Living in the Noise: A Journey Through Disordered Eating, Food Freedom & GLP-1 Meds with Cathy Olson Pt. 1
Content TW: eating disorders, disordered eating, body shame, body transformationWelcome back to One Body to Love! On today's episode I'm sitting down with Cathy Olson, who is sharing her experience using GLP-1 medication, not just the physical changes, but everything it brought up around food, identity, parenting, and self-trust. Cathy opens up about what it’s been like to live with disordered eating for most of her life, to try every possible fix, to feel unsupported even by well-meaning loved ones, and to wrestle with the guilt of wanting change in a culture that constantly tells women to either shrink or be body positive, with no room for anything in between. Together we engage in a real conversation about what it means to feel trapped in your body and to finally find some relief in a place you didn’t expect.In this episode, you will hear: 07:18 - Navigating how to raise body-aware daughters when you’re still healing your own 11:54 - Dressing to hide vs. dressing to express and the identity crisis that followed14:14 - A look back at college years: disordered eating, secret behaviors, and diet obsession23:41 - Why she chose GLP-1s, what held her back, and how desperation shaped her decision34:33 - The early days of the medication: side effects, doubts, and slow progress39:00 - Understanding food noise, hunger cues, and the emotional load of eating43:20 - Reclaiming health in a new way: labs, longevity, and learning how to thriveIf today’s episode touched something deep in you, I’d love to hear about it. Send me a message on Instagram and let me know what stood out, whether it was Cathy’s honesty, something that mirrored your own experience, or a new way of thinking about your relationship with food and your body. These stories are tender and complex, and I’m so grateful you showed up to witness this one. If you're ready to take the next step in your own healing, the One Body to Love program is here for you. It’s a space for support, self-discovery, and sustainable change. And if nighttime cravings or emotional eating are where you struggle most, download my free guide: Five Steps to End Binge Eating at Night, it’s a gentle, practical place to start. Until next time, be kind to yourself.Cathy’s Links:https://www.instagram.com/funnelgorgeoushttps://www.instagram.com/loveinspiredhttps://www.instagram.com/glpcheatcodeOne Body to Love 10-Week Intuitive Eating Programhttps://meredithmackenzie.ca/intuitive-eating-programWebsite - www.meredithmackenzie.caInstagram - @Dr.MeredithMackenzieFacebook - Meredith MacKenzie Coaching Pinterest - pinterest.com/parallelwellnessYoutube - @Dr.MeredithMackenzie
--------
44:49
--------
44:49
The Pressure of Perfection: A Compassionate Look at Ozempic and Body Image
This week on One Body to Love, I’m diving into one of the most loaded and personal conversations I’ve had on this podcast yet. Everywhere we turn, GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are being framed as the latest fix for weight loss. I’m not here to tell you what’s right or wrong. I’m here to bring the full story, the science, the lived experiences from my private practice, and the emotional realities we’re not talking about. This isn’t just about medications, it’s about the quiet ways disordered eating is becoming medicalized, normalized, and even celebrated. If you’ve felt confused, hopeful, ashamed, or curious about GLP-1 medications, this episode might be just what you need to hear. Let’s hold space for all the nuances together.In this episode, you will hear: 07:18 - How these medications work in the body and what they were actually designed to do14:49 - What we’re not being told: the psychological, hormonal, and digestive impact of GLP-1s17:42 - The rise of targeted marketing: how ads exploit women’s insecurities, focusing on age, gender, and motherhood23:54 – Influencer culture, thinness worship, and the return of disordered ideals33:27 - How GLP-1s might inadvertently promote disordered behaviors by legitimizing things like skipping meals or suppressing hunger36:20 - Grieving the cultural shift towards uniform body ideals and the implications it has on body acceptance and diversity41:39 - Why people feel compelled to take these medications, especially for emotional relief from body shameIf today’s episode spoke to you, I’d love to hear your reflections. Come find me on Instagram, share what resonated with you or just say hi! Whether you're navigating the complexities of body image, considering GLP-1 medications, or simply trying to find your way back to peace with food, remember: your body doesn’t need to fit anyone else’s idea of perfection. If you’re ready to break free from the cycle of body shame and reclaim peace with food, my One Body to Love program is here to support you every step of the way. Until next time, be gentle with yourself. You deserve a life of peace, freedom, and acceptance with food and your body!One Body to Love 10-Week Intuitive Eating Programhttps://meredithmackenzie.ca/intuitive-eating-programWebsite - www.meredithmackenzie.caInstagram - @Dr.MeredithMackenzieFacebook - Meredith MacKenzie Coaching Pinterest - pinterest.com/parallelwellnessYoutube - @Dr.MeredithMackenzie
--------
48:38
--------
48:38
Style as a Wellness Practice with Michaela Leitz
What if style wasn’t about what you wear, but how you reclaim your voice? In this powerful conversation on One Body to Love, I sit down with visibility strategist and cultural consultant Michaeala Letiz to explore the deeper meaning of style, representation, and self-worth. Michaela opens up about her journey through body exclusion, reclaiming confidence, and helping brands move beyond tokenism into true inclusivity. If you’ve ever held back from showing up because of your size, or waited to live fully until your body changed, this conversation will challenge, affirm, and empower you.In this episode, you will hear:02:34 – How Michaela’s early years in fashion were shaped by toxic body ideals10:10 - Why most fashion isn’t truly made for diverse bodies and how industry gaps perpetuate harm14:03 -Posting outfits online and finding community in vulnerability24:00 - Living your energetic signature: reconnecting to who you were before the world told you to shrink30:54 - Michaela’s approach to helping women rediscover their confidence through clothing45:12 - Busting the myth that plus-size people don’t invest in themselves48:21 - Curating your social media to support your self-worthIf today’s episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your reflections. Send me a message on Instagram and let me know what stood out most. If you're feeling ready to step out of hiding and into your fullest self, style and soul, my One Body to Love program is here to walk alongside you.And a heartfelt thank you to Michaela Leitz for sharing her powerful story, expertise, and unapologetic energy with us. Her work continues to challenge the status quo and create more space for all bodies to be seen, valued, and celebrated. You can find Michaela on Instagram or visit her website to learn more.Until next time, be gentle with yourself. You deserve a life of peace, visibility, and joy, just as you are!One Body to Love 10-Week Intuitive Eating Programhttps://meredithmackenzie.ca/intuitive-eating-programMichaela’s LinksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aboutmichaelaWebsite: https://confidence-style.com.LinkedInWebsite - www.meredithmackenzie.caInstagram - @Dr.MeredithMackenzieFacebook - Meredith MacKenzie Coaching Pinterest - pinterest.com/parallelwellnessYoutube - @Dr.MeredithMackenzie
--------
56:20
--------
56:20
What If You Didn’t Change Your Body This Summer?
This week on One Body to Love, I'm diving into a topic that creeps into many of our minds each year - the pressure to get “summer body ready”. I open up about the time I thought I was doing everything “right”, counting calories, pushing myself at the gym, but yet still felt unhappy. Maybe you’ve been there too, smiling on the outside while silently obsessing over calories, body checks, or whether your shorts still fit. If you’ve ever felt like your body needed to be fixed before you could fully enjoy summer, this episode is for you. We’re exploring where the summer body myth came from, how it shows up in our lives today, and why it’s time to reclaim our joy, presence, and confidence, not when we shrink, but right now.In this episode, you will hear:01:51 - The origins of the summer body (and who profits from it)05:09 - The emotional toll: burnout, body obsession, and always feeling behind07:46 - What changed everything for me last summer and how motherhood shaped it10:11 — Reflection: What do you remember from past summers? Was it joy, spontaneity, connection, or shame and restriction? Now ask: How do I want to feel this summer?11:40 - Take the next step toward healing with community and supportIf this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you. Send me a message on Instagram and let me know what stood out most. If you’re ready to break the cycle of summer body pressure, not just this year, but for good, my One Body to Love program is here to support you. Whether you’re listening poolside, on a morning walk, or just trying to survive the change in seasons, remember, you don’t need to change your body to show up for your life. Until next time, be gentle with yourself, you deserve a life of peace with food and your body!One Body to Love 10-Week Intuitive Eating Programhttps://meredithmackenzie.ca/intuitive-eating-programWebsite - www.meredithmackenzie.caInstagram - @Dr.MeredithMackenzieFacebook - Meredith MacKenzie Coaching Pinterest - pinterest.com/parallelwellnessYoutube - @Dr.MeredithMackenzie
--------
12:18
--------
12:18
From Secret Shame to Self-Trust: Jamie’s Story of Binge Eating Recovery Inside One Body to Love
What if the food noise in your head could finally quiet down? What if food wasn’t a source of guilt, shame, or control? What if peace with your body wasn’t just an idea, but your lived experience? In this powerful and emotional episode, I am joined with Jamie, a founding member of One Body to Love, whose story is a powerful reminder that healing from binge eating is not only possible, it's deeply personal. Before joining the program, Jamie was overwhelmed with body grief, emotional eating, and the emotional aftermath of chronic illness. In this episode, we talk honestly about what it felt like to be stuck and how Jamie’s relationship with food, body, and self has transformed. This is a story about choice, compassion, and creating peace from the inside out.In this episode, you will hear:03:06 - The chronic illness that turned her life upside down and how it led to emotional eating as her only coping tool.06:05 - Jamie opens up about grieving her old body, old life, and the role diet culture played.11:33 - The quiet, everyday patterns of binge eating that started to feel unbearable and made her realize something had to change.19:29 – Why being seen, heard, and understood mattered more than the food and how One Body to Love became the first space where Jamie felt truly safe to heal.33:40 - How healing her relationship with food revealed a deeper truth.43:08 - From “diet food” to intuitive choices: how food feels different now.50:21 – How radical honesty was the beginning of everything and Jamie's final thoughts on her journey.This episode is for anyone who’s ever whispered, “I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this” It’s about the power of choosing yourself, reconnecting with your body, rewriting your story, and realizing that healing doesn’t mean fixing what’s broken. It means learning how to listen, how to feel safe again, and how to come home to yourself.If you saw yourself in Jamie’s story, please know, that’s not where your story has to end. I’d love to hear what stood out to you. Message me on Instagram, and if you’re ready to move from feeling stuck to feeling supported, from food chaos to self-trust, One Body to Love is here for you. We do this work together, step by step, with support every single week. Until next time, be gentle with yourself. One Body to Love 10-Week Intuitive Eating Programhttps://meredithmackenzie.ca/intuitive-eating-programEpisode 3 - Beyond Vyvanse: How to Truly Heal Binge Eating with ADHDWebsite - www.meredithmackenzie.caInstagram - @Dr.MeredithMackenzieFacebook - Meredith MacKenzie Coaching Pinterest - pinterest.com/parallelwellnessYoutube - @Dr.MeredithMackenzie
About One Body to Love with Dr. Meredith MacKenzie
One Body to Love with Dr. Meredith MacKenzie is a space for honest, unfiltered conversations about food relationships, body image, and the emotional journey to self-acceptance. Hosted by binge eating therapist and intuitive eating coach Dr. Meredith MacKenzie, this podcast dives deep into what it really takes to break free from the cycles of bingeing, restricting and food guilt, in order to finally feel at home in your body. With warmth, insight, and lived experience, this show offers connection and guided support for women who are tired of chasing perfection and ready to reconnect with themselves in a more meaningful way, free from outside pressures.Each week through solo episodes, guest interviews, and real-life coaching conversations, listeners are invited into real, grounded conversations. Ranging from topics of intuitive eating and binge eating recovery, to reclaiming your body, joyful movement, and navigating life in a culture obsessed with size. If you’ve ever whispered, “I don’t know what else to try,” One Body to Love will offer a new perspective, one rooted in compassion, curiosity, and sustainable change. Whether you’re in the thick of it or slowly finding your way forward, this is your reminder that healing is possible and you don’t have to do it alone.
Canada - english