Sure, reading is cool, and I’ve definitely learned a lot over the years by doing it, but it’s not a substitute for taking action. Body transformations are a lot like dancing – you don’t learn by watching, you have to get on the floor and learn the steps. Sadly, the action step is where most get stuck and ultimately fail. That’s why, today, co-coach, Eileen Trujillo, and I want to talk to you about how to combat laziness and follow through. I used to be a massive procrastinator and called myself lazy. As it turns out, I just didn’t have any strategies in place to set myself up for success. It was going to take more than installing a productivity app on my phone if I wanted to finish the things I started. Today, on the Fat Murder Podcast, we talk about the three strategies that helped me stop dragging my feet and take action on the things I truly wanted in life. What’s a goal in your life that you’ve been struggling to achieve? flossing your teeth? waking up 20 minutes earlier? completing 3 workouts a week? The solution to your problem is in this episode. Give it a listen. I know it will help you!

Fat Murder Podcast

EPISODE 120: How to Follow Through

In last week's episode, I interviewed client, Jessie Fink, 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 Friends With Benefits client, Lindsay Grange, 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. Lindsay was kind enough to open up and share some of hers. Topics discussed: Why Lindsay decided to join the program and how it turned out to be exactly what she needed to stop bouncing around from diet to diet and commit to unraveling her emotional ties to food. Lindsay shares some of her biggest challenges in the program and how the introduction to “trigger foods” was the breakthrough she didn't know she needed. At what point in the process Lindsay 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. Lindsay 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 Lindaay 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 at info@lesliehooper.com 

EPISODE 119: Client Interview with Lindsay Grange

In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing former Friends With Benefits (now rebranded as UNSTUFFED) client, Jessie Fink.   In the fall of 2019, Jessie 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 our time together, Jessie, had the opportunity to work through three major obstacles:   1️⃣ she got engaged (YAY! ?) 2️⃣ she works in a restaurant (helloooo, food all day every day!) 3️⃣ she had to navigate life/eating during covid lockdown in NYC   In this episode Jessie shares the story behind her dieting checkered dieting history and how those struggles propelled her into a negative spiral of chronic dieting.   In this week's episode, we discuss:   ▪️The biggest challenges she faced when the program ended and how she's been able to execute the psychological tools she learned to remain consistent in her habits.   ▪️Jessie shares why she decided to try hunger directed eating and how the program helped her identify herself as a struggling perfectionist   ▪️Why having a more structured program was the game-changer she needed   ▪️How COVID has impacted her relationship with food as she's navigated the food industry, a wedding, and numerous lockdowns (hint: nothing changed)   ▪️What physical changes she's seeing 10 months post-program and the eye-opening revelations she's made while continuing to step further away from diet culture   ▪️What holiday and social eating looks like for her now compared to years previous (hint: no more food anxiety or losing control)   ▪️Jessie’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.  

EPISODE 118: Client Interview with Jessie Fink

What if I told you that your body is a problem to be solved? I also don’t believe your suffering is because you have failed. I believe your history of dieting is a rational response when trying to live in a culture that tells us that having the perfect body is a path to more worthiness. It makes sense. As humans, we want to feel accepted. If you find yourself in a challenging relationship with food and/or your body, it’s likely your natural inclination to want to control it by going on a diet. Unfortunately, this complex problem is not as simple as eliminating sugar and eating more vegetables. This isn’t about restriction at all. Join co-coach, Steph Miramontes, on this week’s episode of the Fat Murder Podcast to hear our thoughts on how restriction has never healed disordered eating, healed a dieter’s mind, or filled a lonely void. NEVER. We completely miss the target when we aim here. When you have a history of dieting, initially letting go of food rules frees your mind so you can start observing how you feel in your body — physically and emotionally. Unfortunately, there are many gurus in a perpetual quest to solve the problem of our bodies. They want an answer! They want to package and sell it to us. They want to tell you what is hard about your lives without listening to your lived experience. Their hope is that it will make sense, similar to an algebra equation. This is also what diet culture is after – a set of instructions that will lead to a fix: another detox diet, another fat burner pill, another liposuction treatment. This constant need to “fix” your body does nothing to address your mind. And that’s where the real work needs to happen. You can’t diet your way into a healthier relationship with food and your body. Don’t buy it. Dig deeper.    

EPISODE 117: You Can't Change a Body You Hate

Your biggest challenge when trying to drop weight isn’t the food, it’s your mind. More specifically, your all-or-nothing mindset. Does this sound like you? You don’t want to diet You want to be able to eat what you want You want to be able to eat as much as you want You want to be able to eat anytime you want ...without gaining weight. You don’t want to diet, but you also don’t want to gain weight. You know diets don’t work, because you haven’t been able to execute them long-term and always regain the weight you lose. But you fear if you reject dieting then you’ll lose control and eat everything — without any boundaries — never stop...and gain weight. And so you continue on the hamster wheel of dieting. Never any meaningful progress to show for it, but the act of doing *something* provides you with a false sense of control. Even when it’s not producing results. This is your black-and-white thinking at play. Not EVERYTHING you’ve learned through your years of failed dieting is trash. In many respects, you HAVE developed some healthy habits that are beneficial moving forward. Just because you’ve decided to no longer follow a meal plan or count calories, that doesn’t mean you lack common sense, does it? You still know what healthy portions look like You still know what foods upset your stomach You still know what quantity of food makes you feel uncomfortably full. Rejecting diets doesn’t mean you eat until you’re sick. It requires common sense and a mental shift. It’s simply a different way to look at your eating. It’s embracing the gray. No more black-and-white thinking created by food rules, diet books, and restrictive meal plans. It’s carving out a pathway created by YOU and your body. Trust yourself. You don’t need a diet to tell you what to eat and in what quantity; your own internal and external physical guidelines will show you the way. Eat when you’re hungry Stop when you’re physically satisfied Manage your mind so your emotions don’t cause you to seek comfort in food. When there are no food rules to “break” there is no guilt to be had. Join co-coach Steph Miramontes and me on this week’s episode of the Fat Murder Podcast as we help you navigate your way into a healthier relationship with mind, body, and soul.

EPISODE 116: It's Not About the Food

On this week’s episode of the Fat Murder Podcast, co-coach, Eileen Trujillo joins me to discuss how in order to permanently lose the weight, you have to lose the dieter’s mindset. Most of the women I’ve had the pleasure of working with do what all the other dieters do — they practice being overweight and seeking a magical solution. Instead, you should be practicing what natural eaters do, NOT what overweight women do. I know this is surely not your intention. You want to lose the weight AND the whole problem. But if you are approaching it like a dieter, then you are creating more of what you don’t want: The thoughts of overweight women The feelings of overweight women The actions of overweight women ….and you are stuck in the struggle. Of course you’re not doing this on purpose. I know it’s the opposite of what you want. If you want to eat and think like a natural eater then you need to stop doing what dieters do, and start doing what natural eaters do. Join us for the conversation. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you think a ‘natural eater’ interacts with the world compared to a dieter? Think of a child or “naturally thin’ friend, colleague or family member. How do they eat? What habits have you observed?

EPISODE 115: To Become a Natural Eater, You Have to Stop Acting Like a Dieter

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight for a special occasion, you are not alone. The question is: is this a good idea? Or not? This is the topic co-coach, Eileen Trujillo, and I dive into this week on the Fat Murder Podcast. Think of all the things you’ve done in the past that may have made you think you needed to lose weight for: Your wedding or a friend’s wedding Having a special outfit you wanted to fit into A class reunion A big business meeting or presentation A vacation And let’s not forget: wearing a bathing suit! You think of these occasions, and you think about how you want to look, right? You want others to admire you. Or find you ‘acceptable.’ You want to seem like you’ve got it all together. That you are successful. That you don’t struggle. And you think your weight is a barometer of how well you are doing in your life. So, you search for a diet. Something fast. And probably, something unrealistic. You might lose some weight. And you might not. But is this actually a good idea? What’s been your experience with dieting for special occasions? We’re you able to lose the weight? Did you regain it afterward? I’d love to hear your stories. Check out this week’s episode and let me know if anything resonated with you.

EPISODE 114: How Dieting for Special Occasions is Hurting You

On this week's episode of the Fat Murder Podcast, co-coach, Steph Miramontes joins me to discuss how NOT to turn Hunger Directed Eating into another weight-focused diet.   As I tell my clients, these are not rules. 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.  

EPISODE 113: Stop Turning "Hunger Directed Eating" Into a Diet

Have you ever noticed that you can go to bed at night feeling one way about your body, only to wake up the next morning and feel completely different? This is something to get curious about because the size of our bodies doesn’t change in this period of time, but how we FEEL about our bodies does. If our body isn’t different, then what’s really going on? In this episode of the Fat Murder Podcast, I invited my co-coach, Steph Miramontes, back to the podcast to discuss body respect. You'll learn: How having respect for your body empowers you to achieve success in other areas of your life Why the first step in weight loss is through body acceptance (seeing the body as worthy instead of punching bag) Why it's important to understand what your body's needs are and how to go about meeting them Why you may fear body respect and acceptance will lead to weight gain How to lovingly appreciate and respect your body while also having a goal to lose weight (the two don't have to be mutually exclusive) As mentioned in a previous podcast episode (Navigating Bad Body Image Days), we discussed how we are socialized to ignore, suppress, or numb our feelings, especially the uncomfortable, messy or “unacceptable” ones. So when uncomfortable feelings arise, our body becomes the scapegoat. Instead of feeling angry, we scrutinize our body. Instead of feeling anxious about the big deadline at work, we feel more body shame. Instead of feeling sad because we had a terrible fight with our partner, we think about a plan to change our body. If you want to stop using your body as a punching bag and learn how to accept and respect it as your co-pilot in this life, then don't miss today's conversation. If bullying your body was an effective weight loss strategy, it would have worked by now. It's time to try something different. Are you in?

EPISODE 112: Body Love is Not a Requirement for Body Respect

In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing former Friends With Benefits client turned Team Leader, Laura Kalirai. One and a half year ago, Laura graduated from my group coaching program and today, I invited her onto the podcast to share her experience in the program and how she's been doing without the structure and accountability since graduating. Prior to joining FWB, Laura struggled with yo-yo dieting and body image issues since her youth. In this episode she shares the story behind her dieting checkered dieting history and how those struggles propelled her into a negative spiral of disordered eating. In this week's episode, we discuss: The biggest challenges she faced when the program ended and how she's been able to execute the psychological tools she learned to remain consistent in her habits. Laura shares why she decided to try hunger directed eating and how the program helped her identify herself as a struggling perfectionist Why having a more structured program was the game-changer she needed How COVID has impacted her relationship with food as she's navigated the UK's numerous lockdowns (hint: nothing changed) What physical changes she's seeing one year post-program and the eye-opening revelations she's made while continuing to step further away from diet culture What holiday and social eating looks like for her now compared to years previous (hint: no more food anxiety or losing control) Laura’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.

EPISODE 111: Former Client Interview with Laura Kalirai

On this week’s episode of the Fat Murder Podcast, Rog Law, and I are talking all things beliefs. Everything you have in your life is a result of your belief in yourself and the belief that it’s possible. There are four important steps to learning how to believe in yourself. Practice them and you’ll be amazed at the results: Believe it’s possible. Believe that you can do it regardless of what anyone says or where you are in life. Visualize it. Think about exactly what your life would look like if you had already achieved your dream. Act as if. Always act in a way that is consistent with where you want to go. Take action towards your goals. Do not let fear stop you, nothing happens in life until you take action. Give it a listen and let us know what your goal is and the smallest step forward you can take today to turn it into a reality.

EPISODE 110: How to Develop a Belief in Yourself

Join Rog Law and myself as we discuss the biggest reason why you haven’t lost the weight. If you are struggling with weight loss, I would bet that it’s probably due to one of these three reasons: 1️⃣ You think there is a magical diet out there that will be fast, easy and permanent. And you just haven’t found it yet. So you are on a perpetual search. 2️⃣ You are convinced that when you find this magical diet, you will be able to get immediate results. You want this to be true, so you decide to believe this thought. And anything less than immediate results is not acceptable to you. 3️⃣ You try the magical diet, and you fall down. You fail. And then what? You give up. You had a huge expectation of immediate success and when you ran into your first roadblock, you just gave up. Is this you? Are you guilty of these thoughts and expectations? If so, this episode is for you.

EPISODE 109: The Biggest Reason Why You Haven't Lost the Weight

In this episode, co-coach, Eileen Trujillo, and I talk about the wild-eyed ‘all-or-nothing’ beast and the many ways that it rears its ugly head in the pursuit of our goals.   Join us as we explain how to turn your fear of failure into a super power that unlocks achievement in areas of your life where you typically self-sabotage.   Topics discussed:   ▪️The myth of perfection and why striving to reach it is actually keeping you stuck at best, and at worst making your life a nightmare   ▪️Why failure is actually your secret weapon on your path to success   ▪️Actionable steps to take with you into battle the next time the urge to be perfect appears    One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect.   “Perfection simply doesn't exist…without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist.”   ― Stephen Hawking

EPISODE 108: How to Fail Forward

In this week’s episode of the Fat Murder Podcast, co-coach, Eileen Trujillo, and I take a deep dive into the 3 primary reasons why you can’t stop eating (and what to do about it). Simply put, dieters mostly focus on WHAT to eat and not their inner psychology in HOW they eat.  In this episode, we get nerdy about the way the brain is wired and WHY stopping is the hardest part of eating. Hint: it comes down to your biology, your unconscious mind while eating, and your mindset (the thoughts you experience about the way you eat). We get into the nitty-gritty with each one of these three barriers and provide you with actionable steps on how to tackle them individually so you can stop getting into your own way and effortlessly walk away from food when your body has signaled it’s had enough. Give it a listen and let us know which of the three reasons you’ve identified as your biggest obstacle and the detailed plan you’ve created to overcome it.  

EPISODE 107: 3 Reasons Why You Can't Stop Eating

How much of your day do you spend thinking about eating? ▪️What you will eat next? ▪️What you wish you could eat? ▪️What you wish you hadn’t eaten? What about your body? ▪️I want to fit into the clothes I wore pre-pregnancy. ▪️I hate the cellulite on my legs. ▪️I wish my arms didn’t jiggle so I could wear sleeveless shirts. How much of your day do you spend feeling guilty for what you ate, for what you weigh, for basically, well, for being you? How much of your day do you spend thinking about the weight you’ve gained or the weight you haven’t lost? Or, the weight you wish you had lost or the weight you plan to lose? How much of your day do you spend counting calories, points, fat grams and carbs? How much of your day do you spend reading articles, books, and social media accounts looking for that *magical* weight loss protocol that’s going to solve all of your problems? How much time do you spend hating your body when you go clothes shopping, see yourself in a mirror, or in a picture? I don’t know about you, but just thinking about this makes me want to take a nap. What a waste of time. What a waste of a perfectly good life. There are a million things you could be doing and in today’s episode with co-coach, Steph Miramontes, we identify if dieting has become your hobby and the steps needed to reclaim your life. Join us for this episode of the Fat Murder Podcast if you’re ready to stop sitting on the sidelines of your life and get in the game. It’s time to have fun and make memories.

EPISODE 106: Is Dieting Your Hobby?

Have you ever received a piece of advice that dramatically changed your life? What if someone gave you the same kind of advice that completely transformed the way you think, feel, and interact with food? Would it be worth 20 minutes of your time? Join Leslie Hooper and Rog Law as they expose the dirty little secrets of the diet industry and discuss how to get into the best shape of your life without ever having to diet again.

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Fat Murder Podcast

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