In this deeply relatable episode, the Food Shrinks— tackle one of recovery’s most persistent companions: the belief that we are not enough… or sometimes too much. From early childhood conditioning to nervous system dysregulation, the trio explores how these painful stories take root, how they drive people-pleasing and perfectionism, and why they so often lead us to use food for comfort or control.

With honesty and compassion, they unpack their own journeys through shame, codependency, and recovery — offering tools to recognize when the “not enough” voice shows up, how to regulate through it, and how to begin standing in the truth of our inherent worth.

What We Talk About
• The “not enough / too much” paradox — and how both can exist at once
• Why dysregulation and shame keep these stories alive
• The role of ADHD, rejection sensitivity, and trauma in feeling unworthy
• Early family messages that shaped how we seek validation
• The long game of recovery: time, patience, and radical self-focus
• How to practice compassion and curiosity instead of judgment

Key Takeaways
• Feeling not enough or too much isn’t a personal flaw — it’s often a trauma echo.
• Awareness is the first step: notice when and where the story appears.
• Shame is not fact; it’s a state — and it softens through compassion.
• You are not alone. Every person in recovery wrestles with these feelings.
• Standing in your truth means choosing yourself again and again — with time, patience, and love.

If today’s conversation resonated with you, we’d love to hear from you.
💌 Email your questions to asktheshrinks@foodshrinks.com.

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The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

The crew normalizes why sugar becomes the go-to “tool” for anxiety, boredom, and stress—and offers harm-reduction pathways that build capacity without shame. You’ll hear personal recovery pivots (like treating your recovery as seriously as your addiction), crowd-out strategies, micro-delays for cravings, and how to use community even if you don’t feel like it. This is practical hope: tiny, doable steps that add up.

What We Cover
• You’re not hopeless—you’re human: Brains repeat what works for relief. That’s learning, not moral failure.
• Add before you subtract: “Crowd out” by adding protein, fiber, and structure before trying to remove sugar.
• Environment tweaks (not ultimatums): Out of sight storage, partner hides, garage stashes, plating treats at the table vs. eating from the bag.
• Micro-delays for cravings: 10–20–60 seconds → a few minutes → an hour. Build the “wait” muscle.
• Choose your hard, but choose support: We rarely recover alone; groups, meetings, lives, or any community can be anchors.
• Treat recovery like it’s as big as the addiction: Boundaries around meal times, bedtime eating, social plans, and high-risk settings.
• Compassionate curiosity: If you do eat it, slow down, plate it, and notice what it’s solving—then find other ways to meet that need.
Practical Try-This List
• Protein + Produce First: Keep easy protein (rotisserie chicken, eggs, edamame) and a “default veg” ready three ways this week.
• Plate & Pause: If you’re having the thing, put it on a plate, sit at the table, and take 3 slow breaths first.
• 10-Second Ladder: Delay 10s → 30s → 2m. Text a friend while you wait.
• Out-of-Sight Ops: Ask a partner/roomie to store trigger foods out of view (garage, trunk, top shelf bin).
• One Boundary This Week: Pick a single non-negotiable (e.g., “no eating after 7pm” or “no eating in the car”).
• One Connection Anchor: Pick one community touchpoint (a meeting, live, or accountability check-in) and show up.

Host Insights
• Molly C.: “My recovery only started working when I treated it like the serious condition it was—my recovery had to be as big as my addiction.”
• Clarissa: “I didn’t have the skills yet, so I built a ‘home treatment’ season—invited people over when I didn’t want to, because it kept me safe.”
• Molly P.: “Years of tool-building mattered. Curiosity over shame lets you add supports first and make removal feel possible later.”

Key Takeaways
1. Hope is a skill you practice, not a feeling you wait for.
2. Add supportive structure before subtracting the substance.
3. Micro-wins compound. Ten seconds today can become an hour next month.
4. Community is medicine. You don’t have to like it to benefit from it.

Share your question or topic

Email: AskTheShrinks@FoodShrinks.com

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The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.

In this episode of Food Shrinks, Molly Carmel, Clarissa Kennedy, and Molly Painschab sit down to unpack what it really takes to live—and thrive—in recovery while on the move. From European conferences to beach vacations, cross-country trips, and jam-packed social calendars, the Shrinks share how they balance life on the road with staying grounded in their recovery.

What We Talk About
• Recovery on the road: Why prioritizing recovery has to come first when routines and environments shift.
• Yellow light behaviors: How subtle slips (like bites, licks, and tastes) can creep in while traveling—and what to do about it.
• Food flexibility: The challenges of different food cultures, time zones, and access, and how to adapt without abandoning your plan.
• Practical tools: From stocking Airbnbs with groceries, packing Tupperware, and bringing along a fan for sleep, to scheduling meetings and workouts strategically.
• Emotional honesty: Jet lag, depression, comparison, and the courage it takes to honor vulnerability instead of pushing through.
• Takeaways: Why self-care, boundaries, and compassion matter as much as meal planning and meetings.

Key Insights
• Recovery is the priority—if it slips, everything else does too.
• Flexibility grows with time: What feels unsafe in early recovery may become manageable years later.
• Comparison kills: Everyone’s recovery looks different—what matters is meeting your own needs, not matching someone else’s.
• Future-you needs present-you’s support: From meal prep to scheduling downtime, small acts of foresight pay off big.

Travel can be a gift of recovery—but only if you protect it. Tune in for candid stories, practical hacks, and heartfelt reflections on making recovery work wherever life takes you.

👉 Got a question or topic idea for the Shrinks? Email us at AskTheShrinks@FoodShrinks.com

If you enjoyed today’s episode, please subscribe, leave a rating, and drop a review—it helps others find the show and supports our growing community.

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.
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