🎥 Behind the Scenes of the “Jillian Michaels vs Body Positivity” Debate with Edie Stark

In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with therapist Edie Stark, LCSW, to unpack their experience participating in a debate with fitness personality Jillian Michaels on the popular YouTube channel Jubilee.

Leah and Edie reflect on what it was like to step into a highly produced debate environment discussing body positivity, weight stigma, and health claims — and how the format of viral media can shape the conversation in ways that prioritize spectacle over nuance.

Together, they discuss the challenges of debating weight stigma in a reality-TV style setting, the misconceptions about body positivity and Health at Every Size®, and why conversations about weight and health must account for systemic factors like stigma, access to care, and social determinants of health.

You’ll hear about:

• What it was like to participate in a debate with Jillian Michaels
• Why debating weight and health in a reality-TV format creates major limitations
• Common misconceptions about the body positivity movement
• How weight stigma and systemic factors impact health outcomes
• Why shame and blame are ineffective tools for supporting behavior change
• What Leah and Edie hope viewers take away from the debate

Listen to the episode here or anywhere you get your podcasts

Mentioned in this episode:

• Watch the Debate Here! 
• National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA)
• The Plus Bus

More From Edie Stark:

• • Instagram: @ediestarktherapy
  • Therapy Practice: Stark Therapy Group
  • Consulting & Media: ediestark.com

More From Leah:

• 📚Download your free Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
• Apply to The Embodied Method, my 1:1 coaching program
• Join my self-paced course, The Return
• Subscribe to Leah’s Youtube Channel
• Subscribe to my personal Substack
• Follow me on Instagram for more intuitive eating content @leahkern.rd
• Visit my website to learn more about my coaching offerings
• Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get a nugget of intuitive eating inspiration delivered straight from my heart to your inbox each week.
• Send me a voice message on Speakpipe
• Email me: Leah@leahkernrd.com