Escape Diet Prison by Anne-Sophie Reinhardt

There’s a point in your life where not listening to your needs drives you down a road that is hard to recover from.

And although taking care of your needs still has a bad rap, especially if you have a family, it is essential if you want to stop abusing food as a way to cope with life.

There are many times that taking care of your needs feels inconvenient and selfish. Heck, most of us grew up being told that taking care of yourself is selfish all the time. It is not something women do. And whether it’s been said with words or whether you’ve observed it in the women around you, this attitude shapes you and leads to a way of believing you have to be everything to everyone all the time – without ever listening to your actual needs.

I have learned to become quite good at taking care of my needs, which has given me the label of being the ‘selfish one’. And while these words sting, I don’t allow them to affect me in a negative way.

Here’s the thing: while the media and our culture definitely plays a huge part in developing a toxic relationship with food and your body, the majority of us use food because life is too much for us.

We cannot cope or don’t want to face what is going on in this current moment and so we eat or restrict. We hate on our bodies and plan the next diet because it serves a major distraction from what is really going on.

I’ve seen over and over and over again how easy it is to stuff yourself with candy until you feel sick because you’re so stressed that you don’t know where to put your nervous energy.

I’ve seen over and over again how easy it is to not eat in order to not feel all the emotional crap that is been throw at you in life.

It is easy to eat, diet or hate on yourself and in certain ways it is being accepted and even celebrated by society, but it is hard to question all of your limiting beliefs around listening to your needs, putting yourself first and acting on what it is you realize when you begin to honor yourself.

In this episode of the Escape Diet Prison Podcast, I share my views and learning of listening to my needs and then acting on them over years hoping to inspire you to do the same.

Your relationship with food depends on it… and so does your sanity.

Love and light,

 

 

Want more support? Join the free Escape Diet Prison Facebook group to engage with others who are on the same path as you. We can only grow if we surround ourselves with like-minded people. If you don’t, you’ll stay stuck and that is a promise.

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with others in your life who MUST listen to it right now. YOU are a change maker in this world and your voice needs to be heard.

Ever since June, I've struggled with extreme fatigue.

First, I tried to push through it and just hoped that I would have my energy back soon. But as it continued for months, I had to begin to dig deep and figure out what was going on in my life that caused my body to completely stop functioning at times.

I had to welcome my fatigue, respect my body on a deeper level and listen to what it had to share.

In this episode of Escape Diet Prison, I share my insights with you and how I was able to get my energy back step by step.

Now, we could focus on nutritional aspects like Macronutrient Balance, Eating Rhythm, water consumption, quality of food or even allergies, but what has made a bigger impact for me were the lifestyle factors, so that is what we'll focus on.

Look at your sleep hygiene and daytime rest

This is an obvious one, but it's still worth investigating. Do you sleep enough? And when you sleep, do you get restful sleep? If you don't, begin to change your schedule, so that you get adequate sleep.

Do you drink alcohol before going to bed? If so, you'll certainly not get the restful sleep you need to function on all levels.

I've begun taking naps with my son, which is something I've never ever done before. However, there were days when I just couldn't not nap with him because my body was just shutting down. Despite feeling guilty, I began to listen to my body and just do it and on some days, these naps certainly saved me.

If you cannot nap, try deep breaths, sucking in fresh air. 2 minutes of this will rejuvenate you already on multiple levels.

All in all, listen to your body and give it the rest it needs in order to heal whatever issue needs healing at this point.

Add nourishment time to your daily routine

Nourish your body, mind and soul and make it priority. If you don't have a daily self-care practice, begin to take care care of yourself now.

Feel the lushness of the universe we live in. Open your senses to what surrounds you and check in with your body regularly in order to create more intimacy with yourself and listen to its needs.

Investigate the level of life stress you currently experience

What's going on in your life right now? What's stressing you out tremendously?

Do you have problems at work, are your relationships more stressful than nourishing, do you have money issues or have there been huge disappointments lately?

Take a close look at your stressors and begin to take care of them - one after the other.

Are past traumas or stressful life events resurfacing for you?

This might have been the one for me. There was a trigger moment in June that almost caused me to spiral down. If you're beginning to feel past traumas show up again in your dreams or in your thoughts, pay attention.

They resurface to tell you that now it's time to heal them on a deep level. Don't dismiss these messages from your subconscious and instead embrace them, work with them to finally make true, lasting peace.

Are you in a life transition?

Is there a major change going on in your life? Are you pregnant, getting married, divorced, moving to a new country, changing jobs?

If so, of course you're tired. Practice unwavering compassion for yourself, invest lots of time in self-care and healing and take it as easy as possible. Don't forget to breathe into your fears and the stress that comes along with major transitions.

Those transitions also don't have to solely appear in the physical world. Inner life transitions are even more powerful and often need lots of energy to be digested.

What is the divine message in your struggle?

Listen to your fatigue. Drop into wordlessness and allow it to speak to you, telling you why it is showing up at this point in your life.

Do you need to course-correct? Do you need a clear cut in some area of your life? Do you need to give up on something you've been holding on to for too long?

The easiest way to hear the divine message is to journal and let your true Self speak.

What gives you energy?

Getting to know yourself.

Being who you are without apology, without fear, without shame.

Taking a stand for yourself and knowing - without a shadow of a doubt - that you deserve to be respected, seen, take up space.

Waking up in the morning realizing yet again that no matter how much you weigh, no matter what your body shape and size, you are loved, cherished and taken care of by a universe so vast it surmounts your imagination.

All of these things are invaluable when it comes to letting go of your desire to lose weight, to be less, to have the perfect body and the perfect size.

And these feelings, this deep, unwavering knowledge can only be achieved by cultivating a vast sense of self-intimacy:the practice of truly, deeply getting to know your heart, your core, your feelings, your fears, your hopes, your dreams and your Self.

In this episode of Escape Diet Prison, I share 8 practices that'll bring you closer to your core.

Journal

You cannot get to know yourself and truly have a deep understanding of your desire if you don't have a practice of self-reflection, asking yourself the big questions, rewriting your story from one of victimhood to one of power. When you journal, focus on feelings, feelings and feelings.

How do you feel in any given situation? What are your emotions made up of? Where do you feel them? When do you feel them? The more you get in touch with your feelings the more you get in touch with your core.

If you'd like some journaling posts to get you started, here's a great post giving you 25 prompts to find self-intimacy.

Take action

... in the real world just as much as in your head. No true self-intimacy can be acquired if you do not go out there, take action, make things happen and see how you react.

Stretch your comfort zone

Stepping outside of your comfort zone, being adventurous, daring, doing things you'd never normally do will not only help you to create a sense of Self, but it'll also enable you to see where your boundaries are, where you do want to go and what you truly - from your core, not from fear - do not want to pursue.

Let go

Let go of relationships, fears, jobs, places, memories, friends, regrets and everything else that weighs you down, that stands in the way of you finding yourself, knowing yourself and seeing yourself.

There is nothing wrong or bad about letting go. It is part of life, it is part of personal growth and it is your right to do.

Unbelief your beliefs

Updating your beliefs by unbelieving what you've always thought was true about yourself is probably the biggest way to cut through the noise and get to your truest Self - the one that isn't bound by fears, by societal convention, shoulds and have tos.

Playing with your beliefs, melting them away as you walk into your personal ring of fire, the one that we all walk through from time to time, gives way to freedom, power and your Self.

Forgiveness

Who do you need to forgive? What do you need to forgive?

Holding on to grievances of the past is just another layer of mind clutter and emotional distraction and destruction that enables your social Self to run the show on fears and pretence.

You do not have to hold on to all of these things to continue living. In fact, if you want to live a good life, your best life, be true to yourself, forgive, forgive, forgive.

Tapping is a beautiful tool helping you forgive yourself and others and find the freedom and peace to continue life. Check out Tapping for Body-Confidence 101 here.

Change what needs to change

And you already know what needs to change, don't you? You might be a bit scared, maybe hesitant to change, but you can. do. it. You are strong enough, you are worthy enough and you owe it to yourself - your core.

Take a stand for yourself

THIS.

Do you ever take a stand for yourself or are you constantly trying to hide, making yourself smaller because you do not know your worth, believe that the less fuss you make the better?

Again,

If you’re feeling checked out of life, chances are you’re also checked out of your body. Reconnecting with yourself begins with simple strategies for embodiment—practices that help you shift your focus inward, restore balance, and find joy in your daily life. Embodiment isn’t about fixing a negative body image; it’s about rediscovering the connection between your mind and body and creating a relationship built on self-compassion and presence.

What is Embodiment?

Embodiment is the practice of reconnecting with your body and fully inhabiting it with awareness and presence. It’s about tuning in to your body’s sensations, emotions, and needs, rather than viewing it as something separate or something to control. Embodiment invites you to experience your body as a source of joy, strength, and wisdom. It’s a shift away from external judgments and toward an internal relationship rooted in respect and self-compassion. By embracing embodiment, you transform how you experience life—through movement, pleasure, and mindful self-care.

Simple Strategies for Embodiment

Transform Your Relationship with Food

Slow down when you eat and savor each bite.

Focus on getting pleasure from your meals rather than rushing through them.

Increase the quality of your meals by trying new, nutritious, and exciting ingredients.

Rediscover the joy of eating without guilt or restriction.

Add Movement to Your Life

Let go of the pressure to exercise for weight loss and instead focus on movement that feels good.

Replace punishing gym workouts with activities your body enjoys.

Celebrate movement as a way to reconnect with your body, not as a form of discipline.

Upgrade Your Personal Care Practices

Refresh your wardrobe with clothes that excite and empower you.

Treat yourself to a new haircut, makeup, or accessories to feel more beautiful.

Experiment with self-care practices you’ve never tried before—pamper yourself in ways that feel indulgent and joyful.

Change Your Lifestyle for Balance and Joy

Create balance in your life by prioritizing rest and downtime.

Reevaluate habits like alcohol, medications, or other substances to see where positive changes can be made.

Spend time in nature to ground yourself and find clarity.

Disconnect from technology by turning off your phone for a while.

Seek support from groups, coaches, friends, or loved ones to build a strong foundation.

Why These Simpel Strategies for Embodiment Matter

These simple strategies for embodiment are powerful tools for healing a broken body image and transforming your relationship with yourself. By practicing these steps, you’ll feel more present, joyful, and connected to your body.

Start small—whether it’s savoring a meal, taking a mindful walk, or refreshing your self-care routine—and watch as your perception of your body and life begins to shift.

How to Use These Strategies for more Embodiment in Daily Life

Incorporating these strategies into your daily life doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Start by choosing one or two practices that resonate most with you. For example, you might begin by slowing down during meals to truly enjoy the flavors or by taking a few minutes each day for mindful movement, like stretching or dancing. Gradually, let these habits grow. Use reminders, like setting an alarm to step outside or creating a morning ritual that includes intentional self-care. The key is to weave these moments of embodiment into your existing routine, making them feel natural and sustainable. Over time, these small actions can lead to profound shifts in how you experience your body and your life.

Which strategy will you try first?

Share your thoughts, experiences, and aha moments in the comments below. Let’s continue this journey together toward embodiment, body-love, and joy.

Enjoyed this podcast episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear these strategies today. Together,

Much has been said and written about body-acceptance and self-love. There are many ways you can learn to make peace with your body and stop dieting once and for all.

But what are the best ways to begin your body-love journey? What does really help when you just can't seem to be OK with who you are?

Over the years, I've been able to work with hundreds of women around body image and I've come to see that there are 5 tactics that ultimately trump all other body-acceptance tools out there.

Follow Anne-Sophie Reinhardt's board Love Your Body on Pinterest.

These ways aren't necessarily easy to do and they only work if you are committed to yourself, but if you use them, you can get ready for total body-acceptance.

1. Uncover the roots

Accepting your body as it is can't be done without first uncovering the roots of your body hatred. Take a few minutes, days, weeks to uncover what's really behind your aversion against your body.

Why do you dislike it? When did it start? What happens when you think of your body? What are some of the limiting beliefs you are carrying around?

Write it all down and be sure to be honest with yourself. There's no point in lying or not wanting to admit what's really going on. This is your work, this is your chance to let go.

2. Meet your issues with love and compassion

While you're working on your issues, don't judge yourself for being so damn messed up or for not being further down the road to body-acceptance.

Instead, meet your thoughts with love and gentle kindness. Wrap yourself in a blanket of compassion and whenever a judgment thought arises, tell yourself that it's OK. It's just a thought. You don't have to believe it, act on it or feel it. It's just a thought passing by like a cloud in the sky.

Don't hold on to it and instead let it go by grounding yourself in your body and in the present moment. Take a few breaths, go for a walk or dance to your favorite song. You'll see that you'll feel better in an instant.

3. Forgive yourself for your thoughts

The next step is to forgive yourself for thinking your thoughts and being insecure about your body. Take every limiting belief, every painful thought about your body and forgive it.

I forgive myself for thinking I'm fat. {Click to tweet}

I forgive myself for believing I'm unworthy. {Click to tweet}

I forgive myself for being scared about having to diet all my life. {Click to tweet}

Repeat these phrases as often as you want, need and desire. Repeat them over and over and over again until you believe it, feel it and are ready to move on with your life.

4. Create a new vision

You can't really create a life of body-acceptance without knowing what you actually want. What do you desire when it comes to your body? How do you want to feel? How do you want to be? What do you want to do with your life instead of obsessing over your body?

Have some fun creating your vision by either doing a collage, sitting in meditation, writing it down or talking about it. Don't hold back because you believe that it's unrealistic. This is your dreamtime, so dream big.

5. Take action

Now that you know your limiting beliefs around your body, have forgiven them and have created a vision for your life without hating your body, it's time to take action.

Your life won't change when you simply sit in a corner wishing it was different. You have to do something about it. So, if you don't want to diet anymore, then stop. If you don't want to abuse yourself by thinking belittling thoughts, catch yourself and turn your thoughts into positive affirmations. If you don't want to put your life on hold until you've lost 10 more pounds, begin living now.

The more you do what you actually desire, the less important your body will be.

If you stick to these 5 tactics, you'll begin to tap into body-acceptance sooner than you believe.

Enjoy this episode!

Love and light,

 

 

Want more support? Join the free Escape Diet Prison Facebook group to engage with others who are on the same...

In this episode of the Escape Diet Prison Podcast, I am joined by my friend and brilliant stylist Leila Hays.

Leila is the head fashion rule-breaker, stylist, and creator of #styledbyLeila, a one-of-a-kind personal style and empowerment movement. She helps women entrepreneurs of all sizes create the lives and businesses of their dreams through the power of a truly iconic, authentic, and true-to-you wardrobe and style.

She creates these life-changing transformations through group programs, online courses, virtual 1:1 style sessions, in-person VIP style and confidence experiences, speaking engagements, and signature events all over the world.

She works with women entrepreneurs in all types of businesses, including business coaches, mindset coaches, energy healers, copywriters, editors, owners of direct sales businesses, bloggers, and more.

Leila is also the author of the upcoming book #styledbyLife: From Struggle to Success With the Power of Style, a memoir and inspirational story that shows on a very personal level the true power of a change of clothes.

To help her clients create the incredible shifts in mindset that is her trademark, Leila uses a high level of intuition when working with a client. Her formal fashion training and her intuition allow her to create the perfect look for her clients, even after only a short video session.

Leila also collaborates with a variety of other businesswomen to create events and experiences that transform lives and businesses beyond style. These include speaking at an upcoming strategic planning retreat for corporate up-and-comers hosted by Alexia Mavrakes in San Diego in December and the #MombossRevolution business transformation event with Beth Griffith in Phoenix in February 2017.

Leila has a degree in English Literature and a Paralegal Certificate. She worked in the mortgage industry, in a call center, as an assistant to an attorney at a national franchise, and owned a direct sales business before finally finding her true calling as a stylist. She studied fashion styling and image consulting at the Fashion Institute of Technology and completed a 4-month internship with one of the top image consultants in Houston.

To learn more, go to: bit.ly/hangwithleila

We talk about:

Leila's struggle with anorexia and bulimia and how she was about to heal

Leila's relationship with her body now and how it has developed over the years

How to dress cute, sexy and however the heck you want - no matter your exact shape and size

Where women can find amazing clothes in ALL sizes - even if they can't find them in regular stores

Leila's views on Femininsm and beauty

Her favorite designers

How we can all find our unique style  - this was super important and helpful for me! ;)

How Leila practices radical vulnerability in her life and in her business

How to feel powerful in your skin - no matter what

What women in general need to change in order to stop the shaming and bullying that is going on in the fashion and beauty industry

Find out more about Leila Hays here and join her Facebook group The Dressing Room.

Enjoy this episode!

Love and light,

 

 

Want more support? Join the free Escape Diet Prison Facebook group to engage with others who are on the same path as you. We can only grow if we surround ourselves with like-minded people. If you don’t, you’ll stay stuck and that is a promise.

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with others in your life who MUST listen to it right now. YOU are a change maker in this world and your voice needs to be heard.

When I think back to my childhood, I inevitably think about all the beautiful rituals that my mom lovingly created for us.

There was the bedtime story reading – something, I’m sure, most parents do with their kids. But still, it was special, it was comforting, it was the perfect way to end a day.

There was the ritual of putting together an Advent calendar story every December– one day at a time for 24 days. Every night, we’d sit down, mom would read a story to us and then we’d add a section to our Advent calendar. It was beautiful and something I treasure until this day.

Then, much later, there was the ritual of us three girls – my mom, my sister & I – watching Germany’s Next Topmodel together. Every Thursday evening, we’d gather in the living room and indulge in a world of beauty, drama and yes, make belief. I loved those evenings where all the sorrows and stressors of the week floated away and we’d just have a few hours of fun.

Family rituals don’t just provide nice memories, but they also serve as emotional stables in a child’s life; something that’s oh so important when growing up.

The same can be said for adults. We need rituals to feel safe, taken care of and at home.

When you're trying to find your way out of diet prison, rituals can serve as a substitute for destructive habits and they can provide the platform from which healing takes place.

Here are my top 13 rituals that keep me grounded and happy in my body.

Setting a positive intention

Every morning, I take a moment to set an intention for the day and for my body. It can be anything from "I will feel energetic today" to "I will listen to my body" to "I will be appreciative of the little things in my life" or "I will give lots of hugs".

This little 5-second ritual sets the mood for my day and it helps me to begin anew every single morning.

Checking in with my body

I begin and end my day with a short awareness exercise for my body.

I scan my body starting with my toes and ending with my head. This is a super simple way to ground yourself and to learn to embody your body. You'll also see if something feels "off" and needs to be healed.

The more often you repeat this awareness exercise the more in tune you'll live with your body.

Tuning in to my senses

Throughout my day, I try to use my senses very consciously.

I smell my coffee intentionally, I slow down when I eat, I try to taste new flavors in my food or I simply feel the ground underneath my feet. These moments of pure awareness bring me back to the present (which is the place where no fear or worries exist) and help me to feel truly at home in my body.

This is also a ritual that reminds me of the beauty and magnificence of our world. I am often amazed at the different flavors and aromas that you can inhale within a single moment. Try it for yourself to see.

Writing cards

This one is a ritual that keeps on giving love. It creates a ripple effect that touches many people in a positive way. The trick here is - obviously - to be sincere and kind when you're writing a card to a person you love, admire or don't even know all that much just yet.

I love to write cards to strangers and leave them somewhere in book stores or in misogynistic magazines. I know that those cards will fall into the hands of someone who truly needs to read a kind message - because who doesn't, right?

Being coached

I have several coaches. Some coach me off and on, others coach me bi-weekly. It's the ritual that I rely on the most because it is the most effective.

I cannot tell you how blessed I feel to have the coaches I have and to be able to touch base with powerful women who have so very much wisdom to offer.

However, mostly, I am just surprised about the insight that I can offer to myself. Once you show up fully open, vulnerable and authentic to a call or a coaching session (or a simple conversation with your best friend), the world is at your feet.

In this episode of the Escape Diet Prison Podcast, I open up about some things that have been running through my mind when it comes to accepting all women - no matter their views on fitness, health, diets, weight and nutrition.

Want more support? Join the free Escape Diet Prison Facebook group to engage with others who are on the same path as you. We can only grow if we surround ourselves with like-minded people. If you don’t, you’ll stay stuck and that is a promise.

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with others in your life who MUST listen to it right now. YOU are a change maker in this world and your voice needs to be heard.

*****

Work with me in the 2nd round of my upcoming Masterclass.

I’ll be your personal coach/mentor/trainer (of the mind) for 4 weeks, focusing all my attention on getting YOU out of dieting hell and into creating the peace with your body and Self you absolutely want.

You’ll get done-for-you worksheets, checklists, videos and audio trainings, daily live streams, weekly coaching calls and unlimited access to ME (through a private Facebook Group).

This Masterclass will get you to a level of working with your body, relating to your body, caring for your body and understanding your body like you’ve never done before. Plus, your relationship to food will change for the better – the WAY better.

We’ll work on the feelings, the knowledge, the mindset, the fears, the past experiences, the future goals and so much more.

At the end of this Masterclass, you’ll have mastered the beginnings and beyond of healing your hungry soul, changing the way your binges go, knowing the difference between nourishment and modern diets, allowing feelings to arrive without using food to soothe, accepting your body and the pain it caused you, eating for pleasure versus eating for pain, getting your mind back on track, checking in with your body for more than just food AND saying goodbye to diets FOREVER – without blowing up like a balloon (which is your biggest fear, right?).

PLUS, there’ll be a 45 minute private session for the first 5 people signing up!

Want in?

Send me an email at [email protected] to get the details. xx

In this episode of the Escape Diet Prison Podcast, I share my views on the Intermittent Fasting Trend and how it relates to you making peace with food and your body.

Want more support? Join the free Escape Diet Prison Facebook group to engage with others who are on the same path as you. We can only grow if we surround ourselves with like-minded people. If you don’t, you’ll stay stuck and that is a promise.

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with others in your life who MUST listen to it right now. YOU are a change maker in this world and your voice needs to be heard.

In this episode of Escape Diet Prison, I am joined by Christy Harrison, who I've been following for quite some time. Christy is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified intuitive eating counselor specializing in Health at Every Size.

Her podcast, Food Psych, is one of my favorites as Christy talks with inspiring people about their relationships with food, eating disorder recovery stories, and roads to body positivity. Along the way, she shares her own journey from disordered eater to dietitian, and offers tools to help listeners make peace with food and their bodies.

Christy is also a journalist with more than 13 years of experience in food and nutrition media. She has written for and edited award-winning books, magazines, and websites, including Refinery29, Gourmet, Modernist Cuisine, The Food Network, and many more.

When she's not coaching, writing or podcasting, Christy performs improv comedy, practices yoga, and spends as much time as possible outdoors. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her boyfriend and a cat named Harry Harrison.

I am so honored to have Christy on the show as she truly is one of the big guns in this community of body positivity and living a life without diets.

We talk about:

Christy's own story of disordered eating and how she healed

What made her start writing about food

Why she went back to school to become a dietitian and how she experienced her education after having her own struggles with food and her weight

How Intuitive Eating helped her recover

Why she started dieting in the first place

Why letting go of dieting is not giving up on yourself

Self-care versus Self-Control

How she takes care of herself and the concept of intuitive movement

The role that food plays in her life now

Creating a society that is more accepting of all sizes

and so much more

Enjoy this episode!

Love and light,

 

 

Want more support? Join the free Escape Diet Prison Facebook group to engage with others who are on the same path as you. We can only grow if we surround ourselves with like-minded people. If you don’t, you’ll stay stuck and that is a promise.

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with others in your life who MUST listen to it right now. YOU are a change maker in this world and your voice needs to be heard.