Old School Food Freedom
In today’s diet-culture society, food issues and body hatred have become the norm. But you were created to be FREE. Welcome to Old School Food Freedom, where we go back to the basics—God’s basics—for how we view food, our bodies, and our worth.
Hosted by FINDINGbalance Executive Director Chrissy Kirkman, this podcast features Biblically-sound experts, thought-leaders, artists, and everyday people who will inspire you to interrupt negative cultural soundtracks and rediscover God’s original design for your relationship with food and your body.
This show will deliver practical, faith-filled insights on how to break free from diet culture and body shame through the lens of scripture. If you’re looking for guidance on how to heal your relationship with food while deepening your faith, you're in the right place.
We’ll answer questions like
What does the Bible say about food freedom?
How can I overcome an eating disorder or disordered eating with Jesus?
What is the biblical perspective on diet culture?
How can I find peace with food as a Christian?
What does it mean to treat your body as a temple in relation to eating?
How can I break free from diet culture with Jesus?
How can I align my eating habits with biblical teachings?
What are the first steps to finding food freedom in Christ?
This podcast is for anyone ready to walk away from diet culture and into the freedom that Christ offers. Whether you’re recovering from an eating disorder, disordered eating, wrestling with body image, or simply craving a more peaceful relationship with food, this space was made for you.
If you want to experience true food freedom with Jesus, this podcast will give you the encouragement, truth, and tools to do just that.
Episodes
76 episodes
75: Restore Family Bonds in the Wake of an Eating Disorder with Kristin Fickes
“Thankfully, the story does not end there. I figured it out. And God's absolute, total grace and faithfulness showed me the way and led me to the right help.Kristin Fickes’ story is relatable, and her experience is a gift. She’s...
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Season 7
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Episode 75
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45:17
74: She Came to Produce, But God Came to Heal with Leah Bryant
Chrissy sits down with podcast growth strategist (and our incredible producer) Leah Bryant for an honest conversation about food freedom, body image, faith, and healing. Leah shares her story of growing up in 90s diet culture, the moment God...
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Season 7
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Episode 74
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44:36
73: How to Raise a Body-Confident Daughter w/ Chantia Sturman
From a young age, many girls are exposed to body image issues and eating habits that may not be the most uplifting. Years go by, and that young girl shows her daughter the very same habits. But it is possible to break the cycles...
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Season 7
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Episode 73
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42:10
72: Find Freedom in Christ from Overexercise with Nicole Speeney
“If you’re not intentionally giving your body the rest it needs, your body will rest when it's not convenient for you.”Wow! How much of a reality check is that? So once we recognize that drive to overexercise or avoid res...
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Season 7
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Episode 72
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41:12
71: Declutter the House & the Shame with w/ Susan Stewart
Clutter is about so much more than just the stuff piled in corners and stuffed into closets.You may even read that and not want to listen, but the Lord put this message in your path for a reason.There are quite a few similariti...
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Season 7
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Episode 71
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41:26
70: Christ-Centered Somatic Eating Disorder Treatment with Tracy Brown
The word “somatic” has been making its rounds on the internet in recent years. But what does it actually mean? And is there a way to incorporate somatic-based treatment ideas into a Christ-centered eating disorder recovery plan? Thi...
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Season 7
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Episode 70
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44:47
69: People-Pleasing, Codependency & Grace [Part 2] w/ Travis Stewart
What if you could recognize the parts of yourself that hold you back, and finally live fully loved?In this follow-up conversation, Chrissy and licensed professional counselor Travis Stewart discuss the Three Chairs Framework. You’ll lear...
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Season 7
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Episode 69
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27:45
68: Understanding Your Habits & Behaviors [Part 1] w/ Travis Stewart
What if you had a way not only to understand but transform behaviors and habits you’re tired of struggling with? Because the truth is… You do have the freedom and the God-given right to live a full and happy life! <...
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Season 7
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Episode 68
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47:28
Welcome to Old School Food Freedom
Tired of food struggles, body shame, and cultural lies about your worth? Old School Food Freedom is a safe, hope-filled space where we laugh, cry, pray, and replace lies with Biblical truth. Join host Chrissy Kirkman as she shares real stories,...
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2:23
67: Unplugged & Uplifted: Chrissy’s Social Media Reset w/ Allie Marie Smith
All or nothing thinking doesn’t just show up with food struggles and body image issues—it also shows up in our relationship with social media.The last time Allie Marie Smith was on the podcast, she invited Chrissy to try a social ...
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Season 6
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Episode 67
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45:48
66: Guilt-Free, Christ-Centered Goal Setting with Amia Freeman
The enemy is so sneaky with how he uses the pressures of diet culture and goal setting. But what if you were to learn that there’s a way to take back this territory the enemy has held hostage from you—things like food, movement, and gentle nutr...
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Season 6
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Episode 66
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46:47
65: Unburdened: Jesus' Invitation to a Better Way with Ruth Harper
We’ve all heard the term in the Bible, but what exactly is a “yoke?” As it turns out, there are a few meanings for the word. And the concept ties in beautifully with attachment styles (or attachment theory).In today’s episode, Ruth Harpe...
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Season 6
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Episode 65
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48:03
64: When Fertility, Food, and Movement Connect w/ Ashley Smith
What if your “healthy habits” are actually causing harm? God created us with such attention to detail! But sometimes… we seek control amidst the chaos of life and cause confusion to this delicate inner world He’s created.<...
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Season 6
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Episode 64
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45:42
63: Christian Eating Disorder Treatment Options with Amie Shields
It can be difficult to find treatment that fully integrates faith in Christ—especially in-person care. That’s why we’re excited to share this conversation with Amie Shields, founder of Charis Eating Disorder Care, a Christ-centered nonprofit tr...
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Season 6
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Episode 63
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37:40
62: Social Media Reset: Unplug, Reconnect with God, and Reclaim Your Joy with Allie Marie Smith
Every moment on social media matters. It shapes who we are and the women we will become. But even hearing that, it still feels impossible to break the habit of reaching for the phone to see what your friend has been up to, or what the latest tr...
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Season 6
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Episode 62
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50:51
61: Making & Breaking Agreements with Jordan & Marie Foote
The voice of the enemy is loud and persuasive—and sometimes easier to hear than God’s tender, loving messages. Satan is sneaky with the agreements he lures us into. Once we realize the weight of all those lies we’ve believed, it can feel like a...
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Season 6
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Episode 61
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50:30
60: Understanding Spiritual Roots with Jordan & Marie Foote
Chrissy frequently references the concept of negative spiritual roots, but we've never spent an entire episode digging in to understanding how deep-seated emotions, beliefs, and experiences fuel harmful behaviors and perspectives. O...
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Season 6
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Episode 60
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48:39
59: Lessons to My Teenage Self with Amy Connell
No matter which generation you were born into, there are lessons we’d each love to go back and share with our teenage selves. While we can't change the past, we can certainly grow in the present with God's grace.Certified personal traine...
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Season 6
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Episode 59
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46:33
58: Navigating Information Pollution with God’s Grace with Kirsten Schmidt
Let’s say you find yourself scrolling for hours on social media. And when you’re able to pull yourself away, you go into intense shame mode. Is there possibly something more gentle and helpful that could be done in those moments? Th...
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Season 6
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Episode 58
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45:32
57: Supporting Your Significant Other Through an Eating Disorder with Amy Ozier
The role of supporter is delicate and demanding—even more so when you’re trying to figure out how to support your significant other through an eating disorder. You question if you’re actually seeing disordered eating behaviors, how to get help,...
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Season 6
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Episode 57
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52:48
56: Supporting Your Child Through an Eating Disorder with Amy Ozier
Chrissy met Amy Ozier a year ago—and here they are now for a hope-filled discussion of helping a loved one through an eating disorder. It’s much harder than most people would know, and something no one is really ever ready for. But there are re...
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Season 6
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Episode 56
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58:01
55: Can God Really Make Me Whole Again? with Chrissy Kirkman
Chrissy has firsthand experience of the struggles faced by those battling food issues, and the courage it takes to seek help. And while she’s still challenged by diet culture from time to time, she’s no longer held captive by it. Her mission is...
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Season 5
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Episode 55
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43:42
54: Make Mealtime Easier with Ann Kent
Doesn’t it sound lovely to be able to remove the influence of diet culture from mealtime? Well, that doesn’t need to remain a pipe dream! From being single and feeling mentally drained, to having a household of picky eaters, to recovering from ...
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Season 5
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Episode 54
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51:30
53: Building Secure Attachment in Online Spaces with Josi Wahlert
It can be incredibly challenging to feel comfortable and safe being seen—especially in online support groups. And yet… without comfort and safety, it’s impossible to even open ourselves up to allow for healing. So where do we go from here? ...
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Season 5
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Episode 53
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57:11
52: An Unfed Believer is An Easy Target with Leslie Schilling
Today, Chrissy is talking with Leslie Schilling about how an unfed believer is easy prey, an easy target. There has been a trap set before us by the enemy who is the ringleader of the diet culture circus, and it’s gonna be talked about! They ge...
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Season 5
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Episode 52
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57:02
