The Pulse Project

Eating disorders in athletes don’t usually start with food — they start quietly in the mind, in identity, and in the pressure-cooker of performance, comparison, and control. In this episode, Stephanie Matre speaks directly to parents, coaches, clinicians, faith leaders, and athletes about the often-missed warning signs, why “high performing” doesn’t mean “healthy,” and how to start hard conversations that actually keep the door open.
You’ll also hear a Catholic lens on the body as gift (not a project), a sober look at social media and recruiting pressure, and how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can complement Western care by reading patterns in the “body story.”
In this episode, we cover:
Why eating disorders in athletes often develop slowly and silently—long before physical signs show up
How sports can build virtue and resilience, but also create vulnerability when identity shifts from “I live in my body” to “my body is a project”
Why performance is a misleading indicator: eating disorders can look like “discipline,” “focus,” or “mental toughness” at first
Early red flags parents often miss because they’re subtle—and sometimes socially rewarded
The food and meal-time warning signs:
Increasing rigidity around food
Cutting out major food groups without medical need
“Clean/earned/burned” moral language around food
Anxiety at meals, pushing food around, tiny bites, avoiding family meals, “I already ate”
Training/movement red flags:
Panic when workouts are missed
Exercising to “deserve” food
Secret extra workouts
Training through injury/illness
Inability to rest without guilt
Psychological shifts that can signal deeper trouble:
Perfectionism and black-and-white thinking
Anxiety or emotional numbness
Irritability
Obsession with numbers (macros, calories, steps, rankings, watches, metrics)
Physical signs that get dismissed in athletes:
Frequent injuries, stress fractures
Sleep disruption
Digestive complaints
Cold intolerance
Hormonal disruption or missed periods (and why this should not be normalized)
How eating disorders can overlap with OCD traits: when control becomes the “soothing” drug
Social media + recruiting pressure: the “constant mirror,” comparison culture, and digitized performance metrics
How to talk to teens without shutting them down:
Avoid body comments (even “positive” ones)
Lead with curiosity and specific observations
Stay regulated, consistent, and present
Remember: denial is often fear, not defiance
TCM perspective: treating patterns (not labels) and how restriction/binge-purge/overtraining can show up in different body systems
Faith and recovery: why “just pray more” can become spiritual bypassing—and what true encounter looks like
A powerful reminder: early support saves lives and no performance is worth a soul
Important Note (from the episode)
This podcast is not medical advice and does not diagnose or replace professional care. If you suspect an eating disorder, seek qualified medical and mental health support immediately.
Resources & Next Steps
If this episode stirred something in you, don’t ignore it. Presence heals more than pressure — and early action matters.
Go deeper with Stephanie inside:
The Pulse Project Food Addiction Recovery Course
The supportive Catholic recovery community: The Ember Loft
Visit www.shinerising.com/membership
to learn more and find support.

In today’s episode of The Pulse Project Podcast, Stephanie shares a deeply personal, faith-rooted exploration of food addiction as a real, brain-based illness—not a failure of willpower or morality. Drawing from neuroscience, the food industry’s role, traditional Chinese medicine, and Catholic theology, this episode gently but clearly names what keeps so many women stuck in shame and silence.
You’ll learn how highly processed foods hijack the brain, how food addiction differs from emotional eating and other eating disorders, why quick fixes like GLP-1 drugs fall short, and why lasting recovery requires both scientific understanding and spiritual surrender. Above all, this episode is an invitation to hope—reminding you that you are not broken, you are beloved, and healing is possible through grace, truth, and community.
If you’re listening and thinking, “This is me,” you don’t have to figure this out alone. The Pulse Project Food Addiction Recovery Course was created to help you understand what’s happening in your brain, break free from the cycle of shame and relapse, and build a steady, faith-filled path forward—one day at a time. And inside The Ember Loft, you’ll find a supportive Catholic recovery community to walk with you through real life, real temptation, and real healing—rooted in grace, truth, and practical tools. If you’re ready to take your next step, you’re warmly invited to join us and begin reclaiming your freedom.  Click the link below to learn more.
https://www.shinerising.com/membership
Below is the link to the conversation with Dr. Marty Lerner as he speaks to the impact GLP-1's can have on early food addiction recovery, their benefits, and their risks.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Nfke21FjqyKOIt4lZGjPb?si=Ov25H7tCSbOcWCGYyiH8gQ
 

Join Stephanie as she dissects the body and soul in this unique episode about how Catholics view the creation of human beings, why that creation matters in our relationships, and why understanding this is so important for recovery.  Stephanie references the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its stance that we are called to view and treat our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit.  She also explores why this idea is challenging to those with body image issues, dysmorphia, dysphoria, and eating disorders and where we can find the solution to our suffering in the power of Jesus Christ.  In this episode, you'll ponder the deep questions surrounding embodiment, and the unique healing the Eucharist provides for our bodily afflictions.  A truly purposeful paradox, you'll learn exactly how and why our bodies are healed by HIS body.  Buckle up.  This one is wild.
If you are interested in healing from the bones out, now is a great time to join the Ember Loft, a Catholic community of women healing from disordered eating.  Inside The Ember Loft, you will have access to The Pulse Project online program that will help you blend faith and science in new unique ways so you can journey safely and effectively toward recovery.  Click the link to find out more and enroll.
https://www.shinerising.com/membership

In today’s episode, we discuss what’s actually happening in your brain when you crave, binge, restrict, or feel out of control with food — and why this is not a moral failure. Drawing from cutting-edge neuroscience, Dr. Anna Lembke’s work in Dopamine Nation, peer-reviewed research, Scripture, and Catholic moral theology, we’ll explore how dopamine shapes desire, how modern foods hijack the brain, and how grace and neuroplasticity work together to bring healing.
You’ll learn why cues feel so powerful, why willpower breaks down under stress, why you can be “good all day” and lose control at night, and—most importantly—how your brain can be rewired through abstinence, virtue, community, and sacramental life.
This episode is both scientifically rich and spiritually grounding…and it will give you hope. Your brain is not broken. You are not weak. You are being rewired and sanctified.
 
Join Stephanie in the Ember Loft where real women seeking real recovery find real and lasting change.  
https://www.shinerising.com/membership
 
Key peer-reviewed studies referenced in this episode
Berridge, K. C., & Robinson, T. E. (2016). Liking, wanting, and the incentive-sensitization theory of addiction. American Psychologist, 71(8), 670–679.
Schultz, W., Dayan, P., & Montague, P. R. (1997). A neural substrate of prediction and reward. Science, 275(5306), 1593–1599.
Koob, G. F., & Le Moal, M. (2008). Addiction and the brain antireward system. Annual Review of Psychology, 59, 29–53.
Volkow, N. D., Wise, R. A., & Baler, R. (2017). The dopamine motive system: Implications for drug and food addiction. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 18(12), 741–752.
Volkow, N. D., Wang, G.-J., et al. (2016). Obesity and addiction: Neurobiological overlaps. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(8), 661–679.
Graybiel, A. M. (2008). Habits, rituals, and the evaluative brain. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 31, 359–387.
Arnsten, A. F. T. (2009). Stress signaling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 410–422.
Spiegel, K., Tasali, E., Penev, P., & Van Cauter, E. (2004). Sleep curtailment lowers leptin and increases ghrelin. Annals of Internal Medicine, 141(11), 846–850.
Eisenberger, N. I. (2012). The pain of social disconnection. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 13(6), 421–434.
Smith, J. L., Mattick, R., & Carter, A. (2016). Plasticity of habits and dopamine: Implications for addiction. Neuron, 90(6), 1219–1235.
Kang, Y., Williams, L. E., et al. (2018). Purpose in life predicts neural responses to reward. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 13(4), 368–375.
 
Disclaimer:
The Pulse Project Podcast is for educational and spiritual formation purposes only and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis, treatment, or professional healthcare. Nothing in this episode should be interpreted as medical, psychological, or nutritional advice, nor does it create a patient-provider relationship. Always seek the guidance of a qualified physician, licensed mental health professional, or emergency medical services for any concerns about your physical or mental health. If you are experiencing a medical or psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department immediately. The views shared in this podcast reflect personal experience, research, and Catholic teaching, and are not meant to replace individualized care.
 

Take a deep dive with Stephanie in this Lectio Divina of Luke 2:1-7, the Nativity of our Lord.  Travel back in time to walk beside the holiest of families on their journey to Bethlehem, in the piercing cold, on the eve of this native birth.  Welcome the Christ child with your own eyes and capture the wonder you've always had but never knew.  This episode will paint a new picture of the nativity that likely has never been painted and will catapult you into a new wonder and appreciation for this incredible gift.  Enjoy this beautiful story and keep it close during this holiday season.  May you always remember who you are and who's you are and may the sun shine on your face.
 
www.shinerising.com/membership

What's the deal with acupuncture?  Is it science?  Is it voodoo?  Is it REALLY medicine?  Learn the answers to those questions and more in this riveting episode as Stephanie explains, once and for all, the science behind the medicine, the art behind its origins, and the philosophy that runs through the entire practice like a lively pulse.  It is well documented that cultures do not keep practices that do not serve them.  Being that this medicine is 3,000 years old, its sheer longevity is proof that it is effective and necessary for good quality health.  But what about the faith?  Is it ok for the faithful to receive acupuncture?  Stephanie will explore this question in depth and debunk any myths you may have heard in certain circles.  Tune in and enjoy a very special episode that will keep you listening and leave you wanting more.  
 
Join Stephanie in The Ember Loft where you will learn how to defeat the demons of disordered eating for good.  Click below to explore what waits for you on the other side of food addiction and disordered eating.  Recovery is possible, sustainable, and waiting for you. It's time to rise.
https://www.shinerising.com/membership

Join Stephanie as she delves into the science behind GAPS, "Gut and Psychology Syndrome," explains what it is, and shares why it is important in the study and treatment of food addiction.  In this episode, you'll learn how the GAPS diet is used to treat all kinds of mental ailments and the unique connection your gut has with your brain.  Stephanie will brush on the TCM theory behind this connection and how TCM doctors treat it.  She will also discuss the types of foods that can heal a gut that has gone haywire, which is true for many food addicts.  Buckle up because this is a wild ride through the world of gut bacteria, brain chemistry, and how they are intricately intertwined.  As always, Stephanie pulls the faith in to meet the science and explores the role of prayer in the healing of the mind and how the GAPS protocol can enhance our spiritual connection to the Lord.  Learn about this and more in the Pulse Project, Stephanie's signature Catholic food addiction recovery program for women.  An online course that is coupled with included private and group coaching, The Pulse Project is nestled within The Ember Loft, Stephanie's private community of women who are walking through the Pulse Project together.  Come in, let the embers catch, and ignite vibrant recovery.
https://www.shinerising.com/membership
Note: The information in this episode is not meant to diagnose, treat, or otherwise serve as medical advice.  This episode contains information for educational purposes only.  If you are suffering from severe eating disorders or food addiction, we are here for you, and we also encourage you to seek medical help and care as you and your doctor see fit.

In this episode, you'll learn the truth behind the history of the food industry and why your struggle is not your fault, while willpower is more of a misnomer than a truth, and what mechanisms of the market have mastered in order to keep you stuck and buying more.  Flour, sugar and UPFs (ultra-processed-foods) hijack the brain on purpose and the industry knows exactly how.  Prepare to have your mind blown as Stephanie takes a deep dive into what makes the food industry tick and why you should know about it.  For more good info on real honest science, click on the link to enroll in The Pulse Project food addiction recovery course where you'll also automatically be enrolled in the membership of likeminded women in The Ember Loft group coaching community.  Together we can let the embers catch and ignite the flame of hope.  
https://www.shinerising.com/membership

In this episode, you'll learn a practical tool that you can begin using TODAY immediately.  Square breathing is a technique that reduces anxiety, curbs cravings, enhances energy, increases parasympathetic nervous activity, and reminds us of the breath of God, which lives inside of us.  Learn how and when to use it, why it is a strong tool for recovery and how to apply it to times of prayer, at mass, during meals, or during stress.  This is just one of the many practical tools that are taught inside The Pulse Project course which will show you how to win at recovering from food addiction and disordered eating.  Housed inside The Ember Loft, my exclusive online coaching community, The Pulse Project is your answer to the question of how to combine brain science and faith practice into a powerhouse blueprint for recovery and freedom.  
https://www.shinerising.com/membership

Explore the deeper meaning behind cravings for all things that bring you worldly pleasure.  You'll learn the brain components as well as the spiritual components of cravings and how they keep you stuck in cycles that don't serve you.  You'll also learn how they are invitations and stepping stones that can, if you allow them, become stepping stones to get closer to God.  This episode is packed with a wonderful combo of both science and faith, the mission behind The Pulse Project.  Learn about this and more in The Pulse Project online course which is found inside The Ember Loft, a private recovery community for women who are walking the path of recovery through the course just like you.  Enjoy the episode.
https://www.shinerising.com/membership