Consilience Podcast

You're tired of being ruled by thoughts of food and you know that your fear of fat gain is keeping you stuck.

Yet it's not something you can just switch off.

This episode will help you understand your fear of fat gain and figure out the next step you can take towards a life where you feel happy in your body, at peace around food and fully engaged experiences with the people you love.

CONNECT WITH SHANNON

The productivity talk you didn't know you needed. Notice when you're making comparisons to businesses you see online and take a step back to look at what your business actually requires of you.

How big do your biceps have to be before you can consider yourself a real man? Join Shannon and George as they delve into the association between adherence to masculine values and muscle dysmorphia symptoms.

They discuss:

• George's personal experience with muscle dysmorphia

• What are muscularity-oriented psychosocial issues and how do they impact men?
• What has masculinity got to do with muscularity?
• What role does the fitness industry play in endorsing some of these masculine values?
• Why do men have a hard time talking about these concerns?

Find George here:

I have very high standards of myself and I bet you do too.

In this episode, I chat about:

• My personal experience with perfectionism
• The difference between healthy vs unhealthy perfectionism
• The relationship between unhealthy perfectionism and food/body concerns
• How unhealthy perfectionism holds you back as a coach
• How we can keep our high standards and actually achieve our goals, without the fear of failure getting in the way.

If you put pressure on yourself to be perfect, feel unhappy in your body, self-sabotage over failures and mistakes, often procrastinate, feel overwhelmed, burnt out, or you're tired of playing it safe and not taking any risks...

This one is for you.

WORK WITH SHANNON

Time to get personal as Shannon shares about her experience with body image concerns, toeing the line between dedication vs disordered fitness practices and why she is passionate about helping people respect themselves, take care of their bodies and make the most of life.

WORK WITH SHANNON

Listen to Shannon's journey from law school grad to developing a very unique skillset and carving out her own career in coaching and mentoring.

Including lessons learned from:

• Travelling the world for 5 years and building a career along the way
• Running a solo business for 4 years without a single 'business' investment
• Working alongside researchers and psychologists

And the number one most important thing to focus on if you want to grow.

WORK WITH SHANNON

Clients struggling to stay motivated?

Probably because they are driven by low quality motivation, like a desire to change their appearance.

Our role as coaches it to help our clients develop stronger forms of motivation that can be inclusive of, but are ultimately broader than, a drive to look better.

But how do we do that?

Well, that's what I have Chris Bell on the show to discuss.

Chris is a Doctoral Researcher at Brunel looking at the effects of fitness social media on body image and exercise motivation. In addition, he has a decade of experience working with clients in Personal Training and Nutrition and lifestyle consultancy.

In this episode we draw upon Self Determination Theory and unconditional self acceptance to find better ways to help our clients.

We discussed:

• Why do clients struggle with motivation?
• What distinguishes high quality motivation from low quality motivation?
• How might social media influence our exercise motivations?
• How can we develop internal motivations for change when our appearance concerns are really salient?
• What is unconditional self worth and why is it worth developing?

Find Chris Here:

• https://www.instagram.com/chris_bell_pt/

WORK WITH SHANNON

'A client wants to lose weight desperately as she thinks this is holding her back from the life she wants. She has poor body image and often overeats. I cant seem to get through to her, that our priority should be working on body image not dieting, at least for now. She feels like she needs quick results. How would you approach this, Shannon? Thank you!'

I walk you through my RENEW process for having difficult conversations and helping clients see things from a different angle.

Many men are under pressure to not only look perfectly muscular and lean, but also to be successful providers and business men. What began as a conversation about masculine norms, and Dan's personal journey with health, fitness and body image, turned into a conversation around pressures in the fitness industry and implications for coaching.

Dan is health and wellbeing coach, and passionate mental health advocate. He has worked in the health and fitness industry for 18 years, with a wealth of experience as a personal trainer, strength coach and performance nutritionist.

We discussed:

• Dan's personal journey with his body image and fitness
• Unique pressures that men face when it comes to adhering to ‘masculine’ norms
• Changes we would like to see to the fitness industry

Find Dan here:

'How do you overcome poor body image, when if feels impossible and ingrained!? Since the age of 15 I have always worn hoodies and baggy pants, 15 years later, I am trying to overcome this, but exposure to take off my jumper is so daunting, makes me feel vulnerable?'

Today I am answering this heartfelt question. Embracing body confidence is a courageous journey, and I hope this episode will inspire you to continue taking steps towards self-acceptance. Although I wish this wasn't the case, you are far from alone in experiencing this.

Often a negative body image feels ingrained because we start to act as if it's true. By hiding our bodies, we reject ourselves. We actively rob ourselves of the opportunity to be comfortable in our bodies.

In order to truly feel better in our bodies, we have to act as if. How would you carry yourself if you were happy in your body? How would you treat yourself if you respected your body?

With that said, you don't have to start right from the top. If taking your jumper off feels too overwhelming at this point, what would be a smaller step that you could take?

Ultimately, I stress the importance of finding social support. Body appreciation and self compassion are optimally developed in the context of supportive relationships.

We're diving into a topic that's frequently debated in the fitness world: tracking food intake and physical activity. Is it always harmful, or can it be a helpful tool?

While tracking can enhance accountability and awareness, it might also lead to obsessive behaviours and a strained relationship with food and exercise. We'll unpack these aspects to help you make an informed decision.

I am joined by Erin O'Loughlin and Maryam Marashi.

Dr. Erin O’Loughlin, a researcher and coach, combines her expertise to foster healthy lives through evidence-based practices. With a holistic approach, she guides individuals in shaping habits that impact physical activity, nutrition, sleep, body image and confidence, relationship with food, and mental health. Currently, she collaborates on the Connect for Exercise study, addressing women beyond breast cancer and physical activity, and the PromeSS study, uncovering health promotion inequalities in schools. She's also a post-doc at the University of Toronto, researching youth physical activity, exergaming and body image. Outside work, she volunteers with Girl Guides, coaches her kids basketball and ringette teams, enjoys weightlifting, running and ringette, and organizes a women's annual Stronglifting competition to encourage everyday women to lift heavy.

Maryam Marashi is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on exercise and health psychology, with a particular interest in understanding the psychosocial factors that influence and are influenced by exercise and other lifestyle behaviors. Her doctoral work revolves around women's body image and strength training. Maryam also works as a fitness and nutrition coach, helping individuals in the general population to enact lasting lifestyle changes that enhance their overall well-being.

We discuss:

• What are the pros and cons of food and activity tracking?
• Is there a difference in outcomes between tracking with social support (e.g. a coach) vs doing it unguided?
• What’s the alternative? (e.g. intuitive eating/compassionate movement)
• Rather than blanket recommendations, what should we be taking into account to determine whether tracking is useful?
• What would you like to see more exploration of in the research?

Find out more about Erin and Maryam:

If you're tired of constantly obsessing over what to eat and feeling frustrated by setbacks, this episode is for you.

Join me as I explore how cultivating self-compassion can help you manage stress, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and reduce the tendency to turn to food for comfort during difficult times.

Although it's often overlooked by the fitness industry, self-compassion enhances your ability to self-regulate, empowering you to control your responses and direct your behaviour toward your health and fitness goals. Rather than dwelling on perceived failures, self-compassion promotes productive self-reflection and growth, allowing you to make more progress.

🔗 Links mentioned in the episode:

Is social media good or bad for our body image?

As you may have guessed, it's not that simple.

Join Shannon and her guest Dr. Darren Elliott, a Kiwi writer and researcher working to unravel the influences behind people’s everyday social media and body image experiences.

• The importance of conceptualising body image as a process, rather than static.
• In what ways does social media affect the way people experience their body image?
• What should listeners know about the political economy and ‘power’ of [social] media production?
• Why are communities an important part of developing a positive body image?
• How can we use social media to promote body image satisfaction?

Find Darren Here:

https://darrenelliottphd.net/

WORK WITH SHANNON

Today's mentoring question is this:

'You are crazy productive: marketing, research, creating content, creating courses and more. How to be productive without putting pressure on yourself?'

It depends. What kind of pressure are we talking about?

Learn how to set high standards whilst accepting imperfection and adjusting your expectations when needed.

WORK WITH SHANNON

Think men don't experience body image concerns? You're wrong! With the rising rates of steroid usage and association of muscularity with masculinity, men are subject to body pressures too.

Learn more about the pressures men face, how to spot the signs of poor body image and how to support your health whilst protecting your self esteem in this episode with Dr. Olivardia and Shannon Beer.

Dr. Olivardia is a clinical psychologist and researcher specialising in body image and eating disorders in males. His work focuses on topics such as muscle dysmorphia, steroid use, and the psychosocial impact of body image concerns in men.

They discuss:

• How does body image in men differ from body image concerns in women, and what are some unique challenges that men may face?
• How have male body ideals evolved over time?
• What has masculinity got to do with it?
• Are there specific factors or risk factors that contribute to the development of body image concerns in men?
• Given that not all men who desire a muscular physique develop muscle dsymorphia, what protects the majority of men and how can the chances of developing MD be mitigated among those most at risk?
• In your professional opinion, what are the most pressing research gaps or areas that need further exploration regarding body image in men?

Find Dr. Olivardia here:

Welcome to a new series on the show, where I answer your questions and coach you through your food and body concerns.

Today I'm answering the question:

'How can improved body image help with my fat loss efforts?'

Although I don't advertise fat loss, I do support body autonomy and informed choices.

In this episode, I discuss how working on your body image can help you to settle at a body composition that will support your happiest and healthiest self.

When we don't feel good about how we look, some of us avoid physical activity.

Why might that be the case?

I am joined by Vanessa Coulbeck, a researcher at Body Image and Health Research Lab, a Research group studying the body, self, and (mental) health at Western university in Toronto.

We explore the fascinating intersection of body image, self-compassion, and mental health among female adolescents.

Vanessa's research interests include body image, psycho educational practices and programming focused on female adolescent involvement in sport and physical activity. She is also interested in emotion regulation processes (self-compassion & mindfulness) to promote a positive and uplifting environment with hopes to improve physical activity adherence throughout girls lifespan, and a greater appreciation for being compassionate and mindful towards the self.

We discussed:

• Why might girls be more physically inactive than boys?
• What role does body shame and self-objectification play in young girls' physical inactivity?
• How can self-compassion buffer against the negative effects of body image threats?
• Advice for someone struggling with body shame
• Key areas that need further exploration and research regarding self-conscious emotions, body image and physical activity

Find Vanessa Here:

Email: vcoulbec@uwo.ca

'I'm scared to work on my body image in case I let myself go. I don't want to gain weight. It's hard enough as it is.'

These are some common concerns that might be preventing you from improving your relationship with food and yourself.

Totally understandable if you're coming from a place of control and restriction.

In this episode, I talk about why working on your body image will actually help you to eat better and be more consistent with your movement behaviours.

When we're coming from a place of appreciation and self-respect, we actually want to do these things more because it helps us feel our best.

I also discuss how you can change your appearance and express your personal style in a healthy way.

WORK WITH SHANNON

You know there's more to life than looking good. You want to be a good role model for others and you're angry with yourself for caring too much.

Here's what you need to know.

We all care about our appearance to some extent. It doesn’t make you vain or self-absorbed, it just makes you a normal human being.

In this episode I explain why this is the case and give some advice for when you're next feeling self-critical.

WORK WITH SHANNON

We've all felt fat at some point. And we probably blamed our bodies, and resolved to diet to lose weight.

But it turns out that feeling fat has a whole lot less to do with our physical body size than we might think.

‘So why do I feel fat?’ I hear you ask.

Well, ‘feeling fat’ encompasses a range of factors, including physical sensations, heightened self-consciousness about your body, and negative self-image.

In this podcast, I will delve into the reasons why you may be feeling fat and provide guidance on how to address these experiences effectively.

Learn:

• 3 reasons you may feel fat that have nothing to do with your body size
• How to understand your unique feelings of fatness
• How improving your relationship with food can help reduce these feelings
• How to develop mind-body awareness

WORK WITH SHANNON

Why do we care so much about how we look? Why is it so hard to regulate our eating behaviours in our modern day environment?

In this episode, we discuss the role of social comparisons, feelings of inferiority, shame & self-criticism in the role of eating pathology. You might be surprised to learn that our perceived need to control our appearance is a strategy to compete for social acceptance.

I am joined by Dr. Cristiana Duarte, a clinical psychologist whose research focuses on measuring and examining psychological correlates and determinants of eating behaviour, weight regulation, body image, and mental health and wellbeing. Her specific research interests include weight stigma, body shame, food insecurity, and psychological approaches for eating regulation and weight management.

We discussed:

• What is social rank mentality and how might it explain eating pathology?
• What is the impact of shame and self-criticism on our eating behaviours and wellbeing?
• What is Compassionate Mind Training and how can it affect our minds and bodies?
• How self-compassion can help us to develop the courage to face our difficult experiences and emotions
• How can we start to develop self-compassion?

Find Dr. Duarte here:

Many of us believe that self-criticism is necessary to hold ourselves to a high standard. In this episode I discuss the problem with self criticism and how it keeps you stuck in the binge - restrict cycle.

Developing self-compassion is a necessary step to break this cycle and achieve your health and fitness goals.

I give you some pointers on where to start.

Are you a high striving perfectionist who is struggling with burnout and the pressure you place on yourself to achieve your goals? This episode is foy uo.

Dr. Josie Perry is a chartered psychologist working with those in sport, on the stage and in business to help them overcome their barriers to success so they can achieve their goals.

We discuss what successful people have in common, including:

• What are the 10 pillars of success?
• How can we build confidence in our abilities?
• Why is it important to develop a sense of self outside of our achievements?
• Why is mental rest so important?

Find Dr. Perry here:

What about clients who don't have body image concerns, but want to lose fat to feel better about themselves?

Why do our clients report feeling better in a smaller body, if it's not about body image?

In this episode I talk about the limitations of pursuing fat loss to boost our self esteem, and what the alternative is.

You can make gradual shifts in the service you offer, and become a better coach in the process.

WORK WITH SHANNON

Tessa Peters is the founder of charity Been There, a mentoring app for adults struggling with their body image.

Been There harnesses the power of connection, hope and shared experiences by providing individuals with real and relatable Mentors who support, empower and listen to those in need. Tessa’s mission is to encourage self-acceptance and self-worth in everybody.

Hear Tessa's story about how she overcame her body image struggles and is using her experience to help others - and how you can do exactly the same.

We discussed:

• Why do you do the work that you do?
• Tell us about Been There: what is it? What's the mission?
• How are mentors vetted?
• How to know when your food & exercise behaviours are unhealthy.
• What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were struggling?

MORE FROM TESSA:

The fitness industry is largely a body-image focused market, frequently communicating messages about weight and shape.

We may be unwittingly perpetuating harm by promoting narrow appearance ideals.

This podcast episode discusses why this not only causes harm to our clients, but to our businesses as well.

Why is body image important?

Most coaches don't realise that a client's body image plays a large role in their motivations for changing their diet or exercise behaviours. The way we eat and the way we train can be considered the behavioural expression of our body image. If we are dissatisfied with how we look, and it's important for us to look good, we are at a higher risk of developing disordered eating tendencies. Macro tracking won't stop that.

This episode explains why.

WORK WITH SHANNON

Disordered eating is a complex topic. There is no clear cut definition and the signs are hard to spot.

So how do we know if we are really helping our clients?

To help answer this question, I am joined by Michelle Carroll, an online nutrition coach and body image researcher. Her primary research interest lies in disordered eating and improving body image amongst fitness professionals.

We discussed:

• What is disordered eating?
• Why might coaches/pts be at risk of disordered eating?
• How can we reduce disordered eating in our clients?
• Your body is your business card - discuss!
• Why should we challenge the fit ideal?

MORE ABOUT MICHELLE

Our communication with clients is critical to their success.

Yet we often find ourselves unsure how to respond when clients are struggling, or afraid to say something our clients may disagree with.

I walk through an example of how to approach a client who is picking their body apart, discuss a recent conversation I found challenging, and share my plan for development.

WORK WITH SHANNON

Dr Kat Schneider is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Appearance Research. Her research interests include body image, disordered eating and eating disorders, weight stigma, and the intersection between body image and movement.

We discuss:

• What is weight stigma and how does it influence one’s physical and psychological wellbeing?
• How is weight stigma associated with binge eating disorder? (Aetiology/maintenance/treatment/recovery)
• How can we address our own weight bias and practice in a way that supports those who experience stigma?
• Why more research is needed

MORE ABOUT DR. SCHNEIDER

How can we help fat loss clients with their body image?

How can we start integrating body image work when we're not really confident in what we're doing?

I outline the approach that I took and offer some suggestions to coaches new to this approach.

WORK WITH SHANNON

We all want to be successful, help others and strive to improve. This is all well and good...but can sometimes manifest in rigid demands, pressure to be perfect, and never feeling quite enough.

Why do we fall into this trap? How can we pick ourselves up? 

I am joined by Dr Hannah Wilson to discuss the importance modelling vulnerability within a culture that stigmatises being a normal, fallible human being.

Dr Hannah Wilson is a clinical psychologist chartered member of the British Psychological Society who has worked predominantly in eating disorder services and health psychology. Alongside her private practice, Hannah also works in digital mental health services. She practices from a compassion-focused lens and provides CFT teaching, training and supervision to professionals.

We discussed:

• What drew Hannah to CFT?
• How personal achievement and reward are strongly valued in our worlds, and how this has built an association between imperfection and failure
• Turning towards the critical parts of ourselves
• Being compassionate whilst striving to achieve our goals
• How compassion changes our relationship to others
• The importance of modelling vulnerability
• Our changing healthcare systems and how the internet may offer more opportunities to help

You can find Hannah here:

https://mediacitypsychology.co.uk/

https://uk.jkp.com/products/digital-delivery-of-mental-health-therapies

https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/sarah-parry/effective-self-care-and-resilience-in-clinical-practice/9781785920707/

https://www.compassionatemind.co.uk/

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-self-compassion-app/id1553464180

Find me here:

https://courses.shannonlbeer.com/

Changing our habits is not easy. Our brains make sure of that!

Luckily, we can learn how to train our mindsets to drive automaticity and habit formation in psychologically safe and sustainable ways.

Casey Hughes is Vice President of Behavioral Design at Fresh Tri. As a behavioral scientist and seasoned health coach, Casey has deep expertise in both the art and science of behavior change. Using psychology, neuroscience and behavioral economics, Casey has designed human-centered behavior change solutions at Stanford, Apple, and Anthem, inc., helping thousands of people with obesity and chronic disease find healthier, more joyful ways to live.

We discussed: 

• What is behavioural design?
• Core problems that make it difficult to achieve our health goals
• How performative messaging can trigger self-deprecation and shame
• Overcoming learned helplessness
• Developing an iterative mindset
• Figuring out where to start

Find out more about Casey and her work here:

https://freshtri.com/

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.engagedin.freshtri&hl=en&gl=US

https://www.instagram.com/fresh_tri/?hl=en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseyphughes/

Find me here:

Website: https://courses.shannonlbeer.com/

We all know that our mindsets can either help us achieve our goals, or hold us back. What's less clear, is it actually means to improve your mindset. 

I'm joined by Dr Darren Britton, a Sports Psychologist and Performance coach using solution-focused practice and mental skills training to help people to be at their best when it counts, in sport, education, and life.

We discuss:

• What is a solution-focused mindset?
• What is resilience?
• How can we develop a challenge mindset?
• Why do we overlook our strengths?

You can find Dr. Britton here:

https://www.frontfootpsychology.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-darren-britton-47237696/

https://twitter.com/DrDarrenBritton

Find me here:

https://courses.shannonlbeer.com/

There seem to be a lot of conflicting messages regarding whether fat loss improves health (and if so, for whom), whether fat loss is possible to achieve and maintain, and if so, how we might go about it.

In this episode Danny Lennon helps to clear up the confusion. Danny is the founder of Sigma Nutrition, an educational platform committed to providing objective, evidence based information on nutrition and health sciences.

We discussed:

• Does weight loss improve physical health? If so, for whom?
• Does weight loss improve psychological health?
• Is weight loss possible to achieve?
• Why is weight loss so challenging to maintain?
• What is the most helpful way to approach weight loss interventions?
• Considerations for weighing up risk: What framework can we use to make decisions about if and when to use a weight loss diet?

You can find out more about Danny here:

https://www.instagram.com/dannylennon_sigma/

https://sigmanutrition.com/

Find me here:

Chris is a Clinical Psychologist with many years of experience working in the NHS. He  is now co-director of Balanced Minds where he provides Compassion Focused therapy and training courses. He is the author of a number of Compassion Focused Books & co-creator of The Self-Compassion App.

We discussed:

• How CFT addresses the essence of the human condition and enables us to courageously turn towards suffering
• Why our minds get stuck in unhelpful loops of thinking
• How threat based emotions like anxiety and shame drive unhelpful behaviours
• Noticing when your threat system is overactive
• Adopting a compassionate perspective
• Mind-body practices

Find more about Chris here: