Rediscovering Your Relationship with Food and Body: A Conversation with Amanda Bullat EP 43

In a recent podcast episode, Meg had an enlightening conversation with Amanda Bullat, a registered dietitian and the owner of Alpine Nutrition, a practice that helps women in midlife redefine their relationship with food and their bodies. Amanda shared her personal journey from being a competitive runner to experiencing a significant identity shift, which led her to her current work. 

Amanda's journey began as a competitive runner, where she experienced the pressure of maintaining a certain body size and weight. This led to disordered eating and an unhealthy relationship with food and her body. However, a significant turning point came during a trek in Nepal with her father. Despite being physically weak due to her disordered eating, Amanda was one of the only two people in her group who didn't need medication for high altitude sickness. This experience made her realize that her body was resilient and capable, despite not fitting into the societal ideals of diet culture.

The most impactful part of Amanda's Nepal story was when she found herself feeling weak and frail while descending a pass. She realized that she wanted to continue having such adventures, but didn't want to feel weak doing so. This realization led her to vow to do whatever it took to regain her strength, even if it meant gaining weight and eating more. This was the catalyst for her journey towards recovery and her eventual work in helping others redefine their relationship with food and their bodies.

Amanda's approach to helping her clients is rooted in the acronym SAVOR, which stands for Start, Awareness, Variety, Options, and Reflect and Release. She guides her clients to start noticing how cultural messages affect their relationship with their bodies, develop awareness of their feelings and bodily sensations, explore a variety of foods and self-nourishment practices, consider their options for greater self-nourishment, and reflect on their experiences while releasing judgment.

Amanda emphasizes the importance of viewing these steps as a practice rather than a linear trajectory towards a fixed goal. She encourages her clients to reflect on what they like and what they want to change, and to release any judgment associated with these experiences. This approach helps her clients develop a healthier and more dynamic relationship with food and their bodies.

Amanda's story and her work highlight the importance of redefining our relationship with food and our bodies, especially as we navigate through different stages of life. Her approach encourages us to practice self-nourishment, mindfulness, and reflection, and to release judgment and expectations. It's a reminder that our bodies are resilient and capable, and that we can redefine our relationship with food and our bodies to better align with our personal goals and desires.

To learn more about Amanda's work:

Website: www.alpinenutrition.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alpinenutrition/

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1wabNuFKPai72ZnqmOQoK7?si=a111e3e12fb6474b

To connect with Meg:

https://www.meghanthomas.com/

Atlas of the Heart Book Study:

https://www.meghanthomas.com/atlas-of-the-heart

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