49. the similar brain chemistry behind eating disorders & addiction with Taylor Angelise

49. the similar brain chemistry behind eating disorders & addiction with Taylor Angelise

Join Kait and Taylor Angelise, registered nutritionist and eating disorder recovery advocate, as they have a conversation that is long overdue. The profound and scientifically backed overlap between eating disorders and addiction. From compulsive behavior and dopamine-driven cycles to isolation, secrecy, and relapse rates, Taylor and Kait break down why these two struggles share so much more than anyone in traditional treatment is acknowledging.  In the episode, they also get personal, sharing their own experiences with the way one coping mechanism can quietly replace another when the root cause goes unaddressed. This episode also tackles the hard truth about finding the right provider, why the wrong one can make things worse, and why advocating for yourself, even when you feel like you don't deserve to, might be the most important thing you do in recovery. This is one of the conversations the treatment world isn't really having yet. Until now. Episode takeaways: * Eating disorder brains and addiction brains show nearly identical patterns * Both are driven by the same dopamine and reward chemistry * Compulsive behavior is the core overlap between the two * You can't outthink a chemical reaction it was never about willpower * When one coping mechanism fades another can quietly take its place * The wrong provider can set recovery back and  that is not your fault * Advocating for yourself in the darkest moments is hard but necessary * The future of eating disorder treatment may look a lot more like addiction treatment Episode guest: Taylor Angelise is a certified holistic nutritionist and therapeutic practical herbalist based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She holds an honours diploma from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition with an additional certification in nutrition and mental health, plus formal training in herbal medicine and holistic lab interpretation allowing her to view medical diagnostics through a body, mind, and nervous system lens. But her work isn't just academic,  it's deeply personal. At 17, Taylor was hospitalized for anorexia nervosa. What followed were years of struggle and frustration as conventional approaches failed to address the root of what was happening in her body and mind. Eventually she moved to Mexico, where she unintentionally found what had been missing all along: safety, connection, nourishment, and a new relationship with food and herself. Healing came not from force, but from understanding the deep connection between the nervous system, nutrition, mental health, and environment. Taylored Path Nutrition & Herbal Medicine was created for those who feel like they've tried everything and still don't feel at home within themselves. Taylor works with clients across Canada, the United States, and the UK. 📞 Interested in 1:1 recovery coaching? Book your FREE discovery call [https://calendar.app.google/CZGWfFrTTaQwjcuL7] Connect with Kait 📸 @bitebybiterecovery [https://www.instagram.com/bitebybiterecovery/] 🔗 bitebybiterecovery.org [http://bitebybiterecovery.org]  🍒 Kait’s Recovery Resources [https://www.bitebybiterecovery.org/recovery-resources] Connect with Taylor 📸@Tayloredpathnutrition [https://www.instagram.com/tayloredpathnutrition/] 🔗www.tayloredpathnutrition.ca [http://www.tayloredpathnutrition.ca] 📩support@tayloredpathnutrition.ca  [support@tayloredpathnutrition.ca] UK 📩support@tayloredpathnutrition.co.uk  [support@tayloredpathnutrition.co.uk] Affiliate Links COMFRT  [https://www.comfrt.com/KAITLYN59217] FIND THE GOOD  [https://findthegoodbrand.com/discount/KAITMORE03?ref=Kaitmore]

RCS 6: what “trusting the process” of eating disorder recovery actually means with Eric Pothen

Welcome back to the Recovery Companion Series. 🎉  In this episode Kait and her co-host, Eric, sit down for an honest, unfiltered conversation about what trusting the process in eating disorder recovery actually means and why the phrase alone often does more harm than good. They break down why resistance to the process is valid, how to find the parts of recovery you can actually buy into, and why showing up even when you're only 2% in still counts as progress. They also explore the all-or-nothing thinking that makes trusting the process feel impossible, and offer a reframe that makes it feel a little more human and a lot less overwhelming. No toxic positivity. No empty reassurance. Just two recovery coaches with lived experience telling you the truth about what this process actually looks like from the inside. Episode takeaways: * You don't have to trust all of it,  find the parts you can * Resistance to the process is valid and worth naming out loud * All-or-nothing thinking makes trusting the process harder than it has to be * Showing up is proof that some part of you is already buying in * Your 100% looks different every day, and that's okay * Discomfort means you're moving toward recovery not away from it * Break it down, what does recovery look like right now, not eventually * Be where your feet are, not ten miles ahead Connect with Kait 📸 @bitebybiterecovery [https://www.instagram.com/bitebybiterecovery/] 🔗 bitebybiterecovery.org [http://bitebybiterecovery.org]  📞 Interested in 1:1 recovery coaching? Book your FREE discovery call  [https://calendar.app.google/CZGWfFrTTaQwjcuL7] 🍒 Kait’s Recovery Resources [https://www.bitebybiterecovery.org/recovery-resources] Connect with Eric  📸 @ericpothen  [https://www.instagram.com/ericpothen/] 🔗 Eric’s website  [https://www.ericpothen.com/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAad-SGbJqs2sSJJ2aZ9O1QSOIF4ZcTUQLtyltRSzEYhCqOOd2gsRdo4uLlbV2g_aem_VfkGYxA5w_ohvok-Jq8R4Q] 🎙️ Embracing You [https://open.spotify.com/show/3uk2D9zMreZYZTJgUIRayw?si=2e47e641638d4a50] 👕 Embrace Wear [https://www.etsy.com/shop/EmbraceWearCo]

48. your closet is an important part in eating disorder recovery with Nicole Garfunkel

📞 Interested in 1:1 recovery coaching? ⁠CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ⁠ [https://linktr.ee/biteebybite] You left treatment. You did the hard work. And then you opened your closet,  and nothing fit the same. This is the conversation nobody in treatment prepares you for. In this episode, Kait sits down with Nicole Garfunkel, personal stylist for people in eating disorder recovery and owner of Styling Confidential, to talk about the part of recovery that gets completely overlooked: getting dressed. Nicole breaks down why getting dressed is one of the most emotionally loaded daily acts for someone in recovery,  and what to actually do about it. From clearing out a closet full of clothes tied to your eating disorder, to understanding why sizing is completely meaningless, to building a personal style that reflects who you're becoming,  this episode is packed with practical tools wrapped in real body image coaching. If you've ever stood in front of a full closet and felt like you had nothing to wear, avoided shopping because the dressing room felt like a minefield, or held onto a pair of jeans you haven't fit into in years,  this one's for you. Episode takeaways: * Getting dressed is a daily act that deserves intention * Clothing sizes say nothing about you * Clearing your closet is part of clearing the disorder * Your style is allowed to evolve as you recover * Dress for yourself, not for anyone else * The small details are what actually make you feel good Connect with Kait 📸 @bitebybiterecovery [https://www.instagram.com/bitebybiterecovery/] 🔗 bitebybiterecovery.org [http://bitebybiterecovery.org]  📞 Interested in 1:1 recovery coaching? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE [https://linktr.ee/biteebybite] 🍒 Kait’s Recovery Resources [https://www.bitebybiterecovery.org/recovery-resources] Connect with Nicole 📸 @styling_confidential [https://www.instagram.com/styling_confidential/?hl=en] 🔗 stylingconfidential.com [https://stylingconfidential.com/] 🎥 @styling_confidential [https://www.tiktok.com/@styling_confidential?_t=ZT-8uZkqPq4blu&_r=1] Affiliate Links COMFRT  [https://www.comfrt.com/KAITLYN59217] FIND THE GOOD  [https://findthegoodbrand.com/discount/KAITMORE03?ref=Kaitmore]

47. meet Kait outside of Bite by Bite

You've heard Kait talk about recovery. Now meet the person doing the talking. In this listener-requested episode, Kait pulls back the curtain and answers your questions, the ones about who she actually is outside of Bite by Bite. From growing up on the Cape Cod beaches on the weekends, playing on nationally ranked softball teams, and almost failing freshman college math, to accidentally stumbling into behavior analysis and impulsively launching the Bite by Bite Instagram from a Starbucks parking lot, this is the full picture. Kait also gets honest about something she spent years beating herself up over: being a board-certified behavior analyst who couldn't "just change her own behavior." If you've ever used your success as evidence that you should be able to fix yourself by now, this episode is for you. Plus, the origin story of the 🍒 cherry, the coaching experience that finally bridged the gap between knowing and doing, and why recovery doesn't mean you lose the life you want. It means you finally get to have it. Connect with Kait 📸 @bitebybiterecovery [https://www.instagram.com/bitebybiterecovery/] 🔗 bitebybiterecovery.org [http://bitebybiterecovery.org]  📞 Interested in 1:1 recovery coaching? Book your FREE discovery call  [https://calendar.app.google/CZGWfFrTTaQwjcuL7] 🍒 Kait’s Recovery Resources [https://www.bitebybiterecovery.org/recovery-resources] Affiliate Links COMFRT  [https://www.comfrt.com/KAITLYN59217] FIND THE GOOD  [https://findthegoodbrand.com/discount/KAITMORE03?ref=Kaitmore]

46. getting real about being recovered with Alli Bollinger

Kait and Alli, both recovered eating disorder coaches with lived experience,  pull back the curtain on what recovery actually looks like day to day. No sugarcoating, no highlight reel. They tackle the questions their clients and followers ask most: Do you still have negative thoughts about food? Does body image ever get better? How do you know recovery is even possible for you? What unfolds is a candid, two-coach conversation that validates the messiness of recovery while making a compelling case that a full, free life on the other side is real,  and achievable. They cover the unpredictability of body image, navigating summer and social media pressure, how high-achieving personalities can redirect their strengths toward recovery, and the mindset shift that finally made recovery click. The episode closes with a message that lands: if we can, you can. Episode takeaways: * Recovery doesn't mean perfect. Bad body image days still happen and that's part of being human. * Negative food thoughts do fade over time though the timeline looks different for everyone. * The belief that everything would be better if I were smaller is one you can build real proof against. * High achievers can redirect their natural strengths. Goal setting, list making, and structure can support recovery instead of the eating disorder. * The "I'll be happy when" pattern shows up in recovery too. Learning to find joy now is part of the work. * You don't need certainty that recovery will work to start. You just have to be willing to try something different. * Rest and presence are skills, not personality traits, and they can be learned. Episode guest: Alli grew up being known as “the dancer”, which inspired her undergraduate journey pursuing her BFA in dance. After college, she moved to new york city where she booked her dream job as a Radio City Rockette, a full circle moment after recovering from an eating disorder. Her story inspired her to become a certified eating disorder recovery coach, and she is now in Boston pursing her masters in nutrition to become a Registered Dietitian. Connect with Kait 📸 @bitebybiterecovery [https://www.instagram.com/bitebybiterecovery/] 🔗 bitebybiterecovery.org [http://bitebybiterecovery.org]  📞 Interested in 1:1 recovery coaching? Book your FREE discovery call  [https://calendar.app.google/CZGWfFrTTaQwjcuL7] 🍒 Kait’s Recovery Resources [https://www.bitebybiterecovery.org/recovery-resources] Connect with Alli 📸@your_spoonful [https://www.instagram.com/your_spoonful] Affiliate Links COMFRT  [https://www.comfrt.com/KAITLYN59217] FIND THE GOOD [https://findthegoodbrand.com/discount/KAITMORE03?ref=Kaitmore]