The Innovative Therapist

Episode 74. Today I am so excited to be speaking to Atheana Brown, RD, on an incredibly important topic area. Parenting, eating, and bodies -- all things that can bring up pain, struggle, and shame for so many of us. We are going to be covering all things related to raising kids as an intuitive eater, particularly if you are struggling with un-learning diet culture messages and trying to learn intuitive eating yourself. I learned a ton, and am definitely going to make some shifts based on our conversation. I think you are really going to like the conversation so lets dive in! What To Expect in This Interview: We cover the following topics: A really nice definition of what intuitive eating is (that even I needed to be reminded of, even after all this time doing this work)Some of the many challenges with trying to raise an intuitive eater in our societyWhat Atheana wants someone to know if they fear that they have taught their children bad habits or it's "too late" to change their child's relationship to food or their bodyHow learning or re-learning intuitive eating is different based on age and some recommendations based on thisHow Ellyn Satter's work around Division of Responsibility can help reduce food related power struggles with your kidsSome great wording suggestions and questions you can ask your kids to help promote an intuitive eating process with food (beyond just "are you full?" which can be hard for kids to answer sometimes)Some key takeaways about these topics (including a statement about food that was very impactful to me) And much more! Make Healthy Living Easy Have you ever thought... "I just need more willpower." or "If I only had more self-control." Actually, that is rarely the problem. One of the first steps to develop sustainable healthy habits is to learn to make healthy living easier, so we can use LESS willpower. Sound good? Download this free guide for 5 science-backed simple strategies to use less willpower today! Grab this free guide today for 5 science-based simple strategies to use less willpower today! Let's start setting yourself up for success and regaining confidence in yourself.  Support Independent Bookstores Near You! Did you know that that if nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will have almost 80% of the book market by the end of 2025? Look, I love the convenience of Amazon, but I’ve got a super cool way that you can support local bookstores and my blog and podcast simply by buying books like you already do! You can choose any bookstore on the list in the US and Canada (they plan to expand to other counties in the future) OR you can just let the donation get split between all stores. As of this recording, they have raised 15 million dollars for local bookstores. On my bookshop, you will see my absolute favorite books related to health and wellness, courage and vulnerability, and even my favorite fiction and kids books! My recent favorite related to improving the quality of our lives was Digital Minimalism. Our family actually has decided to do an optional screen free August to re-evaluate the role of screen time in our lives. So if you believe in supporting local businesses, please consider buying your books through Bookshop from now on! The Psychology of Wellness Bookshop Link. Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider patient relationship.Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!).Credit: This blog post was written by Dr. Shawn Hondorp and edited by Julia Ledbetter.

Episode 73. For this episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Julie Satterfeal, MS, RD. We had a great conversation around common questions I get around how to incorporate nutritious eating within a non-diet (i.e., non-weight focused framework). What To Expect in This Interview: We cover the following topics: How Julie's noticing of her own thin privilege impacted the messages she got about food growing up and her desire to go into this career pathThe fact that she she graduated college the year that Intuitive Eating was first published, and how that has impacted thingsWhere she's see the field change, and where she hasn'tWhy the health promoting behaviors to focus on may be simpler than you think, and what Julie works on with her clients most oftenAnd much more! We also answer the following questions: "I’m working on my relationship with food and I really feel good about the progress, but I just saw my doctor and we talked about my heart disease risk and I truly really want to lose weight still. How can I focus on improving my habits and weight loss without messing up the work I’ve done on my relationship with food?”"Why is the over focus on calories so unhelpful?" "If I don't focus on calories or weight, what should I focus on?" Make Healthy Living Easy Have you ever thought... "I just need more willpower." or "If I only had more self-control." Actually, that is rarely the problem. One of the first steps to develop sustainable healthy habits is to learn to make healthy living easier, so we can use LESS willpower. Sound good? Download this free guide for 5 science-backed simple strategies to use less willpower today! Grab this free guide today for 5 science-based simple strategies to use less willpower today! Let's start setting yourself up for success and regaining confidence in yourself.  Support Independent Bookstores Near You! Did you know that that if nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will have almost 80% of the book market by the end of 2025? Look, I love the convenience of Amazon, but I’ve got a super cool way that you can support local bookstores and my blog and podcast simply by buying books like you already do! You can choose any bookstore on the list in the US and Canada (they plan to expand to other counties in the future) OR you can just let the donation get split between all stores. As of this recording, they have raised 15 million dollars for local bookstores. On my bookshop, you will see my absolute favorite books related to health and wellness, courage and vulnerability, and even my favorite fiction and kids books! My recent favorite related to improving the quality of our lives was Digital Minimalism. Our family actually has decided to do an optional screen free August to re-evaluate the role of screen time in our lives. So if you believe in supporting local businesses, please consider buying your books through Bookshop from now on! The Psychology of Wellness Bookshop Link. Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider patient relationship. Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this supports my business, and local bookstores too!). Credit: This blog post was written by Dr. Shawn Hondorp and edited by Caitlyn Galvin.

Episode 72. I've said it before and I will say it again, I am often profoundly changed by the impact of the conversations I have on this podcast. I still remember quotes and concepts from people I interviewed a year ago, and I still sometimes re-listen to the conversations to remind myself of the lessons I learned from them. This conversation with Dalia Kinsey, RD, LD, was extra special though. And I'm actually having a hard time putting into words why exactly that is. I think part of it is Dalia's presence, and the generosity and vulnerability that is shared, including the process from behind the scenes of this week's. Beyond that, however, Dalia's compassion for others, myself included, who have very much missed the mark with wellness, health, and lack of diversity in related fields, made this conversation all the more meaningful. Inviting Dalia on the podcast was important to me because I truly believe that moving towards true wellness and health means we must un-learn a lot of what we have been taught. Not only about what is healthy from a weight-centric model, but so much of what we have been taught about race, sexuality, and generally how so many of our systems, educational models, and structures are set up to serve white people, not persons of marginalized backgrounds. I'll admit: I have total imposter syndrome when I talk about or write about topics related to diversity. I'm afraid I'll mess things up, like say the wrong things or offending someone (my deepest fear). But I know deep down it's a privilege to be able to choose to learn about and talk about these topics or not, and I am working on continuing to choose the (typically mild) discomfort, so I can continue to learn and grow. I hope you will listen in on this conversation and hear the incredible gift that Dalia has given to the world by sharing this book with the world. I truly believe what I said, that I think this book truly benefits anyone who wants to learn about wellness and inclusion as an individual or as a healthcare provider. I hope wherever you are in your journey of learning about diversity and where we in the US and other countries have greatly missed the mark, that you will remain open, curious, and humble and continue to be open to learning more. And remember that (as I often have to remind myself) you don't need to know it all, you just need to ask question and listen. There's so much value to be gained from learning about the amazingly diverse experiences of humans and I'm incredibly grateful that Dalia shared with us via Decolonizing Wellness, but also that I was able to have this incredible conversation as well. What To Expect in This Interview: We cover the following topics: How Dalia came to doing this work, and the courage it took for Dalia to write Decolonizing Wellness, and the incredibly vulnerable process of doing soSome examples of the many ways that health and wellness spaces miss the mark when it comes to persons of diverse and/or marginalized identitiesWhat Dalia means by "When you queer anything it becomes more inclusive" (and why I've never been more convinced of this after talking to Dalia and reading Decolonizing Wellness)What Dalia wishes more people understood about these topicsAnd much more! Who is Dalia Kinsey, RD, LD? Dalia Kinsey is a queer Black Registered Dietitian, keynote speaker, the creator of the Body Liberation for All podcast, and author of Decolonizing Wellness: A QTBIPOC-Centered Guide to Escape the Diet Trap, Heal Your Self-Image, and Achieve Body Liberation. On a mission to spread joy, reduce suffering, and eliminate health disparities in the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC community, Dalia rejects diet culture and teaches people to use nutrition as a self-care and personal empowerment tool to counter the damage of systemic oppression. Dalia works at the intersection of holistic wellness and social justice, continually creating wellness tools and resources that center the most vulnerable —...

Episode 71. What does March Madness have to teach us about our relationship to food and our eating habits? In this episode of the Motivation Made Easy podcast you will find out! What to Expect In This Episode What watching March Madness basketball teaches us about motivationHow we can understand the role of diet culture, pressure and body shame on our eating habits by looking at other experiences of pressure and expectationsHow to reduce excessive pressure to improve internal motivation for the changes you want to make in your lifeA fun fact about a basketball players eating habits Do you ever worry that you are wasting your life? I definitely did. In fact, I wrote that in my journal many years ago when I was in the middle of the diet-binge roller coaster ride. I woke up every day thinking about food, my body, and what I would eat that day to “be healthy”The notebooks I had filled with calories and points could fill up a spare bedroomSocial events and vacations immediately prompted the thought “they will notice I gained weight” or “I need to lose weight by then”Deep down I knew I wasn’t living life the way I wanted to, but I didn’t know how to pull myself out of it. If this is you, I want you to imagine what it would feel like to feel empowered in your body and proud of your choices on a consistent basis. I promise you, it isn’t too late. Dieting steals our motivation. It makes us ineffective. It keeps us spinning our wheels in a system that was never built to work. If you are ready take the first step to motivating yourself with what matters to you, download my free Create Powerful Motivation guide (which is quite beautifully designed if I do say so myself), and walk through the 3 simple steps to create motivation that works for YOU in 15 minutes or less. You will get a simple formula to write ONE SENTENCE you can use to motivate yourself on a daily basis. You can write it on your bathroom mirror, put on the background of your phone, or just read it and repeat it in your mind. Look, I know how much it hurts to live a life worrying you are missing out, not stepping into the person you were truly meant to be, vibrant, passionate, curious, vulnerable, and brave. You can listen to the podcast all day, but taking that first step, putting pen the paper (or typing on your phone) is required for true lasing change. It’s time to start living my friend. It’s 100% free, so what are you waiting for? Grab your free copy of the guide today at DrHondorp.com/Motivate  March Madness, Sandwiches, and Internal Motivation He looked so incredibly happy, relaxed, and confident. The dude was clearly having the time of his life. Who am I talking about? Doug Edert, guard on Saint Peter's University basketball team, of course. You may or may not know who he is. But prior to this March Madness tournament, I'm almost sure you didn't. Doug is on the Saint Peter's University basketball team. A team that recently became the first 15 seed to reach the Elite 8. In the games I watched, Doug looked happy and incredibly relaxed. He appeared to be having fun, and simply enjoying the challenge and the opportunity. The Freedom of Low Expectations St. Peter's had already accomplished so much by making the tournament. They had only made it once before in school history, back in 2011. St. Peter's is a private Jesuit university located in Jersey City, New Jersey. The school has 2,637 students. The Pressure of High Expectations For comparison, the University of Kentucky, who lost to Saint Peter's in the first round as a 2-seed (and one of the top favorites to win the entire tournament) has an enrollment of 22,227. As the game went on, and it became clear that Saint Peter's very well may win this thing, you see the Kentucky players getting more tense, less relaxed. Certainly not having fun. When Doug Edert and Saint Peter's went on to continue to the next game,

Episode 70. Today's post and episode is actually a replay of my conversation last summer with Dr. Jillian Murphy, ND. I don't replay episodes all that often, but I realized many people missed this one, and it's truly a crucial on in understanding this approach, understanding Health at Every Size, Intuitive Eating, and the somewhat less talked about concepts of Competent Eating and Division of Responsibility work lead by Ellyn Satter. Cutting the Diet Culture Cord One thing that really becomes evident in the conversation with Dr. Murphy, is that anti-diet, weight inclusive approaches benefit all bodies. Not just people with eating disorders or in a certain body size, but ALL OF US. I’m really excited for you to listen to this interview, because we cover a lot and Dr. Murphy is a WEALTH of knowledge as she’s been practicing naturopathic medicine in the weight inclusive space for a decade. One thing that was super interesting to me is the fact that even when things feel “mild” in terms of “healthy eating”, how much freedom you can still gain from cutting the diet culture cord. I seriously learned a ton in this interview. Let’s dive in! "This isn't an individual failure; it's a failure of the system and the information you've gotten… you weren't born eating like this."- Jillian Murphy In the interview, we cover: Why Health at Every Size is not just a social movement, but an evidence-based movement rooted heavily in science. She breaks this down in a way that I truly haven’t heard before, so make sure you stay tuned to really understand why and how this isn’t just a “don’t judge people for their body size” movement (though that’s of course very important, too!)We talk about her training as a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine and where her focus is, as well as the ways that her training, just like pretty much all standard training programs, were steeped in diet culture beliefs.Her experience with orthorexia and how she finally fully cut the diet culture cord.We talk about her work learning about competent eating through the Ellyn Satter Institute and the power of this approach for kids and adults. I’m SO excited for this part of this conversation, because we talk about a nuanced approach to moving towards a flexible, healthy, sustainable relationship with food called Competent Eating that can be really helpful for people who want more structure than Intuitive Eating provides. Super cool. Do you ever worry that you are wasting your life? I definitely did. In fact, I wrote that in my journal many years ago when I was in the middle of the diet-binge roller coaster ride. I woke up every day thinking about food, my body, and what I would eat that day to “be healthy”The notebooks I had filled with calories and points could fill up a spare bedroomSocial events and vacations immediately prompted the thought “they will notice I gained weight” or “I need to lose weight by then”Deep down I knew I wasn’t living life the way I wanted to, but I didn’t know how to pull myself out of it. If this is you, I want you to imagine what it would feel like to feel empowered in your body and proud of your choices on a consistent basis. I promise you, it isn’t too late. Dieting steals our motivation. It makes us ineffective. It keeps us spinning our wheels in a system that was never built to work. If you are ready take the first step to motivating yourself with what matters to you, download my free Create Powerful Motivation guide (which is quite beautifully designed if I do say so myself), and walk through the 3 simple steps to create motivation that works for YOU in 15 minutes or less. You will get a simple formula to write ONE SENTENCE you can use to motivate yourself on a daily basis. You can write it on your bathroom mirror, put on the background of your phone, or just read it and repeat it in your mind. Look, I know how much it hurts to live a life worrying you are missing out,

Episode 69. Frustrated with emotional eating and not sure where to turn? Have you tried all the things, all the diets, all the "lifestyle" change programs only to worry that you "self-sabotage" by emotional eating? Do you feel like if you could just "stop emotional eating" then all would be writh in the world? Well, today we will touch on what's keeping you stuck, and my top favorite books to help pull you out of the ineffective (and incredibly draining cycle). Today I'm doing a review of my very favorite books to improve your relationship with food and stop binge eating. In fact, binge eating is actually the best term to use instead of emotional eating. Because guess what? Food is emotional and we should have an emotional relationship to food. But I know you want to feel more in control, so that's what we are covering today. Are you ready!? Let's dive in. What to Expect In This Episode The top 6 books I recommend most to help you improve your relationship with food and stop emotional eating or binge eatingGuidance on which books are best for which type of person. Do you like science? I've got a book for you. Or maybe you are more of a story person? Don't worry, there's a great recommendation for each of you.When to know if self help books aren't enough Taking that First Step Have you been caught in the binge-diet cycle, or felt like an emotional eating your whole life or for many years? You might be understandably skeptical that a book could help with such a lifelong problem, and you may be right... However, buying one of these books and reading it may in fact but the first crucial step on a path of healing. Here me out. The Way We Are Doing Things Isn't Working The standard approach to weight management and even treatment of binge eating disorder or emotional eating is not working for the VAST majority of people. Top Books to Improve Your Relationship With Food 6. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown 5. The Joy Choice and/or No Sweat by Michelle Segar, PhD, MPH - List to my conversation with Dr. Segar here! 4. Health at Every Size by Lindo Bacon, PhD 3. Decolonizing Wellness by Dalia Kinsey, RD, LD 2. The Diet-Free Revolution by Alexis Conason, PsyD and/or The Mindfulness-Based Eating Solution by Lynn Rossy, PhD - Listen to my conversation with Dr. Conason here! 1. Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch How to Know When Books Aren't Enough You continue to doubt the process, whether it's working, and if you are on the right path.You are reading the information, but not implementing it. And you still feel out of control and are still emotional eating.You still feel a tremendous amount of shame about your struggles.If you have a significant eating disorder (e.g., really are struggling to eat more food throughout the day, have very engrained thoughts about your body, are bingeing/purging or excessively exercising or doing other things to get rid of calories) please call the National Eating Disorders Helpline here. Remember that eating disorders can and do occurs in all body sizes. Options for Next Steps If you are finding that books aren't enough, or you are just wanting more support and to make progress faster, look into finding more support. Friend level support. Find a friend (or two) to do a book club with. Read one of the above books and meet regularly to discuss it and how you will apply it.Find a Health at Every Size aligned dietitian and/or therapist (counselor, psychotherapist, psychologist). If you can't find someone with their specific training, consider finding a therapist who might be willing to learn with you as a first step. Support Independent Bookstores Near You! Did you know that that if nothing slows their momentum, Amazon will have almost 80% of the book market by the end of 2025? Look, I love the convenience of Amazon, but I’ve got a super cool way that you can support local bookstores and my blog and podcast si...

Episode 68. Today I’m so excited to talk with Jessi Holden. I found her via Google search, and then learned she lives right by me! We had a really cool conversation about the ways you can support autonomy and desire for weight loss all at the same time! What to Expect In This Episode In this interview, we cover: Can a weight inclusive approach (e.g., Health at Every Size®, Intuitive Eating) and pursuing weight loss go together?How does this relate to weight loss in general, and weight loss (bariatric) surgery?Some of the ways Health at Every Size® and Intuitive Eating are aligned, and how they are differentThe way we have seen professionals accidentally take away autonomy from their clients and patientsWhy social media may not be the best place to have these nuanced conversations (and a little tangent about how my use of social media has drastically changed in the past 6 months and why)What we want people to know to truly make sure they are making autonomous and empowered choices in this space Who is Jessi Holden, MS, RD? Jessi Holden is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who is aligned with the Health at Every Size® Movement and considers the affects of weight loss surgery, and how the two concepts are interrelated. In her work, she integrates Intuitive Eating to promote health in her clients. Through Jessi's blog, individuals are able to learn how to eat better to suit their body, how to exercise more in balanced ways, and how to focus on getting healthier. "Everybody is deserving of finding health and what that really looks like for them."- Jessi Holden, MS, RDN Want To Support Local Bookstores Near You? Buy your books from Bookshop! Support local bookstores near you and this blog and podcast and help prevent Amazon from completely squashing the local book market. Do you ever worry that you are wasting your life? I definitely did. In fact, I wrote that in my journal many years ago when I was in the middle of the diet-binge roller coaster ride. I woke up every day thinking about food, my body, and what I would eat that day to “be healthy”The notebooks I had filled with calories and points could fill up a spare bedroomSocial events and vacations immediately prompted the thought “they will notice I gained weight” or “I need to lose weight by then”Deep down I knew I wasn’t living life the way I wanted to, but I didn’t know how to pull myself out of it. If this is you, I want you to imagine what it would feel like to feel empowered in your body and proud of your choices on a consistent basis. I promise you, it isn’t too late. Dieting steals our motivation. It makes us ineffective. It keeps us spinning our wheels in a system that was never built to work. If you are ready take the first step to motivating yourself with what matters to you, download my free Cultivate Powerful Motivation guide (which is quite beautifully designed if I do say so myself), and walk through the 3 simple steps to cultivate motivation that works for YOU in 15 minutes or less. You will get a simple formula to write ONE SENTENCE you can use to motivate yourself on a daily basis. You can write it on your bathroom mirror, put on the background of your phone, or just read it and repeat it in your mind. Look, I know how much it hurts to live a life worrying you are missing out, not stepping into the person you were truly meant to be, vibrant, passionate, curious, vulnerable, and brave. You can listen to the podcast all day, but taking that first step, putting pen the paper (or typing on your phone) is required for true change. It’s time to start living my friend. It’s 100% free, so what are you waiting for? Grab your free copy of the guide today at DrHondorp.com/Motivate  Main Takeaways from this Episode! HAES and the desire for weight loss (surgery or not) can go together. Healthcare professionals don't need to shy away from this topic to be aligned with a weight-inclusive approach.

Episode 67. Simplify. Play. Choose Joy. How does THAT sound to you, friends? In today's episode, I got to sit down with Dr. Michelle Segar, someone whose work I deeply admire, and this only was amplified after our conversation. It was a reminder to me that even people who have tons of research publications and two books have self-doubt, but that people doing the courageous work of questioning the status quo are essential to improving the way we do things, and help people. What to Expect in this Interview In this interview, we cover: What prompted Dr. Segar to get into doing this work (she takes us back to a story from a pivotal moment among a group of women in 1994)When and why she first started applying Self-Determination Theory to understanding eating and exercise habitsWhat made her write her bestselling book No Sweat AND her brand new book out this week called The Joy ChoiceWhat we need to understand about the existing research on habit change and why it might not always apply to eating behaviorWhat is a "habiter" versus an "unhabiter", and how to know which one you areHow to use her science-based decision support strategy - simplify, play, and choose joy - to help us quiet the mental noise and clear the decks for effective decision making through joy, ease, and flexibility.” What it means to make the "perfect, imperfect choice" and how it can help you (make sure you check out the example about how this applies to Kara's habit of skipping lunch) Who is Dr. Michelle Segar? Michelle Segar, PhD, MPH, MS bestselling author of No Sweat and sustainable behavior change scientist, directs the University of Michigan’s Sport, Health, and Activity Research and Policy Center. She has spent the last 25 years conducting health coaching and research and translating it into sustainable behavior change messages and programming for professionals and organizations seeking to accelerate and sustain positive change. Her comprehensive, research-based approach to creating sustainable behavior change has made her a sought-after speaker, sustainable-behavior-change trainer, and consultant.  Michelle is passionate about helping professionals and organizations learn how to integrate the latest scientific findings into clinic-based counseling and tele-coaching protocols and digital health products and practices. "How can we be failing at something when we've been set up to fail?"-Michelle Segar, PhD, MPH, MS Want To Support Local Bookstores Near You? Buy The Joy Choice and other great books from Bookshop! Support local bookstores near you and this blog and podcast and help prevent Amazon from completely squashing the local book market. Do you ever worry that you are wasting your life? I definitely did. In fact, I wrote that in my journal many years ago when I was in the middle of the diet-binge roller coaster ride. I woke up every day thinking about food, my body, and what I would eat that day to "be healthy"The notebooks I had filled with calories and points could fill up a spare bedroomSocial events and vacations immediately prompted the thought "they will notice I gained weight" or "I need to lose weight by then"Deep down I knew I wasn't living life the way I wanted to, but I didn't know how to pull myself out of it. If this is you, I want you to imagine what it would feel like to feel empowered in your body and proud of your choices on a consistent basis. I promise you, it isn't too late. Dieting steals our motivation. It makes us ineffective. It keeps us spinning our wheels in a system that was never built to work. If you are ready take the first step to motivating yourself with what matters to you, download my free Cultivate Powerful Motivation guide (which is quite beautifully designed if I do say so myself), and walk through the 3 simple steps to cultivate motivation that works for YOU in 15 minutes or less. You will get a simple formula to write ONE SENTENCE you can use to motivate yourself...

Episode 66. Today I'm talking to Colleen Christensen, RD, ALL about Intuitive Eating, set point weight, and how to embrace the journey even when you are scared to do so. We cover the following (and more!): Colleen's history of an eating disorder, how she healed it, and how she can to doing this work.The main things that helped her break out of the diet cycle, and what she would do differently knowing what she knows now.What set point weight is, how to find it.The crucial shifts she sees people make to help them get over the fears of weight gain.The pros and cons of social media both for people learning about Intuitive Eating there, and for social media influencers. Colleen Christensen is a Registered Dietitian who believes in the power of food freedom. Through her social media channels, blog, videos and incredibly popular membership community, The SociEATy, she helps women to stop dieting and start fueling their bodies intuitively- without food rules! As a dietitian Colleen knows the importance of nutrition but also that an unhealthy obsession can be detrimental to our health. Finding the "balance" we're all striving for isn't a mystical unicorn; it's 180% within everyone's reach and Colleen guides & inspires others to find this style of food freedom that feels GOOD... mentally and physically! "People ask me how do I find this magical set point weight; it's by not focusing on weight."-Colleen Christensen, RD Want To Support Local Bookstores Near You? Buy your books from Bookshop! Support local bookstores near you and this blog and podcast and help prevent Amazon from completely squashing the local book market. Are You New Here? Welcome! I’m so glad to have you. You might be wondering what this blog and podcast are all about. We relate everything in this podcast back to motivation, but not the hustle and grind kind. Truly sustainable motivation that keeps you feeling energetic and engaged in your life for the long haul. We talk about why “I’m just not motivated” is a myth, and why the TYPE of motivation you have is so important to fully understand. If you are ready to learn about motivation and respecting your body in an effective way so that you can live a life you truly love, you are in the right place. Check out the Foundational Episodes of the Motivation Made Easy Podcast here! Introduction: What is this podcast all about?Episode 1: Want to Get & Stay Motivated? A Crash Course on Motivation, Weight Loss, and HealthEpisode 2: How Dieting Steals Our MotivationEpisode 3: How To Get Motivated To Improve Your Health (Motivation 101)Episode 4: How to Transform Health Fears Into Forward Progress Do you ever worry that you are wasting your life? I definitely did. In fact, I wrote that in my journal many years ago when I was in the middle of the diet-binge roller coaster ride. I woke up every day thinking about food, my body, and what I would eat that day to “be healthy”The notebooks I had filled with calories and points could fill up a spare bedroomSocial events and vacations immediately prompted the thought “they will notice I gained weight” or “I need to lose weight by then”Deep down I knew I wasn’t living life the way I wanted to, but I didn’t know how to pull myself out of it. If this is you, I want you to imagine what it would feel like to feel empowered in your body and proud of your choices on a consistent basis. I promise you, it isn’t too late. Dieting steals our motivation. It makes us ineffective. It keeps us spinning our wheels in a system that was never built to work. If you are ready take the first step to motivating yourself with what matters to you, download my free Create Powerful Motivation guide (which is quite beautifully designed if I do say so myself), and walk through the 3 simple steps to create motivation that works for YOU in 15 minutes or less. You will get a simple formula to write ONE SENTENCE you can use to motivate yourself on a daily basis.

Episode 65. Today I'm talking to Courtney Gayle (I know her from middle school as Courtney Warford). Courtney Gayle is an Austin-based singer/model/actress. Known for her powerful-yet-intimate vocal style, she frequently performs solo and with groups throughout the country. As an actress, her one-woman show, “The Blurred Lines,” made a splash at the Metropolitan Room shortly before her musical theater debut at The Fulton Theatre.  Courtney frequently does print and influencer modeling, often showcasing her impressive red locks for brands including DevaCurl and EyeBuyDirect. Currently recording new music with her closest collaborators, Courtney is available for performances, modeling opportunities and voice-over work. "The more comfortable I am, the less successful I am."- Courtney Gayle We cover the following (and more!): Courtney's journey pursuing her dream as a singerHer relationship with food and body and how that played a role when she is clearly told that her body is "part of the sale"The strategies she uses regularly to cope with negative body image thoughts within the entertainment industry Watch Courtney In Action! IG Links: https://www.instagram.com/iamcourtneygayle/ https://www.instagram.com/grittysunset/ Website: https://www.grittysunset.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grittysunsetduo YouTube: Courtney Gayle Want To Support Local Bookstores Near You? Buy your books from Bookshop! Support local bookstores near you and this blog and podcast and help prevent Amazon from completely squashing the local book market. Do you ever worry that you are wasting your life? I definitely did. In fact, I wrote that in my journal many years ago when I was in the middle of the diet-binge roller coaster ride. I woke up every day thinking about food, my body, and what I would eat that day to “be healthy”The notebooks I had filled with calories and points could fill up a spare bedroomSocial events and vacations immediately prompted the thought “they will notice I gained weight” or “I need to lose weight by then”Deep down I knew I wasn’t living life the way I wanted to, but I didn’t know how to pull myself out of it. If this is you, I want you to imagine what it would feel like to feel empowered in your body and proud of your choices on a consistent basis. I promise you, it isn’t too late. Dieting steals our motivation. It makes us ineffective. It keeps us spinning our wheels in a system that was never built to work. If you are ready take the first step to motivating yourself with what matters to you, download my free Create Powerful Motivation guide (which is quite beautifully designed if I do say so myself), and walk through the 3 simple steps to create motivation that works for YOU in 15 minutes or less. You will get a simple formula to write ONE SENTENCE you can use to motivate yourself on a daily basis. You can write it on your bathroom mirror, put on the background of your phone, or just read it and repeat it in your mind. Look, I know how much it hurts to live a life worrying you are missing out, not stepping into the person you were truly meant to be, vibrant, passionate, curious, vulnerable, and brave. You can listen to the podcast all day, but taking that first step, putting pen the paper (or typing on your phone) is required for true lasing change. It’s time to start living my friend. It’s 100% free, so what are you waiting for? Grab your free copy of the guide today at DrHondorp.com/Motivate  Main Takeaways from This Conversation Dieting in any of the traditional ways we do it disconnect us from our life.To progress and succeed in life, it takes stepping out of your comfort zone.People respond differently to confidence. If you're confident, often no one cares how much you weigh.Diamonds form under pressure and beauty emerges from times of adversity.We are able to live our lives to the fullest through food.