The Flourishing Athlete: Tackling Athletic Diet Culture with Matt Davis

In this week's podcast, Han is joined by Matt Davis. Matt is a nutritionist specialising in disordered eating and body image. Matt is the founder of The Flourishing Athlete, where he aims to help athletes and fitness enthusiasts develop a positive relationship with food body and self to flourish in life and sport.In this week's episode, we discuss:

  • What the Flourishing Athlete is, and how Matt's personal experience inspired this project.

  • The aims Matt has for the Flourishing Athlete project, and how he hopes to help athletes to navigate athletic diet culture by creating a positive relationship with food, body and self.

  • The difference between a healthy and disordered pursuit of athletic excellence and how to determine whether your motivations behind exercise are disordered or healthy.

  • The importance of supporting all athletes, sports and fitness enthusiasts in understanding how to cultivate a healthy, balanced relationship with exercise whilst acknowledging the influence of health professionals, coaches and social media influencers.

  • The concept of intuitive eating, and how this can be achieved as an athlete striving for athletic excellence after tracking food intake for so long by stepping away from athletic diet culture.

  • The Flourishing Athlete course's structure, and why each chapter is important for the overall development of self-compassion, identity, and recognising internal biases.

To learn more about Matt and The Flourishing Athlete, you can find them on Instagram @theflourishingathlete. `

Please note that this podcast discusses eating disorder topics that some individuals may find triggering. Please check in with yourself along the way, and remember this is not a replacement for clinical support and advice.

Recent Posts

The Normalisation of Amenorrhea and RED-S in Female Athletes
By Hannah Hickinbotham July 20, 2025
Learn what RED-S and amenorrhea are, why they are common but often dismissed in sport, and how coaches and athletes can provide better support.
Exploring the Relationship Between ADHD and Disordered Eating with Kate Moryoussef
By Hannah Hickinbotham July 14, 2025
Discover how ADHD can contribute to disordered eating and explore neuroaffirming tips to support the development of a healthy relationship with food and exercise.
By Hannah Hickinbotham July 8, 2025
Lesley and Neal Davison share their daughter Megan’s tragic death from type 1 diabetes with disordered eating, the warning signs of T1DE, and why integrated care must be the future.
The Comfort Blanket of Control: Neurodivergence & Eating Disorders
By Hannah Hickinbotham July 8, 2025
Discover how undiagnosed autism and ADHD often intersect with eating disorders, and why better diagnostic understanding is crucial.
Dietetics Beyond the Meal Plan:  A Trauma-Informed Nutritional Approach to Eating Disorder Recovery
By Hannah Hickinbotham June 16, 2025
Exploring an eating disorder dietitians role beyond a meal plan.
From Silent Struggles with Bulimia to Supporting Others
By Hannah Hickinbotham June 16, 2025
Discover Daniel Magson's powerful journey through bulimia, stigma, and secrecy, and how he turned lived experience into a mission to support others.
Show More