78 - Laura Cohen defines "healthy" and explains fatphobia

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When the world shut down in 2022, Laura Cohen’s world turned upside down in a much more personal way - her 16-year-old daughter was diagnosed with an eating disorder. As a former Registered Dietitian, Laura found herself navigating unfamiliar and emotionally challenging terrain, seeking answers far beyond clinical training. What she discovered sparked a transformation - not just in how she supported her daughter, but in how she viewed food, “wellness”, and the broader culture around both.
Today, Laura serves as a Lead Family Mentor with Equip, helping other families find their footing during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. She has shifted both personally and professionally from a background rooted in traditional dietetics to embracing an anti-diet, recovery-informed approach. Laura holds a Bachelor of Science in Coordinated Dietetics from Syracuse University, a Master of Science in Food and Nutrition from NYU, and an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University.
Laura brings both lived experience and professional insight to the conversation—grounded, compassionate, and always learning alongside the families she serves.

Laura's Notes from the Sidelines:

1. What is "healthy"? Get in touch with what feels good in your body. Healthy is not defined by social construct. Someone else's definition is BS.
2. Weight is not a health marker.
3. Society and medical world are fatphobic. They shame, ignore, and dismiss people who are fat, overweight, or larger-bodied.
4. Changing habits should not be linked to a number on the scale. If you want to change to healthy habits, do it because you want to, not because someone shames you.
5. Smaller body does not equal healthy. Having a smaller body does not have anything to do with you how you feel.
6. Anorexia does not mean a small body.
7. Social determinants of health are: connection, sleep, safety, access to food with nutrients, healthcare, stress management, and joyful movement.
8. Body autonomy means doing what you want for your body, and knowing what and why you're doing it.
9. Eating disorders increase in middle age, which is a step backwards from all the work women have done over the years to learn to appreciate our bodies.
10. As you age, your body changes. It's natural, so why are we told by society that it's a bad thing??
11. You choose what's important to focus on when you're aging, but make sure you're choosing for you and not for someone else.
12. Instead of soothing emotions with food and drink, try: personal growth, DBT skills, self-talk, being honest with self, play online games, exercise in a way that feels good, fresh air, be with dogs, binge watch shows, and read.
13. Find connection... somewhere... with likeminded people. Online friends are great!
14. Find peace within yourself so