We’re back with the second half of our conversation with Tara Wike. (If you missed Part 1, you’ll wanna circle back and start there). In the lead-in, Candice reads from listener comments & lays the foundation for Part 2. Then, picking up where we left off last week, Tara shares how changing her ‘visual diet’ is expanding her definition of beauty; and also, speaks to the culty collateral damage done when we critique our bodies publicly. This leads into a discussion around mixed messages at ‘the Org’ and how – despite loads of lip service – its practitioners are in no way immune to the influence of diet culture; Tara highlights how generational differences around body acceptance may be at play. The social determinants of health are discussed, as well as the danger of insisting that wellness is in all cases ‘an inside job’ — especially when systemic barriers and biases are so prevalent. Tracy asks us to take a critical look at ‘emotional eating’ — is this always a bad thing? And then Tara shares how recovery from a brain injury revealed to her the insidiousness of diet culture. We touch upon body positivity and body neutrality, and then Tara shares how she’s doing her part to try and shift attitudes within her own social spheres. This is an important and timely episode in the series line-up; one that you won’t want to miss!
Tara Wike (she/her) is an American expat living in Denmark with her husband and son. She is a leader in the design organization at The LEGO Group, and moonlights teaching Org-inspired movement classes, having recently left the Org after decades of practice. In both work and private life, Tara is passionate about creating inclusive products and experiences. Her recent recovery from disordered eating has inspired her to actively support body diversity and fight anti-fat bias, both in fitness spaces and in the broader culture.
January 10, 2024
Referenced In This Episode:
- Dear Sugars Podcast | Ep: Trust Your Body with Dana Sturtevant & Hilary Kinavey
- Maintenance Phase Podcast w/ Aubrey Gordon & Michael Hobbes
- Dieting Does Not Work, UCLA Researchers Report
- Aubrey Gordon on WCDHT Podcast
- Food Psych Podcast w/ Christy Harrison
Also:
- Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia, book by Sabrina Strings
- Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating, book by Christy Harrison
- Conspirituality: How New Age Conspiracy Theories Became a Health Threat, book by Derek Beres, Matthew Remski, & Julian Walker
- The Wellness Trap: Break Free from Diet Culture, Disinformation, and Dubious Diagnoses, and Find Your True Well-Being, book by Christy Harrison
