In this episode, Dr. Cristina Castagnini interviews Simi Botic, an attorney turned coach, intuitive eating counselor, and author of "Letting Go of Leo: How I Broke Up with Perfection." They discuss the deep connection between perfectionism, disordered eating, and exercise addiction, sharing their personal journeys of recovery and professional insights.

Simi Botic is an attorney turned coach, Intuitive Eating Counselor, author or Letting Go of Leo: How I Broke Up With Perfection, founder of UnMeasured virtual barre studio, and host of the UnMeasured podcast. She's had the honor of supporting thousands of clients all over the world to tap into their wisdom, align with their values, heal their relationships with food/movement, embrace their bodies, release perfectionism, cultivate deep self trust, turn up the self-compassion, and live their beautifully imperfect lives fully. It's her mission to help women come home to themselves.        

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Perfectionism and People Pleasing
  • Connection between perfectionism and disordered eating
  • How people pleasing is a form of perfectionism in relationships
  • Impact of perfectionism on academic and professional achievement
  • Development of perfectionist tendencies as coping mechanisms
Healing from Perfectionism
  • Understanding personal rules and "shoulds"
  • Developing self-compassion
  • Taking small steps into "gray area" thinking
  • Aligning actions with personal values
  • Moving away from external validation
Exercise and Movement
  • Breaking free from rigid exercise rules
  • Transforming from punishment-based exercise to joyful movement
  • Creating healthy relationships with movement
  • Impact of toxic messaging in fitness spaces
  • Development of Unmeasured virtual bar studio
Holiday Season Insights
  • Navigating food and exercise during holidays
  • Finding freedom to enjoy seasonal activities
  • Developing gratitude for recovery
  • Dealing with diet culture messaging

IMPORTANT TIMECODES FROM THE EPISODE:

  • 00:00 Introduction to Behind the Bite
  • 01:11 Meet Simi B. Bodich: From Attorney to Intuitive Eating Counselor
  • 02:50 Simi's Journey: Struggles and Transformation
  • 05:09 Understanding Disconnection and Perfectionism
  • 11:37 Overcoming Perfectionism and Embracing Self-Compassion
  • 20:23 Healing Relationship with Exercise
  • 25:28 The Struggle of Following Rules
  • 26:03 Finding Safety and Enjoyment
  • 26:54 Overcoming the Fear of Change
  • 29:08 Gratitude for Small Moments
  • 34:23 The Reality of Binge Eating
  • 37:13 The Journey to Healing
  • 40:55 Creating a Movement Platform
  • 47:06 Navigating Toxic Messages
  • 49:10 Final Thoughts and Resources

HOW TO CONNECT WITH AMANDA TO LEARN MORE:

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**Disclaimer:**

This podcast is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information regarding the subject matter covered. It is given with the understanding that neither the host, the publisher, nor the guests are rendering legal, clinical, or other professional information. If you want or need a professional, you should find one to work with who can address your individual needs and situation.