Episodes
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This episode busts a few of the diet culture myths about exercise. Unfortunately, at this time of the year there is lots of predatory advertising how to lose weight quickly through exercise and most of what you're being told isn't true.
So listen to find out 3 exercise myths and one huge benefit of exercising.
If you are keen to listen to Demi Moore's autobiography (I loved it!) you can check it out here.
And don't forget to download my free self-compassion meditation. It might be the best way to get your exercise habits to stick. Click here to grab it now.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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This episode is about why I have decided to offer sliding scale pricing where I can for my services.
Click here to learn more about why a compassionate approach to health care works better than harsh diets or exercise programs.
My inspiration for sliding scale pricing wortsandcunning.com.
Read the blog post about my sliding scale pricing.
Click here to book a free 15-min health history with me.
Click here to download your free self-compassion meditation.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Missing episodes?
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In this episode I take you (anonymously) behind the scenes of a recent coaching session and explain why I believe a short, daily mindfulness practice could help to reduce stress at Christmas as well as improve your self-esteem & confidence while inducing calm and relaxation.
Get started with your own meditation practice by downloading my free self-compassion meditation.
If you're interested in a coaching session with me, click here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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On this episode I'll explain why retreats are so powerful and how you can go on one even if you don't have enough, time, money or body confidence.
Here are some free resources to support your solo retreat:
Download a free meditation here
Download a free body love affirmation audio here
Here is a yoga video and another one
Learn more about journaling here
Click here to learn more about my retreats
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This is a very short episode to explain that I’m taking a short pause from the podcast. I have a big life event happening right now and I need to let a couple of things go. Don’t worry I’ll be back soon!
In the mean time I still have spots available in my private health coaching program - find out more here.
Plus I’ll be on Facebook and Instagram including hosting a free 7-day plank challenge starting the Sunday 16th October. You can join here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this short but important episode of the pod I talk about 3 surprising shifts that happen when you give up dieting.
From feeling physically more energetic to having better boundaries - the changes can be quite profound.
Have a listen and click here to tell me what you think!
If you'd like to find food freedom and make this shifts yourself (and you'd like some help), consider my 6 month private coaching program. You can find out more here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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If you’ve been living in diet culture (and let’s face it, we all are), you’ve probably not felt a lot of compassion for yourself over the years. It’s easy to spend our lives feeling a lot of self-criticism, self-hatred and even disgust which can easily lead to depression and anxiety.
But I have a question for you, “How has being judgmental towards yourself worked out for you so far?” I don’t imagine it’s been helping too much.
So, why not try self-compassion? That’s what this episode is all about.
I recommend saving it so you can listen any time you need some self-compassion.
Here are some of the resources I refer to in the episode:
Embrace: The Movie
Just Eat It by Laura Thomas PhD
Kristen Neff’s work on Self-Compassion
My 6-month private coaching program
Let me know what you think of this episode by clicking here to leave a comment on my website.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Our bodies change significantly during peri-menopause and post-menopause. It can feel heartbreaking because we are getting further and further away from the thin ideal that is revered in diet culture. Plus, ageing women are not perceived as attractive in our world.
In this episode I give you some tips to help you respect your body during menopause.
Accept your body is changingPrioritise rest & sleepAvoid calorie deficit diets because they affect your muscle mass and reduce your metabolismMove your body regularlyLearn about intuitive eatingReconsider your relationship with alcoholIf you need support, consider joining me for my 6-month private coaching program. Click here to learn more.
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This week I'll teach you how important your social media feed is to your mental health and how you can make changes today that will support you to respect your body and look after it without the influence of diet culture.
The Instagram accounts I mention in this episode are:
Fashion: @icurvy
Activism: @iweigh
Fitness: @louisegreen_bigfitgirl
Food: @no.food.rules
Mum blogger/general lifestyle: @lovezoepotter
Me!!: @emma.polette
Tell me how you go with your social media spring clean by writing a comment on my website or sending me a DM on Instagram
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It's Children's Book Week in Australia this week and I thought, why not do a book review. I have just finished reading Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch and thought it was the perfect book to review.
In the episode I talk about:
Why I read the book
The importance of the book
Highlights
Improvements
Other recommendations
Here are some accompanying links -
Buy Intuitive Eating
My GoodReads account
Body Positive Power by Megan Jayne Crabbe
Work with me on Intuitive Eating for 6 months
I'd love to know what you think of the book or my review - click here to leave me a comment on my website
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this episode I discuss some of the ways we can talk about our bodies when we are ready to move on from body shame or hate.
I touch on Body Love (and my evolution away from it), body positivity and its roots in activism, body neutrality and body respect.
I also share where I'm at now when it comes to my own relationship with my body.
If you'd like to share your thoughts, click here to go to my website and leave a comment.
Some other resources are:
Body Respect by Linda Bacon and Lucy Aphramor
Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elise Resch
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After being trolled on Instagram for talking about the anti-diet movement and being told that I am promoting an unhealthy lifestyle, I thought it was important to bust this myth.
In this episode I talk about:
The reasons why diets aren’t healthyThey don’t work in the long termThey can cause a “binge & restrict” cycle when it comes to healthy behavioursThey can cause psychological damageThey cause us to lose touch with our body’s natural regulation mechanisms when it comes to foodThe fact that you can’t tell how healthy someone is by looking at themHow being anti-diet actually improves healthy behavioursMy personal experience with being anti-dietHere are the links I refer to in the podcast:
How Privilege Affects Your Weight Vlog
Peer Reviewed Article about Health at Every Size
Maintenance Phase Podcast
More about my 6 month Program - Love Yourself to Health
I’d love to know what you think about this topic. Feel free to leave a (respectful) comment on my website.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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This week I thought I would dive straight into the number 1 question I get asked and that is… “Are your yoga classes suitable for beginners?” The answer is yes. And that’s the end of the episode hehe… just kidding.
In this episode I cover topics like body shaming by fitness instructors or yoga teachers, how all yoga should be for beginners, how diet culture has hijacked some yoga spaces and how I try to make my yoga classes accessible for beginners.
You can book into one of my in person classes here.
You can learn more about my online membership, The Self Love Health Club here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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I’m back babies! Welcome to The Big Bellied Yogi season 2! If you haven’t met me before, my name is Emma Polette – I’m an anti-diet health coach, personal trainer and yoga teacher and I have a plus sized, curvy, fat body. How dare I!!?
I’ll be covering topics like intuitive eating and movement, self-compassion, feminism, privilege, why diets don’t work, living in a menopausal body and of course a bit of yoga talk too. I hope to have some guests including anti-diet experts and real people like you so if you’re keen to share what it’s like to live in your body, send me a DM on Instagram by clicking here and we’ll set up an interview.
Click here to go to my website and leave a comment about what topics you’d like me to talk about.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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For personal reasons I am pressing pause on the podcast. Hopefully I will bring it back soon.
I am currently going live on alternating days on Facebook and Instagram (there is a lot less behind the scenes work going live versus creating a podcast) so if you want to keep in touch, follow me there.
Instagram
Facebook
Thank you to everyone who has listened to The Big Bellied Yogi. Take care.
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In this episode I teach you about the Niyamas. The second limb of Patanjali’s eight-limbed yoga system shows us how to look after our own body, mind, and spirit without once getting into a yoga pose. These practices give us self-discipline, humility, and inner strength.
The five Niyamas are:
Saucha – purity of body which contributes to a pure mind
Santosa – Contentment leads to joy
Tapas – the fire of self-discipline
Svadaya – regular spiritual and self-exploration
Isvara pranidhana – spiritually surrender.
Throughout this episode I will give you simple examples of how to practice these easily every day.
Links that are mentioned include:
Patootie Skin
My new private coaching program – Miracle Month
You can practice yoga while you listen to this episode. Click here to watch the mini-class I created especially for The Big Bellied Yogi podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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This week I got to interview the beautiful Ellie Girdwood. Ellie is currently studying for her 200 hour yoga teacher training certificate.
Here's a little bit more about Ellie:
"I have been doing yoga for 10 years. My love of yoga started off with a class when travelling in India and have been doing it ever since I returned to the UK. I have tried lots of different types of yoga which made me realise that I love the self-reflection that comes with a yoga practice: yoga is about how you feel in a pose and not how you look. I am passionate about yoga being accessible for everyone no matter physical abilities or appearance and recently I decided to embark on my 200-hour yoga teacher training course. I am excited to be able to teach my passion for yoga to others. "
In this interview we discuss:
~ How yoga differs between India and the West
~ How to fit yoga into a busy schedule
~ Going from yoga student to yoga teacher training student
and much more.
If you'd like to follow Ellie on Instagram you can find her @fullbodiedyoga
And if you'd like to practice yoga while you listen to this week's episode, got to emmapolette.com/podcast/ep5 and you'll find a video you can follow along with.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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This week I'll delve deeply into forward folds.
This series of poses can be very nurturing, calming and nourishing. However, when you have a larger body they can be difficult. Bellies and boobs can get in the way.
In this episode I'll show you why you should include them in your yoga routine and how to make them work for you if you have a larger body.
In addition, I recommend watching this video from Body Positive Yoga so you can see how to make forward folds work for you.
As always I have included a short yoga practice that you can try while you listen to the podcast (and it includes Forward Folds). Click here to watch.
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There is a popular hashtag on social media - #yogaeverydamnday. It can illicit a lot of guilt because what if you can't do yoga every day? What if you're busy, or have an injury or you've never tried yoga so it seems impossible to do it every single day...
This is where the SYSTEM of yoga comes in. It's not just about a physical practice. There are 8 elements to yoga and asana (the poses) are just one part.
In this episode I'll teach a little about Pantanjali's 8 Limbs of Yoga and focus on the first one - the Yamas.
(Please forgive my Sanskrit pronunciation. I am working on it #everydamnday)
The 8 limbs of yoga are:
Yama (ethical behaviours)Niyama (personal practices)Asana (physical poses)Pranayama (breathing techniques)Pratyahara (sense withdrawal)Dharana (focused concentration)Dhyana (meditation)Samadhi (bliss, enlightenment)In this episode I'll delve a little deeper into the Yamas.
Ahmisa (non-harming)Satya (truthfulness)Asteya (non-stealing)Brahmacharya (right use of energy)Aparigraha (non-greed, non-hoarding)If you'd like to practice some asana while you listen to this episode, go to emmapolette.com/podcast/ep3
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A little while ago I saw an ad on Instagram from a well-known spiritual subscription platform. They were advertising Tabata Yoga for weight-loss.
This made my blood boil. For one, it completely disregards the deep and ancient spiritual roots of yoga, and for two, it shows that like so much in the Western world, yoga has been hijacked by diet culture.
In this episode I delve into what diet culture is and how it as affected both the practice of yoga and people's perceptions of themselves and their "suitability" to practice yoga.
I briefly mention how so much of Western yoga ignores the roots and depth of the practice.
If you'd like to learn more about this I recommend looking up these people and resources:
Susanna Barkataki
Tejal Yoga
Yoga is Dead podcast
I also refer to a 2018 study about young people, yoga and body image. You can read more here.
And here are some body positive yoga resources you can check out.
Jessamyn Stanley
Fat Yoga by Sarah Harry
Accessible Yoga
Me on Instagram
Don't forget to head over to my website to try out the yoga practice I created for The Big Bellied Yogi Podcast. Click here to watch.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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