“Systems” of Weight Loss & Well-Being
“Diet Drama Land” is everywhere and all around you. While some people are so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it (yes, I’m paraphrasing The Matrix) most people are simply unaware.
The fundamental assumptions of the cultural, traditional “diet and exercise” model are constantly reinforced with general every day life. From conversations with friends, to personal development seminars and professional development trainings – many people unwittingly use examples from the core “diet and exercise” model as a way of illustrating concepts when teaching their own content.
But two can play that game! In this episode I turn the tables and use examples of project management systems to describe the Happy Calories Don’t Count® approach.
Enjoy!
“Science Geeks” & “Jesus Freaks” & Healing (with Happy Calories Don’t Count®)
Does the title of this podcast trigger or offend? That’s the underlying psychology of headlines and sound bites – to quickly create an emotional or visceral reaction (to prompt an action).
The problem is that these headlines and sound bites have helped create a culture in which we quickly (and perhaps unconsciously) label each other – thereby allowing us to dismiss the other person as “insert label here.”
This has caused a breakdown in communication and an unraveling of our social fabric.
In this episode I discuss the place where “Science” and “God” meet – the human body.
Using the principles of Happy Calories Don’t Count®, I provide tools to help heal your relationship with your body – and hopefully the world.
Rather than letting our differences divide us, we can use our similarities to unite us.
Cheers!
Escaping Diet Culture & Losing My Religion
Give yourself some grace… Breaking free of Diet Drama Land is as hard as trying to escape a religious cult.
In this episode I share the story of a Preacher Man – who did a FANTASTIC job of delivering the “Gospel of Happy Calories Don’t Count®.” He spoke all about shifting from a paradigm of religious rules to a framework of a divine relationship.
And then… to make a point… he used an example… a subject that is all too often used as a metaphor… because everyone has had some experience with it… weight loss.
And despite the entire sermon being a parallel to the principles of Happy Calories Don’t Count®, when the weight loss example came up – it was from the framework of Diet Drama Land.
Listen to the full episode below to “Lose Your Religion.”
Thy Hypnotic Hold of “Diet Drama Land”
There are reasons that it is so hard to get out – and stay out of – “Diet Drama Land.”
At a societal, cultural level, there is no obvious “opposing view” to help you recognize that there is an alternative way of viewing things. At an individual level, leaps in logic and playing the “comparison game” are two of the biggest traps to keep you stuck.
This episode explores how the chaos of the current moment can provide a touchstone for healing all of the dysfunction around food, exercise your body and your weight so that you can find freedom from food, peace with your body AND optimize your results in a sustainable way.
Back to Basics with Happy Calories Don’t Count®
You will never be completely free from the anxiety of food, exercise and body drama – regardless of your current size or shape – as long as your efforts come from within the context of the fundamental base paradigm of the conventional, cultural “diet and exercise” model.
That model is transaction-based, sets up calories as a “currency of exchange” and suggests that you must pay a “price” to eat. The price? Exercise – or weight gain.
And while you are indeed responsible for what you eat and what you do for exercise, the fact that you are responsible for your choices and actions does not mean that you can therefore control the outcome – you cannot control your body through diet and exercise. That is a fallacy. That is the root of your food and body image struggles.
The “diet and exercise” model demands that you disconnect from the wisdom of your body to be “successful.” And it is this attempt to disconnect from your body that causes all of the pain and dysfunction.
By switching from the transaction-based model of “diet and exercise,” to the relationship-based model of Happy Calories Don’t Count® your pain and dysfunction around food and your body is healed – and you can finally create a body you love with sustainable results.
Listen to the full episode for my outline of the 5 Steps of the Happy Calories Don’t Count® Model.
Stop Resolving & Start Creating A Body You Love
What’s the point of losing weight or getting in shape (the top New Year’s resolutions) if you have to resolve to do it year after year?
The week between Christmas and New Year’s means that your social media (and all media) feeds are filling up with ads pitching “new” programs and apps to help you lose weight and get in shape in the coming year.
From diet apps to new fitness methods – psychology based or doctor supervised bots – NONE of these programs are ultimately effective because they are still fundamentally based within the “diet and exercise” model.
To truly create lasting change, you must shift underlying base paradigms. Regardless of which wellness approach you take, changing the based model from the transaction-based framework of “diet and exercise” to a relationship based perspective is critical.
The Fallacy of “Diet & Exercise” and Lettuce Burritos
My guest interview on Erin Keam’s podcast is live!! It’s such a great conversation!! We discuss the body shaming that exists within the body positivity movements, critical components for healing eating disorders, how to transform emotional eating – and best of all – I outline my signature 5-Step approach for creating a body AND life you love!
Rock Your Skinny Jeans Without Motivation, Goals or Diets
What’s the point of losing weight or getting in shape (the top New Year’s resolutions) if you have to resolve to do it year after year? How do you create results that are sustainable? How can you create results on your terms – so that you still enjoy your life?
Episode 19 of the Food Is Not A “Four-Letter” Word podcast discusses the underlying psychology of resolutions, motivation and goal setting and how the 5 Steps of the Happy Calories Don’t Count® Method guide you in creating a body and life you love in any moment you choose.
When It’s Time To Put On The “Big Girl Pants”
One of the basic, fundamental principles of psychology and personal growth is that no one can “make you feel bad” without your permission. Learning to embrace your personal power is a skill set worth pursuing. Furthermore, the skills and tools necessary to heal from pain and dysfunction around food, exercise, your body and your weight are the same skills and tools necessary to claim your power and freedom in the midst of the current social, political climate. By rejecting a position of “victim-hood,” you can find your center and your power to create a body – and also a life – you truly love.
Gratitude And Other Food For Thought
Gratitude is a concept that is thrown around a lot in the self-help and personal development communities. But what does it actually mean? How does one develop an “attitude of gratitude” when faced with challenging life situations?
One thing that is not helpful is to diminish the emotions and frustrations around the “problem.” Adopting the sound bite of personal and spiritual challenges being “First World Problems” does not help in healing and transforming the psychological and emotional perspectives revealed by the situations.
To say “you shouldn’t feel bad because other people have it worse” is as ridiculous as saying that “you shouldn’t feel happy or grateful because other people have it better.”
The fastest way to cultivate an experience of authentic gratitude in which your heart is filled with peace and joy and your “cup runneth over,” is to do the intensely personal work of personal transformation.
Allow yourself to be your authentic you. And from your authentic self, curate a relationship with your body. When you heal your relationship with your body – all of the problems and issues surrounding food, exercise and your weight are also healed.