In this episode of the Anxiety Society podcast, hosts Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale and Cali Werner welcome Emily Hahn, a certified eating disorder dietitian and founder of We All Eat Nutrition Therapy. Together, they explore the complexities of eating disorders, the stigma surrounding them, and the importance of a non-diet approach to recovery. The discussion is rich with personal anecdotes, expert insights, and practical tips for those navigating their journeys with food and body image.

• The role of society and culture in defining anxiety and eating disorders.
• The common misconceptions about who suffers from eating disorders and the various forms they take.
• Understanding the non-diet approach and its benefits in treating eating disorders.
• The psychological and physical impacts of eating disorders.
• Strategies for recovery and what supportive treatment looks like.

• Dieting Risks: Emphasizing that dieting can lead to disordered eating—a significant risk factor for developing eating disorders.
• Diverse Experiences: Eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, or gender, and do not always fit the stereotypical image.
• Importance of Support: Recovery is possible, and fostering healthy conversations around food is crucial for those on the journey to healing.
• Holistic Approach: Recovery should involve a team that includes therapists and dietitians working collaboratively to address both emotional and nutritional needs.

• "Dieting is risky. I know they sell it well, but you must be mindful before entering into anything that might be harmful." - Emily Hahn
• "Eating disorders look many different ways, and often people do not recognize their struggles based on preconceived notions." - Emily Hahn
• "You can like your body and that’s okay; enjoying food and not stressing about it is possible." - Emily Hahn

• 00:00 - 02:21: Introduction to the episode and guest.
• 02:22 - 11:00: Discussion on common eating disorder myths and cultural impacts.
• 11:01 - 25:00: Overview of non-diet approaches and their significance.
• 25:01 - 37:41: Emily shares personal experiences highlighting the importance of seeking help.
• 37:42 - 43:12: Closing thoughts on recovery and future discussions.

• We All Eat Nutrition Therapy
• International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals
• Houston Eating Disorder Specialists

Thank you for joining us today on the Anxiety Society podcast! To stay connected and access additional resources, visit our website at anxietysocietypodcast.com and follow us on Instagram at @theanxietysocietypod. Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform so you never miss an episode, and if you enjoyed what you heard, please consider leaving us a review. Your feedback helps us improve and reach others that might benefit from hearing our message!

In this episode of the Anxiety Society Podcast, host Cali Werner welcomes Ryan Judd, clinical director of the OCD Institute, to explore the critical role of sports psychology and performance mindset in managing anxiety and improving athletic performance. Drawing from personal experiences and professional insights, they dive into the intricacies of athlete psychology, examining how mindset can either hinder or enhance performance.

• Mindset vs. Performance: The importance of understanding how mindset influences athletic performance, particularly in endurance sports, where mental fortitude is crucial.
• Types of Motivation: Discussion on intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation and its effect on performance, highlighting the need for athletes to cultivate intrinsic enjoyment of their sport.
• Embracing Mistakes: Acknowledging that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process and strategies to foster resilience instead of perfectionism.
• Process Goals: The significance of focusing on process goals over outcome goals to reduce anxiety and improve performance, allowing athletes to concentrate on what they can control.
• Coping with Performance Anxiety: Techniques to reframe anxiety as excitement and the value of pre-performance routines to enhance confidence without resorting to superstitions.

• "The best athletes aren't necessarily perfect at what they do; they just recover from their mistakes faster." - Ryan Judd
• "Every time I go and run a race, I'm more anxious if I don't have anxiety because I need to be prepared." - Ryan Judd
• "When you can make losing an enjoyable experience, that's a skill for all of us to have." - Cali Werner

• 00:00 - Introduction: Introduction of hosts and overview.
• 01:08 - Sports Psychology Discussion: Cali and Ryan share their backgrounds in sports and psychology.
• 09:14 - The Role of Mindset: Explaining how mindset affects athletic performance.
• 19:06 - Motivation Types: Discussing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
• 28:04 - Learning from Mistakes: The importance of viewing mistakes as feedback.
• 46:20 - Balancing Enjoyment in Sports: Strategies for enjoying sports even in competition.

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Overview:

This episode dives into the importance of embracing discomfort for personal growth. Hosts Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale & Cali Werner explore how avoiding discomfort hinders critical thinking & limits our ability to experience true joy. They discuss the challenges of navigating difficult conversations, the impact of societal polarization on critical thinking, & the need to challenge our own beliefs. The episode also touches on the connection between self-awareness & emotional intelligence, offering practical tips for listeners to lean into discomfort & foster personal growth.

Key Insights:

• Discomfort is essential for growth: True joy & meaningful experiences often arise from embracing uncomfortable situations.
• Critical thinking requires discomfort: The polarization of society discourages critical thinking because people avoid uncomfortable conversations and perspectives.
• Self-awareness is a starting point: Recognizing our anxieties and discomfort is the first step, but taking action to address them is crucial for personal development.
• Difficult conversations are valuable: While uncomfortable, these conversations foster deeper connections & understanding in relationships.
• Avoiding discomfort limits our potential: Rushing to decisions or avoiding difficult situations hinders growth in personal, professional, & familial relationships.

Notable Moments + Quotes:

• [00:02:08] "Growth comes from discomfort. It doesn’t come from comfort."
• [00:09:06] "…the world has gone so polarizing… that we’ve lost space for critical thinking because people don’t want to be uncomfortable."
• [00:10:13] "…individuals who have no tolerance for anxiety or no tolerance for uncertainty don’t actually get to get the real experience of joy."
• [00:25:46] "When we rush to a decision so that we don’t have to feel discomfort, is that really allowing you to grow?"
• [00:31:39] "Without discomfort, you cannot grow."
• [00:36:26] "…self awareness alone doesn’t mean other people accommodate… Self awareness is, ‘Hey. I’m aware that I struggle with this… and so can I lean into it?’”

Timestamps:

• [00:00:00] Introduction
• [00:01:10] Cali’s awkward neighbor story + the importance of self-awareness
• [00:04:40] Cali’s anxious moment: Avoiding thoughts about upcoming delivery
• [00:07:50] Discussion about discomfort tolerance
• [00:08:25] Leaning into discomfort
• [00:10:41] Two types of self-awareness: Internal + External
• [00:10:50] The link between self-awareness + McDonald’s fries (a critical thinking example)
• [00:17:04] The importance of evidence-based medicine in relation to anxiety + the dangers of black + white thinking
• [00:22:18] Where do you need to grow in self-awareness?
• [00:30:32] Choosing to lean into discomfort
• [00:31:50] Algorithms + critical thinking
• [00:35:01] Self-awareness without action
• [00:36:20] Challenge: Embrace self-awareness + take action
• [00:37:51] Conclusion + Call to Action

Call to Action:

Subscribe to The Anxiety Society Podcast on your favorite platform! Leave a review + follow us on Instagram @theanxietysocietypod for more content + to connect with our community! Submit your questions at theanxietysocietypodcast.com! Let's get comfortable being uncomfortable together!