A creative and idea-driven, former public media professional, Michelle Petties is a TEDx speaker, Food Story coach, and author of the award-winning, Amazon best-selling memoir, Leaving Large – The Stories of a Food Addict. For years, Michelle was a top performer for the most influential brands in commercial media, including Radio One and Disney/ABC. Finally, the stressful and competitive media advertising space took a toll on her mental and physical health. She began her public media career in 2010 as Director of Corporate Underwriting for Morgan State University licensee WEAA– where she ‘fell in love’ with public radio – followed by several years at Maryland Public Television, Baltimore Public Media, WYPR, and WTMD. After gaining and losing over 700 pounds, Michelle finally discovered the “secret” to quieting the battle between her mind, body, and hunger – her “story.” Michelle’s memoir, a category winner in The 2022 Memoir Prize for Books, explores the deep emotional and psychological connections to food and how these “food stories” shape our eating behaviors and weight management struggles.   

Michelle developed a Prescriptive Writing Process to make peace with her mind, body, and food. Her approach emphasizes that the battle with weight isn’t just about food but about the stories and emotions behind why we eat. She conducts healing-through-reading-writing-and-storytelling workshops where she teaches others how to find their food and personal truths. Her revolutionary work includes workshops, retreats, and speaking engagements to show others how to uncover their food stories and transform how they manage their relationship with themselves, gain mastery over food, and uplevel performance. 

She speaks to organizations, large and small, sharing her insights and stories of hope, healing, triumph, and transformation. Her latest free ebook, Mind Over Meals: 7 Secrets to Rewire Your Brain for Healthy Eating and High Performance, reveals her core principles for losing weight and keeping it off for good. For more insights into the connection between nutrition and productivity, check out her recent LinkedIn article, Present But Not Productive: The Hidden Cost of Presenteeism, It sheds additional light on this critical issue.

Michelle’s websites:
www.leavinglarge.com
www.michellepetties.com

Michelle’s TEDx Talk

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Contact Michelle:
Michelle@MichellePetties.com
202-425-4935