Outsmart Overeating

Latest Episodes:

EPISODE 155: Client Interview with Sisters, Cheryl & Janine Jun 20, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing sister clients, Cheryl and Janine. In 2021, Cheryl was frustrated with having regained weight AGAIN and was contemplating another stint on Weight Watchers. As someone who experienced a history of yo-yoing with no long-term results to speak of, she decided to do something different and brought her sister, Janine, along for the ride. After working together for 6 months, both women share their experience in the program from two completely different psychological perspectives. In this week's episode, you'll learn:

The biggest challenges they encountered throughout the program and how they've been able to execute the psychological tools they learned to remain consistent in their habits
Cheryl and Janine share why they decided to try hunger directed eating and how the program helped them identify the dysfunctional eating behaviors they developed as children
Why participating in the body image course in the program was the game-changer they didn't know they needed
What holiday and social eating looks like for them now compared to years previous (hint: no more food anxiety or losing control)
Both women'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 • 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, you can get started by taking the Weight Loss Psychology Quiz: Discover Your Diet Personality Type Go to lesliehooper.com for more information about our different coaching packages.

EPISODE 154: How We're Different From Intuitive Eating Jun 13, 2022

Show notes

I LOVED this conversation with co-coach, Steph Miramontes! In this episode of the Fat Murder Podcast, we discuss how our program, Unstuffed, is different from Intuitive Eating. While there is certainly plenty of overlap between IE and the Unstuffed program, there are many differences in the way we help our clients lose weight and adopt a healthier mindset implementing a step-by-step process. Your body is YOUR body and no one should tell you what you CAN and CANT do with it (your body, your decision), including weight loss — whether it be for health or aesthetic purposes.

BUT, we encourage you to unpack your reasons so you can determine whether this is an internal or external motivator. In other words, is this being forced on you by society's unrealistic beauty standards or do you have an intrinsic motivator to change? We also know that sustainable weight loss happens when operating from a place of self-love, not through punishment and self-loathing. When you no longer use food as a way to manage hard days and suppress uncomfortable feelings, you develop the awareness to create healthier coping strategies that align with your core values and emotional needs.

EPISODE 153: 4 Sneaky Ways You're Still Dieting Jun 06, 2022

Show notes

This week, I'm excited to have former client turned coach, Laura Kalirai, on the Fat Murder Podcast to discuss the 4 sneaky ways you may be still be dieting without realizing it. Join us as we discuss the insides and outs of:

How people think HDE is a way to stop yourself wanting trigger foods
Maintaining food rules (e.g. "I already had bread today so I shouldn't have it again")
The perceived threat of having the food you overate again the next day
Timing rules (e.g. being hungry after 3 hours, but waiting it out to eat because your coach advised 4-5 hours as a good indicator of time between meals)

What about you? What sneaky dieting behaviors are you still noticing in your interactions with food? Don't miss today's episode to help you recognize these signs and help you break-free from restrictive rules that may be sabotaging your progress. 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.

EPISODE 152: How to Overcome an Urge to Eat May 30, 2022

Show notes

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.

EPISODE 151: How to Face Your Fears to Get What You Want May 23, 2022

Show notes

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.

EPISODE 150: Can You Love Your Body and Still Want to Change it? May 16, 2022

Show notes

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.

EPISODE 149: An Introduction to Hunger Directed Eating for Weight Loss May 09, 2022

Show notes

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:

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.

EPISODE 148: The Goldilocks Wardrobe: Why You Need to Get Rid of Clothes That Don't Fit May 02, 2022

Show notes

Reminder: clothes are supposed to fit you, not the other way around. In this week's episode of the Fat Murder Podcast, co-coach, Steph Miramontes and I talk about the "Goldilocks wardobe" and why it's important to stop romanticizing smaller clothes and the life you anticipate in them. We're not suggesting that there's anything inherently wrong with wanting to be in a smaller body if that's your goal, but when you look at your true motivators, do you like your reasons?

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?

Happiness is not a size. It's a mindset. BUT, through diet culture, we've learned how to disconnect from our bodies and lose trust in its language. We hold on to our pre-baby wardrobe, idolizing and anticipating what life would be like when we get back into our college jeans. And on the opposite side of that, we shamefully hang on to our "big girl" clothes just in case we "fall off the wagon" again. Both messages keep us struggling. Both messages communicate, "you can't be trusted." And both messages communicate, the love you have for your body is conditional. Nice, new clothes are reserved for a smaller body -- one that is more deserving of kindness and respect. But is that true? And how is this belief system helping you? So much of our emotional eating is rooted in escaping negative thoughts about our bodies and what we make clothing sizes mean about us. But what if you were stranded alone on an island...would this still be a problem of yours? Join Steph and I as we dig into this complex topic. Connect with Leslie:

EPISODE 147: Letting Go of the Weight Regain Shame Apr 25, 2022

Show notes

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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EPISODE 146: Fixed vs Growth Mindset: The Two Perspectives That Shape Our Lives Apr 18, 2022

Show notes

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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