Outsmart Overeating

This week on the Fat Murder Podcast, co-coach, Eileen Trujillo, and I discuss an urge to eat when you're not physically hungry and what to do with it when it happens. In my program, Unstuffed, we refer to this as "mind hunger" and it's rooted in an emotional need not being met. Once you've come to grips with being an emotional eater, it's important to have a process to begin working through them in a healthy way that doesn't involve stuffing them down with food. In 17 years of coaching, I've never had a client tell me they're comfortable sitting with their emotions when they surface — their coping mechanism is almost always a distraction; a way to numb or mentally check out through exercise, watching TV, eating, etc. Because they are unfamiliar with the way the body communicates its needs through emotions, they can feel scary, but they're not. It's the fear of the unknown that makes them uncomfortable. When we learn to invite emotions into our lives without judgment, we also learn how to make ourselves feel safe and secure. Emotions are our friends. They aren't always accurate truth tellers, and often don't match the situation that made us feel the way we feel. This is why observing them without attaching a story or narrative is a life-changing exercise. Check out this week's episode to learn the steps necessary to help you stop eating your feelings today.

Connect with Leslie: • Website • Instagram • Facebook If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and you're interested in personalized coaching, apply here. If you want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but lose the struggle along side it, get my free guide — Lose the Diet, Gain a Life. I'll show you how to drop unwanted pounds without ever having to diet again. Go to lesliehooper.com for the guide.

One of the most popular and extremely important topics we discuss with our Unstuffed clients is fear and how to overcome it. Most people bring up fear as if it is just a given. They use it as a valid reason to avoid doing something. In reality, fear is not a valid excuse for not doing our work in the world; it is just a mismanaged mind. In this week's episode, co-coach, Eileen Trujillo, and I explain exactly how fear works, why we are afraid to do important things in our lives, and how you can use it to your advantage instead of letting it control you. Listen in to learn valuable and actionable tips that you can start using today to help you create the life you deserve. Connect with Leslie: • Website • Instagram • Facebook If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and you're interested in personalized coaching, apply here. If you want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but lose the struggle along side it, get my free guide — Lose the Diet, Gain a Life. I'll show you how to drop unwanted pounds without ever having to diet again. Go to lesliehooper.com for the guide.

Body image is one of the most challenging areas of work I've experienced both personally and professionally. And it makes sense.

We live in a culture that values thinness, so it's only natural to desire and work towards being "better," fitter, and a "toned up" version of yourself. This is what society deems as a representative of beauty.

Since our earliest days, we have been taught to feel shame about our body and overall appearance. Following the natural path of aging is viewed as problematic:

• wrinkles
• cellulite
• stretch marks

So it's understandable if even entertaining the idea of not trying to change your body feels wrong, unnatural and scary.

Disliking how you look is sadly, normal.

But is it possible to like our bodies AND want to change them?

Of course, changing our body can help us "feel better" because our culture praises appearance and tells us our self worth is dependent on how we look, so when we feel like we are "fitting in" with what society deems acceptable, we will naturally feel better.

But the thing is, these pursuits aren't sustainable and they almost always lead to disappointment, more frustration and more unhappiness.

The pursuit of weight loss can also distract us from things that truly matter to us…meaning they pull us away from our values. But we keep revisiting this dead-end path, hoping this time we'll arrive somewhere that makes us happy.

That's the empty promise of the diet and beauty industry. This is how they thrive off of your insecurities. Without you disliking your body, they can't sell you a solution to fix it. They NEED you to hate yourself to maximize their profits.

There are a lot of variations of what healthy body image actually means.

To me, positive/healthy body image doesn't mean loving your body. For me, it comes from a place of acceptance.

The goal isn't to LOVE my reflection in the mirror, it's to find appreciation and respect for how I'm able to explore this planet and experience this beautiful life. Wearing size 2 skinny jeans or weighing 120 pounds is not a prerequisite.

Join coach Steph Miramontes, and me on today's episode of the Fat Murder Podcast as we dive into this delicate topic and help you better understand how you can love your body AND want to change it at the same time.

Check out today's podcast to learn how.

Connect with Leslie: • Website • Instagram • Facebook If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and you're interested in personalized coaching, apply here. If you want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but lose the struggle along side it, get my free guide — Lose the Diet, Gain a Life. I'll show you how to drop unwanted pounds without ever having to diet again. Go to lesliehooper.com for the guide.

On this week's episode of the Fat Murder Podcast, co-coach, Steph Miramontes, joins me as we discuss how to lose weight through Hunger Directed Eating. As I tell my clients, these are not rules. Your diet brain is going to turn them into rules since that's what you're used to, but this is how you take care of yourself in a loving way. They are "If love could speak to you about food" guidelines. They are designed to teach you how to love yourself with food. As dieters, you have learned how to use food as a way to force, shame, and guilt yourself. In the podcast, we discuss:

• How having a healthy relationship with food isn't about force, shame, or guilt In this process, there is only kindness, compassion, and patience
• How to develop the eating habits of a natural eater who feels relax and in control around food instead of an anxious stress ball reacting out of fear
• Any time you start beating yourself up for the way you've eaten, you are not following the program. You are dieting.

Think of it this way: When was the last time you felt empowered and positive when your boss or a parent ridiculed you?⁠ ⁠ When was the last time you felt compelled to do the dishes or the laundry after your partner put you down for never doing them?⁠ ⁠ It doesn't work then and it doesn't work when you do it to yourself, either. ⁠ The opposite is likely true. When your boss, parent, or partner notices something positive about you or something you did, it probably makes you want to do that thing more. ⁠ Bullying doesn't inspire change. Love does. Give this week's episode and tell us what you learned about yourself and how you can put it into action today.

Connect with Leslie:

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If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and you're interested in personalized coaching, apply here. If you want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but lose the struggle along side it, get my free guide — Lose the Diet, Gain a Life. I'll show you how to drop unwanted pounds without ever having to diet again. Go to lesliehooper.com for the guide.

• What are you expecting to change?
• Who are you changing for?
• How will your life be different when you lose 10 pounds?
• Is it possible that you don't need to wait until you're a size 4 to be happy?

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For most people, the journey of weight loss is marred by fear - the fear of giving up foods you love, the fear of not being able to lose the weight, and the fear of not being able to maintain the results when you are successful.

Sadly, most of these fears end up being a self-fulfilling prophecy because what you fear, you invite into your life. Thankfully, there's a better way.

Join co-coach, Steph Miramontes, and me as we show you actionable ways to move beyond your fears and into your dream body without fear of regaining the weight.

Topics discussed:

• Why it's important to rewrite your identity and how this superpower will make aloof your wildest dreams come true
• Why rapid weight loss challenges suck and what you should be doing instead
• Before you can change your behavior, you first have to understand your patterns and triggers so you can be aware of your vulnerabilities
• Despite your best efforts, a long term plan is always going to produce better results than a short term plan
• Why it's valuable to confront your fears so you can learn how to use them to your advantage

For more information that can help you on your fat loss journey while drop-kicking fear in the face, check out episode 48 on why self-care is critical for weight loss.

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Today's episode of the Fat Murder Podcast with co-coach, Eileen Trujillo, is all about language and the powerful ability it has to impact our daily lives. More specifically, the difference between having a growth vs fixed mindset. For example: Growth mindset: I *ate* like an asshole. Fixed mindset: I *am* an asshole. See the difference? Someone with a fixed mindset believes "who I am" is static. They give themselves no wiggle room for change. Their successes and failures simply define who they are. Whereas someone with a growth mindset believes that "who I am" can evolve and become developed; every failure is an opportunity to learn. Their successes and their failures are separate from who they are. The trick to accepting yourself is to see your behaviors as something separate from yourself. The most helpful way to go about doing this is by changing your own inner dialogue and understanding that who you are and what you do are not the same thing. To learn exactly how you adopt this mindset of excellence, be sure to listen to today's episode and let us know what key takeaway you're going to implement in your own life.

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In this week's episode of the Fat Murder Podcast, co-coach, Eileen Trujillo, and I talk about the one way you may be sabotaging your fat loss without even knowing it — snacking. After a long, hard stressful week at work, it's not uncommon to plop down on the couch and surrender yourself to a world of left swiping on Tinder. Now there's nothing wrong with any of that, as it's a perfectly normal human response, but the issue becomes problematic when we also have cheese-dusted finger tips after being elbow deep in a bag of Doritos. Here's the problem with mindless eating: You're 53% MORE LIKELY to continue eating (often to the point of discomfort) if the food is in front of you. Think about it. How much more food do you eat on Thanksgiving or at buffets? Well, according to scientific research, humans average they UNDEREAT 20-40% more than they actually do. So whatever number you just came up with? It's probably a really bad estimate. BUT, knowledge is power, so join us for today's episode and let me know which actionable strategy you want to begin implementing.

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In last week's episode, I interviewed client, Sarah Cheikh, on how she was able to transition from a food-obsessed chronic dieter to someone who feels completely in control in any dining scenario while effortlessly maintaining her weight through the power of habit. This week, I'm excited to share the interview of Unstuffed client, Tracey Martin, on her unique experience in my group coaching program. As you know, no two dieters are the same and we all have different challenges, backgrounds, habits, lifestyles, and emotional eating struggles. Tracey was kind enough to open up and share some of hers. Topics discussed:

• Why Tracey decided to join the program and how it turned out to be exactly what she needed to stop bouncing up and down the scale….and commit to unraveling her emotional ties to food.
• Tracey shares some of her biggest challenges in the program and how starting the program imperfectly was the breakthrough she didn't know she needed.
• At what point in the process she witnessed her relationship with food beginning to shift and how she's been able to overcome her self-limiting beliefs and history of self-sabotage.
• Tracey also discusses why this process "worked" when others never did.
• Her best piece of advice for those who fear gaining weight if they stop macro/calorie counting, and why confronting this fear is essential for long-term success.

Thanks again to Tracey for being a guest and sharing her valuable insights. Be sure to give this episode a listen and let us know what topics you'd like us to cover in the future.

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In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing two-time client, Sarah Cheik, from The Netherlands. In the summer of 2020, Sarah was frustrated and fed up with dieting. As someone who experienced a classic history of yo-yoing with no long-term results to speak of, she reached out with the intention of getting off the maddening merry-go-round once and for all. During first round working together, Sarah, was able to overcome a long-term cycle of restrict-then-bing and lose weight by mastering the eating habits outlined in the program. After working together for 6 months, Sarah felt she ready to set sail on her own. In this episode she shares the story behind her first experience in the program and why a year later, she came back for another round. But this time, ready to be vulnerable and go "all-in" by talking about things that she avoided the first time. In this week's episode, Sarah shares:

• The biggest challenges she throughout the program and how she's been able to execute the psychological tools she learned to remain consistent in her habits
• Sarah shares why she decided to try hunger directed eating and how the program helped her identify herself as a struggling perfectionist
• Why participating in the body image course in the program was the game-changer she didn't know she needed
• What holiday and social eating looks like for her now compared to years previous (hint: no more food anxiety or losing control)
• Sarah's BEST piece of advice for those who fear they'll gain weight if they stop calorie counting and focus on weight loss through behavior change

For more conversations on topics like binge eating, emotional eating, the all-or-nothing mindset, and your inner critic, you can check out previously recorded episodes. If there's a topic you'd like us to cover in an upcoming episode, let us know in the comments below.

This was an awesome client interview and I'm so excited to share it with you! I hope you dig in and find it helpful.

Connect with Leslie:

• Website
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If you're struggling with emotional, binge, or compulsive eating and you're interested in personalized coaching, apply here. If you want to learn how to not-only lose weight, but lose the struggle along side it, get my free guide — Lose the Diet, Gain a Life. I'll show you how to drop unwanted pounds without ever having to diet again. Go to lesliehooper.com for the guide.