Love This Food Thing

Dan was an overweight child. From an early age he ate big portions, especially the man-sized breakfasts cooked by his Dad (before school). Dan felt happy, momentarily, when full. No one ever said, “that’s too much,” or, “you don’t need all that”. He wished they had. Dan loved competitive sports and still does. He considers it an effective remover of bias gaining self-worth and confidence through s...

When Debbie Butcher was nineteen she left home for a new life in the South East despite her Mum begging her not to go.  Leaving was the worst decision Debbie ever made and to this day, she remains full of regret. It wasn’t long before her two adorable sons were born, but the wedded bliss Debbie left home for, ebbed away leaving her feeling lost, isolated and alone. With no one to turn to, Deb...

When Jay was tiny he spat out the food prepared by his Mum. As he grew, despite her best efforts, Jay would only eat processed food. He was, he says, “an absolute nightmare!” His Mum, keen for Jay to eat, filled the cupboards with chicken nuggets, pizza and spaghetti hoops, which Jay washed down with vast quantities of Dr Pepper. This heady combination kept him going at school and on the football...

Sarah Liz King was a straight ‘A’, high achieving, show jumping and dressage competing kid. This mentality served her well until a digestive issue had her cutting out food groups and later, while training for the bodybuilding, “bikini class”, in the grip of a serious exercise addiction “The smaller I got, the unhappier I got, and the smaller my life became.”  Exhausted, trapped and in a downw...

When Hope was very young she was scared of food. It made her nervous, and “afraid, for a very long time.” Family meals were dysfunctional; arguments commonplace at the dinner table. Unable to express herself and hyper-aware of what she looked like, Hope followed diets, counted calories and fought for control by restricting her food. When she was sexually abused, Hope buried the feeling that there...

Harriet was brought up on a busy family farm. Her Mum was a great cook and Harriet had a healthy relationship with food. But during her teenage years she developed bulimia nervosa when she tried to break free from familial expectations. Harriet found freedom at University and through travel. She returned to the UK to further study. As her understanding and fascination around eating disorders grew,...

Susan Burton is an author, writer and editor on This American Life.  Her brilliant memoir Empty was published in 2020 to critical acclaim.  Chronicling the binge-eating disorder and subsequent anorexia which dominated Susan’s life, Empty is a must read for anyone with any type of eating disorder/addiction or for those who simply love a good book. As a kid Susan was scared of food. Scared...

JL was brought up on a farm in Southern Australia. She was a perfect student and daughter but life at home was strict and often cruel. At fifteen, in a new school, JL was bullied. She wondered if it was down to how she looked and longing for acceptance decided not to eat. Years of anorexia, marriage and children followed along with OCD, depersonalisation, illness and suicidal depression. When her...

Maria is a psychologist and educator. Maria was born and raised in Argentina. As a kid she loved to dance. Her Mum was a great role model but Maria still felt not good enough amongst her “beautiful” peers. After some tough years at school, Maria’s interest in the mind-body connection led her to study psychology, move to London and continue her psychological quest. And then, out of the blue, devast...

Ian Puleston-Davies was an anxious boy who dreamt of being an astronaut. Not to see the moon or world from space, but so he could eat NASA’S packs of powdered food worry free.  At home, gravy splashed on plates turned the food to ‘goo and stick.’ Tiptoeing over manure into Auntie Margaret’s farmhouse kitchen, where food was thrown about, had Ian shaking and twitching in his own private bedlam...

Tracy Northampton is a psychotherapist and yoga teacher specialising in eating disorders and addiction. She is Governor at St Andrew’s Healthcare, Patron of the Body Dysmorphic Foundation and, currently, runs a private practice in Central London.  When Tracy was young the family kitchen was a no-go zone. Meals were rushed - eat to survive, get the job done. In her teens study replaced sport a...

Katie’s Mum was often on a diet and struggled with her body. When Katie followed suit her Mum said she was perfect. But Katie felt confused. “I couldn’t trust what she was telling me.” The discrepancy rang loud and clear. At Grad School Katie over-exercised, controlled her food and ended up bulimic. But when she finally understood, “It’s not the pain that brings us down, it’s the shame around the...

Abby is a registered associate nutritionist, personal trainer and founder of A + NUTRITION. At school, Abby played sports to a high level. Her skinny friends called her ‘muscly’ but she lived to eat and took care of her nutritional needs. However, at University her relationship with food and exercise soured and she developed anorexia and bulimia. What had started as one thing became something else...

Niko Algieri is an entrepreneur, celebrity personal trainer and TRX Director of Trainer Branding.  Born into a family of elite athletes he felt compelled to continue the family theme. Fitness is his life and business is booming but it takes mettle to stay at the top.  For Niko food is friend AND foe.  He says, “how can it not be both?’  But it’s not easy. Even for him. &nb...

Robin Harford is a plant based forager, ethnobotanical researcher and wild food educator.  As a child Robin sought sanctuary in the woods and moorlands of Devon and later in alcohol and drugs. But, the wild plants of yore were never far from his mind. So, when life as he knew it fell apart he settled to study the plants of his youth and included many from all over the world.  In for...

We are BACK for another season of This Food Thing! After receiving such amazing feedback from Season 1, we knew we had to continue the podcast and conversation of food, whether it's friend or foe.  We've got an awesome line up of guests for this season and I can't wait to share them with you!  The first episode of Season 2 will be launching on April 23, 2021 at 9am, London time.  In...

Ian took his first martial arts class when he was five. With his professional fight career behind him he continues to live and breathe every hook and jab. What Ian doesn’t know about boxing, isn’t worth knowing.  However, he readily admits to the industry’s disavowal regarding eating disorders. It’s not even up for discussion.    But we discussed it, and then some more. Listen...

When Charlotte was a child, food was limited and plain. Sometimes, she went to bed hungry.  As a dancer this helped her limit her food and over-train, such were the demands of her profession. But it didn’t help her overall health and wellbeing.  Charlotte avoided the various pitfalls in the dancing world but even now she struggles to eat “different” food and feels too poor to eat posh. H...

Jane Perry was brought up in suburban Canada. As a child she experienced conflict around food. When her best friend’s Mums’ said, “You’re too fat to play with our daughters” the scene was set for bulimia, over- exercise and shame. Now fully recovered and a successful actor, feelings of shame and not being good enough still arise, especially, in front of the camera.  In this episode, hear the...

Roger recalls how his Dad’s comment, “Roger you’re getting a spare tyre”, helped set him up for a painful and profound relationship with his body until a life-changing conversation with a Robin.  Join me in this first guest episode to hear how Roger conquered his demons and turned his life around, as he struggled with bulimia, alcohol and self-acceptance.  A story that has the potential...

My first guest of the season, Roger Lloyd-Thompson, plays interviewer and asks ME about my eating disorders. It seems only fair if I am to expect the same from others. Eating disorders are difficult to talk about, however recovered.  I believe that eating disorders are about unmanageable feelings. Once we stop the physical behaviours what do we do with them?  I hope these conversations s...

After suffering with eating disorders and being consumed by my relationship with food for years, I wanted to open up the conversation now that I'm out the other side. Launching on 8th January 2021, this podcast is a series of conversations with special guests discussing their own experiences with food, whether friend or foe and how it affects their behaviour. In the meantime, head over to @thisfoo...