Healthy At Any Size artwork

Healthy At Any Size

43 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 7 ratings

Conversations with Melinda Parrish, plus size model and body positivity influencer. Melinda has sparked the #healthyatanysize movement through her social media advocacy for women of all shapes and sizes to live a healthy, aspirational lifestyle that is not centered on weight loss. Each week, Melinda Parrish is serving up a dose of inspiration, information, and insight alongside some of the most influential voices in body positivity, health, and wellness. Melinda believes that women were not put on this earth to stand on the sidelines of their own lives, waiting to be good enough to get in the game and start living. As a society, we are wasting far too much of our time, money, and energy on becoming serial dieters, and chasing impossible standards of body perfection. This podcast offers an insightful look at the impact of diet culture on the lives of women, and offers practical, how-to approaches for women to apply to living a more healthy lifestyle. This isn't about fitting into our skinny jeans. It's about freeing ourselves up to become the women we want to be, and living at full amplitude in all aspects of our lives!

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Episodes

Live Healthy at Any Size

September 21, 2018 16:00 - 20 minutes - 19.7 MB

Melinda goes solo in this episode to bring you up-to-speed on life with Baby Sammi, and the 28 Days to Freedom course. This is the last episode for 2018. The podcast will be back in 2019 with a new format and fresh, action-oriented content that you can apply to your own life!   Key Takeaways: Your weight is going to fluctuate over time, this is normal!   We should all try to be the best person we can be, and living healthy is a part of that!   Mentioned in this Show: 28 Days to Fr...

Doug Bunnell

September 07, 2018 16:00 - 37 minutes - 35 MB

Conversations with Melinda Parrish, plus size model and body positivity influencer. Melinda has sparked the #healthyatanysize movement through her social media advocacy for women of all shapes and sizes to live a healthy, aspirational lifestyle that is not centered on weight loss. Each week, Melinda Parrish is serving up a dose of inspiration, information, and insight alongside some of the most influential voices in body positivity, health, and wellness. Melinda believes that women were not ...

Heal your Pelvic Floor & Diastasis Recti with Megan Anderson

August 24, 2018 16:00 - 38 minutes - 36 MB

Megan Anderson, Physical Therapist and yoga instructor, works with women of all ages who are ready to take an active role in their health and healing! Megan’s practice was created out of her passion and drive to make women's health care more accessible. In her many years of clinical practice, she noticed that busy moms struggled to follow through with Physical Therapy. And it definitely was not for lack of effort! Megan believes that a healthy, happy mom makes for a healthier, happier family...

Binge (the series) with Angela Gulner

August 10, 2018 16:00 - 34 minutes - 32.6 MB

Angela Gulner is a writer, actor, and producer, as well as the creator of the series Binge, a dark comedy television series! She has taken her experience as someone in recovery from bulimia and put it into this darkly witty, heartfelt, and hilarious show! She and her team have raised the money to take their pilot and expand it into a full first season, which fans can’t wait to see. In this episode we discuss her personal history with eating disorders, how she went about turning that into a s...

Not Your Average Runner with Jill Angie

July 27, 2018 16:00 - 45 minutes - 41.8 MB

Jill Angie is a runner, author, and a running coach who is representing for the curvy-bodied athletes of the world! A self-proclaimed fat runner, Jill grew to love running when she stopped thinking about running as a means to offset calories, and started looking at it as a way to build up her confidence and strength. Running became a source of joy for Jill, even when it was difficult. That’s something we can all aspire to! In this episode, Mel and Jill talk about how Jill came to be a fat ru...

Big Things with Zach Miko

July 13, 2018 16:00 - 36 minutes - 34 MB

IMG’s first Brawn Model, Zach Miko, sits down with Melinda Parrish to discuss his background, his experience as a brawn male in our society, his journey in entertainment, and his recent rise to superstar status. Zach gushes about meeting Tyra Banks IRL as a guest judge on America’s Next Top Model, his love of the new Queer Eye series, and ways that his wife nags him to take better care of himself. Zach’s paving a new way for men of size in the world and he has so much wisdom, confidence, and...

Dietland with Jennifer Ponton

June 29, 2018 16:00 - 59 minutes - 55 MB

Actor, writer and producer Jennifer Ponton sits down with Melinda Parrish to discuss the AMC series Dietland. They also talk about run-ins with Real Housewives of New York, Jennifer's experience doing nude scenes as a fat actress, her journey as an actress of size in entertainment, and what's on the horizon for this explosive new show.   Key Takeaways: Confidence & success don’t come from size The patriarchy wants you to diet You can be both fat and happy   Mentioned in this Show: ...

Daring to Live with Stephanie Nadia

June 15, 2018 16:00 - 33 minutes - 31 MB

Stephanie Nadia is an award-winning YouTuber and plus size fashion/beauty influencer. In 2013, Stephanie began sharing content. Since then, she has become an outlet for plus-size fashion, beauty, creativity, body-positivity and women empowerment.   Stephanie’s goal is to bring about more diverse representation in the fashion/beauty industry. Coming from a mixed background, Stephanie seeks to represent both her South Asian and Latin American heritage. She is hoping to empower women of all...

Eating Disorders in the Military with Dr. Marian Tanofsky-Kraff

June 01, 2018 16:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MB

Dr. Marian Tanofsky-Kraff is a Professor of Medical & Clinical Psychology at the Uniformed Services University. She is an expert on eating disorders in military settings. She and I first met in the fall of 2017, when we were invited to speak on a panel about eating disorder stereotypes before Congress by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).   Because of my personal experience with having an eating disorder while in the military, I was very excited to meet her and learn from ...

Straight / Curve with Jenny McQuaile

May 18, 2018 16:00 - 40 minutes - 37.7 MB

This episode features Jenny McQuaile, the Director / Producer / Lady Boss behind the film Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image, which is available to rent or buy on iTunes, Amazon and Vimeo on Demand from May 18th.   Imagine if a quarter of a million women, mothers and daughters gathered in homes around the world for a real talk about body positivity and invited the men and boys in their lives to be a part of this conversation. What kind of change would be possible if women and girls e...

Bonus Episode! How to Talk to Your Daughter About Weight with Dr. Jenny Conviser

May 11, 2018 16:00 - 33 minutes - 31.6 MB

Jenny H. Conviser, PsyD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the Feinberg School of Medicine, and on staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Conviser is Certified in both Sport Psychology and Child and Family Therapy. She specializes in eating and weight-related disorders, couples therapy, sports psychology and women's' health.   In this special Mother’s Day bonus episode, Dr. Conviser and I discuss the importance o...

Becoming the Best Version of Yourself with Shainna Tucker

May 04, 2018 16:00 - 40 minutes - 37.5 MB

Shainna Tucker is the blogger babe behind A Thick Girl’s Closet. She started her blog in college, and it’s grown into a very successful venture where she’s gotten to work with many prominent brands, be featured in campaigns (including one with me!), and many other, tremendous opportunities as a blogger.   Shainna is a tall, thick woman of color who’s made her peace with her looks over the years. She’s got such strong, inner confidence that is infectious to anyone who meets her! And she p...

Growing up Curvy with Caralyn Mirand

April 20, 2018 16:00 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MB

Caralyn Mirand got her start in plus size modeling as a high school student when she was selected for Tyra Banks’ Fiercely Real Model Search. Although she didn’t win the competition, it got her in with an editor at Seventeen Magazine, which launched her as a professional plus size model.   Since then, she’s worked with loads of clients in the fashion industry, gotten her college degree, and has launched a successful lifestyle blog. She’s preparing for her wedding in 2018 and is chronicli...

Every Body Deserves Love with Alexa Phelece

April 06, 2018 16:00 - 30 minutes - 28.8 MB

Alexa Phelece is a plus size model, fashion blogger, and body positivity influencer and the founder of Every Body Deserves Love (EBDL), a non-profit. Through her own journey to self love, Alexa came to understand the importance of self acceptance, self confidence, and self esteem in order to reach your full potential in life.   Alexa began modeling in 2016, which helped her discover even more newfound confidence and self love. Now, she finds herself at the center of the body positive com...

Men Get Eating Disorders, Too with Ryan Sheldon

March 23, 2018 16:00 - 50 minutes - 47 MB

Ryan Sheldon is the blogger behind Confessions of a Binge Eater. He’s bravely and openly shared his experiences with binge eating disorder (BED) as he’s navigated recovery. His presence in the blogosphere is shining an important light on how men are affected by eating disorders, despite predominant stereotypes about eating disorder sufferers.   In this interview, Ryan and I go deep on what binge eating disorder actually looks like. He really opens up about the day-to-day machinations of ...

Why Dieting is the Problem, Not Binge Eating with Isabel Foxen Duke

March 09, 2018 17:00 - 1 hour - 61.3 MB

Isabel Foxen Duke is a Certified Health Coach and Emotional Eating Expert. She helps women make peace with their bodies, so they can stop obsessing about food and get back to living awesome lives!   In our interview, Isabel gives an amazing account of her own personal experience with disordered eating, an the downward spiral she went on before she was able to heal herself through intuitive eating. Isabel’s experience in the healthcare system, and therapeutic settings, speaks to some of t...

Coming Out Curvy with Jessica Torres

February 16, 2018 17:00 - 36 minutes - 34.1 MB

Jessica Torres is a body positive fashion blogger, beauty influencer, and reporter who is best known for her work with Revelist. She’s built a huge following, become a very recognizable face in our feeds, and built an amazing community around her celebration of her body, and her own standard of beauty and fashion.   In this interview, Jessica and I discuss her own personal journey to become body positive. Like many plus size women, Jessica grew up hiding until she got to college when she...

NYFW 2018 Warm Up with Sarah Chiwaya

February 02, 2018 17:00 - 41 minutes - 38.4 MB

Sarah Chiwaya (the blogger babe behind @curvily, CurvilyFashion.com) discovered the world of plus size blogging around the time of her wedding several years ago. She learned firsthand the power of representation, and fashion, to radically transform a woman’s sense of self-worth!   Sarah has built her own blogging empire since then and has used her voice and her image to create powerful representation for curvy bodies in the fashion world. She also happens to be my fashion week spirit gui...

Building a Plus Size Fashion Empire with Stylish Curves with Alissa Wilson

January 26, 2018 17:00 - 45 minutes - 42 MB

Alissa Wilson is the founder and editor-in-chief of Stylish Curves, and a certified O.G. of the plus size blogging world! She started from the bottom rung of the fashion editorial scene and has risen to be the creator of her own fashion media empire. And she’s just getting started!    In the interview, we discuss Alissa’s rise to where she is today. She’s grown the site from a side hustle, passion project to a full-time gig! Along the way, she’s witnessed the transformation of the plus ...

The Essential #healthyatanysize Reading List for 2018 with Keyaira Boone

January 19, 2018 17:00 - 52 minutes - 48.7 MB

Keyaira (Key) Boone is a freelance writer, blogger, and all around great human who also created thecletter.com. She’s set out to carve out a space for herself online where she can share authentically about who she is, what she loves, and the things that are important to her, inspiring us all in the process!    Like so many of us, Key has always wanted to have a voice, and create a platform for herself, but she’s struggled with the idea of being an “influencer,” and commodifying her pers...

Becoming a Lady Boss with the Woman Behind “Little Lime Dress,” Meaghan O’Connor

January 12, 2018 17:00 - 43 minutes - 40.3 MB

Meaghan O’Connor was working for a hedge fund when she got laid off during the economic downturn of the early 2000’s. She went from sobbing on Lexington Avenue to thriving as a celebrity fashion stylist, working with major brands and celebrity clients, and living the life of her dreams.   Meaghan figured out a way for herself to both make money and enjoy her life pretty quickly. By throwing her head, her heart, and her hustle behind her brand, Little Lime Dress, her business has evolved ...

Why Dieting is Making You More Unhealthy with Dr. Jenny Conviser

January 05, 2018 17:00 - 47 minutes - 43.7 MB

Jenny H. Conviser, PsyD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the Feinberg School of Medicine, and on staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Conviser is Certified in both Sport Psychology and Child and Family Therapy. She specializes in eating and weight-related disorders, couples therapy, sports psychology and women's' health.    The UnWeighted model encourages individuals to embrace self-care; focus more on the p...

True Health and Wholeness for the New Year with Nina Elliot

December 29, 2017 17:00 - 43 minutes - 40.2 MB

Nina Elliot and her husband Christian are the husband / wife duo behind True Whole Human. Nina balances her pursuit of a healthy lifestyle with her business, homeschooling her four children, and being the all-around awesome woman that she wants to be.    Nina, like many of us, experienced weight gain in her early adult years which took her on a journey of self-discovery, research about “whole” foods, and ways of exercising that felt good for her body. She’s lived this journey, and today ...

You're Not Morally Obligated to Lose Weight in 2018 with Kara Loewentheil

December 22, 2017 17:00 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MB

Kara Loewentheil, who I’m calling my podcast guest M.V.P. of 2017 (and that’s saying A LOT, because we have had many amazing guests!) is back for her second episode! If you haven’t already listened to her first episode, “Unf*ck Your Diet Brain,” hop back and do that before moving on!    In this conversation, Kara and I dive into the food noise surrounding the winter holidays. It’s almost expected that we’re all going to overindulge, gain weight, and then go on a diet once the clock strik...

Tuning into Your Best Self with Danika Brysha

December 15, 2017 17:00 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MB

Danika Brysha is a curve model with IMG models, food and wellness personality, and the founder and CEO of Model Meals, a healthy meal delivery company. She is also incredibly attuned to her body, its needs, and the constant pursuit of self-improvement.    On her journey to her best self, Danika has battled substance abuse, disordered eating, career highs and lows, and finding her true purpose. She’s come out the other side of that journey as a model (and model human being!) who loves her...

The Recipe for a Curvy, Confident Holiday Season with Denise Caldwell

December 08, 2017 17:00 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MB

Denise Caldwell is a celebrity fashion stylist. From A-list, celebrity clients (and fashion heavy hitters) like Sarah Jessica Parker, and Jennifer Lopez, to the “everyday” women that she makes over for fashion outlets and morning shows, Denise has been in the thick of it with women of all shapes, sizes, and skin tones as she helps them look their best!    In this interview, Denise and I discuss how she’s been able to build the career that she has today, working with so many amazing brand...

Unf*ck Your Diet Brain with Kara Loewentheil

December 01, 2017 17:00 - 39 minutes - 37 MB

Kara is an insanely accomplished, empowered feminist who is also a master certified life coach and creator of the revolutionary program for feminist women, “Unf*ck Your Brain.” Kara discovered coaching, and learned how to coach herself, which has allowed her to put together the cognitive psychology that she found could rewire her brain with the feminist values that informed her life.    Kara has figured out how to actually match her feelings and actions to her beliefs. This has allowed h...

Grace, Grit, and Gratitude with Isoke Salaam

November 24, 2017 17:00 - 26 minutes - 25.2 MB

Isoke Salaam is an East Coast PR girl originally from New Jersey with private clients within fashion and the arts. When not reviewing a client portfolio, typing on an iPad and answering her cell phone while balancing in heels, Isoke practices ballet, enjoys running, writing, reading, traveling and learning about art! She is a PR powerhouse, an avid art fan and a fashion lover.    I met Isoke when I became an advocate for the D.C. Humane Rescue Alliance and the 2017 Fashion for Paws event...

How to become a Plus Size Model (or not!) with Madeline Jones

November 17, 2017 17:00 - 48 minutes - 45 MB

Madeline (Maddie) Jones is the editor-in-chief of Plus Model Magazine (PMM) and one of the pioneers of the plus size fashion industry. She is sometimes referred to as the Anna Wintour of plus size, and through her work has blazed a trail that many of us have the pleasure of following in.    Maddie’s presence in the industry pre-dates the social media crazed world we live in now. From the beginning, Maddie has been using her voice to create a space for plus size women in the fashion indus...

Can You Lose Weight and Still be Body Positive? with Kristin Booker

November 10, 2017 17:00 - 50 minutes - 47 MB

Kristin Booker is a writer, blogger, and the creator of the site Fashion.Style.Beauty. Kristin has crafted stories for Marie Claire, ELLE, Refinery29, Lucky, xoJane, xoVain, and Yahoo Beauty, among others. I got to meet Kristin when she interviewed me for a piece on Self.com. Since then, it’s been amazing to get to know her and watch her flourish in so many ways!    In this episode, Kristin is so brave and vulnerable in sharing her experiences, from early alcohol abuse, sexual assault, e...

Women are the Future with Anne Mahlum

November 03, 2017 16:00 - 38 minutes - 36 MB

Anne Mahlum is the entrepreneur, brain trust and #ladyboss behind [solid core]! She is the owner and CEO of the business, which she founded in DC in 2013. In just a few short years, Anne has grown her company into a nationwide fitness sensation, with dozens of studios across the country--and more on the way!    [solid core] was really born out of Anne’s own personal journey with her body, fitness, and self development. The entire experience of attending a class at [solid core] reflects t...

From Sidewalk to Catwalk: Torrid Model Search 2017

October 27, 2017 16:00 - 43 minutes - 40.7 MB

15,000 girls entered the Torrid Model Search 2017 competition, and we’re now to the final four, in the final few days of their journey (voting ends October 29!). I caught up with Haley Rudolph of Toronto, ON; Seairra Thompson of Berkeley, CA; Sophia Ervin of Dallas, TX; and Julia Rose Miller of Round Rock, TX. Each girl dished about her experience, and what she’s gained from being a part of the competition.     Torrid has created a really great mechanism to take young women in our societ...

Fitting into Your Skinny Jeans is No Longer the Goal with Zlata Sushchik

October 20, 2017 16:00 - 40 minutes - 37.9 MB

Zlata Sushchik is an award-winning fitness competitor, lifestyle coach, and creator of the Sexyfit Method, author Zlata Sushchik spent more than a decade perfecting a simple five-step method to help every woman experience complete food freedom, create the body she loves, and reclaim her life.    Zlata grew up in Moscow, Russia, and moved to the U.S. at age 16. From a bullied teen immigrant to a bodybuilder and a beauty pageant queen, Zlata went through her fair share of struggles with yo...

Design Your Own Body Lovin' Routine! with Ginny Gane

October 13, 2017 16:00 - 37 minutes - 34.8 MB

Ginny Gane is a Law of Attraction expert, coach, author, and podcast host. She also studied Kinesiology and worked as a Physical Trainer for many years. She marries up the teachings of Abraham Hicks and classic LOA truths with a deep understanding of how to manifest the relationship with your body that you are seeking!    In this episode, Ginny and I discuss ways to apply the Law of Attraction to consciously creating a routine for you and your body that will get results! We are all tired...

How I Blew $10,000 on Dieting in 10 Years with Cassie Parks

October 06, 2017 16:00 - 59 minutes - 55.3 MB

If I had to quantify my investment in diet and weight loss products in the past ten years, I would estimate that it’s somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000. In this episode, I share the nitty gritty details of how I got to that number, and how it adds up quicker than you might realize!    You might be shocked by that number. You might think, “That will never be me.” However, we as a society spend over $60 Billion per year on dieting and weight loss. So, I know that I’m definitely not ...

Create the Happy, Healthy Life of Your Dreams with Kopari Beauty Co-founder Kiana Cabell

September 29, 2017 16:00 - 31 minutes - 29 MB

So many of us are striving to create the lives (and the bodies) that we love. But it can get discouraging because it seems like we’re inundated with examples of women who are having to compromise their health and well-being in order to achieve success in their career, and vice versa. Is it really possible to be successful in business, engaged in your community and family life, and live a healthy lifestyle?    Kiana Cabell, co-founder of Kopari Beauty, is an example that shows us we can h...

Speak Out: I’m Sharing My History with Bulimia and Binge Eating Disorder in the Military in the Hopes that You’ll Speak Out, Too

September 22, 2017 16:00 - 38 minutes - 36.2 MB

I was struggling with a combination of binge eating disorder and bulimia while I attended the Naval Academy from 2003 - 2007. My experience as a woman in uniform, and an NCAA Division I athlete for the Naval Academy, were directly related to the development of my eating disorder.    As a disclaimer, I’m a huge supporter of the military and am incredibly honored to have served. I have deep reverence for the military and everyone serving. I’m not sharing my story to cast blame upon the mil...

Body Love NOW! Why loving your body matters more than ever with Kelly Augustine

September 15, 2017 16:00 - 32 minutes - 30.4 MB

Kelly Augustine is one of the leading voices in the body positivity and plus size fashion conversation right now. Recently, she was featured in a national television & print #thenewskinny campaign for Lane Bryant, which only solidifies her rank as one of the most influential bloggers in this community!    In this episode, Kelly and I discuss the importance of us using our voices as women, particularly with all the political turmoil we’ve experienced as a nation this past summer. Kelly is...

Plus Size Fashion is Moving Forward: NYFW panel with Lisa Aviva, See Rose Go, and Jaanuu Scrubs

September 08, 2017 07:00 - 45 minutes - 42.1 MB

If you’re a plus size woman like me, you know how frustrating it can be to find clothing that’s comfortable, fits well, is made from quality materials, and is also stylish, reflective of your own personal aesthetic. Sometimes, it feels like the fashion industry just doesn’t care. But as someone who has the privilege to interact with those behind-the-scenes of many fashion brands in my role as a plus size model, I know that this is far from true! Lots of designers care deeply about giving p...

You Don’t Have to Lose Weight to Have a Body and a Life you Love! with Lauren O’Leary

September 01, 2017 12:30 - 41 minutes - 39 MB

So many of us have grown up buying into the diet myth, which teaches us that we have to lose weight and get a “perfect” body in order to have the life of our dreams. But for curve model, top beauty influencer, and makeup artist Lauren O’Leary, the exact opposite has been true!    Rather than putting off living the life of her dreams until she felt she had the perfect body, she decided to learn how to accept the body she had. Lauren cultivated a more loving, positive mindset about herself...

Struggling to Lose Weight? You Might Be a Perfectionist!

August 25, 2017 06:00 - 39 minutes - 36.9 MB

Many of us fall victim to the “all or nothing” mentality when it comes to our efforts to lose weight, or get healthy. As someone in recovery from perfectionism, from multiple back surgeries, from an eating disorder, and from subscribing to other people’s standards for my body, this is something I’ve had a great deal of personal experience with. If you had asked me 10 years ago if I was a perfectionist, I probably would have said, “fuck no.” I didn’t see myself as a perfectionist because I ...

Healthy living for the real world! with Robyn Downs

August 18, 2017 18:56 - 34 minutes - 32.2 MB

Robyn Downs is the researcher, educator, storyteller and mama behind her blog, Real Food Whole Life and The Feel Good Effect podcast! She is a working mom and a woman in the real world who is trying to balance the demands of her life with creating a healthy lifestyle for herself and her family. In this episode, Robyn shares her own personal journey to creating this healthy balance. She encourages us all to examine our goals in a different way, to let go of perfectionism, and to infuse a...

The Revolution of Loving Your Body

August 09, 2017 19:34 - 29 minutes - 27.7 MB

Most of my life I’ve been a “serial dieter.” I went on my first diet when I was 7 years old. From that time, I was concerned about food, my body and my weight. I’ve spent thousand of dollars on dieting and, most tragically, I’ve deprived myself of life experiences.   Two nights before my wedding I had, what I call, my “bathtub moment.” This was an epiphany that transformed the way I viewed my body, and it changed my world.   As I was taking a bath that night, I had this overwhelming ...

Guests

Kara Loewentheil
2 Episodes
Isabel Foxen Duke
1 Episode

Twitter Mentions

@mel_parrish 40 Episodes