The Michael Chernow Podcast

In this episode of The Michael Chernow Podcast, Michael sits down with Alexander Stein for an unfiltered conversation about disordered eating, body dysmorphia, fitness obsession, and the struggles men rarely talk about. Alex shares how his relationship with food began changing at just eight years old and eventually became decades of restriction, over-exercising, coffee, and one meal a day. At his lowest point, he was 6'2" and 140 pounds, yet still struggled to recognize how unhealthy he had become. Michael also opens up about developing his own unhealthy relationship with food and fitness after getting sober, leading to a larger conversation about the incredibly thin line between discipline and obsession. They examine modern fitness culture, intermittent fasting, body-image pressure, social media, and why behaviors that look “healthy” from the outside can sometimes be driven by fear and control. Alex explains the moment hearing Nikki Glaser speak openly about her own struggles finally made him feel understood, why being told he didn't technically qualify as anorexic became a dangerous challenge in his mind, and what ultimately helped him rebuild his relationship with food. This is a conversation for anyone who has ever wondered: Am I actually healthy—or am I obsessed?

KOHhttps://kreaturesofhabit.comIGhttps://www.instagram.com/michaelchernowhttps://www.instagram.com/kreaturesofhabit

CHAPTERS:0:00 Intro & Trigger Warning4:33 What Does Disordered Eating Actually Look Like?7:02 Dieting at Just 8 Years Old12:12 The Fear of Ever Getting Fat16:28 6'2" and 140 Pounds — How Bad It Got19:00 Michael’s Own Battle With Food After Sobriety23:13 20 Years of Food Rules & Body Dysmorphia27:27 Coffee, One Meal a Day & Extreme Restriction30:26 Healthy or Obsessed? The Dark Side of Fitness Culture34:50 Childhood, Control & Where It All Started40:07 Over-Exercising, Restriction & Trying to Get Help44:08 The Nikki Glaser Moment That Changed Everything46:50 “I’ll Get There” — When Recovery Became a Challenge53:27 Marriage, Relapse & Reaching a Breaking Point58:18 Rebuilding His Life & Relationship With Food1:08:23 What to Do If You’re Struggling1:12:11 The Eating Disorder Men Hide Behind “Fitness”1:14:43 Alex’s Final Message

#MichaelChernow #AlexanderStein #MensMentalHealth #DisorderedEating #BodyDysmorphia #EatingDisorderRecovery ##IntermittentFasting #TheMichaelChernowPodcast

In this Monday Moments episode, Michael Chernow reflects on five years of building Kreatures of Habit and the lessons he has learned from 16 years of entrepreneurship.
Michael opens up about the highs and lows of running a business, the stress of raising money, the resilience it takes to keep going, and the abnormal optimism required to build something that actually lasts. He also shares a powerful moment from his 22-year sobriety anniversary run, where he found gratitude, grace, and a deeper reminder that he simply will not quit.
This episode is a message for anyone sitting on an idea, dream, risk, or major life decision. Whether it is starting a business, changing careers, getting healthy, leaving the wrong relationship, or finally betting on yourself, Michael’s message is simple: take the swing.
Do not wait until the end of your life wondering what could have happened if you had just gone for it.
The other side of fear is freedom.

KOH
https://kreaturesofhabit.com

IG
https://www.instagram.com/michaelchernow
https://www.instagram.com/kreaturesofhabit

#MichaelChernow #MondayMoments #KreaturesOfHabit #Entrepreneurship

Michael Chernow shares the raw story of how childhood trauma led him into addiction at just 12 years old and eventually brought him within inches of losing his life. After surviving a heroin overdose, Michael returned to using only hours later because he still didn’t know how to stop. Everything changed when one phone call connected him with the mentor who gave him the structure, discipline, faith, and support required to rebuild his life. Now 21 years sober, Michael explains why asking for help is a sign of strength, how fitness became part of his recovery, and why getting back up is the only thing you need to do perfectly. He also opens up about fatherhood, meeting his wife nine months into sobriety, learning to love himself, and becoming the mentor he once desperately needed. This is a powerful conversation about addiction, redemption, faith, discipline, love, and the possibility of completely changing your life.

I felt it was time to have this conversation

After being told at just 13 years old that she likely wouldn’t survive her teenage years, Ashleigh Di Lello refused to accept the future doctors predicted for her. Years later, after a failed hip surgery left her unable to walk and living with debilitating chronic pain, she reached another breaking point that changed the direction of her life.In this episode, Ashleigh explains how she began studying neuroscience, nervous-system regulation and the connection between physical, mental and emotional pain. She and Michael discuss faith, neuroplasticity, trauma, survival mode, self-compassion and why the brain repeatedly returns to familiar patterns—even when those patterns are destructive.Ashleigh also breaks down the practical process she uses to help people process emotional pain, calm the brain’s fear networks and create healthier neural pathways. Michael shares his own experiences with addiction, childhood trauma, his son’s rare genetic diagnosis and the role his relationship with God has played throughout his recovery.This conversation is about refusing to let pain, fear or a diagnosis become your permanent identity. It is a powerful reminder that healing requires faith, responsibility, daily action and the willingness to move directly through what hurts.