Shows / Unlearning Beautiful
Unlearning Beautiful
For most of us, “beautiful” has meant thin, youthful, glowing, and effortlessly put-together — a look we’ve been taught to believe makes us valuable and worthy.
But what if beautiful isn’t about being thin or looking young — but a feeling you experience inside, and already are?
Unlearning Beautiful is for women who are tired of worrying about their jean size, fighting the signs of aging, or trying to get everything “right” in the name of health — and are ready to feel genuinely well, at ease…
Episodes
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 47 Unscripted with Kristina & Stefanie: Letting Go of Control, Body Image & Trusting Life
Today, I'm joined again by my colleague and fellow body image coach, Stefanie Michele. Every few month, Stefanie and I get together for a chat and press…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 46 Why Trying on Clothes Can Make You Hate Your Body
Have you ever tried on clothes, looked in the mirror, and suddenly felt terrible about your body? Maybe the jeans don't fit, your bathing suit shows more of…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 45 What Is Your Focus on Your Body Costing You?
We spend so much time thinking about our bodies — trying to change them, worrying about how we look, and thinking about what we should or shouldn't eat. But…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 44 When Weight Gain Feels Like a Character Flaw
Have you ever gained five pounds and felt like you failed as a human being? Not just that you didn't like how your clothes fit, but genuinely ashamed, as if…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 43 From Controlling My Body to Trusting It: Alison’s Story
What happens when trying to control your body—and your life—becomes the very thing keeping you stuck? In this episode, I’m talking with Alison about her…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 42 Do You Feel Like You Have to Get Everything Right?
Do you feel like you have to get everything right? Your body. Your work. Your relationships. The way other people see you. For many of us, perfectionism isn't…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 41 The Sydney Sweeney Ad and the Trap of Desirability
The Sydney Sweeney ad has sparked a lot of conversation about women, sexuality, empowerment, and objectification. But what does any of this have to do with the…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 40 Anxiety, Overthinking & the Search for Acceptance — Caitlin’s Story
Caitlin had already done the work to heal her anxious relationship with food. But the anxiety didn’t go away. Instead, it started taking over more and more of…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 39 Why You Can't Trust Yourself Around Food (And Where the Distrust Actually Began)
Have you ever felt like you just can't trust yourself around food? Maybe you can't keep certain foods in the house without worrying you'll eat them. Maybe you…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 38 What My Husband REALLY Thought About My Weight Gain
What if you stop dieting, your body changes, and your partner doesn't find you attractive anymore? That's a very real fear for many women — so in this episode…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 37 You Don't Have to Love Your Body to Be at Peace With It
What if you don't need to love your body? If you've spent years dieting, criticizing your appearance, comparing yourself to other women, or feeling like you're…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 36 Why You Feel the Need to “Make Up” for Eating—and Punish Yourself
You eat more than you intended, and almost immediately your mind starts figuring out how you're going to “make up” for it. Maybe you'll eat less tomorrow. Skip…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 35 Why You Can't Stop Hating Your Body (and the 3 Steps That Change Everything)
Do you ever feel like criticizing your body happens automatically? You catch your reflection, see a photo of yourself, or put on a pair of jeans—and before you…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 34 Your Child's Body Image: The Most Important Thing You Can Do
Has your child ever said... "I'm fat." "I'm ugly." "I don't like my body." If you're like most parents, your first thought is probably: "What do I say?" But…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 33 Can You Make Peace with Your Body and Still Want to Lose Weight?
Can you make peace with your body and still want to lose weight? For years, I would've answered that question with a firm "no." But over time—through my own…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 32 Unscripted with Kristina & Stefanie: GLP-1s, Body Acceptance, and Choosing Our Path
Can you work toward body acceptance while considering a GLP-1 medication? What happens when you've spent years healing your relationship with food and your…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 31 What Grief Taught Me About Body Peace
Grief has a way of revealing what we're most attached to. In this episode, I share what a recent season of grief has been teaching me—not just about loss, but…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 30 Why It's So Hard to Accept Your Body
Have you ever wondered why accepting your body feels so difficult—even when you genuinely want to? In this episode, I explore what I believe is the real reason…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 29 What a Former Model Learned About Beauty, Validation & Self-Worth (with Bridgett Brown)
Former model and Beyond Beauty Project founder Bridgett Burrick joins me for a powerful conversation about beauty standards, body image, and what she learned…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 28 Stop Trying to Fix the Clouds: How to Handle Negative Body Thoughts
Struggling with a "bad body image day"? Before you try to fix your appearance, restrict your food, or hide from the camera, listen to this episode! Have you…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 27 The New Thin Craze: Why Women Are Being Tricked into Staying Small
Have you scrolled through red carpet photos recently and felt a strange wave of déjà vu? From Hollywood to local communities, we are witnessing a rapid…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 26 Why Letting Go of Dieting Feels Worse Before It Gets Better
Have you ever stopped dieting only to feel more out of control with food? Many women assume that bingeing, overeating, food obsession, or feeling lost after…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 25 How to Stop Caring What Other People Think About Your Body
Ever wished that other people’s comments about your body, your weight, or your choices would just roll off your back? You tell yourself, “I shouldn’t care what…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 24 Overcoming the Fear of "Letting Yourself Go" & Finding Balance
Have you ever heard the phrase "She's really let herself go" and felt your stomach drop? You aren't alone. For countless women, the terrifying fear of being…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 23 “Will I Still Be Wanted?” Why Attractiveness Won’t Save Your Relationship
Have you ever feared that if you gain weight, you'll no longer be wanted? In this episode of Unlearning Beautiful, Body Peace Coach Kristina Bruce explores the…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 22 Healing Your Relationship with Health Advice (Glucose Revolution Book Review)
If you’ve quit dieting but still feel unsure how to approach nutrition and health advice without falling back into food rules, this episode is for you. In this…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 21 "But I Feel Better Thinner!" Addressing One of the Biggest "Yeah-Buts" to Body Peace
"I have to lose weight because when I was thinner, I felt great—and now I don't." It feels like a cold, hard fact, but what if feeling good in your body has…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 20 The Other "F-Word": How to Stop Seeing Fat as a Dirty Word
"Fat." For many, it’s the original slur—the first weapon used on the playground and the word so many people fear being called as adults. But what happens when…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 19 Unscripted with Kristina & Stefanie: Perfectionism & the Feeling of "Never Enough"
This episode wasn’t planned. It started as a DM between me and binge eating recovery coach Stefanie Michele…and quickly turned into a conversation where we…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 18 Summer Body Anxiety: How to Reclaim Your Enjoyment this Summer and Feel at Peace in Your Skin
Does the thought of summer wardrobe changes fill you with dread? You aren't alone. In this episode of we dive into the heart of summer body anxiety. We explore…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 17 Why "Just Loving Your Body" Feels So Hard (And the Biology of Change)
Have you ever tried to “just love your body,” only to have those critical thoughts come rushing back the second you see a photo of yourself? You aren’t doing…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 16 The Famine Response: What the Minnesota Starvation Study Taught Us About Dieting
Have you ever felt like a "failure" for not sticking to a diet? In 1944, a group of healthy men volunteered for a study at the University of Minnesota to…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 15 Can GLP-1s Really Fix How You Feel About Your Body?
Can a drug actually fix how you feel about your body? In this episode, Kristina Bruce dives deep into the rise of GLP-1 drugs (like Ozempic and Wegovy) to…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 14 Why You Hate Photos of Yourself — And How to Finally Feel OK
Why do photos of yourself sometimes trigger such intense self-criticism? You might feel okay when you look in the mirror, but the moment you see a photo of…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 13 Moving from Self-Loathing to Body Peace: Amy’s Transformation Story
What happens when you stop trying to "fix" your body and start trying to understand it? In this deeply personal episode, Kristina Bruce sits down with Amy, a…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 12 Beyond the BMI: Debunking Weight Loss Myths
If every doctor on earth suddenly forgot what you weighed, but could still see your labs, stress levels, and sleep—would weight loss still be their #1 health…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 11 Identity Crisis: "Who Am I Without Dieting?"
If you have ever been known as the "disciplined" one or the "picture of health," letting go of weight control can feel like a death. In this episode, Kristina…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 10 "I Need to Lose Weight to Feel Confident." Is it True?
You’ve been told—by society, by the media, and by your own mind—that confidence is a reward you earn only after you've changed your body. But if weight loss…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 9 Negative Emotions are Actually Your Inner Wisdom (what they are really telling you)
Have you ever looked at a photo of yourself and felt an immediate wave of anxiety or shame? Most of us interpret that "contractive" feeling as a sign that our…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 8 How to Stop Seeking External Validation and Build True Self Worth
Is Your Self-Worth Outsourced? If no one ever noticed you again—if nobody ever said, "You look great"—how much time, energy, or money would you still spend on…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep 7. How Toxic Beauty Standards Impact Health: Unlearning Body Shame & Weight Bias
Stop the cycle of body shame and unlearn toxic beauty standards. In this episode, Body Peace Coach Kristina Bruce reveals how societal "perfection" is a…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 6 The Childhood Roots of Body Shame (And How to Unlearn Them)
Before the world told you how you "should" look, you were free. In this episode of Unlearning Beautiful, we explore why so many of us feel stuck in a survival…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep. 5 Why Letting Go of Appearance Control Feels So Scary
Have you ever wanted to relax around your appearance—your body, your weight, your age—but felt a deep, instinctive fear at the thought of letting go? In this…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep 4. Why Body Goals Don’t Make You Happy
Achieving your goal weight can feel empowering for a moment, but why does that confidence fade so quickly? In this episode of Unlearning Beautiful, we explore…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep 3. I Tried 25 Weight Loss Plans - Here’s What Actually Created Self-Love
"If diets created self-love, I would have loved myself a long time ago." After trying 25 different weight-loss plans, I kept discovering the same truth: no…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep 2. Why You Stress Eat (And 3 Ways to Break the Cycle Without Willpower)
Stress eating isn’t about a lack of willpower. It is an understandable response from a stressed-out nervous system—and a deeper signal from your beliefs…
- Unlearning Beautiful
Ep 1. When Weight Loss Didn’t Make Me Happy: How I Found Body Peace Instead
We’re told that once we finally have the body, everything will fall into place—confidence, happiness, and ease in our own skin. But what if the body you’re…
Unlearning BeautifulEp 0. Trailer - Welcome to Unlearning Beautiful
Why does "feeling beautiful" always feel like a moving target? Welcome to Unlearning Beautiful, a podcast dedicated to helping you release body insecurity…