Info

Fuel Your Strength

The Fuel Your Strength podcast is all about helping women who lift weights get stronger, fuel themselves (without counting every bite of food), perform better in and out of the gym, and take up space. Strength nutrition strategist and weight lifting coach Steph Gaudreau shares how lifting weights is a catalyst for a more expansive life and how to challenge the status quo around nutrition and fitness. This weekly show brings you discussion about building strength without obsessing about food and exercise, lifting weights, food psychology, and more. You'll learn how to eat, train, recover, listen to your body, and step into your strength.
RSS Feed Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
Fuel Your Strength
2024
April
March
February
January


2023
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February


2022
December
November
October
September
August
June
May
April
March
February
January


2021
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2020
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2017
December
November
October
September
May
April
March
February
January


2016
December
May
April
March
February
January


2015
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April


Categories

All Episodes
Archives
Categories
Now displaying: 2020
Dec 29, 2020

With the new year rapidly approaching, you might be thinking about your goals for 2021. What if those goals had nothing to do with your pant size? I challenge you to reframe how you are working on your health without directly connecting them to your body size.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Set Health Goals That Don’t Include Weight Loss, You Should:

  1. Reframe your mindset by unraveling diet culture and embracing what feels true to you
  2. Approach your mental, emotional, and spiritual health in the same regard as your physical health
  3. Work toward a mindset of self-care on all levels and focus on total body health rather than weight loss

Creating Goals That Aren't Based On Your Size

A fellow Steph is here to help me unpack what it means to set health goals that have nothing to do with weight loss. Steph Dodier is an intuitive eating coach who went from being culturally embedded in diet culture to radically reframing what it means to work on your health without it being connected to your body size. Steph is passionate about helping women live healthy without being on a diet and sharing her techniques for living a healthy lifestyle separate from society's desire to fit into a smaller body.

Unraveling Diet Culture

Change is only possible when it happens at the core of who you are. Unraveling diet culture can genuinely shake the foundation of who you are or what you thought you believed in. While this can seem daunting, it is important to see this new mindset as an opportunity to analyze where your previous thoughts have come from and whether they truly align with what you want.

Viewing your mindset as an opportunity to break away from the definition of health that diet culture has co-opted and instead embrace your own definition of health is the first step to understanding what true health really is.

Food Freedom in 2021

How do you define health? While advertisements tell us that your health is solely physical, it is truly a combination of the four bodies, including mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. By redistributing your energy to all four components of your overall health, you can work towards health in every aspect of the term.

2021 is the year that you can work towards freedom and focus on being healthier rather than just smaller. Steph’s voice is the voice you need to ring in the new year and can help you reject diet culture, set goals that don't include weight loss and help you feel better outside of your physical body.

Are you ready to enter into the new year focusing on what makes your body feel good? Share your key takeaways from this episode and this year with me in the comments section of the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • How to liberate yourself from diet culture through feminism (7:46)
  • Dismantling the possibility of rejecting diet culture while still desiring to be in a smaller body (13:21)
  • How to set goals for your health in a new and different way (17:40)
  • Discover how your mental health, emotions, and spirituality play into your physical health (23:55)
  • The difference between moderation versus abstaining when it comes to your food choices (26:19)

 

Quotes

“I teach it from that place of feminism, and that place of empowerment. And that connects with a certain group of women that are willing or at that place in their life where they are seeking power and seeking power for their own life.” (10:13)

“Remember, it is a thought, it is not a fact. And I think that is where the power lies, is recognizing that your desire to lose weight is just a thought, and you don’t have to believe in it, grab it and entertain it. It does not have power over you.” (15:10)

“The World Health Organization defines health as both mental, emotional, social, and yes, physical. Yet we are trained through tv advertising, marketing, even through my own medical training, to see health as just physical.” (19:48)

“There is physical restriction and there is psychological restriction, and moderation to me is a psychological restriction. It may have to be where you live at until you are willing to trust yourself more until you do the work to trust yourself more, and then gradually moderation will go away.” (27:52)

“I can help you be healthy. Here are all the things that you can do to be healthy, and none of it is going to give you a smaller body, but you are going to be healthier. You are going to move your body easier, you are going to have less inflammation, you are going to have all the things! Do you still want to lose weight?” (33:55)

“What if, in 2021, we focus on everything else but the size of your pants. What would happen? That’s my challenge to people.” (36:40)

 

Links

Join the Tune In Membership Here 

Going Beyond The Food Podcast

Stephanie Dodier Website

Conquer and Thrive Community Program

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Steph Gaudreau Website

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Related Episodes

LTYB 294: How To Unf*ck Your Brain with Kara Loewentheil

Dec 21, 2020

In these challenging times, body image struggles can get amplified fast. But, if you are prepared with practical ways to get through and understand a bad body image day, you can stop those gremlin thoughts in their tracks and reclaim the power you give your body.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Stop A Bad Body Image Day In Its Tracks, You Should:

  1. Acknowledge your gremlin dialogue and question why you are allowing yourself to believe the stories diet culture has told you
  2. View body positivity as a social justice issue and embrace body positivity for all bodies
  3. Allow space for the grieving of what society celebrates and venture into the tidal wave of your emotions
  4. Give yourself permission to listen to your body and do what feels right for your body in the here and now

Body Image With Bri Campos

Brianna Campos, or Body Image with Bri, as she is known on Instagram, is a mental health counselor, therapist, and body image coach. Bri is passionate about helping others maneuver through their body image journey and heal the relationship that her clients have with their bodies.

Getting Over Your Gremlin Thoughts

Bri views the nasty thoughts or critical self-talk we engage with as your ‘gremlin voice’. These thoughts can often be messy and uncomfortable, which is why we cover them up with the stories we have been told by diet culture. 

If you want to push through these gremlin voices, you need to acknowledge your inner dialogue, allow space for grief, and give yourself permission to be where you are right now, regardless of where everybody else is. By auditing your thoughts and focusing on the ones that align with your core values, you can choose to love yourself in a way that feels right for you.

Healing Your Body Image Relationship

Body image is not just about how you look. Body image encompasses everything from body positivity to privilege and your relationship with diet culture. The work begins when you start to question the stories that you tell yourself and take the leap into the tidal wave of grief and acceptance. 

While it is not always easy, dismantling how we treat ourselves and our bodies is essential in healing your relationship with your body and getting over your bad body image days with grace.

How are you giving yourself permission to be where you are now during this holiday season? Share which of Bri’s tips and techniques you are going to implement with me in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • How to stop having a bad body image day by acknowledging your ‘gremlin’ thoughts (9:56)
  • Why you should view body positivity as a social justice movement (11:46)
  • Acknowledging the downsides of diet culture and weight cycling (24:12)
  • The importance of allowing yourself to leave space and truly feel grief (28:54)
  • Tips for navigating the holiday season and the pandemic when having bad body image days (34:40)

 

Quotes

“People look to me not because I am perfect, but because I am vulnerable and I am honest.” (9:51)

“Body image is not just how you look. Body image is also how you believe others view you, how those belief systems have you show up in the world. And there is a piece of body positivity in society of how accessible life is for you in your body.” (12:31)

“I never believed that I could love my body until it looked the way I wanted it to. And it’s five years later, and I love my body. I don’t always love the way it looks or the way it moves, but I love my body, I love the vessel that it is and how it brings me closer to the values of connection and relationship and bringing good to the world.” (26:13)

“Grief is sort of like a tidal wave. If you resist it, it persists. It pulls you deeper and deeper. As opposed to if you just ride out with it, eventually, it puts you back onshore. Because that is what emotions do, we don’t stay in one place forever.” (31:50)

“I am going to honor my body, and this is how I am going to choose to love myself this holiday season.” (37:05)

 

Links

Join the Tune In Membership Here 

Body Grievers Group Coaching 

Body Image Supervision Cohort

Follow Body Image With Bri on Instagram

Unpacking the Knapsack of Privilege Article

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Steph Gaudreau Website

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Related Episodes

LTYB 302: Finding Joy & Acceptance in Fitness for Every Body with Kanoa Greene

LTYB 183: Dealing with Negative Body Image with Beauty Redefined

Dec 15, 2020

Have you ever considered that your unique human design could help you listen to your body better? While there are tons of personality tests out there, the human design focuses less on a type and more on what you need to know about yourself to function optimally.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Understand Yourself Better Through Human Design You Should:

  1. Look up your human design and understand what type you relate to the strongest
  2. Connect to your own unique way of making decisions
  3. Give yourself permission to be yourself and accept that everyone else is wonderfully different
  4. Take small steps to trust in the process and what lessons you are here to learn

Understanding Human Design With Erin Claire Jones

Erin Claire Jones uses Human Design to help thousands of individuals and companies step into their work and their lives as their most authentic selves and to their highest potential. Erin works as a guide, coach, and speaker, providing practical tools, digestible tips, and deeper self-knowledge so that you can gain access to living with greater ease and authenticity every single day.

We Are All Meant To Do Things Differently

Understanding your human design essentially means understanding how each of us is meant to make decisions. Harnessing the innate knowing that is within you can help you govern every decision and connect you to your unique decision-making process. By understanding your specific strategy and authority, you can create space in your life for pieces of alignment to fall into place and give yourself permission to be yourself.

Finding Beauty in the 5 Human Design Types

While human design works on a case by case basis, there are five main types that each holds unique hallmarks. Whether you are a manifesting generator, generator, projector, reflector, or manifestor, each one of us brings a different perspective and a different value to the table. When we are able to appreciate those differences, we will be brought closer together in our relationships and as a whole society.

Are you ready to better understand your human design and use it as a tool to explore yourself and be open to new possibilities? Share what aspect of human design intrigues you the most with me in the comments section of the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • How human design can act as a window to understanding more about ourselves and our bodies (6:50)
  • The role of human design when honoring your inner authority and outer authorities (10:06)
  • Tips for understanding your unique human design and the five main types (17:48)
  • What to do if you don’t feel aligned with your human design type (30:30)
  • Understanding your profile and how you are meant to uniquely manifest your purpose (37:21)

 

Quotes

“If there is anything that human design has taught me, it’s that we are all meant to do things differently.” (10:14)

“I’m not trying to convince you of anything. Take what resonates and leave the rest. This is a tool that is meant to be a tool that empowers you but does not limit you.” (17:10)

“Once we often dive more deeply into it, once we really explore it, it often makes so much more sense.” (30:32)

“I think that often my experience makes people feel so in love with themselves, and so empowered to do things in a way that uniquely works for them.” (31:37)

“I always say that we come into this life without an operating manual, and human design just gives us the manual.” (39:40)

 

Links

Join the Tune In Membership Here 

Angie M Jordan Podcast Mentor

Get 10% Off Your Personalized Blueprint with the code STEPH

Look Up Your Human Design Here

Book an Individual Session with Erin Here

Erin Claire Jones Website

Follow Erin on Instagram

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Steph Gaudreau Website

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Related Episodes

LTYB 311: Reclaiming Your Spark By Honoring Your Swagger w/ Anniedi Essien

LTYB 299: Tuning Into Your Inner Luminary w/ Leslie Tagorda

Dec 8, 2020

Do you have big ambitions? What about dreaming of changing the world? The reality is you can accomplish everything you want when you can overcome burnout and find your groove. Using your mind, body, and swagger, you can reclaim your spark, achieve your goals, and take care of yourself in the process.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Get Your Spark Back While Avoiding Burnout You Should:

  1. Stop letting your superwoman syndrome get in the way and start letting go of control and surrendering to the process
  2. Honor the relationship you have with yourself and build new relationships to help you going forward
  3. Intentionally make your wellness a top priority 
  4. Develop a wellness plan that is in line with your authentic self
  5. Work to develop your mind, body, and swagger so that you can have it all

Reclaiming Your Spark with Anniedi Essien

Anniedi Essien also had dreams of changing the world but looked up one day, realizing she had lost her unique spark. This is why Anniedi founded Idem Spark, where she helps women of every shape, shade, and size level up their mindset, embody their goals and embrace their own unique swagger.

Honoring Your Relationship With Yourself and Others

Many of us are led to believe that our worth comes from how we serve others. This can make putting your self-care as a priority as counterintuitive to what we have been taught. This is all wrong and can cause serious burnout. Instead of relying on yourself to be fiercely independent, there is strength in recognizing that you can't do it all alone. By working internally to repair your relationship with yourself, you can build new relationships that will support you going forward and help you become the woman you know you can be.

Mind, Body, and Swagger

The SPARK method works on your mind, body, and swagger to develop a wellness plan that is in line with your authentic self. We all have different goals and dreams, and it is only by owning your unique identity that you can create a plan that is aligned with you. 

There is no reward without risk, and it takes letting go of control and intentionally making your wellness a priority to see real change. Your body will let you know what it needs if you just start moving it, listening to it, and giving yourself the grace you need to move forward in these uncertain times.

Are you ready to define what success looks like on your terms, honor your mind, body, and swagger, and get your spark back? Share which of Anniedi’s methods you are going to implement into your self-care routine with me in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • The role of culture, the superwoman complex, and race when making yourself a priority (11:20)
  • How to let go of control and find and accept help from people who support you (15:34)
  • The best ways to holistically take care of yourself and build your own mind-body swagger (19:42)
  • How to get clued into your own unique desires and preferences if you have never given yourself the space to discover them (25:20)
  • Ways that you can use the SPARK philosophy to focus on your big vision while avoiding burnout (31:10)

 

Quotes

“This is all about how to go from being burnt out to being fired up. And for me that meant overhauling my wellness and really turning everything upside down.” (8:23)

“This superwoman syndrome that is like, ‘I am going to put my cape on and go out and save the world’, but we don't realize that we also have to save ourselves.” (13:32)

“Relying on a dream team actually first required me to build a relationship with myself and listen to my body, honor is cues that I had ignored for so many years, and know when to raise my hand and wave the white flag of surrender and say ‘I need help’.” (17:57)

“That swagger piece is really about owning your unique identity and really creating a plan that is aligned to you.” (24:20)

“You don't have to have it all together in the middle of a pandemic. What you want to be doing is giving yourself grace, and you want to be figuring out what you want to prioritize and tackle first.” (35:28)

 

Links

Join the Tune In Membership Here 

Use the Special Code LTYB20 For The Career Swagger Program

Idem Spark Website

Follow Idem Spark on Instagram | Facebook

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Steph Gaudreau Website

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Related Episodes

LTYB 307: Learning To Date With More Confidence with Lily Womble

LTYB 285: How To Stop Outsourcing Your Enoughness with Bonnie Gillespie

Dec 1, 2020

Are you suffering from a food lifestyle hangover? Counting calories and quantifying every little thing that you eat could actually be keeping you from listening to your body. Intuitive Eating is all about a more pleasurable and enjoyable way to eat that will help you start feeling better and enjoy food again.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Stop Counting Calories And Start Enjoying Food You Should:

  1. Trust the process of Intuitive Eating and find a system to support you
  2. Focus less on the calories of foods and more on how certain foods make you feel 
  3. Be patient with the process and allow yourself grace when navigating which foods are right for you
  4. Lead by example to create a future legacy that is not focused on restrictions and rules

The Power of Intuitive Eating

Caitlin Ball is a health coach who specializes in Intuitive Eating. After moving to Switzerland, Caitlin saw the astronomical difference between how food is approached in Europe compared to the United States. Once she experienced a transformative glimpse of Intuitive Eating, she knew she couldn't go back and had to share this information with the world.

Rejecting Diet Culture Once and for All

When working to gain more body awareness, trusting the process and finding a support system is key. As women, we have been told for so long that our worth is based on our appearance, and restricting ourselves and placing rules around food is the only way to achieve the goals society has set for us. Instead of giving into these restrictions, Intuitive Eating supports you so that you can feel great in your body, which is really all that is important.

Stop Restricting Yourself and Start Feeling

Caitlin realized that rather than counting calories, truly acknowledging how you feel after eating a certain food is a much better indicator of what your body needs. If you allow yourself to listen to your body, you will start making decisions based on what you feel you need next, not focusing on the ‘should’ or ‘should not's' of certain foods. By jumping into the mode of curiosity and observation regarding how food makes you feel, you can start to figure out what is right for your body, right here and right now.

Are you ready to leave the calories counting behind and walk away from the strictness and mental time it takes to quantify your food? Share which of Caitlin’s Intuitive Eating tips you are going to implement into your routine in the comments section on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • How a rejection of diet culture has resulted in a totally different relationship to food in parts of Europe (8:08)
  • Tips for breaking away from the need for control as an avid calorie counter (17:45)
  • Why relating how you feel towards what you are eating is a much better indicator than calorie counting (19:39)
  • How to make peace with food if you are worried about what is going to happen when you allow yourself certain foods (22:42)
  • The role of legacy in the work that you do through children and other young souls (34:01)

 

Quotes

“Once I tried out [intuitive eating], and I changed my personal relationship with food and realized I could travel and eat these foods and not eat too much and feel disgusting, and I could enjoy my life and start liking how my body looks without having to cognizantly want to change it, once I realize how much better life was with Intuitive Eating I had to share it!” (16:20)

“I knew in my heart that it wasn't working, I knew that there must be another way because I got a glimpse of it from the people around me.” (18:19)

“I realized that the calorie-counting wasn't actually doing anything for me, and the much better indicator was eating something, seeing how it made me feel, and then going from there and seeing what food I needed next after that.” (21:30)

“You do have to test your patience a little bit, but you will start to notice how these foods make you feel, and you will be able to start listening to your body a lot better and then be able to make changes from there.” (26:53)

“There are so many factors to how you feel because of this pandemic and everything that is going on in the world right now that do not have to do with food, so a juice cleanse is not going to solve all of your problems.” (33:08)

 

Links

Join the Tune In Membership Here

Caitlin Ball Website

Quit Dieting For Good Podcast

Follow Caitlin on Instagram

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Steph Gaudreau Website

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Nov 24, 2020

Learning how to put yourself in someone else’s shoes is critical for understanding the political, pathological, and personal ways in which black women and women of color experience their relationship to food. The truth is, food affects people differently, especially when it comes to their racial identity, and it is only by shedding the societal ‘should’s’ and outdated believes that we can soar higher.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Better Understand Why Food Is Political, Pathological, and Personal You Should:

  1. Hold space for the anger of black women and women of color 
  2. Stand with black women and women of color in solidarity 
  3. Do not shrink into shame but instead shine in power
  4. Ask how best you can support black women and women of color
  5. Become committed to the sisterhood and stop living from a scarcity mindset
  6. Understand the lasting effects of food insecurity and racism
  7. Create space for people to work through their pain without trying to rescue them
  8. Embrace the incredible journey of discovering your own soul
  9. Let go of the beliefs that undermine your gifts and strengths

Putting Yourself in Someone Else’s Shoes with SharRon Jamison

SharRon Jamison is a teacher, leader, minister, author, entrepreneur, and life strategist who is passionate about helping others be who they were born to be instead of settling for what society has told them to be. Through her own experience with racial injustice, eating disorders, and the patriarchy, SharRon breaks down boundaries and exposes inequalities so that women can come together and heal as a community.

Down With the Patriarchy

The patriarchy that we have been socialized into thrives by pitting women against each other and forcing a scarcity mindset. We are told not to trust other women and to compete with them as if there is only room for one of us at the top. While there is evidence of a light being turned on in America, we are still at the beginning stages of this illumination.

SharRon sees the first step to dismantling the patriarchy as white women coming together and standing with black women and women of color. Next, we need to embrace our ability to not shrink in shame but rather to shine in our power. Thirdly, white cis-gendered people need to be vocal about asking marginalized communities how they can provide support. Finally, by being committed to the sisterhood, we can spread the education necessary to stop wounding people of color.

Racism, Food, and the Diet Industry

Food is political, can be pathological, and is very personal. Many things may impact your ability to be healthy that are not directly in your control. This plays into the patriarchal system by keeping those oppressed and giving them very little opportunity to rise up from that oppression. 

The BUGS (beliefs that undermine your strengths and gifts) that society has told you to believe are true are keeping people suffering. SharRon wants you to remember who you were before society told you that you were not enough, and work to help others without the same privileges to stop being ignored by this broken system. Equip yourself with the tools, remember who you are, and advocate for other people so that we can step into the illumination that so many desperately need to see.

Have you ever connected the dots between systematic oppression, patriarchy, diet culture, and racism? Share how you are working to heal the ‘sister wound’ through sisterhood in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • The four steps that you can take to come together with other women and heal the collective wounds of the patriarchy (9:03)
  • Personal ways that being a black woman has altered SharRon’s relationship with food (15:29)
  • Why food carries different political, pathological, and personal weight for women of color (18:32)
  • How your racial background and socioeconomic status can impact your health and wellbeing (24:01)
  • The importance of decolonizing your thinking and connecting your history to your density (28:15)

 

Quotes

“We are being used as puppets to wound each other. And when we are aware of what is happening, we will stop wounding each other and start winning with each other and change the entire status quo.” (8:05)

“Just like a fish does not know they are swimming in water, sometimes we do not know that we are swimming in this toxic pool called white supremacy.” (11:32)

“I think that it is really, really important that people see how racism touches every aspect of their lives. So now, a lot of black women are not getting help, and anytime you don’t get help, you don’t get hope.” (18:10)

“People are hurting, and it is overlooked because when you are a person of color, you don’t have visibility. Or you are deemed as less valuable. So I feel pain, but I also feel pride. I feel pride because, despite limited resources, people find a way.” (24:42)

“Who were you before society told you who you were? You were amazing before you were socialized to be second class, before racism, before sexism, before ableism. You came to the world amazing, greatness is in your DNA!” (28:47)

 

Links

Join the Tune In Membership Here

SharRon Jamison Website

What Not To Say To Women Of Color by SharRon Jamison

Dare To Be Me Program

Deciding To Soar 2: Unwrapping Your Purpose by SharRon Jamison

Follow SharRon on Facebook | Instagram

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Steph Gaudreau Website

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Nov 17, 2020

Diet culture sucks. The stories that we have been conditioned to believe about our worth, the patriarchy, white supremacy, and so much more all play into how we feel about movement, exercise, and our bodies. Instead of viewing your exercise routine as a way to manipulate your body, I challenge you to embrace the limitless other benefits of movement. 

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Embrace The Infinite Benefits of Movement and Exercise You Should:

  1. Work to unlearn what you have been taught to be true and stop focusing on body manipulation
  2. Embrace the positive aspects of movement and exercise that do not have to deal with weight loss
  3. Acknowledge the false ways that you have been defining your worthiness and work to shift your mindset towards something more positive
  4. Lean into the things you don’t know and unpack the beliefs you have for yourself

Removing Diet Culture From Movement with Christina Montalvo

Christina Montalvo is a great friend, coach, gym owner, and someone who has personally been fucked over by diet culture. She created a unique women’s only strength and conditioning gym that does not encourage fat or weight loss. Christina is here to challenge you to unlearn what you have taught to believe is true and start thinking more critically about the ways you move your body and the reasons behind it.

Embracing the Infinite Benefits of Movement

If you start out having expectations of fat and weight loss when going into a movement routine or working with a trainer, the chances of you feeling disappointed and getting stuck in a cycle of giving up are much higher. Instead of putting pressure around how and why you are moving your body, lean into all of the other benefits of movement and exercise that have nothing to do with weight loss. This can lead to a higher retention rate as a provider and a greater sense of accomplishment as a client. 

Unlearning What You Have Been Taught To Believe Is True

There is a good chance that if you choose to engage in movement solely to manipulate your body, there is a much deeper reason guiding your decision-making. By acknowledging the false ways that you have been defining worthiness, checking your privilege, and making yourself your first priority, you can frame your purpose in a nourishing way instead of ripping yourself down. 

While it may be hard to unlearn how society has told you to engage with movement, it is only by leaning into the things you don’t know and unpacking the beliefs that you hold within yourself that you can truly start to embrace holistic movement and reject diet culture. 

Have you ever experienced an inclusive space where the infinite benefits of exercise and movement are prioritized over weight loss and body manipulation? Share how you work to create that space for yourself and reject diet culture in the comments section of the episode page

 

In This Episode

  • The importance of separating movement for health and wellness sake from movement for body manipulation sake (8:12)
  • Why associating movement and weight control or body manipulation is a problem (11:10)
  • The role of social justice when dismantling patriarchal standards and diet culture (18:24)
  • How to navigate the space between body autonomy and potentially harmful diet practices (23:38)
  • Common themes that are signs of searching for something deeper than a surface physical transformation (27:02)

 

Quotes

“I think what’s harder than learning anything new is unlearning everything that we have always thought to be true.” (10:14)

“The benefits of exercise and intentional movement are absolutely infinite, and it’s so crazy because I think that the benefits can be and are different for everyone.” (13:33)

“In any case where you are solely operating or participating in something from a place of fear or shame, that is not healthy, that is inherently unhealthy, and that is such a detriment to the wellbeing of anyone.” (18:19)

“Obviously a human can autonomously choose fat loss or weight loss, but there is a much deeper reason why they are choosing it.” (26:01)

“Whenever we are engaging in intentional weight loss, everything else in our life becomes much more grayscale. We turn down the intensity and the importance of everything else in our life, and the most important and prevalent thing becomes our bodies, our food choices, our calorie burn, what we look like, what we weigh. And so in some ways, it is a really socially acceptable way to just ignore and pacify ourselves to all these deeper, much more real, much more powerful, much more impactful problems or areas of focus in our lives.” (28:46)

 

Links

Join the Tune In Membership Group Here

What Is Intuitive Eating Free Training Series

Follow Christina on Instagram

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Steph Gaudreau Website

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Nov 10, 2020

Whether you are in a relationship or not, dating requires a large amount of confidence and the belief in extraordinary love within yourself. Dating more confidently and brazenly is all about listening to your body and trusting in the relationship you have with yourself. 

With a little work, support, and reframing, it is possible to view dating as an act of self-care and a space to feel whole within yourself. 

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Approach Your Relationships Brazenly, You Should:

  1. Reject narratives that tell you you are not enough, too much, or anything that is not in line with your truth
  2. Accept that you are the answer to your dating life and what is meant for you will not pass you by
  3. Stop letting the patriarchy influence the thoughts you have about yourself and where you ‘should be’ in life
  4. Normalize celebrating when you are thriving in any aspect of your life, not just dating

The Connection Between Listening To Your Body and Relationships

After working in various fields, Lily Womble quickly rose to become one of the top matchmakers at her firm. This was until she realized that the dating industry is very similar to the diet industry and works to feed on their client's insecurities. So, Lily broke up with the matchmaking game and started Date Brazen to help badass women find extraordinary love within themselves.

Swap Your Checklist for an Essence Based List

Lily believes that dating apps are like McDonald's. Your mind is programmed to want that sugar fix, and the way we have been conditioned encourages us to think that playing the numbers game will bring you more satisfaction. In reality, this false sense of accomplishment can cause more frustration. 

The important thing to remember is that you are the answer to your dating life, not an app, and what is meant for you will not pass you by, regardless if you choose to use an app or not. Instead of basing your checklist off of qualities, you think you want to dig deeper into what that particular hairstyle or height actually means about the core values you are searching for.

Extraordinary Is Possible

As women, we have been conditioned to believe a legacy of narratives that tell us that we are not enough, too much, or incorrect the way we are. It takes incremental work to gain a sense of wholeness again and reject the patriarchy that influences the thoughts we have about ourselves.

By getting to the essence of who you are and being more whole with yourself, you can use that jumping-off point to have fulfilling relationships that are on your terms and will make you feel like the amazing bright star that you are.

What is your brag? We want to know! Tag us on Instagram or share your brag in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

  • Why your checklist of what you think you want in a life partner may not actually be serving you (10:10)
  • Tips for navigating online dating when you don’t feel super confident or are afraid of judgment (15:48)
  • How to resolve not feeling like you are enough in order to achieve your relationship goals (22:16)
  • Dismantling the relationship between the patriarchy and how a woman values her worth and views herself (31:08)
  • The difference between celebrating your wins and bragging about yourself all the time (33:05)

 

Quotes

“That is how I came to break up with matchmaking and start Date Brazen to help badass women really find extraordinary love within themselves and in their dating lives with reflective work meets tactical action.” (9:58)

“The world is out of our control, there is very little that is in our control. And I think that without guidance, most people who are dating will look for those checklist things like the height, the weight, the college degree; they will look for those things because they think that is all they can control. When, in fact, it is really possible to measure how you feel in someone’s presence.” (14:14)

“What I believe is what is meant for you will not pass you by. So whether or not you choose to date on an app, you will find what is meant for you.” (20:14)

“This is legacy breaking work, and it takes a lot of time, and it takes me a lot of support to get to the place where I can believe I am worthy of extraordinary love and extraordinary relationships and extraordinary money and extraordinary connection.” (26:52)

“I think it is a really beautiful marriage between working on your dating mindset and your dating action plan while also continuing to celebrate who amazing and whole and successful and incredible you are.” (37:21)

 

Links

Date Brazen Website

The Brazen Breakthrough Waitlist

Date Brazen Podcast

Follow Lily on Instagram

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Steph Gaudreau Website

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Nov 3, 2020

2020 has been a rollercoaster of a year. With the pandemic and the uncertainty of the US election, it is more important than ever to take care of your emotional and mental health. This episode serves as your gentle reminder to take a moment to build up your emotional, mental, and physical resilience by being kind to yourself and others.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Take Care Of Your Mental And Emotional Health You Should:

  1. Listen to what your body is asking for, meet yourself with kindness, and build up your resilience
  2. Calm your nervous system by reaching out to your support system, giving yourself a break, and surround yourself in comfort
  3. Get out and VOTE

How To Take Care of You

All of the unknowns in the world right not can cause anxiety and overwhelm. Don’t keep these feelings to yourself. Instead, find ways that you can calm your nervous system, reach out to your support systems, surround yourself in comfort, give your eyes a break, and talk kindly to yourself.

Your Vote Matters

Simply existing in America in 2020 is political. Health is political. It is easy to think that your vote doesn't matter. But in reality, we need everyone to get out and vote to hold up our democratic process. I recommend that you vote for candidates and laws that work for and protect the most marginalized and at-risk folks in our country because when we vote to support policies that help people rise up, we all rise up together. Your vote matters, and we need your voice now more than ever.

How are you taking care of your mental and emotional health right now? Share your favorite routines, self-care rituals, and anything else you are doing to feel more at ease with me in the comments section of the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • How to focus on your resilience and give your body what it is asking for (4:50)
  • Why you need to calm your nervous system and kick in your parasympathetic nervous system (5:20)
  • The importance of talking kindly to yourself and meeting yourself with compassion (8:15)
  • Why you need to get out and vote today to hold up the democratic process (9:40)

 

Quotes

“If you are feeling like this is all super much, you are not alone, at all. And I think it is important to normalize that these feelings are normal and it is okay to have challenging feelings, all emotions are valid.” (3:02)

“I am here to encourage you to check in with yourself and take care of yourself.” (4:26)

“Talk kindly to yourself, it is so so important. Negative mind talk and shaming is never motivating.” (8:27)

“Please vote today if you can. I know not everybody can vote, but if you are able to, please vote. Please get down to the polling station, drop off your mail-in ballot, make sure it is postmarked. I know it can feel like your vote doesn't count, or you are just one voice, but we really need your vote.” (9:51)

“Health is political. Existing in this country is political, and it touches everything.” (10:19)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Steph Gaudreau Website

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Oct 27, 2020

Did you know there are over 5000 body language moves, all of which tell a story about the person expressing the movement and the person interpreting it? By understanding how to read and use body language effectively, you can understand yourself better, build your confidence, and decode others' body language.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Use Body Language To Show Up More Confidently, You Should:

  1. Take the time to set yourself up ‘inside the frame’ and enter any room with your head held high
  2. Always keep your hands visible and look out for signs of ‘tells’ from other peoples hands
  3. Stay away from a dark color palette and instead wear colors from the sunset such as light blue
  4. Believe in your confidence to send out subconscious confidence signals to you and those around you

Connecting To Your Body Through Body Language

Tiff Lee is dedicated to helping women be seen and heard in all areas of life with the life-changing information that is body language decoding. Once you hear what Tiff has to say about body language cues, how to use body language to improve your relationships or seek out when someone is lying, and ways that you can use body language to improve your confidence, you are never going to forget it.

What Can Body Language Do for You?

How you present yourself through your physical body language can drastically change how you show up in the world. Body language can help you step into your confidence (even if you aren’t actually feeling that cool) and provide a way for you to connect back into your body and what you are doing. Instead of being quiet and passive, proper body language and expression can help you command the attention you deserve with ease.

Decoding Others Through Body Language

Understanding body language can not only give you the awareness to appear more confident; it can also help you pick up on other people's cues. While most people think about body language decoding as something out of a CSI episode, it is really just a simple tactic to help you sense when something might not be quite right. 

Small movements such as a shoulder shrug, hiding your hands, or an anxious ‘pacifier’ are all signs that you should tune into what someone else's body is trying to tell you. Body language's power lies in your ability to be aware of the body cues that make a person look anxious so that you can stop yourself from involuntarily showing up that way too.

Have you ever considered that your subconscious body language is hindering or helping your ability to show up as your true authentic self? How do you relate to body language and body connectivity? Share which piece of Tiff’s advice you are going to implement into your daily routine with me in the comments section of the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Simple, proactive ways to change the way you are seen and heard in all areas of life (12:46)
  • The most common giveaways to look out for to determine someone’s truthfulness or lack of truthfulness (17:13)
  • How to use your body language to increase your own confidence and decrease your self-doubt (22:16)
  • Specific hand gestures that make you look less confident and how to avoid making them (27:20)
  • Tips to show up at your next Zoom meeting in a more confident and secured way (29:39)

 

Quotes

“We miss out on these things because we are so busy listening that we don’t see what is going on physically.” (8:50)

“These movements should be congruent with what you are saying verbally. So anytime the verbal doesn’t match the nonverbal, that is kind of your cue that something else may be going on.” (18:40)

“It is really hard to try to verbally tell the truth and then have your body language match that. Because our brains don’t like to do both, they can only do one or the other.” (19:45)

“When you are not feeling that confident, try to do those things. Because those small movements will register on a subconscious level to other people, and then, believe it or not, it’ll register for you too!” (26:10)

“When people think of body language, the first thing they tend to think about is the lies, and the negativity, and the criminal shows, and all of that. And while it is extremely valid in those areas, it's also so important in our everyday lives.” (35:56)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Steph Gaudreau Website

TruthTeller Online Website

Follow Tiff on Instagram

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Oct 20, 2020

We have made it to the final principle in our Intuitive Eating series, and it is by far the most misunderstood of them all. Principle 10 is all about gentle nutrition and embracing food as something that is there to nurture you, not punish you.

Key Takeaways

If You Want to Embrace Gentle Nutrition You Should:

  1. Stop pitting your inner wisdom and inner body trust against the external world and social pressures found in diet culture
  2. Let go of your perfectionism and restrictions and start integrating your body wisdom and logic when it comes to food
  3. Change your mindset by embracing moderation and learn to trust your bodies ability to self-regulate

Lets Set the Record Straight About Gentle Nutrition

There are many misunderstandings around Principle 10, which is why it is the last principle for good reason. All of the principles have a firm basis in nutrition, but exploring gentle nutrition is something that must be done after you have already embraced the Intuitive Eating framework.

Your Body Is Your Home

Many of us have been raised to distrust our bodies and live in fear of our own being. This is simply ludicrous, and we have diet culture to thank for pitting ourselves against our own inner wisdom and body trust in favor of how we look externally. You should not be fearful or anxious about your body, but instead, embrace your physical vessel and how it works to serve you in the world at any size or shape.

Your Search for Perfection Is Not Healthy

If what you are eating or your constant search for perfection is causing you stress or anxiety, it is not healthy. How we think about food directly affects our actions towards it, and it is only by changing our mentality to an additive mindset rather than a restrictive one that we can start to embrace our worthiness. When it comes to making intuitive eating a part of your life, it involves practice and support. Changing your mindset may take some time, but it is crucial to your ability to stop looking for perfection on your plate and start embracing how your body can serve you right here and now.

What was your favorite principle shared in the Intuitive Eating series? Share your ‘a-ha’ moment or a recent win with me in the comments section of the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Debunking the most common misunderstandings surrounding the final principle of Intuitive Eating (5:50)
  • Why gentle nutrition needs to be the last principle you embrace on your Intuitive Eating journey (14:24)
  • Where diet culture comes from and why it is systemically built into our fatphobic society (19:19)
  • Why mindset is a key part of the Intuitive Eating framework and your relationship to food (21:22)
  • How to embrace the principle of moderation and trust your bodies ability to self-regulate (23:17)

 

Quotes

“We are in our bodies. It is the vessel, the vehicle, by which we get around. It houses our intellect, our emotional being, our energetic being, it is how we interact with people and have a human experience.” (8:56)

“It is very, very common for people to want to go right to gentle nutrition first, it's familiar, but here is the reason why gentle nutrition is the last principle in the book. A lot of people think, ‘oh it would be more credible if it was in the beginning’. But there is a reason for that.” (14:34)

“We need to understand that what we choose to eat has to also work for us as mental, emotional beings, and all of the other aspects of our wellbeing. It can't just be the physical.” (15:51)

“Mindset is a key part of the framework that I teach because how we think about food directly affects our actions.” (21:28)

“Our bodies are innately wise, and we meddle in that because we have been taught to distrust.” (23:18)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

LTYB 296: 3 Ways to Make Eating More Satisfying (Intuitive Eating Principle 5)

LTYB 297: 3 Ways to Honor Your Body’s Fullness (Intuitive Eating Principle 6)

LYTB 300: 4 Questions to Ask About Emotional Eating (Intuitive Eating Principle 7)

LYTB 301: How To Practice Body Respect (Intuitive Eating Principle 8)

LTYB 303: Stop Earning and Burning Your Food Through Movement (Intuitive Eating Principle 9)

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Oct 13, 2020

Diet culture has told us that exercise is the tool we need to use to earn the food we want to eat, burn off the food we have already eaten, and control our bodies. In reality, exercise and movement can be something that adds dimension and joy to your life, but only if you let go of this perfectionist mentality. Movement has so many other benefits, and controlling the size of your body is just simply not one of them.

Key Takeaways

If you want to stop using exercise as a tool of control you have too:

  1. Accept that exercise is not the way to control the size of your body
  1. Use movement in a way that adds to your wellbeing rather than restricts you in the name of health 
  2. Focus on how movement makes you feel and listen to what your body is trying to tell you

When Did Movement Get Replaced by Exercise?

There is a good chance that at some point in your life, movement for the sake of enjoying movement was replaced by exercise and the desire to control what your body looks like. I remember the exact moment that happened to me as a young girl who was in a bigger body than the rest of her schoolmates. Despite loving being active, society told me that I should be more concerned with my aesthetics than with my relationship to movement.

Shifting Your Mindset Around Movement

I want you to know that this perfectionism mindset is not the truth, and it is possible to embrace exercise as a sustainable way to add value and joy to your life, rather than just something you hate and use to earn your food. The all or nothing mentality that society has pushed around exercise and our bodies is getting in the way of you doing the kind of movement that feels really great. By getting clear on what your body is telling you, you can weave movement into your life in a way that is nourishing and more aligned for you. 

Your Worth Is Not Based on What You Can Do

Getting stuck in the mentality of having your worth based on what you can do is a false promise. So many things can happen outside of our control that can shake this foundation. Instead of placing your value in your exercise routine or the number on the scale, movement can be a stepping stone to realizing that movement is about so much more than just controlling your body and keeping it smaller. By being gentle with yourself in terms of expectations, letting go of the all or nothing mindset that society has bred into us, and finding a type of movement that aligns with what makes your body comfortable.

How has your relationship to movement and exercise changed through the presence of diet culture? What type of movement do you feel aligns with where you are, here and now? Share your thoughts on Intuitive Eating Principle 9 with me in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Learn about my story of feeling shame around my body as a kid (6:50)
  • How to embrace sustainable movement rather than an exercise to control the size of your body (9:05)
  • Tips for getting out of the all or nothing mentality when it comes to your worth (15:50)
  • Discover the benefits of movement and how to listen to what your body is trying to tell you (18:20)
  • Why perfectionism can be one of the biggest barriers is when it comes to embracing intuitive eating (25:15)

 

Quotes

“We're going to talk today about how to shift your mindset and practice from exercise being something you hate, something you do to earn the food you want to eat or burn off the food you did eat, and into something that is a sustainable practice that really adds dimension and joy to your life and brings so many other benefits besides just controlling the size of your body.” (2:30)

“For me, my endurance, movement and exercise became a way for me to hide and run away from my other problems in my life.” (14:33)

“There's just so many things that can happen that then shake that foundation if you stop your personal development and growth at the stage of just thinking you are only as good as what you can do.” (16:31)

“There are so many reasons why you may be predisposed to all or nothing thinking, you may have learned perfectionist outlooks as a young person, or if you were perfect, then that meant that the important people who kept you feeling safe in your life wouldn't go away. For me, that's one of the origins of my perfectionism, and I have had to learn how to unpack that.” (25:54)

“How can you start to weave movement into your life in a way that is really nourishing? Is it a way for you to care for your body in a basic way? And works with your personal preferences and your life setup?” (31:10)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

LTYB 296: 3 Ways to Make Eating More Satisfying (Intuitive Eating Principle 5)

LTYB 297: 3 Ways to Honor Your Body’s Fullness (Intuitive Eating Principle 6)

LYTB 300: 4 Questions to Ask About Emotional Eating (Intuitive Eating Principle 7)

LYTB 301: How To Practice Body Respect (Intuitive Eating Principle 8)

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Oct 6, 2020

Having joy in your workout can help you get closer to your goals, feel comfortable in your here and now body, and connect to movement in a way that breaks down the barriers so commonly seen in fitness culture. Kanoa Greene uses her warmth, radiance, and strength to encourage and support others to find joy in movement and show up in the fitness space exactly as you are now.

Key Takeaways

In Order To Show Up As Your Authentic Self You Must:

  1. Seek Out Representation For Your Body Type And A Community That Makes You Feel Supported
  2. Stop Comparing Yourself To Other People In Different Size Bodies And Start Embracing Where You Are Now
  3. Find A Type Of Movement That Brings You Joy and Stop Sweating The Small Stuff

Fitness For Everybody And Every Body with Kanoa Greene

Kanoa Greene is a fitness coach and trainer who is passionate about bringing fitness to everybody and every body. A plus size girl herself, Kanoa knows first hand the importance of representation and inclusivity in the fitness space. While she has had to switch up her coaching model due to the pandemic, she has found her tribe bringing weekly workouts to Instagram that get creative in breaking down the fitness wall even further.

Finding Joy In Movement

Kanoa’s radiant and positive energy is contagious, which is clear during her weekly dance parties and finding joy in working out. Kanoa believes that movement can help bridge the gap between your mental and emotional health, and wants to show up in a fitness space where there is not an accurate representation of larger bodies. By inviting all bodies to be part of the conversation, Kanoa is making a place for everybody and proving that anyone can be part of this movement.

Everybody Is Struggling, Not Just You

Kanoa owns her role as the ‘hot mess express’ and her main goal is to authentically share where she is right now to inspire you to do the same. By not sweating the small stuff, finding encouragement in unexpected places, and learning how to navigate conversations on image-based platforms, you too can find a feeling of support and safety in Kanoa’s world. Kanoa wants you to know that everybody is struggling, and by surrounding yourself with positivity and encouragement, you can show up just as you are.

How are you working to stop comparing yourself to others and start showing up authentically as you are now? Share what you loved most about Kanoa’s energetic, positive and accepting perspective in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Navigating the changes between in-person coaching classes and going online due to Covid-19 (7:41)
  • How to approach movement with enjoyment even if it is challenging (12:28)
  • The importance of having a safe place to move your body when your body is not represented often in fitness (15:30)
  • Why fitness trainers do not have everything worked out and are instead on this journey with you (23:18)
  • Learn how Kanoa created the worlds first surf event dedicated to supporting plus size women (25:12)

 

Quotes

“There’s not a lot of times you get to see an instructor that looks like me, but also someone who is teaching a class like boot camp or spin or some of these more strength conditioning classes. So my role was really to come in there and make movement accessible and tear down that wall.” (8:23)

“I want to move for joy but I also want to move with intentionality.” (13:23)

“If I can show up and help ease that for someone else. If I can create that safe space and she can look at me and say ‘if she can do that hard thing, I can do one little step. If she can take a big old leap, I have the courage and confidence with her to take even a small step’. That’s why it is important for me to show up in as many places as I need too, especially when there is not that representation there.” (16:38)

“We all have different experiences, we are all different human beings, and as long as you are living your authentic self then you do you boo!” (22:28)

“No matter what it is that I am doing, its, ‘I am struggling too. I am a hot mess on a lot of those workouts’. I am sweating, I am dying, and I am working too, I am struggling too, and I am in this right alongside with you.” (24:12)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Follow Kanoa on Instagram

Follow Plus Size Retreats on Instagram

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Sep 29, 2020

Have you ever been told to embrace self-love, when it seems like the most impossible thing in the world? The idea of self-love can lead to the cognitive dissonance that results in many of us giving up on our goals altogether. Instead of feeling ashamed at not being able to love your body, I argue that body respect and body neutrality are much more attainable and positive goals.

Key Takeaways

If You Want To Learn How To Respect Your Body You Have Too:

  1. Give yourself basic care and dignity
  2. Find clothes that fit your body right now comfortably
  3. Challenge yourself to stop body comparing

Why Self Love Is the Wrong End Goal

The concept of loving yourself is a wonderful idea. But for those of us who have come from or are currently in a state where we hate our bodies because we are stuck in the cycle and influence of diet culture, we blame ourselves and the concept of love feels incredibly foreign.

You Deserve To Be Taken Care of as You Are Right Now

No matter what society, influencers, and diet culture have taught you to believe, you deserve to be taken care of as you are right now. You deserve the same basic care, basic nourishment, and basic dignity that some people provide more of to their pets than they do to themselves. Get some clothes that fit, stop staring at the scale, and believe that you are worthy of love, respect, and care even if you don’t love yourself as you currently right now.

The Problem With Body Comparing

Comparing your body, whether it is to a past version of you or to someone else, can only do harm. While respecting the current state of your body isn’t always easy because of the messages sent to us by diet culture, it is only by rejecting the notion that smaller bodies equal better bodies that you can start to appreciate how your body is serving you. Next time you are in a conversation that results in people comparing or shaming other people’s bodies that are nobodies business, I challenge you to remove yourself or stop that conversation in its tracks. While it can be hard to muster up the courage, I promise you will feel better for it.

Are you ready to replace self-love with body respect and start treating your body with the dignity and care it deserves? You can do this, I promise. Let me know your thoughts about Intuitive Eating Principle 8 in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Why the idea of body respect is more attainable than the idea of self-love for many of us (7:40)
  • The importance of support when learning about and implementing intuitive eating (10:48)
  • Tips for distancing yourself from people and places that perpetuate diet culture (12:20)
  • Health-promoting habits that you can engage in that are weight neutral (14:33)
  • How to respect your body by wearing clothes that suit it right now (18:02)
  • Why you need to stop comparing your body and stop being the hero (23:45)

 

Quotes

“Intuitive Eating is not a new concept, it has been around for a long time. And humans are innately intuitive eaters so this isn’t just some other diet.’ (2:58)

“I wish that the idea of body neutrality and body respect was in my lexicon, was something I had learned about, even back then. Because I think it would have been a much faster stepping stone to get to the point where I was more comfortable with my body.” (8:45)

“We don’t want to make wellness another set of boxes to tick, but really making it fit for your life and doing the best you can right now. So maybe that means talking to somebody about your struggles, maybe that means getting out and moving your body in a way that feels really good for you. But coming back to basic care and dignity.” (15:41)

“You deserve to be taken care of and you deserve to care for yourself right now.” (16:56)

“The more we stop this constant body comparison, the easier it is for us to respect our bodies.” (27:27)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

LTYB 296: 3 Ways to Make Eating More Satisfying (Intuitive Eating Principle 5)

LTYB 297: 3 Ways to Honor Your Body’s Fullness (Intuitive Eating Principle 6)

LYTB 300: 4 Questions to Ask About Emotional Eating (Intuitive Eating Principle 7)

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Sep 22, 2020

Intuitive Eating Principle 7 is all about emotional eating. Why do we eat when our stress levels are up? What can we do to step away from the cupboard and only eat when we’re actually hungry? Let’s talk about the four questions you need to ask yourself.

Key Takeaways

The Four Questions to Ask Yourself About Emotional Eating:

  • Is your hunger physical or emotional in nature? [13:06]
  • How are you generally feeling? [15:45]
  • What is the need you’re having in that moment or what is the boundary? [16:23]
  • How can you fulfill that need or express that boundary without turning to food? [19:20]

About Emotional Eating

Emotional eating is something that most people on this planet are familiar with. When you’re not sure if you’re hungry for food, but there’s this emptiness inside or uneasiness that makes you reach for something.

I have absolutely been there. You’re so not alone! Here are four questions you need to ask yourself when you think you might be eating emotionally.

Why We Eat Emotionally

As with almost anything we do, there are deep-rooted reasons why we do what we do. Emotional eating is no different. One of the biggest reasons we turn to food is because of stress!

For some people, comfort eating is the only way they know how to navigate stressful feelings or any other number of emotions. So when this is the only mechanism you have, of course, you’re going to turn to it more often.

Honestly, and I want to stress this, saying that you’re never going to emotionally eat again is not realistic. There will be times you eat when you’re not hungry! Plus, food has so much more significance in our lives than just curbing hunger.

You are not a failure if you turn to food to navigate your life right now.

Four Questions to Ask About Emotional Eating

What we’re talking about today is how you can start recognizing the different types of hunger in your body. Hunger for nourishment feels different than hunger from loneliness or stress.

But if you’ve never learned to tell the difference between these feelings, it can be hard to start. I’ve broken down the four questions you should ask yourself when you reach for food.

Check-in with your body. Is your hunger physical or emotional? How are you feeling in general? Really get in tune with your emotions, here.

What need are you having right now? What is the boundary that you’re coming up against? And finally, how can you fulfill that need without turning to food?

Build up your arsenal of other ways you can work through your emotions that don’t involve food. Whether it’s journaling, going for a walk, calling your best friend, or something else, I’d love it if you let me know in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Why it’s not realistic to say you’ll never eat emotionally again [7:35]
  • How the different types of hunger manifest in your body [13:30]
  • The four questions you need to ask yourself about emotional eating [14:00]
  • How setting boundaries can help you handle your emotional eating [18:30]

 

Quotes

“Stress can drive us to use food to fill emotional needs.” [6:54]

“In times of high stress, for some people, comforting or finding safety and security in food is the only mechanism that they have or they know.” [8:32]

“Food is more than just energy. Food can be an emotional, cultural, social, or religious experience.” [12:15]

“Getting more clarity on how you feel, not just the sensations in your body, which can be a very helpful stepping stone, but emotionally, how do you feel? Different people have different amounts of access to this at any one given point.” [15:54]

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

National Eating Disorder Association Free Assessment

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

LTYB 296: 3 Ways to Make Eating More Satisfying (Intuitive Eating Principle 5)

LTYB 297: 3 Ways to Honor Your Body’s Fullness (Intuitive Eating Principle 6)

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Sep 15, 2020

Knowing the basics behind your astrological chart can be a benefit to you if you own your own business or even if you are just looking for clarity on your individual decisions. By learning to embrace the parts of your chart that you both like and dislike, you can gain a better understanding of who you are as a whole and how you can use your strengths in ways that you have never considered before.

Key Takeaways

Astrology Can Help You Tap Into Your Innate Wisdom By:

  1. Providing you with clarity on your strengths, weaknesses, and how you can use them to progress yourself and your career
  2. Helping you trust your intuition and the knowledge of your body that you will do what is right for you
  3. Fit the pieces of your life and business together to have the courage to make a big change and bet on yourself

How to Harness Your Strengths Through Astrology with Leslie Tagorda

Leslie Tagorda is a brand strategist who works with online businesses to better understand their astrological chart and how it can help them make aligned decisions in business and in life. Leslie took a big chance on herself and started New Moon Creative Co to help others use astrology to discover and validate the decisions they are making in business and in life. Today Leslie is here to share the reason behind her career pivot and how you can use astrology to fit all of the pieces of your life together.

Pivoting Your Business To What's True For You

Fed up with hiding herself and staying small, Leslie decided to move mountains and create a change that felt in line with her vision. Instead of having fear of jumping into the unknown, Leslie embraces these challenges and leans into the idea of reinvention and evolutionary growth. Astrology will be your guiding light to help you take the leap, trust in yourself, and understand your decision making process better so that you can trust your intuition and listen to the knowledge of your body.

Embracing The Innate Wisdom Of The Stars

2020 is a seismic year in more ways than one. Astrology can help you embrace the spiritual awakening that is currently happening, tap into the archetype of the divine feminine, and use your soft powers to listen to your intuition and make the right decisions for you and your business. Whether you are new to astrology or well-versed in your astrological chart, Leslie is here to help you open up the cosmos and understand what is in store for your future.

Do you pay attention to your astrological chart? How has astrology impacted your ability to get in touch with your body and the world around you? Share what role astrology plays in your life in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • How to get over your self-doubt when deciding to make a big life change (14:50)
  • The importance of understanding what money means to you and creating money-related goals (18:29)
  • Why you need to embrace the idea of reinvention when looking at your astrological chart (22:30)
  • What to do if you don’t like the energy coming from your chart and how to embrace it instead (24:20)
  • How to become more receptive to your intuition and the divine feminine power (29:30)
  • Gain an insight into the planetary alignments for 2020 and beyond (34:55)

 

Quotes

“Only a couple years ago did I really start getting fed up with hiding, fed up with keeping small, fed up with not valuing myself.” (8:23)

“There was always something magical about stars that I was really drawn too. So astrology adding the story behind the science, both of which I love and believe in, just put everything together for me. It was the first click of a few puzzle pieces put together.” (13:56)

“I think the moral of the story is that if we could only see ourselves and accept ourselves in the way that other people see us.” (21:01)

“Deciding that we are going to be looking at our charts in this very empowering way, it helps us to evolve and express ourselves and the highest potential. That’s what lights me up about astrology.” (23:57)

“Our body is this device, and when people say ‘listen to your gut’, of course, because our mind doesn’t live in our gut, but our gut has infinite knowledge.” (32:53)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

New Moon Creative Co Website

Join The Savvy Luminary Facebook Group

The Savvy Luminary Podcast

Follow Leslie on Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest 

We Should All Be Millionaires Book Club

10 Ways to Embrace Your Soft Powers Instagram Post

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Sep 8, 2020

Are you looking to show up more authentically in the world despite our current diet culture? Grace Edison is a certified and trauma-informed yoga teacher who has taken her experience with diet culture and has fostered a space of honesty. Grace wants you to know that it is okay to not be okay right now, and by embracing a collective consciousness of clarity and support, you can give your trauma space to heal.

Key Takeaways

In Order To Start Showing Up Authentically You Must: 

  1. Give yourself the space to discuss the trauma that has been brought to your genetically or throughout the past year
  2. Stop trying to show up and honor diet culture and instead show up to honor who you want to be in the world
  3. Building an authentic community to remind yourself that you are not alone and that you always have the opportunity to start again

Showing Up Authentically with Grace Edison

Everything from ‘Naked Face for Grace’ to collective trauma bonding is on the table today as Grace takes you down the path of no resistance. By supporting other women, showing up authentically without concern of judgment, and embodying the choices that feel right for you, you can stop feeling obligated to satisfy diet culture and start living as your true self.

Using Collective Trauma To Your Advantage

Whether you are unconsciously body bashing, afraid to stop wearing makeup, or are just trying to start showing up as who you are unapologetically, Grace is here to support you. Building an authentic community to remind yourself that you are not alone and that you always have the opportunity to start again, can help you face your fears of the unknown and start to embody the choices you make for yourself because you want to make them.

The Power Of Showing Up As You Are

Grace believes that collectively, women are getting better at supporting itching through trauma or struggle. Instead of getting wrapped up in what you look like, Grace advocates that it is okay to not have it all together. By reflecting on how you show up in the world, whether it is your makeup, fashion, weight, or something else, it is all about showing up as you are and feeling better by taking care of yourself however that looks for you.

What was your biggest takeaway from Grace’s nuggets of wisdom? Share what you loved most about her perspective in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Why it is important to give yourself space to discuss the trauma that has been brought up for you in 2020 (9:54)
  • How the state of diet culture is being dismantled by the current events of our modern world (11:52)
  • Dismantling the armor that makeup provides and the barriers it can cause between other women (16:00)
  • Tips for becoming okay with showing up as you are and the effect it can have on how people relate to you (25:12)
  • How to find the balance between ‘over’ and ‘under’ doing (31:08)

 

Quotes

“With everything going on, with how f*cked up this year has been, I feel like it is really giving us this opportunity to make real, authentic connections. And its sort of lifted this idea that we have to show up and look a certain way and have it all together, its really given permission.” (9:26)

“The beauty myth is really designed to keep us [women] separate, because if we are working together, if we are solid and in a community within one another, then we can accomplish so much.” (14:32)

“That’s what really started to tune me into the competitiveness between women, that it’s not even to get the guy or the girl or whoever, its actually some kind of rank.” (21:53)

“I think that I was never the pretty girl, so I did have to develop, I was always entertaining and wanted to be funny even out of the womb, but I kind of always had to work a little bit harder to be seen and heard because I wasn’t pretty.” (25:17)

“It’s about taking care of our bodies, but its also about us realizing the reasons we weren’t.” (34:58)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Grace Edison Website

Follow Grace on Facebook

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Sep 1, 2020

Continuing on with our Intuitive Eating Principles Series, today I am supplying you with tips on how to start tuning into your body's sense of fullness. Intuitive Eating is all about self-knowledge, self-care, and self-compassion, and when you can listen to your body's signals, you can better understand when you are full and what foods are satisfying you.

Finding Support Through Intuitive Eating

Intuitive Eating is not a solo experience. It takes a good support group and framework in order to accomplish your goals and break up with diet culture. Through Intuitive Eating Principle 6, you can begin to listen to the messages your body is sending you, and get back to treating your body right.

How to Acknowledge Your Bodies Unique Fullness Signals

When was the last time you took a moment to check in with yourself during mealtime? Oftentimes we can rush through or distract ourselves when eating, which leads to stuffing ourselves past the point of satisfaction. Instead of eating past the point of comfortable fullness, Intuitive Eating can help you stop when you are satisfied.

Three Tips to Start Listening To Your Body

Diet culture has robbed many of us the trust we need in our bodies to be able to eat without a set of restrictions. By checking in with yourself throughout your meal, avoiding the ‘air foods’ that many diets try to push as ‘healthy’, and by listening to the innate cues your body is giving you, you too can feel your fullness and honor your body's needs.

Do you struggle with your ability to sense your fullness, stop clearing the plate, and finish eating when you feel truly satisfied? Share how you differentiate between fullness and satisfaction with me in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • The importance of a support system when diving into Intuitive Eating and going against the grain of diet culture (3:20)
  • Three points to help you start tuning into your hunger and feeling your fullness (6:30)
  • Why you should stop filling up on ‘air foods’ that diet culture tells you are the ‘right’ choice (14:06)
  • The difference between satisfying your hunger and actually fueling your body with real foods (17:00)
  • How to become okay with not always finishing your plate and avoid binge eating (18:08)

 

Key Takeaways

In Order To Start Feeling Your Fullness You Must:

  1. Get real about what dieting has taken from you and start to pay attention to the innate signals coming from within your body 
  2. Avoid filling up on ‘air foods’ and create moments to pause and check-in during mealtimes
  3. Honor the signals that you feel of hunger or fullness and build trust in yourself that you can eat again

 

Quotes

“Please do not attempt this Intuitive Eating journey completely by yourself, and think that you have to be the hero and do everything and it's an individual pursuit. Because really, that’s what diet culture loves.” (3:48)

“Intuitive Eating isn’t one of those things that you read or you hear a podcast about and you think ‘Great, now I’m an intuitive eater!’. No! It's something that you practice and something you have to embody.” (5:12)

“If you consistently rush through meals or you are consistently distracted and you haven't practiced feeling and sensing your fullness, this is a huge area for growth opportunity for you to be able to start doing that.” (13:12)

“If my tactic, every time I start to feel hungry or every time I try to fill myself up, is to go back to relying on these ‘air foods’, it's not saying they don't provide any kind of benefit, but are they really satisfying our hunger? And the answer in a lot of those cases is ‘no’.” (17:04)

“It's not an arbitrary portion control based on external rules. This is about tuning in, noticing… building that trust again that what your body is telling you is something you can begin to listen too.” (21:53)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

National Eating Disorder Association Free Assessment

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

LTYB 296: 3 Ways to Make Eating More Satisfying (Intuitive Eating Principle 5)

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Aug 25, 2020

Have you ever stopped to notice if you are actually being present and enjoying the foods that you are eating? Instead of being held captive to the strict rules that diet culture forces you to conform too, Intuitive Eating can help you find pleasure and peace in the foods you are consuming.

Intuitive Eating Principle #5

Intuitive Eating Principle #5 is all about finding the satisfaction factor in food. With 3 simple steps, you can start to check in with yourself and start truly experiencing and enjoying the act of eating.

Don’t Let Dieting Restrict You Anymore

Instead of adhering to the ‘black and white, all or nothing, either/or dynamic’ that diets push as the only way to do things, Intuitive Eating will empower you to start taking back control of the things that you are putting into your body. It is time to start giving yourself some grace when it comes to the negative thoughts you have internalized due to diet culture. Alternatively, you can start giving yourself the compassion and kindness necessary to embrace Intuitive Eating and break up with the diet cycle for good.

Three Things That Will Help You With the Satisfaction Factor of Food

By finding out what foods you actually like, being present in the experience of eating, and choosing things that will actually satisfy you, you can gain more clarity and awareness on what foods are serving you. It is time to stop giving diet culture permission to choose what goes into your body, and Intuitive Eating Principle #5 is here to help you accomplish that.

How do you work to be more present and mindful when you are eating so that you can bump up your Satisfaction Factor when it comes to food? Share how you are incorporating Intuitive Eating Principle #5 with me in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Learn why hating or loving your body does not have to be black and white (5:50)
  • Why you should stop letting diet culture take away your autonomy and make your choices for you (10:45)
  • How to eat more mindfully and actually enjoy the foods you are eating (14:41)
  • Tips for discovering what will actually satisfy you in a moment of hunger (19:52)
  • How to differentiate between foods you really want or are just craving as a reaction to deprivation (22:40)

 

Key Takeaways

The Top 3 Things to Remember About Intuitive Eating Are:

  1. Intuitive Eating is a framework, not a gospel that must be followed with restrictions and limits
  2. Being mindful and present during your eating experience can help you check in with yourself throughout the meal
  3. By focusing on what will actually satisfy you, you can build your trust in yourself and reject common diet tactics

 

Quotes

“If we set a black and white, all or nothing, either/or dynamic, that says either I love my body all the time or I am hating on my body all the time, then that sets us up for that kind of ‘failure’.” (6:12)

“As long as we have this diet culture around us, we are in it, we are swimming in it, we are going to be confronted with these thoughts. The skill that you can develop through things like intuitive eating and body neutrality is giving yourself the time to stop, pause, consider, before acting, or realizing how you are feeling in a certain situation.” (9:20)

“The food as fuel mentality can be a helpful stepping stone for some people, especially when you are afraid to experiment or trying to overcome the do’s and don’ts of the food police.” (16:32)

“Are you ever allowing yourself to become present when you are eating and be in tuned with what you are enjoying about the experience?” (19:05)

“If you put off your satisfaction or you deny your satisfaction for a particular food or something that you think would sound really good… and then you eat it and you pay attention, little by little you build these skills.” (23:08)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

LTYB 293: Challenging The Food Police (Intuitive Eating Principle 4)

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Aug 18, 2020

Simone Tchouke, AKA Simone Loves Fitness, is on a mission to make movement a joyful experience in your life. After moving to the US at age 15, Simone was on a path of biochemistry before her passion for fitness became stronger than ever. Now a fitness trainer dedicated to making movement accessible, Simone is here today to share her story and why working out isn’t all about how you look.

Working Out Shouldn't Be Expensive, Intimidating or Alienating

Movement practices can improve your mood, decrease your stress, give you more restful sleep and so much more. Instead of working out for the sole purpose of looking a certain way, Simone wants you to dismiss traditional exercise culture and start using movement as a way to feel better about yourself. By focusing on what you like, picking exercises that benefit you not only physically but also mentally, and giving others permission to change their ways of thinking, Simone is creating accessible fitness for all.

Simone believes that working out shouldn’t be expensive, intimidating, or alienating. Living proof that whatever you have is enough to get started, Simone’s infectious energy and amazing story is one that everyone will be able to relate too. Your body is enough, and Simone is prepared to meet you where you are so that you can start to enjoy the power of your body. 

Are you open to changing your relationship to fitness and health? Share how Simone’s inclusive and individualized approach has inspired you to rethink your connection to movement in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Learn about the actual benefits of working out aside from just losing weight (9:30)
  • Tips for truly getting hooked on exercise and finding your ‘why’ (12:05)
  • Why fitness is not a ‘one size fits all’ space, even when it comes to trainers (20:20)
  • Advice for people who want to make the most out of the workout space they have without feeling self-conscious (24:30)
  • Which movement Simone never wants to do and which one she could do every day (30:23)

 

Quotes

“People always associate working out with wanting to lose weight, and my goal as a trainer is to help people move because they are going to feel better, you are going to feel happy, you are going to sleep better, you are going to feel lighter in your movement. So I really help them see the reason besides wanting to lose weight why you should want to work out.” (10:35)

“I think people will stay with you because of how you make them feel. So if you make them feel good and you give them what they need but also what they want, they will stick around and they will keep being active.” (14:20)

“I started to realize that it is not really one size fits all. And not everyone is out to be the next Serena Williams or the next Michael Phelps. You have to meet people where they are, and you have to be flexible.” (20:42)

“People are always going to say something. Whether they like you or don’t like you or they wish they could do what you are doing, people are always going to say something. But if you truly know why you are doing it for yourself, I think you should be okay.” (25:34)

“We are in the same boat, and that is fine. Just because I didn’t work out for 2 weeks or 1 month, doesn’t mean that I am not worthy. I am still worthy, you are still worthy, and we are going to try again tomorrow!” (29:39)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Follow Simone on Instagram | Facebook

Simone Tchouke Website

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Aug 11, 2020

Kara Loewentheil is a master certified coach and host of the badass podcast Unfuck Your Brain. The core of Kara’s mission is to help others retrain their brains and stop believing the harsh things we have heard from society and have internalized as our own thoughts. Filled with humor, wisdom, and no BS, Kara is here to teach you what unfucking your brain really means.

Retrain Your Brain and Start Being Kinder To Yourself

By taking neutral baby steps, it is possible to change the way you think about yourself and the world. Instead of focusing on the negative, Kara wants to help you identify your thought patterns and help you think differently about the negative things that you have been taught to believe. 

By diving into the particulars, staying away from the immeasurable number of things you have been taught to believe, and discovering your own internal landscape, you can retrain your brain and start being kinder to yourself. Filled with simple and applicable strategies, Kara’s episode is one that you do not want to miss.

Are you ready to work your way up the thought ladder and stop being so hard on yourself? Share how you are working to unfuck your brain in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • How to identify your thought patterns and learn to control the thoughts you believe (10:15)
  • Tips for working your way up the thought ladder through neutral baby steps (13:30)
  • What it looks like to step from negative overwhelm to acceptance and peace (17:27)
  • Why ‘fake it until you make it’ doesn’t work and what framework you should use instead (23:53)
  • How to distinguish emotions from body sensations and how they work together (29:50)

 

Quotes

“What I teach is a method of actually unfucking your brain, which is that you have to go in there and identify the thoughts you have that sound like they are in your own voice. That’s the problem. We can identify these social messages, but in our heads, they don’t sound like the magazine that we read or the announcer voice on TV that we first heard it from, they sound like our own thoughts.” (9:45)

“We all want to fix the big problem right away, right? Like ‘I hate myself, I have low self-esteem, I just want to love myself’. And in my experience, you really cannot do effective coaching or self-coaching at that level of generality.” (18:37)

“Coaching is like building a building, you have to start from the ground up. So we can change huge things in our lives, but it starts a little bit by little bit.” (19:18)

“We want to see evidence in the world to justify the thought and have us believe it, but we have it backward. We have to believe it, at least a little bit, at first, that’s how we go out and create some evidence that something is possible.” (28:20)

 

Links

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Unfuck Your Brain Website

Unfuck Your Brain Podcast

Join The Clutch Feminist Coaching Community

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Aug 4, 2020

There is a good chance that you have should’s and shouldn’t, do’s and don’ts, and a myriad of voices in your head telling you what to think when it comes to what you are putting in your mouth. The negative thoughts that come out regarding all of the rules you have around food are not serving you, but don’t worry, there is another way.

How To Respond To These Food Police Tendencies With Purpose

When you internalize foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’, you can wind up creating emotions and actions that are not in line with how you truly want to feel about food. Instead of perpetuating the behaviors, you are trying to stop, intuitive eating can help you become aware of the voices in your head and show you how to respond to these food police tendencies with purpose. 

By developing a more flexible way of thinking you can start to be kinder to yourself and make peace with the food stories you may have been telling yourself for years. Are you ready to stop using negativity as your motivator and start to challenge the food police? Share how you are working towards intuitive eating in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Why you should be challenging the voices in your head when it comes to food (4:20)
  • How the moralizing of food can negatively impact your relationship with it (13:10)
  • Tips for developing flexibility when it comes to your mental framework (17:15)
  • Ways to develop new internal voices such as the food anthropologist or nurturer (20:20) 
  • Exercises to help you reframe your thoughts to become aware of your inner dialogue (29:14)

 

Quotes

“Intuitive eating takes time, it is something you put into practice.” (3:26)

“You are not broken if this happens. You are not broken if your appetite is all of a sudden ravenous after a day of not eating. You are not broken, this is how your body works!” (15:05)

“It is really important to start paying attention to the language that you use and understanding the thoughts and the beliefs that you have been living by… you have to get clear or develop that sense of awareness because you can’t change what you are not aware of.” (16:54)

“It’s knowing that the way you are going to make progress and find more peace with this is not by being harsh on yourself.” (22:54)

“If you are constantly saying ‘always’ and ‘never’, you are going to the worst of the worst place all the time. And that is a huge opportunity for you to be able to reframe.” (29:24)

 

Links

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

LTYB 292: Make Peace With Food (Intuitive Eating Principle #3)

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Jul 28, 2020

One of the most common problems I hear from folks is the struggle of depriving yourself of food, only to end up overdoing it. Our culture has taught us that we cannot trust ourselves and that the way to stop overeating and start to ‘lose weight’ is by depriving and restricting ourselves, and that is simply not true.

A Positive Relationship With Food Is Possible

I want you to honor your body by breaking the cycle between guilt and deprivation, and stop feeling like you are failing. Instead of ‘last supper eating’ or starting again on Monday, you can allow yourself to make peace with the presence of food and start to experience your food on a deeper level. A positive relationship with food is possible when you can gain an outline of the process of making peace with food, which is what this episode will teach you how to do. 

Have you been struggling with depriving yourself of food and are ready to start feeling at peace with food instead? Share how you are working to turn your situation around and embrace a more peaceful way of eating with us in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Ways that you can start making peace with food in your own daily life (2:21)
  • How to identify the foods that you don’t allow yourself to eat for no good reason (8:50)
  • The psychological and physical effects that come from depriving yourself (13:10)
  • Tips for breaking the cycle between guilt and deprivation and avoiding overwhelm (16:45)
  • Why you should take your time and slow down when experiencing food (21:10)

 

Quotes

“[Intuitive Eating] is not a yes/no list, it is not a list of hard and fast rules that need to be done in a specific order or for a specific amount of time and all of a sudden things are going to be completely better. It’s applying it to a living breathing human, which is you, and all of your uniqueness.” (3:50)

“The more you say ‘don’t do this, don’t think about it’, the more you think about it. So in order to stop the bingeing, to stop the overeating, to stop the ‘last supper eating’, and ultimately to stop the guilt, is to systematically make peace with food.” (18:43)

“When you start to relax into the idea that the food is going to be there, the shininess of that object wears off, the novelty wears off. A novelty in our brains and dopamine go together, but if the food is there, or we are allowing ourselves to have it, it looses that forbidden fruit value.” (19:36)

“We always think we have to earn and burn our food… we have to let go of the idea of ‘making up for it’. Because that is a condition, it is not unconditional.” (25:35)

“Every time you take that step toward making peace with food, giving yourself that permission, checking in with your body, you are building bricks of trust.” (28:38)

 

Links

LTYB 288: How To Ditch Dieting (Intuitive Eating Principle 1)

LTYB 289: Honoring Your Hunger (Intuitive Eating Principle 2)

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Jul 21, 2020

Has your body ever held you back from doing something that you may enjoy? Megs Elemans is a boudoir photographer from Canada who is here today to explore the powerful ability that photography has to help you find more peace with your body.

Small Steps Necessary To Love Your Right Now Body

By honoring women’s bodies and respecting where they are at in their journey, Megs is supporting the process of moving rather than arriving. Even if boudoir is out of your comfort zone, Megs non-judgemental and caring ambiance may convince you to start taking the small steps necessary to love your right now body. 

Everything from body acceptance, tips for decreasing anxiousness in front of the camera, and the stigma Megs received from postpartum images are on the table today as we explore what it means to find a way back to yourself through the art of photography. 

Instead of hiding the parts of yourself, you may not love, Megs is here to empower you to do whatever the hell you want with your body, no matter what size. Are you ready to accept how your body evolves with you over time? Share what you loved most about Megs refreshing and candid approach to self-love and acceptance in the comments section of the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • How photography can help you find peace and growth with your current body (11:25)
  • Tracing back the shame and guilt many women feel around their bodies (18:52)
  • Addressing our society's obsession with ‘arriving’ rather than the journey (22:45)
  • The role of motherhood when dealing with unrealistic diet culture standards (28:04)
  • Tips for anyone who is uncomfortable with the camera and wants to try it again (36:25)

 

Quotes

“I realized that I had stumbled onto something kind of profound here in that there is something incredibly concentrated and powerful in these sessions I do with women where they can step into themselves in this really raw and really quick way.” (8:41)

“The difference between a lot of other boudoir photographers that I see is that I make no attempt to hide the parts of yourself that you might not like, I don’t use clever lighting or clever poses and I don’t really dabble with photoshop at all, and I pose women in bigger bodies the same way that I pose women in smaller bodies.” (13:43)

“I toe that line between honoring those things that you don’t like about yourself but also not overtly going out of my way to hide them because I don’t want to reinforce this hate that you have for whatever specific part of your body.” (20:26)

“I don’t need you to love yourself, there will always be things about yourself that you don’t like, body or personality, that’s not the point. I need you to not let your body stop you from doing things that you like to do or might like to do if you were “10 pounds lighter”.” (24:33)

“I know that if you have a disgust with what I am doing, that is something that is going on with you, and it has nothing to do with me.” (35:22)

 

Links

Follow Megs on Instagram | Facebook

ME Photo Website

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Jul 14, 2020

Life, as we know it, has changed and our creative expression has changed as well. Instead of focusing on self-actualization, many are turning to the powers of community, collective, and creativity in order to heal and step into alignment. Rai Henry is a personal coach who is passionate about helping others reignite their creativity, and step out of the hustle and into the flow.

Being Intentional About Your Life, Business, & Values

While you may not consider yourself a ‘creative’, Rai believes that anyone who is tapping into a part of themselves in order to express it to others fits into the creative mold. By being intentional about your life, business and values, Rai helps others show up in a way that aligns with your DNA, or Divine Natural Approach. 

Through deliberate work, you can recognize the blocks in your life and learn how to flow through them. Rai wants to get to know you and open you up to the limitless possibilities that are waiting for you. By focusing on your own personal responsibility you can look inside to achieve better flow, heal from trauma, and start living your life by design. 

Are you ready to use your creative expression as a tool for healing, aligning, and thriving? Share what you loved most about Rai’s unique and refreshing perspective with us in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode

  • Discover what it means to be creative and make an impact aligned with your vision (11:15)
  • Why the individual self-actualization approach is being replaced with the collective (18:20)
  • How to experience the energy of creativity and flow and recognize your blocks (20:30)
  • Tips for expanding your view of abundance and co-creation within your tribe (24:50)
  • How to give yourself permission to thrive after trauma and learn to trust yourself (28:08)

 

Quotes

“That’s really what I am here to do. Help people show up in the world, have an impact, but really find their true values along the way.” (10:07)

“In a time like today where the world is going through such revolution and transformation, it can be very easy to feel like you are doing it alone, when truly we are doing it as a collective.” (17:21)

“Were shifting from that individual model, and the only way to do that is to be transparent, to be vulnerable, and to be open about what you are experiencing so that you can connect to your community or your tribe and grow beyond your own limitations.” (19:59)

“I didn’t have any of the guidance, I didn’t have any kind of blueprint or framework to work from. But I forged it myself, along with spirit guiding me and the beautiful, what I call messengers, that showed up at different phases of my life. And I have charted that process, and I have taken note of what those key factors were, and I have applied them to the principles of your heroes’ journey, and that is the framework for the work that I am doing right now.” (34:27)

“We are all on one journey, but there are infinite possibilities. So it is so important to remember it is absolutely up to you to choose the flow that works for you. Choose your flow by unlocking that potential and being intentional and deliberate about the life that you want to live, or the business that you want to create.” (37:00)

 

Links

Follow Rai on Instagram

Create, Collab + Flow Website

Sponsor a Scholarship for BIPOC Creatives

Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter

Check out the full show notes here!

Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest

I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

1 2 Next »