase

Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes knock it out of the park with this one! The health and wellness topics they myth-bust each episode are well-researched, informative, heartwarming, and even laugh out loud funny at times. This is the only podcast I subscribe via Patreon, because I couldn’t stand the thought of missing out on any of their content!

We Can Do Hard Things

Back in the day, Glennon Doyle’s memoir Love Warrior spoke DIRECTLY to my soul; and I was just as transfixed reading Untamed in 2020. So it’s not surprising I love listening to her regularly as well! This podcast, which features her sister, along with her wife Abby Wombach (yes…THE superstar soccer athlete with a great first name), is one of my favorites. It not only covers ED recovery topics, but a wide scope of mental health themes. The variety of guests and vulnerability shared by the three hosts is why it tops as one of my favorites.

Rethinking Wellness

Christy Harrison’s OG podcast Food Psych is a must listen for all anti-diet RDs and health professionals. But this past year with the publication of her newest book The Wellness Trap, she also started a new podcast delving into all things pseudoscience and “wellness.” This is perfect addition to your 2024 library listen if you want validation for why the phrase “New Year, New Me” is so outdated.

#RealLife with Abbie & Danielle

Shameless plug here. Back in 2021, one of my best friends and I started a podcast centered on interviewing cool people, their stories, and life journeys. Almost every episodes dives straight into mental health and overcoming imposter syndrome - inviting guests and us as hosts to feel validated and uplifted all in one conversation.

BOOKS:

Reclaiming Body Trust is hands down my new favorite (and most recommended) book I encourage clients to read. In my career, I’ve noticed that most body image resources often solely focus on healing our relationship to the external looks of our bodies. Whereas Hilary Kinavey and Dana Sturtevant - the cofounders of The Center for Body Trust - have worked to radicalize recovery to include anti-fat bias, social justice issues, and many other intersections of identity that simply make living in this world downright hard.

**To read the best body image resource directly from a person with lived experience as a fat, black, and queer identity, PLEASE get your hands on The Body Is Not An Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor. The only reason it is not included in this list is because I read it years before 2023 :)

As a dietitian, it can sometimes feel like anti-diet work is off in its own little bubble of the world. So it’s refreshing to listen to an audiobook by a non-healthcare professional who is willing to dive deeper into research, and even critically evaluate the health/wellness industry of past and present. As mentioned above, Christy Harrison also published a book this year titled The Wellness Trap; but there was just something special about Rina Raphael’s writing that had me hooked, and made picking this one a favorite a no-brainer.

I truly can’t fan girl on Aubrey Gordon enough. Previously an anonymous online writer and activist using the handle @yrfatfriend , in the last few years she has since braved coming into the spotlight to share her lived experiences and research via writing and podcasting. Also make sure to read her first book, Things We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat.

Vashti Harrison is the author of the acclaimed “Little Leaders” children’s books, and illustrator of numerous books, including the fabulous story Hair Love (which was also adapted into an Academy Award Winning animated short film). BIG gave me full body chills while reading…because I’ve known exactly how it felt as a child to feel “too big” in a world that forces your body and spirit to diminish. In Vashti’s own words on the Burnt Toast podcast “This book isn’t about body positivity; it’s not about ballet. It’s about dismantling oppression against big bodies.”

**All image credits are from the respective podcast and/or book covers.