Taking a leap of faith and deciding to make a change, are not easy things to accomplish. For those of us who really struggled with chronic diets, eating disorders, and body image issues, it’s like we’re stuck in a vicious cycle that prevents us from doing things differently. That’s why it’s so important to know that self-love journeys are not linear, and failing is just part of the process.

In this episode of What You’re Craving Podcast, Molly welcomes Brenna. Brenna shares her most vulnerable times when she thought that her own vicious cycle could just not end and that was when she suffered the most. Brenna highlights the importance of being kind to ourselves during hard moments, feeling ok with starting over as many times as needed, and trusting our potential to really break up with who we no longer want to be. Tune in!

Episode Quote

• “I think that you have to release yourself from that physiologically addiction. And for those of us who are in that process, that binging… suspend the belief, take the leap, and I promise you: in 6 months you’ll be looking in the mirror, doing some kind of self-care being like ‘I love you’.” – Brenna

Key Highlights

• Brenna explains that having body image issues can really shape who we are for life, ironically as we try to become someone else;
• Brenna shares the moments when she no longer wanted to struggle and decided to change for good;
• It’s important to recognize the moments when we are using food to ensure we can control situations & feel safe;
• Childhood repeated patterns and traumas can manifest during adulthood;
• Brenna highlights that you can start over as many times as you want because there are no rules, but remember to be kind with yourself during the whole process;
• Brenna shares her strategy to maintain a healthy relationship with food on a weekly basis;
• Brenna shares her final advice on accepting you want to change and really taking the leap to a brighter future.

About Molly Carmel

Molly is a leading addiction and eating disorder therapist and the founder of the Beacon Program, which offers individual and group solutions to help people break free from their destructive relationships with food and dieting. She is also the author of ‘Breaking up with Sugar’ and the host of ‘What You’re Craving’ Podcast.

Connect with Molly

Want to spend MORE time together? Me too! Here are all the ways:

Instagram: @mollycarmel

Facebook: Molly Carmel

YouTube: Molly Carmel

Free Mini Masterclass: mollycarmel.com/signup Breaking Up with Sugar Course: molly-carmel.mykajabi.com/buws-course

Breaking Up with Sugar Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/buwsbook Monthly Group Coaching: mollycarmel.com/coaching-with-molly Weekly IntenSati Spiritual Fitness Class: mollycarmel.com/intensati

The way we talk to ourselves and the relationship we have with our thoughts are an important part of healing trauma, stopping self-hating, and accepting our image. Sometimes, the thought patterns and the unregulated self-talk are so deep rooted in our minds that we don’t even realize when they appear and, therefore, we cannot stop them from reoccurring. Can you recognize the moments when you punish yourself?

In this episode of What You’re Craving, Molly welcomes Adrienne Glasser to discuss addiction, trauma, and the importance of therapy experiences – and not only therapy talks. Adrienne talks about compassionate self-talk, being aware of the sensations in our body when we feel self-hate, and how to begin to treat addictions and self-image issues with just awareness. Tune in to listen to the whole episode.

Episode Quote

• “Everything that’s happening is either a form of protection or is coming from wounding. It’s not anything that anyone is doing on purpose and it’s just a reflection of where you’ve been and not who you are.” – Adrienne Glasser

Key Highlights

• Adrienne explains how she began working as a therapist and how in her childhood she herself dealt with a lot of addiction and trauma but was also surrounded by a lot of therapy talk;
• It’s important to know that protective systems (how we keep wanting to be safe and protected no matter what) truly have their foundation in traumas;
• Adrienne explains that the well-known moments of self-hate and self-doubt need to be noted to be stopped. It’s also helpful to notice what physical sensations they cause in the body;
• Adrienne and Molly briefly discuss the diet culture and how it is the source of many rejection patterns we keep reproducing;
• How to find your authentic Self and reconnect with it in order to live a better and more peaceful life.

About Adrienne Glasser

Adrienne Glasser is a meditation spiritual teacher, psychotherapist, certified IFS practitioner, and a somatic movement therapist. Her primary role is teaching clients and clinicians to reconnect with their most authentic Self and live their best lives.

Connect with Adrienne Glasser

Instagram: @adrienne.glasser

Website: adrienneglasser.com 

Help for Addictions: https://breathelifehealingcenters.com 

About Molly Carmel

Molly is a leading addiction and eating disorder therapist and the founder of the Beacon Program, which offers individual and group solutions to help people break free from their destructive relationships with food and dieting. She is also the author of ‘Breaking up with Sugar’ and the host of ‘What You’re Craving’ Podcast.

Connect with Molly

Want to spend MORE time together? Me too! Here are all the ways:

Instagram: @mollycarmel

Facebook: Molly Carmel

YouTube: Molly Carmel

Free Mini Masterclass: mollycarmel.com/signup Breaking Up with Sugar Course: molly-carmel.mykajabi.com/buws-course

Breaking Up with Sugar Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/buwsbook Monthly Group Coaching: mollycarmel.com/coaching-with-molly Weekly IntenSati Spiritual Fitness Class: mollycarmel.com/intensati

Reframing our attitude towards food pushers can be very challenging. After so many years of behaving a certain way and having automatic positive answers when we are offered food, it will be hard to change. However, it’s important to understand that it won’t always be this hard. Like any other skill, saying “no, thanks” gets easier every time you do it. At the end of the day, your actions add up.

In this episode of What You’re Craving Podcast, Molly shares great ways to simply say “no” to food pushers. Molly explains that we need to be effective, express what we need and, if necessary, even rehearse what we’re going to say and what choices we’re going to make at events or parties, for example. People offering food impolitely says more about them than about you. The key is to make your needs a priority. 

Episode Quote

• “When we’re making big changes in our life, sometimes we have to lose some people.” – Molly Carmel 

Key Highlights

• We have to learn how to deal with food pushers, but it’s important to take into account that it will happen little by little and imperfectly;
• Molly gives you some ideas and more skillful ways to say no to food, but at the same time being polite and appreciative;
• Molly explains that in these situations it’s important to say what we need, say what we don’t need, and make our goals a priority;
• If it’s a stress-induced situation for you, know that it’s completely normal and preparing and rehearsing to social events, for example, can help.

About Molly Carmel

Molly is a leading addiction and eating disorder therapist and the founder of the Beacon Program, which offers individual and group solutions to help people break free from their destructive relationships with food and dieting. She is also the author of ‘Breaking up with Sugar’ and the host of ‘What You’re Craving’ Podcast.

Connect with Molly

Want to spend MORE time together? Me too! Here are all the ways:

Instagram: @mollycarmel

Facebook: Molly Carmel

YouTube: Molly Carmel

Free Mini Masterclass: mollycarmel.com/signup Breaking Up with Sugar Course: molly-carmel.mykajabi.com/buws-course

Breaking Up with Sugar Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/buwsbook Monthly Group Coaching: mollycarmel.com/coaching-with-molly Weekly IntenSati Spiritual Fitness Class: mollycarmel.com/intensati This is an Operation Podcast production.

For more information, please contact us at [email protected].

Follow Operation Podcast on Instagram @operationpodcast

In this episode of What You’re Craving, Molly welcomes Jessie Inchauspé (a.k.a. Glucose Goddess) to talk all things monitoring glucose, how to control glucose spikes, the consequences of high glucose levels in our body, and how to manage it all without giving up the foods we like. High glucose affects our mental health as well as our physical health, and Jessie talks all about it in this conversation.

In addition, she shares the easiest and most uncomplicated hacks to manage your glucose levels when ingesting a variety of foods. Consuming a high-protein/high-fat breakfast and combining a protein source with a carbohydrate source, for example, are two of these hacks. Jessie also talks about the best options for snacks, juices, smoothies, and how to implement these habits into our daily lives. Tune in!

Episode Quote

• “Every time we eat, if we’re eating starches or sugars, they break down into glucose as we digest them, and glucose is great, it’s our bodies’ primary energy source and every cell in our body needs it for energy. Things start getting tricky when you experience a glucose spike, which is too much delivery of glucose, too quickly in your body.” – Jessie Inchauspé

Key Highlights

• CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor): what is it, how does it work, and Jessie’s experience with this kind of monitoring data;
• How glucose spikes affects mental health besides being an important cause of skin problems;
• Lack of sleep is one of the most important aspects of our routines that influence glucose levels;
• Hacks to keep our glucose levels steady (10 principles);
• Jessie shares the best options for snacks, fruits, juices, smoothies and how to combine types of foods not to spike glucose levels;
• What kind of health issues we may have when glucose levels are high and how to implement some of the hacks into daily life.

About Jessie Inchauspé

Jessie Inchauspé is on a mission to translate cutting-edge science into easy advice to help people improve their physical and mental health. She’s the founder of the wildly popular Instagram account @GlucoseGoddess, where she teaches hundreds of thousands of people about healthy food habits. In her first book, Glucose Revolution, Jessie shares her startling discovery about the essential role of blood sugar in every aspect of our lives, from cravings to fertility, and the surprising hacks to optimize it while still eating the foods we love.

Connect with Jessie Inchauspé

Instagram: @GlucoseGoddess

Book: Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspé

About Molly Carmel

Molly is a leading addiction and eating disorder therapist and the founder of the Beacon Program, which offers individual and group solutions to help people break free from their destructive relationships with food and dieting. She is also the author of ‘Breaking up with Sugar’ and the host of ‘What You’re Craving’ Podcast.

Connect with Molly

Want to spend MORE time together? Me too! Here are all the ways:

Instagram: @mollycarmel

Facebook: Molly Carmel

YouTube: Molly Carmel

Free Mini Masterclass: mollycarmel.com/signup Breaking Up with Sugar Course: molly-carmel.mykajabi.com/buws-course

Breaking Up with Sugar Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/buwsbook Monthly Group Coaching: mollycarmel.com/coaching-with-molly Weekly IntenSati Spiritual Fitness Class: mollycarmel.com/intensati

Sometimes we struggle to leave our old self behind in order to become a new version of ourselves, but it’s important to understand that this is a process. What we cannot think, however, is that these struggles are part of our identity. We decide who we want to be. Negative affirmations that we keep telling ourselves, and limiting beliefs are a huge blockage to actually change: these stories are just an instinct, not the truth.

In today’s episode of What You’re Craving Podcast, Molly welcomes Elisa. Elisa is a member of The Breaking up with Sugar Facebook Group and is in the process of changing – like Elisa we’re all a work in progress. Molly shares with her and with the listeners how thoughts can trick us into thinking that we’re not safe, that we’re not worthy, or that we need to fall into old habits just to feel secure. Tune in!

Episode Quote

• “One of the ways to stop hating yourself so much is to stop doing self-hating things to yourself.” – Molly Carmel

Key Highlights

• Often times thoughts can play against us, trick us, and make us think we need to keep repeating old habits just to feel like ourselves again;
• If we want to change just a little bit, if there is a small percentage of willingness, that is a win already;
• Sometimes we think that struggling is part of our identity, it’s who we are, but it doesn’t need to be the case because at the end of the day it’s a choice;
• When we feel like giving up, it’s fundamental to find ways to make ourselves feel safe (having support from other people and having a community);
• Negative affirmations and beliefs are just an instinct, not the truth.

About Molly Carmel

Molly is a leading addiction and eating disorder therapist and the founder of the Beacon Program, which offers individual and group solutions to help people break free from their destructive relationships with food and dieting. She is also the author of ‘Breaking up with Sugar’ and the host of ‘What You’re Craving’ Podcast.

Connect with Molly

Want to spend MORE time together? Me too! Here are all the ways:

Instagram: @mollycarmel

Facebook: Molly Carmel

YouTube: Molly Carmel

Free Mini Masterclass: mollycarmel.com/signup Breaking Up with Sugar Course: molly-carmel.mykajabi.com/buws-course

Breaking Up with Sugar Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/buwsbook Monthly Group Coaching: mollycarmel.com/coaching-with-molly Weekly IntenSati Spiritual Fitness Class: mollycarmel.com/intensati

This is an Operation Podcast production.

For more information, please contact us at [email protected].

Follow Operation Podcast on Instagram @operationpodcast

Genetics play an important role in the positive aspects of our personality, the potential challenges we might have in life, and the overall tendencies of how we’ll act and behave. Although our genes are fundamental for this equation, the environment in which we live and the people and places that surround us are also responsible for many things. Being aware of this balance is the first step to self-knowledge.

In today’s episode of What You’re Craving, Molly welcomes Dr. Danielle Dick, PhD and author of ‘The Child Code’. Besides explaining the idea of genetics and biology, Dr. Danielle also touches on important points about parenting and child behavior. The way kids are raised will potentially influence their adult life and, as parents, it’s important to involve children in all of the solution processes. Tune in!

Episode Quote

• “What I mean is not that genes are destiny and DNA is destiny, that we don’t have an active important role in our life outcomes, but very often we completely ignore the really important role of genes in so much in human behavior.” – Dr. Danielle Dick

Key Highlights

• Dr. Danielle shares her background in psychology and genetics;
• Does willpower is enough to break an addictive cycle? How addictive behaviors can go a different route?
• How much does genetic play a role on the way we show up to the world and how we interact with it;
• How parenting influence our tendencies in adulthood;
• Dr. Danielle explains that, as parents, it’s important to solve problems with the kids participating;
• Our traits, personality and unique characteristics were given to us for a reason; it’s important to accept the way we were made;
• DNA is not our destiny. It’s not something unchangeable, but also not something to be ignored;
• Dr. Danielle explains that half of our differences and tendencies are due to biology, and half is due to our environment;
• Dr. Danielle shares her thoughts on what we’re all craving.

About Dr. Danielle Dick

Dr. Danielle Dick is a researcher, professor of psychology and genetics, and author of ‘The Child Code: Understanding Your Child’s Unique Nature for Happier, More Effective Parenting’. She is internationally recognized and expert in genetics and environmental influences on human behavior.

Connect with Dr. Danielle Dick

Book: The Child Code by Dr. Danielle Dick, PhD

About Molly Carmel

Molly is a leading addiction and eating disorder therapist and the founder of the Beacon Program, which offers individual and group solutions to help people break free from their destructive relationships with food and dieting. She is also the author of ‘Breaking up with Sugar’ and the host of ‘What You’re Craving’ Podcast.

Connect with Molly

Want to spend MORE time together? Me too! Here are all the ways:

Instagram: @mollycarmel

Facebook: Molly Carmel

YouTube: Molly Carmel

Free Mini Masterclass: mollycarmel.com/signup Breaking Up with Sugar Course: molly-carmel.mykajabi.com/buws-course

Breaking Up with Sugar Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/buwsbook Monthly Group Coaching: mollycarmel.com/coaching-with-molly Weekly IntenSati Spiritual Fitness Class: mollycarmel.com/intensati

Boundaries are something we create for ourselves, for our relationships with other people, and for our relationship with our own journey. Respecting our boundaries is a solo responsibility and how other people approach these limits do not concern us. At the end of the day we can’t control how other people act and behave, we can only control how we act and behave, and this ends up being an act of honesty and self-love. In today’s episode of What You’re Craving Podcast, Molly explains the ways we can deal with food pushers (that co-worker or family member who offers us food even though we’re trying to heal our relationship with food). Their offering says more about them than about us and it’s very important not to play the victim in these situations. People listen to what we do, not what we say. Are you showing with actions or just promising?  Episode Quote

• “We can’t have our peace and our recovery contigent on what other people think and what other people feel about what we’re doing.” – Molly Carmel

Key Highlights

• The opposite of addiction (any type of addiction) is connection and being part of a community;
• True change comes with challenges so we can’t depend on other people’s words and actions to deal with these challenges;
• Molly explains that although we can’t change other people, we can change our attitude towards their actions;
• People that know us listen to what we do, not what we say; it’s important to show how committed we are with actions;
• Molly talks about how important it is to understand that you’re in charge of setting limits and creating boundaries for yourself;
• Learn to say no to people who don’t respect your limits.

About Molly Carmel

Molly is a leading addiction and eating disorder therapist and the founder of the Beacon Program, which offers individual and group solutions to help people break free from their destructive relationships with food and dieting. She is also the author of ‘Breaking up with Sugar’ and the host of ‘What You’re Craving’ Podcast.

Connect with Molly

Instagram: @mollycarmel

Facebook: Molly Carmel

YouTube: Molly Carmel

Free Mini Masterclass: mollycarmel.com/signup Breaking Up with Sugar Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/buwsbook Monthly Group Coaching: mollycarmel.com/coaching-with-molly Weekly IntenSati Spiritual Fitness Class: mollycarmel.com/intensati This is an Operation Podcast production.

For more information, please contact us at [email protected].

Follow Operation Podcast on Instagram @operationpodcast

Being vulnerable and sharing your struggles with other people not only is an important thing to do, it’s an act of courage. When these struggles are related with body image issues and weight loss, it’s even more courageous because there are shame and guilt involved in the process, and when they hit, they hit hard. That’s why it’s so valuable to be a part of a community that will hold you accountable during hard times. In today’s episode of What You’re Craving Podcast, Molly welcomes Susan. Susan is a member of The Breaking up with Sugar Facebook Group and is walking the path of becoming the best version of herself by getting rid of the shame of being imperfect – which we all are. Molly unpacks Susan’s current struggles, highlighting that it doesn’t matter how many times we fall, it matters how many times we keep going. Episode Quote

• “The beauty of being alive is that we can rewrite the story, we can rewrite the idea that it’s bad to have feelings.” – Molly Carmel

Key Highlights

• Susan tells a little bit of her past and her journey on weight loss and her struggles with body image; 
• Support groups are extremely helpful but it’s important to have a system that helps us deal with hard moments on our own;
• Grief and sadness can sometimes be a big trigger for giving up on what we have achieved so far; It’s important to address that;
• Forgiveness and acceptance are practices that need to be worked on constantly;
• It’s easier and safer to be ‘smart’ and not share our struggles; Vulnerability is riskier and shielded by our comfort zone;
• If you keep falling off the wagon too much, maybe it’s time to check if your wagon isn’t too small;

About Molly Carmel

Molly is a leading addiction and eating disorder therapist and the founder of the Beacon Program, which offers individual and group solutions to help people break free from their destructive relationships with food and dieting. She is also the author of ‘Breaking up with Sugar’ and the host of ‘What You’re Craving’ Podcast.

Connect with Molly

Instagram: @mollycarmel

Facebook: Molly Carmel

YouTube: Molly Carmel

Free Mini Masterclass: mollycarmel.com/signup Breaking Up with Sugar Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/buwsbook Monthly Group Coaching: mollycarmel.com/coaching-with-molly Weekly IntenSati Spiritual Fitness Class: mollycarmel.com/intensati This is an Operation Podcast production.

For more information, please contact us at [email protected].

Follow Operation Podcast on Instagram @operationpodcast

Wellness is a word that has different connotations for different people. Despite presenting a very clear notion of what it is and what it means, everyday wellness can represent a lot of different habits, different practices, and different results. Finding wellness pillars that work for you – and exclusively for you – is a nice thing to do for both mental and physical health. Have you found your pillars yet? In today’s episode of What You’re Craving, Molly welcomes Colleen Watchob to the show to talk all things wellness habits, discovering our non-negotiable health actions, and how to combine the many attributions of a busy life with our health. Having gone through health issues herself in the past, Colleen co-founded mindbodygreen to help others find whatever works best for them. Tune in! Episode Quote

• “It’s really about finding what’s right for you at where you are in your life and a part that I think is tricky about this is: you really do have to be the CEO of your own healthcare.” – Colleen Wachob

Key Highlights

• Colleen shares her background, dealing with some health issues and which lessons she took from it; 
• Colleen tells the listeners how mindbodygreen started;
• Wellness practices must work for you; it’s important to discover your own non- negotiable;
• When it comes to wellness and health, sometimes less is better, and what is simple works the best;
• Molly and Colleen talk about how to find daily health pillars that work for each one, highlighting that not everything is for everybody;
• “Sleep fitness” and the importance of sun exposure for health;
• How’s the process behind the production of mindbodygreen’s supplements;
• How to conciliate responsibilities with our wellbeing;
• Colleen shares with us her opinion on what she thinks we’re all craving lately.

Episode Resources

Go to mindbodygreen.com to save 15% using the code WHATYOURECRAVING15!

About Colleen Wachob

Colleen is the co-founder and co-CEO of mindbodygreen, a company engaged in all things health, movement, mindfulness, integrative practices, and wellness trends. With a modern approach that combines soul & science, mindbodygreen helps you take better care of your health.

Connect with Colleen

Instagram: @colleenwatchob | @mindbodygreen

Website: mindbodygreen.com

About Molly Carmel

Molly is a leading addiction and eating disorder therapist and the founder of the Beacon Program, which offers individual and group solutions to help people break free from their destructive relationships with food and dieting. She is also the author of ‘Breaking up with Sugar’ and the host of ‘What You’re Craving’ Podcast.

Connect with Molly

Instagram: @mollycarmel

Facebook: Molly Carmel

YouTube: Molly Carmel

Free Mini Masterclass: mollycarmel.com/signup Breaking Up with Sugar Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/buwsbook Monthly Group Coaching: mollycarmel.com/coaching-with-molly Weekly IntenSati Spiritual Fitness Class: mollycarmel.com/intensati

Valentine’s Day is my FAVORITE holiday, so of course I needed to record a Solo Pod all about the complicated issue of self-love. Our diet drama and trauma has really done a toll on our self-esteem and self-image. I talk through my journey of navigating the darkness, then finding self-love and self-appreciation through allowing uncomfortable emotions and compassionately accepting imperfections along the way. We all are so deserving of self-love this Valentine’s Day and every day.  

Connection is KEY! Here are ALL THE WAYS we can connect:

 

Join my mailing list for a free mini masterclass: https://mollycarmel.com/signup/

 

Become a part of the Breaking Up with Sugar FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/buwsbook

 

Molly’s IG (I love a DM!): https://www.instagram.com/mollycarmel/

 

Molly’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG1GiXHci_XlL4xMXL6-Ajg?view_as=subscriber

Molly’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mollycarmel.buws

Produced by Dear Media