Love Yourself Thin Podcast

Fall is here, the holidays are coming, and while this season can be exciting and cozy, it can also bring grief, pressure, and a lot of complicated emotions.

In this deeply personal episode of Love Yourself Thin, Dara shares three lessons she learned after her dad passed away this summer following years of dementia.

Her dad's death brought up questions about fear, stress, health, family traditions, and what it really means to create a life you're proud of.

Dara talks about:

• Why fear can grow when we don't understand what we're actually facing
• What watching her dad live with dementia taught her about stress and taking care of yourself
• Why too much information can leave you feeling overwhelmed instead of empowered
• How to decide whose advice you trust when there is so much conflicting health and weight loss information
• The importance of questioning the rules you've always been told to follow
• What her dad's life taught her about failure, rejection, courage, and pursuing your own path
• Why you don't have to wait until you lose weight to enjoy your life
• How to create new holiday traditions after losing someone you love
• What you want to be remembered for—and whether you're living that way today
• The importance of passing your knowledge, traditions, and skills on to the next generation

Dara also reflects on writing her dad's eulogy and what she learned from hearing her daughter describe what she hopes to be remembered for.

As the holidays approach, Dara invites you to ask yourself:

What do I actually want from this season?

What do I want from my life?

What do I want people to remember about me?

And perhaps most importantly:

Why am I waiting to start living the life I want?

You don't have to become a different person before you're allowed to enjoy your life.

You can start now, in the body you're in, with the life you have today.

If you're ready for support understanding what's really keeping you from reaching your goals, Dara also offers a free 25-minute call to help you get clarity on what's going on and whether coaching could be the right fit for you. Book your call HERE.

Listen now and give yourself some time to think about what you want to carry forward—and what you're ready to leave behind.

For more on dementia and how to prevent it, watch this interview with Louisa Nicola.

And check out Granny Bibbins on Instagram.

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You start a new weight loss plan feeling motivated. You follow it perfectly for a few days—or maybe a few weeks.

Then you eat the cookie.

You miss the workout.

You have one day that doesn't go according to plan.

And suddenly you think, "Well, I've already ruined it. I'll start again Monday."

Why does one small slip so often turn into completely giving up?

In this episode, we're talking about the abstinence violation effect and how all-or-nothing thinking can turn a small lapse into a full-blown relapse. Researcher G. Alan Marlatt studied this pattern and found that it's often our reaction to the slip, rather than the slip itself, that makes us more likely to give up completely.

And underneath those rigid rules is often something even sneakier:

Perfectionism.

We'll talk about the three types of perfectionism:

• Self-oriented perfectionism: the impossibly high standards you place on yourself
• Other-oriented perfectionism: the standards you place on everyone around you
• Socially prescribed perfectionism: the belief that other people expect you to have it all together

I'll also walk you through questions that can help you identify which type might be showing up in your life.

Most importantly, we'll reframe the way you think about your habits.

A rule says: "I do this every day, with no exceptions, or I've failed."

A routine says: "This is what I come back to."

That one shift can change everything.

Because the goal isn't to create a weight loss plan where you never slip up. Nobody does that.

The goal is to change what a slip means to you.

One missed day is not failure. One cookie is not the end. One imperfect choice does not erase everything you've done.

It's simply something you come back from.

If perfectionism and all-or-nothing thinking have been running your weight loss journey, this episode will help you see the pattern differently.

And stick around until the end for a simple way to start building habits one small step at a time.

Listen now and learn how to stop starting over.

If you're ready to make changes before Christmas, book a call with Dara to learn more about her program and how she helps women. Book your call HERE.

Take the perfectionist quiz for yourself HERE.

Subscribe for more on emotional eating, permanent weight loss and living a life you love.

If you've ever blamed your hormones, metabolism, genetics, circumstances—or yourself—for your weight, this episode is for you.

I'm going to say something that might sting:

You are, in large part, responsible for how much you weigh.

But before you turn that into another reason to beat yourself up, stay with me.

Responsibility is not the same thing as blame.

In this episode, we're talking about radical responsibility—taking 100% ownership of your part, nothing more and nothing less. You don't take responsibility for things that were never yours, but you also don't hand your power away to things outside of your control.

We'll talk about:

• The difference between owning your part and blaming yourself
• Why responsibility can become another weapon when you already have a harsh inner voice
• How to tell the difference between accountability and shame
• Why you can't "negative yourself into something positive"
• Kristin Neff's research on self-compassion and motivation
• How self-abandonment can begin in childhood and continue running on autopilot decades later
• Why getting to your goal weight won't necessarily solve the deeper pattern underneath your eating
• The powerful difference between "I did this, and I can do something different" and "I did this, therefore something is wrong with me"
• How to talk to yourself the way you would talk to a good friend
• A powerful exercise involving your 90-year-old self—and what she might want you to know about your life today

If you're tired of blaming yourself but also tired of giving your power away, this conversation is for you.

Your weight loss journey doesn't need more shame. It needs responsibility, compassion, and a willingness to understand what's really going on underneath the behavior.

Ready to look at the root of what's making weight loss difficult for you?

Book a free call with me and let's figure it out together.

Don't forget to subscribe and share this episode!

Follow Dara on social media @dara_tomasson

Do you find yourself standing in front of the fridge at night, eating something you never planned to eat—and then lying in bed feeling ashamed afterward?

You're not alone. And more importantly, you're not weak.

In this episode of Love Yourself Thin, Dara takes a closer look at nighttime eating and what may actually be happening beneath the behavior. She explores the fascinating research around willpower, habit, and the belief that we're simply "out of control" at the end of the day.

Dara also explains why nighttime eating may be an automatic response to emotions, routines, loneliness, overwhelm, or the need for comfort—and why the food itself may not be the real problem.

You'll hear about:

• Why nighttime eating isn't necessarily a discipline problem
• The science behind willpower and why researchers still debate "ego depletion"
• How believing you have no willpower can become a self-fulfilling prophecy
• Why shame can reinforce the exact eating cycle you're trying to break
• How certain foods can become substitutes for love, connection, comfort, or companionship
• The difference between hunger and emotional hunger
• Why curiosity and compassion are more useful than self-punishment
• One simple question to ask yourself the next time you head to the kitchen at night

Instead of asking, "What's wrong with me?", Dara wants you to start asking:

"What am I actually needing right now?"

Because understanding your unique patterns—not shaming yourself for having them—is where real change begins.

If nighttime eating has become a source of frustration or shame, this episode will help you look at it through a completely different lens.

Book a call with Dara to find out what is causing your unique eating struggles.

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The kids are heading back to school, there are new backpacks and notebooks everywhere, and there's that familiar feeling of a fresh start in the air.

But what if you could use that same fresh start energy for yourself?

In this episode, Dara explains why lasting change doesn't come from overhauling your entire life overnight. In fact, the research shows that small, repeatable actions are far more powerful than big, dramatic transformations.

You'll learn why the popular idea that habits take 21 days to form isn't actually supported by research, why missing a day doesn't mean you've failed, and how small wins help you build the confidence to keep going.

Dara also takes you behind the scenes of her 90-day process inside Love Yourself Thin and explains the five foundational pillars that help women create lasting change:

• Weight loss science is simple — stop getting distracted by every new trend and conflicting piece of advice.
• Create your own plan and learn to troubleshoot it — because a plan you understand and own is one you can actually maintain.
• Feel your feelings instead of eating them — learn to stop using food, scrolling, people-pleasing, or procrastination to avoid emotional discomfort.
• Take 100% responsibility for yourself — without shame, blame, or beating yourself up.
• Create confidence — through small, repeated wins that show you that you can trust yourself.

If you've ever started strong, missed one day, and decided you'd blown the whole thing, this episode is for you.

You do not need another dramatic fresh start.

You need a process that works with your brain, helps you build confidence, and gives you the opportunity to take one small step at a time.

Ready to find out what's really getting in the way of your progress? Book a free call with Dara to explore your relationship with food and discover what may be driving the patterns you've been trying to change.

Learn more about Dara's program Love Yourself Thin

Subscribe for more and follow Dara on social media @dara_tomasson

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound are everywhere right now. Maybe you're curious about them. Maybe you're already taking one. Or maybe part of you feels like using medication would somehow be "cheating."

In this episode, Dara takes a step back from the debate and looks at the bigger picture. What do GLP-1 medications actually do? Can they reduce food noise? And if they quiet your desire for food, does that mean they've resolved the reason you were turning to food in the first place?

Dara shares research and perspectives from several medical and psychological professionals, including differing opinions about who may benefit most from GLP-1 medications, what happens when the medication is stopped, and how appetite suppression could potentially interact with perfectionism and rigid thinking.

But this isn't a yes-or-no episode about whether you should take a GLP-1.

Instead, Dara wants you to ask better questions.

If the food noise disappeared tomorrow, would the rest of your life feel resolved? What would you finally believe about yourself if you reached your goal weight? And why does that belief have to wait until you lose the weight?

Dara also explores the connection between emotional eating, food noise, over-hunger, and over-desire—and why understanding the why behind your eating patterns may be just as important as changing the behavior itself.

• What GLP-1 medications actually do to appetite and food noise
• Why quieting food noise isn't necessarily the same as resolving its underlying cause
• Why doctors and researchers don't all agree about GLP-1 medications
• How emotional eating can be connected to suppressing or avoiding difficult emotions
• The difference between over-hunger and over-desire
• How perfectionism and all-or-nothing thinking may factor into your relationship with food
• The questions to ask yourself before deciding whether a GLP-1 is right for you

Important: This episode is for education and personal reflection, not medical advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether a GLP-1 medication is appropriate for you.

If you're considering a GLP-1—or you're already taking one and still wondering what's really driving your relationship with food—Dara invites you to book a free diagnosis call to explore your unique pattern. Book your call HERE.

Subscribe for more episodes on emotional eating!

Did menopause really ruin your metabolism and make weight gain inevitable?

In this episode of Love Yourself Thin, Dara separates what's actually happening during menopause from the story so many women have been taught to believe about their bodies. Yes, hormone changes are real. Yes, fat distribution can change. But menopause does not mean your metabolism suddenly shuts down or that weight gain is unavoidable.

Dara dives into the research around aging, muscle loss, metabolism, and menopause—and then takes the conversation deeper.

Because what if some of the constant thinking about food, your body, and your weight isn't actually about menopause?

Dara explores food noise, experiential avoidance, and how thinking about food can sometimes become a way of buffering from uncomfortable emotions, difficult relationships, or conversations we don't want to have.

You'll learn:

• What actually happens to your metabolism during menopause
• Why menopause isn't the sudden metabolic "cliff" many women believe it is
• How food noise can become a distraction from deeper emotional issues
• What experiential avoidance has to do with emotional eating
• Why menopause can become a convenient explanation for struggles that may have another root
• A simple question to ask yourself when food and body thoughts start taking over
• Why curiosity and compassion are more useful than beating yourself up

Dara also shares Anne's story and what changed when she stopped focusing only on the symptom and started working through the emotional patterns underneath her eating.

The question for you is: Is there something else you're avoiding right now?

Book a call with Dara to unpack what's really going on and learn more about her program where women learn to enjoy their lives without the emotional baggage. Book your call today!

Subscribe for more on permanent weight loss!

Have you ever walked into a family reunion, holiday gathering, or high school reunion and suddenly felt like you were 16 again?

Maybe nobody said anything intentionally hurtful. Maybe someone makes an innocent comment about who you used to be, and yet something inside you deflates. In this episode, Dara explores why being around people who have known you for decades can bring up such a powerful emotional reaction—even when you have done years of work to become a different version of yourself.

Dara dives into the psychology behind family dynamics, self-concept, rejection, and belonging, and explains why your nervous system can react so strongly when people reflect an old version of you back to you.

• Why family systems tend to pull us back toward old roles and patterns.
• What happens when people continue seeing you as the person you used to be.
• Why rejection can feel like physical pain in the body.
• How our need for belonging is connected to our sense of safety.
• Why family reunions can feel especially loaded when you don't have regular, meaningful connection with your family.
• The four psychological needs threatened by exclusion: belonging, self-esteem, control, and meaningful existence.
• How to identify which need is making you feel most vulnerable before walking into a family gathering.
• Simple ways to support yourself before and during a reunion, holiday, or other gathering.

Most importantly, you are not overreacting if family gatherings bring up complicated feelings. Understanding what's happening can help you stop judging yourself for your reaction and start preparing for it with compassion.

You don't have to become the old version of yourself just because someone else remembers her.

Want to dive deeper into developing confidence in yourself? Book a call with Dara to explore her coaching program and how she can help you overcome obstacles and love yourself! Book your call today!

Follow her on social media @dara_tomasson

Do you constantly think about food—even when you're not hungry?

Maybe you're already planning your next meal before you've finished the one you're eating. Maybe you avoid the beach because of what you think people will say about your body. Or maybe you find yourself standing in front of the refrigerator, not because you're hungry, but because something deeper is going on.

That constant mental chatter has a name: food noise.

In this episode, Dara explains what food noise really is, why so many women over 50 experience it, and why it has very little to do with food itself.

You'll discover how food noise is actually your brain's way of trying to protect you from rejection, shame, and not feeling like you belong. Once you understand the signal beneath the noise, you'll stop fighting your brain and start working with it.

• What food noise actually is (and why it isn't a lack of willpower)
• The common signs that food noise is running your life
• Why swimsuits, summer, and social events can trigger food obsession
• The surprising connection between food noise and your nervous system
• How fear of rejection keeps you focused on food instead of your emotions
• Why simply silencing food noise isn't the same as healing it
• The first step to breaking free from emotional eating for good

If you've ever wondered why you can't stop thinking about food, this episode will help you understand the real reason—and show you where lasting freedom begins.

Struggling with food noise and feeling frustrated in your body? Book a call with Dara to find out how her program can support you!

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Follow Dara on social media @dara_tomasson

Have you stopped setting goals because you're afraid you'll disappoint yourself again?

In this episode of Love Yourself Thin, Dara shares why so many women over 50 struggle to follow through on their goals—not because they're lazy or lacking willpower, but because they're unknowingly carrying emotional patterns that lead to burnout, perfectionism, and self-doubt.

Using the story of training for her first half marathon, Dara explains why sustainable success comes from curiosity and self-compassion instead of pressure and punishment. She also vulnerably shares how unresolved grief affected her body for years and how learning to process emotions transformed both her health and her relationship with herself.

If you've ever abandoned a goal, questioned your discipline, or believed you simply can't trust yourself, this episode will help you understand what's really happening beneath the surface.

• Why burnout isn't caused by doing too much—but by why you're doing it.
• The difference between setting goals from fear versus love.
• How perfectionism and people-pleasing sabotage follow-through.
• Why self-trust is built through compassion, not criticism.
• The connection between unresolved emotions and physical health.
• Dara's surprising half marathon experience and what it taught her about lasting change.
• How to create goals that actually strengthen your confidence instead of destroying it.

You don't need more discipline. You need a healthier relationship with yourself.

If you're ready to stop starting over and finally build lasting confidence, this episode is for you.

Book a call with Dara to find out how she can help you build confidence and achieve your goals.

Follow Dara on social media @dara_tomasson

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