Perfectionism is one of those things that can look very virtuous from the outside.
It can look like discipline, responsibility, and “taking care of yourself.” Like being the person who always has it together, who sets the example, who does things the right way.
But for a lot of us, perfectionism is also the quiet engine behind the pressure we feel about our bodies, our health, and our achievements. It’s the voice that suggests our worth might be tied to how well we perform these things. How healthy we look. How productive we are. How closely we resemble the version of ourselves we were taught to strive for.
This week on the podcast, I am bringing back a favorite episode with Dr. Lisa Folden, an anti-diet physical therapist and body image coach.
Our conversation kept circling back to this idea:
How deeply perfectionism shapes the way we move through the world—and how much it can distort the way we relate to our bodies.
We get into so much, including:
Growing up with the pressure of being the “example”
Lisa’s experience with disordered eating and why Black women are so often under-diagnosed
Her shift from weight-centric to weight-inclusive physical therapy
What the research actually says about weight, joint pain, diabetes, and intentional weight loss
The grief that can come with realizing some long-held beliefs about health don’t hold up (and that you may have caused harm in the past)
Rebuilding a relationship with movement that isn’t rooted in control or rigidity
When some of our old beliefs start to unravel, it can feel disorienting—like losing a map you’ve been relying on for years. And yet, that unraveling can also open the door to something else entirely: a relationship with your body that isn’t built on perfection, punishment, or constant self-improvement.
And underneath all of it sits a question we kept coming back to:
What actually makes us worthy?
If perfectionism has shaped the way you relate to your body, your health, or your sense of value in the world, I think you’ll feel something soften—even just a bit—as you listen to this one.
I’d love to hear from you with any insights! And a gentle reminder to hit that “like” button or share this episode. It helps so much.
